The Tao te Ching Chapter 39: Keeping The Self Healthy

It has been said of old, only those who attain unity attain self-hood. . . .

Heaven attained unity and thereby is space. Earth attained unity, thereby it is solid. Spirit attained unity, thereby it became mind. Valleys attained unity, therefore rivers flow down them. All things have unity and thereby have life. Princes and kings as they attain unity become standards of conduct for the nation. And the highest unity is that which produces unity.

If heaven were not space it might crack, if earth were not solid it might bend. If spirits were not unified into mind they might vanish, if valleys were not adapted to rivers they would be parched. Everything if it were not for life would burn up. Even princes and kings if they overestimate themselves and cease to be standards will presumably fall.

Therefore nobles find their roots among the commoners; the high is always founded upon the low. The reason why princes and kings speak of themselves as orphans, inferiors and unworthy, is because they recognize that their roots run down to the common life; is it not so?

If a carriage goes to pieces it is no longer a carriage, its unity is gone.

A true self-hood does not desire to be overvalued as a gem, nor to be undervalued as a mere stone.

Interpretation:

This chapter turns the issue of balance into to look at the individual.  How do we with all of life's stress and change  maintain a healthy sense of who we are?

The author's  answer lies in the issue of balance.

The first stanza may be seen as saying that each of the names objects, space, mind, etc. does not stand as a single object but is a unification of several components together.

The second stanza goes on to observe that this union creates the properties of the objects.  So, for example, if the unity of Earth is disturbed, as for example by heating the rock until it become lava, then it is no longer suitable for walking on.  The disturbance of its unity has made it both too hot and too liquid to useful in the ways we find Earth useful.  

The third stanza repeats a caution heard time and again int the Tao te Ching, high and low, good and bad, create each other.  In this context this may be taken to mean that the balance of union is to be found in the place that is neither high nor low.

The fourth stanza, though very short, is one of this blogger's very favorites.  "If a carriage goes to pieces, it is no longer a carriage.  Looked at in depth, this line shows us that a car is only a car because we perceive this union of metal an rubber as a car.   If we change the state enough, we will cease to see it as a car.  It will have lost the balance.  The question rises, is a possible for anything to be in an of itself, or do we only ever perceive unions of objects in transition?  This is the key to the Buddha's teaching on interdependent origination.  Interesting that it is mirrored here.  Can you think of other places this teaching exists?

The final stanza is a small bit of an adjustment from earlier chapters.  Having earlier repeated many times that the ego dangerously overestimates the self, this stanza brings that view into balance with the comment that we should also not consider ourselves to only be a stone.  

The Tao Te Ching Chapter 38: Being Genuine

For this Chapter we will use Legge's translation:

(Those who) possessed in highest degree the attributes (of the Dao) did not (seek) to show them, and therefore they possessed them (in fullest measure). (Those who) possessed in a lower degree those attributes (sought how) not to lose them, and therefore they did not possess them (in fullest measure)

(Those who) possessed in the highest degree those attributes did nothing (with a purpose), and had no need to do anything. (Those who) possessed them in a lower degree were (always) doing, and had need to be so doing.

(Those who) possessed the highest benevolence were (always seeking) to carry it out, and had no need to be doing so. (Those who) possessed the highest righteousness were (always seeking) to carry it out, and had need to be so doing.

(Those who) possessed the highest (sense of) propriety were (always seeking) to show it, and when men did not respond to it, they bared the arm and marched up to them.

Thus it was that when the Dao was lost, its attributes appeared; when its attributes were lost, benevolence appeared; when benevolence was lost, righteousness appeared; and when righteousness was lost, the proprieties appeared.

Now propriety is the attenuated form of leal-heartedness and good faith, and is also the commencement of disorder; swift apprehension is (only) a flower of the Dao, and is the beginning of stupidity.

Thus it is that the Great man abides by what is solid, and eschews what is flimsy; dwells with the fruit and not with the flower. It is thus that he puts away the one and makes choice of the other.

Interpretation:

One of the longest chapters in the Tao te Ching, Chapter 38 is also one of the easiest to interpret.  

Here the author makes the observation that those who understand the Dao often do not show it and, conversely, those who seek to demonstrate their daoism, (or any other virtue) do not fully understand the way. The first stanza states exactly that.

The second stanza can be described as wu wei.  Those who are masters at the dao do not need to act in order to be so.  It is simply their nature to be acting in accordance with the way.  

The third stanza can be seen at a statement on the true nature of caring.  Consider the person who helps another person but the person receiving the help does not respond with praise for the helper.  If the helper is solely motivated by the urge to help another person, they do not need praise.  If they seek glorification for their good deed, they are at least partly motivated by ego and self seeking.  

The master taoist is the same.  he or she never seeks praise for being a master taoist.  It is simply who they are.

The fourth stanza contrasts the previous two stanza with person who is self serving.  If they do not receive the praise they believe they deserve, they will become angry.

The fifth stanza refers to a time when the Tao simply was.  In this time there would have been no conditions or states described as the Tao.  The Tao simply was.  The following is a progression that can be seen as a very human descent from a state of grace, to one of rules, to one of meaningless ritual.

The fifth stanza states bluntly that moving away from natural alignment with the Dao is not wise.

Finally, the author reminds us that the Taoist sticks to what is real and practical and stays away from needless flash and showiness.

The Tao te Ching Chapter 37: Leading Naturally

Tao is apparently inactive (wu wei) and yet nothing remains undone. If princes and kings desire to keep) everything in order, they must first reform themselves. (If princes and kings would follow the example of Dao, then all things will reform themselves.

If they still desire to change, I would pacify them by the simplicity of the ineffable Dao.

This simplicity will end desire, and if desire be absent there is quietness. All people will of themselves be satisfied.

Interpretation:

This chapter is again about the rule of people but may also be interpreted as advice on management of the self as well.  

It is important to note, here as in other chapters, the author does not indicate that the Tao does not act.  Wu wei suggests natural action rather than action inspired by desire.  The practitioner of Wu wei will stay at rest unless and until they are motivated, they will act in accordance with the need and then return to rest without claiming credit or glory for themselves.  There was a television show once about sailors in Indonesia.  It described their actions this way;  "I never heard Captain Tundry give an order but the crew responded at once to the needs of the ship."  A very wu wei sort of leadership and crew and very much the message of this Chapter.

The first stanza restates the function of wu wei and observes that, like Captain Tundry's crew, the people with respond with wu wei to a leader who practices wu wei.

The second stanza may be interpreted to mean the the author advocates the teach of Tao, or that Tao can be used like television to keep the masses at rest.

The third stanza agrees that a desireless person or nation will remain at rest and that people can of their own accord remain at peace.