15
The wise of old were profound and acute
People thought of them as unfathomable
Because they where unfathomable, I'll try to sketch their way of living:
They seemed cautious, like people who cross a wintry river
They seemed irresolute, as if danger was threatening everywhere
They seemed dignified, as if they were guests
They seemed natural, like raw wood
They seemed empty, like a valley
They seemed opaque, like muddy water
How can one make muddy water clear?
Stagnation will settle the mud down and the water will become clear
Let everything happen as it happens and you will come to rest
The head of the wise is empty, he does not search for anything and expects nothing
He is empty, everlasting, youthful and not caught in time
He is perfect
What does it mean to be subtle?
What does it mean to be responsive?
What should one be watchful and alert for?
Courteous, yielding, simple and unsophisticated, hollow, quietly waiting, still until the right moment.
They do not seek fulfillment.
They are not swayed by the desire for change.
Why do we desire change in our lives? Why do the wise men not desire change?
16
Empty yourself of everything.
Let the mind become still.
The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return.
They grow and flourish and then return to the source.
Returning to the source is stillness, which is the way of nature.
The way of nature is unchanging.
Knowing constancy is insight.
Not knowing constancy leads to disaster.
Knowing constancy, the mind is open.
With an open mind, you will be openhearted.
Being openhearted, you will act royally.
Being royal, you will attain the divine.
Being divine, you will be at one with the Tao.
Being at one with the Tao is eternal.
And though the body dies, the Tao will never pass away.
What would you let go of if you emptied your mind?
What do the ten thousand things symbolize in life and your life specifically?
What is the self watching? Is the self affected by the ten thousand things rising and falling?
The way of nature is stillness; the self can return to the way of nature.
The way of nature is unchanging and constant.
When we know the constancy of nature, we have insight.
An open mind and open heart allow us to attain the divine and be one with the Tao.
Being at one with the Tao is eternal.
17
Of the wise of old, people only knew that they existed
Later on they loved them and admired them
Thereafter they got scared of them
And finally the wise were seen as despicable
One who can't trust oneself, can't trust another
How cautious were the first with their words
They proceeded so cautiously that when they where done
The people thought they did it themselves
The things that can be known are constrained by the limits of the human mind. Even the best things that can be known are often unknown because it is easier to understand rule-based philosophies. Only he leader who trusts in the Tao will have the trust of her followers. When people learn to simply do what is right and good, the Tao is manifesting through them.
18
When people deviate from their nature
Friendliness and righteousness became merits to be earned
Knowledge and cleverness came into being and lying started to rule
Relatives came into conflict with each other and loving each other became a duty
Cause when mankind and families get confused
Allegiance becomes an order
When the Tao is manifesting in our lives, there is no need to try to be kind or good, because our actions will naturally be aligned with the Tao. When we label things, especially our behaviors and ways of living, something is always lost, and people begin to grasp at the word rather than living at one with the Tao. When we lose touch with the Tao, we seek substitutes for the Tao, and while these substitutes may seem easier to understand and follow, they always fall short.
19
Dispose yourself of worldly knowledge and cleverness
And it will only be good for mankind
Stop pretending to be nice and fair, but be it
Then people will love each other unconditionally
Dispose yourself of the work of your hands and stop serving your self-interest
And there will be no thieves or robbers anymore
But these three things won't be enough
What it's really about is turning back to simplicity
Giving up your selfishness and not wishing for anything
Whenever we define something as good, we invite the bad into existence.
Whenever we allow our desires to guide our lives, we open the door to loss and suffering.
Embrace simplicity and contentment., and the world is yours
Listen to your true nature, the Tao coming through you.
Always beware of selfishness and desire.
20
When you unlearn what you have learned, you will be free from worries
We've learned that there is but little difference between yes and no, but
That there is a big difference between good and evil
That we have to be scared of what others are scared of
What an endless pack of bullshit
Everybody is restless and excited like they are watching a soccer game
Only I am at rest and unwound and I don't have to do those things and like a child, I want nothing
I'm not attached to anything and don't have to go anywhere in particular
The others already have so much and still they want more
Only I seem to have lost everything
They think I'm crazy and confused
People seem to be bright and clever
And think that I am naive and foolish
It looks like I blow with the wind and don't seem to find rest anywhere
The others seem to know so much
And in their eyes I am nothing but a boor
I am only different because I live according to my nature
Traditional learning is more about grasping at words than coming to know the Tao.
All things contain both yes and no, both good and evil,
So why do you desire one thing over another?
Learning teaches us the ways of men.
If we listen to our true nature, we will be different from others, not the same.
There is no clear path in the Way.
There is no escape from change in the Way.
Less is more in the Way.
Others know, I know nothing.
Others are clever, I am dull.
Everyone is busy and animated; I am aimless and calm.
I am different because I am nourished by the Tao.
21
A righteous and blissful life is approachable only when you follow your conscience
The conscience is invisible and impalpable. How can you follow it?
It speaks through images, like shadows in the dark
But how faintly and obscurely
The conscience is hidden but it carries the essentials of everything inside
The true life-force shelters itself inside conscience
Everything people know deeply inside is stowed within the conscience
It has always been there since the beginning, with many different names
The conscience separates truth from lie
How do I know all this?
My conscience has told me that it's so
All peace lies in following the Tao, but the Tao is so hard to understand. Still, within it we find image, form and essence. This essence is the most real thing in the universe. We can have faith in this essence, which has existed from the beginning of time and will never end. And by knowing the essence, I understand all there is to understand about the earth and life itself.
22
Yield and overcome;
Bend and be straight;
Empty and be full;
Wear out and be new;
Have little and gain;
Have much and be confused.
Therefore the wise embrace the one
And set an example to all.
Not putting on a display,
They shine forth.
Not justifying themselves,
They are distinguished.
Not boasting,
They receive recognition.
Not bragging,
They never falter.
They do not quarrel,
So no one quarrels with them.
Therefore the ancients say, "Yield and overcome."
Is that an empty saying?
Be really whole,
And all things will come to you.