Tao Te Ching: 47-end

Chapter 47 began in a rather interesting way. Like we have previously observed, the Tao Te Ching is paradoxical, reflecting the entire contradiction of life itself. Stating that “Without going outside, you may know the whole world. Without looking through the window you may see the ways of heaven. The farther you go, the less you know.” (Forty-seven), the Tao encourages us to seek for whatever it is we’re looking for without going away. It even says that “the sage knows without traveling; He sees without looking; He works without doing.” (Forty-seven). As I see it, it all comes back to the fact that we must learn how to understand what we have within our surroundings, understand the simple things first rather than search in the unknown. Further on, we are informed that in order to pursue the Tao, things must be dropped. Unlike learning, where everyday something is acquired. This concept I had heard before, the simple fact of letting go of material things in order to reach true happiness. This is another teaching I have found tremendously enriching to be honest, for we often search for happiness in places we shouldn’t, achieving the complete opposite.

Later on, the concept of Virtue is described a little more, “I am good to people who are good. I am also good to people who are not good. Because Virtue is goodness. I have faith in people who are faithful. I also have faith in people who are not faithful. Because Virtue is faithfulness.” (Forty-nine). From this passage, I immediately made reference to what Jesus said about being good to those who are not. I believe that if this idea was actually applied, we would live in a better world because we tend to focus our attention on those that are going on the right path rather than helping those that are not. Furthermore, the Tao says that silence is knowledge, that “Those who know do not talk. Those who talk do not know.” (Fifty-six). So “Guard your senses” but how is that so? Besides, I found myself very confused at the last lines of this same chapter, “He who has achieved this state is unconcerned with friends and enemies, with good and harm, with honor and disgrace. This therefore is the highest state of mind.” What this is actually saying is that a man that achieves this kind of superior state won’t be able to tell the difference between friends and enemies, good and harm. Isn’t this completely contradicting?

Next chapters talk more and more about how to govern the people. “Rule a nation with justice. Wage war with surprise moves…. The more laws and restrictions there are, the poorer people become. The sharper men’s weapons, the more trouble in the land. The more rules and regulations, the more thieves and robbers.” (Fifty-seven) This kind of knowledge I find extremely truthful, as well as other concepts that the Tao introduces.

To conclude, another passage I found rich in content was close to the end, “Knowing ignorance is strength. Ignoring knowledge is sickness.” (Seventy-one) Once again, the wise ones know about problems, however they manage to learn how to apply those mistakes in a rightful way.