It is called being harmonious with heaven
The ultimate principle of the ancients
Those who excel in the art of command do not wage war lightly. The truly great generals and strategists do not show aggression or put their military power on display.
Those who excel in battles do not lose themselves to anger. By being calm and collected, they increase their effectiveness in action.
Those who are truly good at winning do not need to engage their enemies in physical combat. They can achieve victory with a minimum of fighting, or no fighting at all.
Those who are truly good at management are humble. Because they are not arrogant in assuming that they are more capable than everyone else, they are able to delegate authority and empower others to fully utilize their talents.
All of the above are examples of the virtue we call non-contention. It is a virtue that applies not only to military leadership, but also to our social interactions. It is a powerful way to manage our personal relationships with other people.
We follow this virtue because it harmoniously matches the heavenly laws of nature. Nature is non-contentious. In a thunderstorm there is tremendous power - but no hatred, anger, or arrogance. When the ancient sages noted this, they made non-contention their ultimate principle.
69
In using the military, there is a saying:
I dare not be the host, but prefer to be the guest
I dare not advance an inch, but prefer to withdraw a foot
This is called marching in formation without formation
Raising arms without arms
Grappling enemies without enemies
Holding weapons without weapons
There is no greater disaster than to underestimate the enemy
Underestimating the enemy almost made me lose my treasures
So when evenly matched armies meet
The side that is compassionate shall win
In military strategy as well as life strategy, we have a saying that goes like this:
"I dare not be the host - the aggressor that initiates the conflict. I prefer to be the guest - the cautious defender.
"I dare not move forward into a fight, even by an inch. I prefer to move back a foot, to let my opponent overextend and thus lose balance."
With such a strategy, you are actually marching in formation - moving purposefully with a plan - but it appears as if you have no formation.
You are actually using your arms - taking action - but it appears as if you have no arms.
You are actually grappling with the enemy - coming to grips with your opponent - but it appears as if you have no enemies.
You are actually holding a weapon - wielding an effective tool - but it appears as if you have no weapons.
The worst thing you can do in warfare is to underestimate your opponent. The worst thing you can do in life is to underestimate your challenges. In either case, it can cause you to charge forth recklessly. When I did that, I almost lost my treasures (compassion, conservation, and humility).
From this principle, we can see that when evenly matched armies or individuals clash, the side that approaches the conflict with compassion instead of aggression will end up with a truly meaningful victory.
Notes
Many people believe that overwhelming force wins respect. This belief forms the basis of the "shock and awe" military strategy. History shows that such strategies simply do not work. Aggression succeeds only in planting the seeds of subsequent retaliation. It is wisdom and restraint that win respect and admiration, not force.
Judo and Aikido are based on the concepts described in this chapter more than 2,500 years ago. A master of these arts may appear to be yielding and retreating, and yet is devastatingly effective in combat.
Tao sages apply the same concepts to life. Acting from compassion, they realize that it is more important to be kind than to be right. In an argument, why not let the others "win"?
70
My words are easy to understand, easy to practice
The world cannot understand, cannot practice
My words have basis
My actions have principle
People do not understand this
Therefore they do not understand me
Those who understand me are few
Thus I am highly valued
Therefore the sage wears plain clothes but holds jade
The concepts I talk about are easy to understand and easy to put into practice, but most people in the world cannot understand them or put them into practice
The concepts I talk about are based on the source of spiritual truth. The actions that I put into practice are based on an overall, ruling principle. People do not understand this unified nature of the Tao, so they fail to understand me.
Those who do understand me are relatively few in number. They are the rare and exceptional individuals. This only increases the value of my words and actions.
The sages - those who really understand and are consistent in thoughts and action - excel quietly, invisibly, unknown to most and misunderstood by those around them. It is as if they wear plain clothes while holding precious jade within. In other words, they assume an unremarkable external appearance and hold spiritual treasures deep in the heart.
71
To know that you do not know is highest
To not know but think you know is flawed
Only when one recognizes the fault as a fault
Can one be without fault
The sages are without fault
Because they recognize the fault as a fault
That is why they are without fault
To know that you do not know - to recognize your own ignorance - is best, because it motivates you to continue seeking answers and keeps you from becoming presumptuous and arrogant.
The opposite of this is to be ignorant but assume that you possess knowledge. This is a flaw that many of us have. It even seems like the less you know, the more you think you know.
It is only when we see a problem clearly, and recognize that we need to do something about it, that we can begin taking steps to remove it and eventually be without it.
The sages are human too, and make mistakes just like everyone else. What makes them different is that they look at themselves with the clarity of detachment, whereas most of us are blind to our own faults.
Because they are naturally humble, sages do not automatically assume they must be correct. When they recognize that they have made a mistake or manifested a problem, they take active steps to address the issue.
People who know that they do not know and take steps to learn will eventually acquire the knowledge they need. Similarly, sages who monitor themselves, recognize their own faults and take steps to correct themselves will ultimately be free of the faults.
Notes
The Chinese character bing occurs eight times in this chapter. Many translators translate it as "disease" or "illness." This is the dictionary definition as well as the common, modern usage, but in this case it doesn't quite fit. Being sick comes close to the original meaning but doesn't really hit the mark.
When Lao Tzu uses bing, he is specifically referencing human errors and character flaws - being sick or defective in some aspect of one's thinking. This context still exists in modern Chinese. For instance, when we say mao bing, we are talking specifically about a fault or a problem.
Plug "disease" into the translation and interpretation above and the chapter will seem a bit strange. Use "problem" or "fault" instead for bing and suddenly it will seem as if a veil has been lifted, and the meaning of the chapter becomes crystal clear.
This particular issue makes this chapter a good test of translation quality. If your translation renders bing in the context of disease or illness, it may be a sign that the translator knows modern Chinese but not ancient Chinese.
72
When people no longer fear force
They bring about greater force
Do not limit their place
Do not reject their livelihood
Because the ruler does not reject them
Therefore they do not reject the ruler
Therefore the sages:
Know themselves but do not glorify themselves
Respect themselves but do not praise themselves
Thus they discard that and take this
When people no longer fear the dominating force of authority, they will bring about greater force against the authority in an uprising.
Thus the wise ruler would not attempt to limit the people in their living space or their thoughts. Nor would the wise ruler deny the people their means of livelihood.
If the ruler does not oppress the people in these ways, the people also will not reject the leadership.
Therefore, when interacting with people, the sages are accepting and humble. They possess the clarity of self-knowledge, so they have no need to put themselves on a pedestal to seek external validation. They possess the confidence of self-respect, so they have no need to praise themselves and highlight their own achievements.
Thus, the sages discard arrogance and pomposity while embracing self-knowledge and self-respect.
73
The bold in daring will be killed
The bold in not daring will survive
Of these two, one may benefit, the other may harm
The one hated by heaven - who knows the reason?
Even the sages still find this difficult
The Tao of heaven:
Does not contend and yet excels in winning
Does not speak and yet excels in responding
Is not summoned and yet comes on its own
Is unhurried and yet excels in planning
The heavenly net is vast
Loose, and yet does not let anything slip through
Those who are bold and forward in being reckless tend to take unnecessary risks. Sooner or later, these risks catch up with them and cause their demise.
Those who are resolute in being cautious tend to be much more sensible. They advance while managing their risk exposure, so they can conserve their resources while continuing to thrive.
We can see that these two approaches yield very different results. The careful resolve may bring benefits, while the reckless charge may bring harm.
It seems as if heaven dislikes those who are rash and thoughtless, and punish them accordingly. It is as if it has a preference for courageous rationality. We do not know why this should be the case.
Even the sages still have a difficult time explaining it, because they have always known the Tao to be impartial and unbiased. Natural forces, being without human emotions, do not have likes or dislikes.
Perhaps it is all due to the nature of the heavenly Tao. For instance, we can see that the Tao contends with no one, and yet invariably wins out in the end. Water flows around an obstructing rock without challenging it or fighting it, but in time it is certain that the water will reduce the rock to nothing and wash it away.
The Tao does not speak as humans do, and yet it is infinitely responsive. For every action we impose, nature responds with an equal and opposite reaction. The response of the Tao is swift and certain.
We cannot summon the Tao, but no matter what we do, the Tao comes of its own accord. Whether good or bad, the Tao manifests itself in all of our endeavors. Good deeds bring positive karma; malice invokes negative karmic consequences.
The Tao process proceeds at a natural pace. The Tao is never rushed or frantic, and yet its infinite organizing power coordinates every event in the cosmos regardless of scale or distance. The universe is a pageantry of unimaginable complexity and precision, all choreographed by Tao, the ultimate planner.
The Tao can be likened to a net that stretches across the universe. All things exist within the meshes of its natural laws. This matrix of existence is loose and relaxed, and yet takes everything into account and does not leave anything out.
Notes
The final, unsaid element of this chapter is that those who possess courageous resolve but advance with caution are congruent with the Tao, and that is why they seem to be favored by the heavenly powers.
Note that this chapter makes an interesting distinction between courage and daring. Courage means being resolute, dauntless and firm; daring means throwing caution to the winds, full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes. One is an inner quality born of conviction, the other is an external display of bravado.
Those who possess this inner quality are similar to the Tao in the following ways:
1. Because they are unadventurous, they do not struggle against others, just as the Tao contends against no one. But despite this seemingly yielding nature, they consistently achieve their objectives in the long run.
2. They are quiet and unassuming, just as the Tao does not speak. However, they remain ever responsive to changing conditions out of their sense of caution. When circumstances change, they are ready to alter their approach to better aim for a moving target.
3. They are also fully present in all of their activities, just as the Tao is present in all things. They bring mindfulness to their work. By being totally aware in each moment of life, they enhance and deepen everything they do.
4. They are composed and prepared, just as the Tao plans and coordinates its myriad movements in a relaxed and unhurried way. They see how flowers bloom when the season is right and not a moment sooner, so they also take their time in thoughtful planning. By being well-prepared, they are able to act with composure and maximize their chances of success... when the time is right, and not a moment sooner.
74
People do not fear death
How can they be threatened with death?
If people are made to constantly fear death
Then those who act unlawfully
I can capture and kill them
Who would dare?
There exists a master executioner that kills
If we substitute for the master executioner to kill
It is like substituting for the great carpenter to cut
Those who substitute for the great carpenter to cut
It is rare that they do not hurt their own hands
People seem to have no fear of death, so how can they be scared by the threat of execution? Wouldn't it be futile for us to use death as a deterrent?
If, for the sake of argument, we say that people have a constant fear of death, and we capture and kill anyone who acts in a strange and unlawful manner, then who would dare to be an outlaw?
(But since there are still many outlaws, it does look as if the death penalty - capital punishment - is not very effective!)
There is a master executioner who is always present. Call it Karma, or Nature, or the Law of Reciprocity. This executioner is perfectly impartial and never fails to dispense the appropriate punishment, including death.
