Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy Part 17

Chapter Thirty-Two.

The Way is forever nameless.62 Unhewn wood63 is insignificant, yet no one in the world can master it.

If barons and kings could preserve it, the myriad creatures would all defer to them of their own accord; Heaven and earth would unite and sweet dew would fall; And the people would be peaceful and just, though no one so decrees.

When unhewn wood is carved up, then there are names.

Now that there are names, know enough to stop!

To know when to stop is how to stay out of danger.64 Streams and torrents flow into rivers and oceans, Just as the world flows into the Way.

Chapter Thirty-Three.

Those who know others are knowledgeable; Those who know themselves are enlightened.

Those who conquer others have power; Those who conquer themselves are strong; Those who know contentment are rich.65 Those who persevere have firm commitments.

Those who do not lose their place will endure.

Those who die a natural death are long-lived.66

Chapter Thirty-Four.

How expansive is the great Way!

Flowing to the left and to the right.

The myriad creatures rely upon it for life, and it turns none of them away.67 When its work is done it claims no merit.68 It clothes and nourishes the myriad creatures, but does not lord it over them.

Because it is always without desires, one could consider it insignificant.69 Because the myriad creatures all turn to it and yet it does not lord it over them, one could consider it great.

Because it never considers itself great, it is able to perfect its greatness.

Chapter Thirty-Five.

Hold on to the great image and the whole world will come to you.70 They will come and suffer no harm; They will be peaceful, secure, and prosperous.

Music and fine food will induce the pa.s.serby to stop.

But talk about the Way-how insipid and without relish it is!

Look for it and it cannot be seen; Listen for it and it cannot be heard; But use it and it will never run dry!

Chapter Thirty-Six.

What you intend to shrink, you first must stretch.

What you intend to weaken, you first must strengthen.

What you intend to abandon, you first must make flourish.

What you intend to steal from, you first must provide for.

This is called subtle enlightenment.

The supple and weak overcome the hard and the strong.

Fish should not be taken out of the deep pools.

The sharp implements of the state should not be shown to the people.71

Chapter Thirty-Seven.

The Way does nothing yet nothing is left undone.72 Should barons and kings be able to preserve it, the myriad creatures will transform themselves.73 After they are transformed, should some still desire to act, I shall press them down with the weight of nameless unhewn wood.74 Nameless unhewn wood is but freedom from desire.

Without desire and still, the world will settle itself.

Book Two

Chapter Thirty-Eight.

Those of highest Virtue do not strive for Virtue and so they have it.

Those of lowest Virtue never stray from Virtue and so they lack it.

Those of highest Virtue practice nonaction and never act for ulterior motives.

Those of lowest Virtue act and always have some ulterior motive.

Those of highest benevolence act, but without ulterior motives.

Those of highest righteousness act, but with ulterior motives.

Those who are ritually correct75 act, but if others do not respond, they roll up their sleeves and resort to force.

And so, When the Way was lost there was Virtue; When Virtue was lost there was benevolence; When benevolence was lost there was righteousness; When righteousness was lost there were the rites.

The rites are the wearing thin of loyalty and trust, and the beginning of chaos.

The ability to predict what is to come is an embellishment of the Way, and the beginning of ignorance.

This is why the most accomplished reside in what is thick, not in what is thin.

They reside in what is most substantial, not in mere embellishment.

And so they cast off the one and take up the other.76

Chapter Thirty-Nine.

In the past, among those who attained the One were these:77 Heaven attained the One and became pure; Earth attained the One and became settled; The spirits attained the One and became numinous; The valley attained the One and became full; The myriad creatures attained the One and flourished; Barons and kings attained the One and became mainstays of the state.

All of this came about through the One.

If Heaven lacked what made it pure it might rip apart.

If earth lacked what made it settled it might open up.

If the spirits lacked what made them numinous they might cease their activity.

If the valley lacked what made it full it might run dry.

If the myriad creatures lacked what made them flourish they might become extinct.

If barons and kings lacked what made them honored and lofty they might fall.

And so what is honored has its root in what is base; What is lofty has its foundation in what is lowly.

This is why barons and kings refer to themselves as, "The Orphan," "The Desolate," or "The Forlorn."78 Is this not a case where what is base serves as the foundation!

Is it not?

And so the greatest of praise is without praise.

Do not desire what jingles like jade, but what rumbles like rock!

Chapter Forty.

Turning back is how the Way moves.

Weakness is how the Way operates.

The world and all its creatures arise from what is there; What is there arises from what is not there.

Chapter Forty-One.

When the best scholars hear about the Way, They a.s.siduously put it into practice.

When average scholars hear about the Way, They sometimes uphold it and sometimes forsake it.

When the worst scholars hear about the Way, They laugh at it!