Their work was done and their undertakings were successful, while the
people all said, 'We are as we are, of ourselves!'
-Lao Tzu
My understanding of James Legge's translation of Chapter/Verse 17-24 of the Tao Te Ching
17
Faith in rulers will wax and wane but the best rulers are the quiet ones
who leave the people believing they accomplished what needed to be accomplished
themselves.
18
Without observance of the Tao people became self-righteous and sought
their own terms of goodness to follow leading to hypocrisy. Society, in terms of
family and politics, may put on unnatural airs and use knowledge rather than
the natural intelligence if they do not let the Tao to guide them.
19
If leaders? put aside their specialness, their wisdom (external
knowledge), their appearance of goodness and self-righteousness, their tricking
and scheming for gain…it would make the people better, more compassionate and
kind, and more honest.
20
Knowledge and wisdom is not necessarily a good thing. Lao Tzu compares himself to the majority
of “learned” men who seem to be loyal, willing, seeking to answer all questions,
pleased with themselves for what they have attained or own, their ability to
judge and discriminate, their plans for doing etc. He states that in comparison he seems dull,
confused, stupid, poor but what sets him apart is his value of the Tao. It
makes him real.
21
All action comes from the Tao which cannot be seen or touched. It is dark and obscure, eluding light, yet it
is the profound eternal truth behind all creation (existing things).
22
Less (partial) is more. Those who have few desires will attain them…those
with many will get lost. Man sets
himself a part when he ceases to strive. The true sage who honors the Tao
shines because he is free from a need to be seen; distinguished because he is
free from a need to assert self; acknowledged because he is free from the need
to boast; superior because he is free from the need to be more than.
23
It is important to have faith. If even the harshest things in nature
(strong winds and heavy rains) cannot last all day how can man expect to have
his own energy last forever without faith? Silence
without speech shows that he is obeying the ebb and flow of his own nature like
the Tao. If one agrees with the man who is seeking the Tao they too will seek
it. If one agrees with the man who is
happily manifesting the Tao, they too will manifest it happily. But if one agrees with the man who fails to
seek or manifest the Tao he too will lack faith.
24
Those who truly follow the Tao stand firmly without
self display, assertion of own views, boasting
or self-conceit.
All is well in my world
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