The paradoxical wisdom of LaoTse

In the previous blogs on LaoTse, I tried to elucidate a little of what I understand to be his concept of the Tao and how the Tao manifests itself in various situations. In this blog, I shall cite further examples what LaoTse thought to be the "paradoxical" uses of what he understood might  be the nature of the Tao. In these examples, we shall find how LaoTse advocates that we should do the very opposite of what "common" or "ordinary" or "conventional" wisdom may otherwise dictate. Through these examples he paints for us a completely different picture of what the "wise man" , the "man of virtue" or the "ideal man" would do. 

 

What does LaoTse think about what makes a man wise? Again, we will find that he goes against conventional ideas of what wisdom is and what we should think and do. To him, we would ordinarily think that it is wise or good to be big, to be strong, to be tough, to be positive, to go forward, to have luck, to have a determined will, and to own everything and be famous. He thinks otherwise. He describes what he thought to be the principle of operation of the Tao in cap. 40 of the TTC: " Weakness is what the Tao uses". ( 弱者道之用). If we apply the principles of the Tao, then, he thinks the Tao may  help us solve many problems. He says in Cap 4 of the TTC that if we properly understand the principles of the Tao and apply them in the appropriate contexts, then the Tao will "blunt sharpness, solve dsiputes/confusion, abate brilliance. It will do so by   lowering itself to the level of dust/the ordinary. It may appear not to be there when it is. "  (挫其銳，解其紛，和其光，同其塵. 湛兮似或存). In other words, it will do its work quietly, inconspicuously, imperceptibly, without drawing the slighest attention to itself.  

 

LaoTse advocates the idea of doing as little as possible and remaining neutral  or keeping to the centre (無為，守中) in so far as one can and to allow everything to take its natural course (順其自然). In Cap 5 of the TTC, he says: "Heaven and Earth is not benevolent/is neutral. It treats everything as if it were the straw dog used in ceremonial worship. The virtuous man treats the people likewise.The space between Heaven and Earth is like a bellow! It is empty and forces nothing. The more it moves, the more it encourages others to move. The more you say, the speedier will be the demise. It may be better to keep to the centre.". (天地不仁，以萬物為芻狗。聖人不仁，以百姓為芻狗。天他之間 ，真猶槖籥乎！虛而不屈，動而愈出。多言數窮，不如守中。) When he says that heaven and earth (the embodiment of the Tao) is not "benevolent", I think what he meant is that, the Tao is just: it neither favours one kind of thing over another or one human being over another and it has no "will" to be either good or evil to human beings. It is strictly speaking, indifferent. Because everything has got their own nature, it pays not to think that we can either go against Nature itself or the laws of nature or the inherent nature of things and event or alternatively that we may be able to "help" or "improve" on Nature. When we think that we are helping Nature along, we may in fact simply be creating  trouble for ourselves and others. He thinks that Nature has its own way. And so does everything else and every other being or form of life. If  we do not interfere with Nature, and allow Nature to follow its own course, it will find its own equilibrium, its own balance and do what is best for itself and for everyone . He advocates a policy of laissez faire and thinks that Nature has its own invisible hand in everything. It will right all wrongs and redress all inbalances in its own time and in its own way. That is why he envisages Nature as a huge bellow that encourages softly how the other life forms will act. It merely gives everything a slight push and everything will go its own way, according to its own nature, naturally and will not force or compel anything or anyone. 

 

To LaoTse, the more the so-called "wise man" urges the people to do this and that, the speedier will come the demise. The reason is that the more one does, the more confusion and the more problems one creates. We think that we can solve a problem by what we think to be a "clever" or "smart" solution. We may not be aware that in our eagerness to solve our problem, we may have upset the balance of Nature and that we may thus be merely be creating another new problem and adding to the totality of problems. It may be a bit like moving the traffic jam from one part of the road to another part. We now feed more people and prolong their lives, we produce more goods. Not everyone may realize, especially our politicians, that by doing so, we may in fact be creating " over-population". In the process, we concentrate huge numbers of people in dense urban slums, spread more diseases and also create all kinds of social problems from poverty, lack of education, lack of health and recreational facilities: problems of crime, prostitution, alcoholism, gambling, violence etc. . Because of our concept that time means money and that increase of quantity of money means being wealthy and that economic development is good per se, because growth and development may be equated with an increase of the sum of human happiness, we push development at ever faster paces and in the process, we consume more energy, we deplete the earth's resources much faster than would otherwise be the case, we create stress and psychological tension for more and more people. And with people living in tougher and tougher competition with each other, we create more and more conflict between different social classes, between the different ages, the different sexes, between the rich and the poor, and between  different nations each with different cultural and religious traditions and value and as they all scramble for more and more resources, market share and ideological dominance etc . As more and more people's lives are prolonged beyond their natural spans, we got to spend more and more on no longer productive old people who in former generations would have died long ago. We are often not as smart as we think we are. Therefore the less we interfere with natural processes the better, according to LaoTse. This is in fact his basic strategy in dealing with life's problem.  He repeats this idea in Cap 48. There he says: " The more we teach /urge, the more we hurt the Tao. We ought to do less and less until we do nothing. If we do nothing, then nothing cannot be done." (為學日益，為道日損。損之又損，以至於無為。無為而無所不為。". But here, we must be careful not to think that LaoTse is saying that we ought to do absolutely nothing to advance life. He is only trying to advocate that we should be doing things according to their own nature and that we should do nothing in excess. He wishes us to be careful to keep to the natural balances, to be as neutral as possible according to the time and place and context and the people and to always have regard to the inherent nature of such things, events, people and contexts and not to rush or push things beyond their natural limits. It is a dynamic balance and equilibrium that he has in mind, not a static or mechanical balance or centre. That, according to him, is the aim, the ideal . That is the meaning of holding on to the centre.

 

We must also not forget the historical context in which he advoated this policy of doing little or as little as possible.  It was a time a great social and economic upheaval when there were all kinds of instabilities, problems, conflicts, wars, violence, human tragedies and deaths. He advocated this policy against the other scholar-philosopher-thinkers of his time who all urged the kings to  do this or that e.g the Confuciansts who actively advocated the restoration of "rites" and hierarchical order, the legalists who advocated more and more laws and legislation. What LaoTse was doing was to urge people not to lose sight of the forest for the tree in their hurry or impatience to do what they subejctively thought was the right thing to do.There is always the danger that people may in fact be clever in small things and stupid in big things and may take a short term and narrow-minded view and do things which may harm themselves in the long run and from a bigger perspective such that when they think they are actively helping to improve their lives, they may very well be doing the very opposite. They may fall into that kind of error because they think they are smarter than they actually are and may refuse to accept any natural limitations or are either ignorant of their own limitiations or if they know about them, to stubbornly refuse to acknowledge such limitations out of a false or inflated sense of their own ability to overcome such natural limitations or because they may have an inordinate sense of their own importance in the order of things or an unjustified belief or regard for their own reputation and good name because it was they who had first pronounced whatever it was that they announced as "the" relevant "truths".   

 

All that LaoTse seems to be saying is that we must learn some contrary thinking. Where others think high, we should think low. Where others think forward, we should think backwards. Where others think positive, we should think negative. Where others think full, we should think empty. Where others think more, we should think less. Where others think knowledge, we should think experience and intuition. Where others think fame, we think should humility. Where others think nobility, we should think baseness. Where others are thinking of doing something , we should think of not doing anything. Where others think of themselves first, we should think of others first. Here are some of the examples he gives :

 

1.   In Cap 7 of the TCC, he says, "The reason why heaven and earth can last so long is that they do not promote themselves. Because the virtuous man think of others first, therefore they shall be elevated. Because they rid themselves of themselves, they are presserved by others. Precisely because they are self-less, they succeed in promoting their own good. (天地所以能長且久，，以其不自生，故能長生 。是以聖人後其身而身先，外其身而身存，非以其無私耶？沒能成其私。) This is like the Christian teaching: the last shall be the first! And again, in cap 8 of the TCC, he says: " Supreme good is like water. Water is good at nourishing everything else. It does not vy with them. It places itself where everyone hates to be. Therefore it is quite close to the Tao. Stay at a good place, favour the hollow. When you give, be kind to others. When you speak, be honest. When you rule, do little. When you act, serve those who are able.  When you move, keep to good timing. Because it does not fight, it does not attract any dissatisfaction." (上善若水，水善養萬物而事，處眾人之所惡，故幾於道。居善地，心善淵，與善仁，言善信，正善治，事善能，動善時。夫唯不爭，故無尤。) Again in Cap 13, he says :"It is prefererable to entrust the world to one who dedicates himself...who loves to dedicate himself to the world" (..貴以身為天下...愛以身為天大，若可託天下。) In  cap 9 of the TCC, he advocates not to hold on to success nor of being too sharp. He says: "Holding until it overflows is worse than not having the same. Showing sharpness at your tip will never last long. A house full of gold and jade can't be kept for long. Being proud in wealth will leave behind trouble. To retreat once you have succeeded is the way of the Tao". (持而盈之，不如其巳; 揣而銳之，在可長保。金玉滿堂，莫之能守，富貴而驕，自遺真咎。功成身退，天之道。)  . All these emphasize that only those who do not think of themselves first can be trusted to look after the others.

 

2. In Cap 15, LaoTse describes the ideal man who knows about and practices the Tao: "The ancient who practiced the Tao well  were subtle and reached far.Forced to describe the indescribable, it might be said that they hesitated as if they were stepping on to a winter stream, as if they were afraid of their neighbors, respectful as if they were guests, trembling as if they were ice about to melt, unpolished as if not yet cut, generous as if they were an empty valley, blurry as muddy water. Whoever can clear the muddiness in silence, whoever can  promote slow bustling growth in peace? Those who kept to such Tao would never be self-satisfied,. Because he concealed himself, he could constantly renew himself." (古之善為道者，微妙玄通，深不可識...强為之容。豫兮若冬涉川，豫兮若畏四鄰，儼兮其若客，渙兮若冰之將釋，敦兮其若樸，曠兮其若谷，渾兮其若濁。敦能濁以靜之除清，濁能安以動之除生。保此道者不欲盈。夫唯不盈，故能蔽而新成。)

 

3.  To LaoTse, all the talk about benevolence and justice is a sign only that the times are bad. In Cap 18 of the TCC, he says: "Benevolence and Justice arise only because the great Tao has broken down.  When skiluflness arise, it will only be a time for huge hypocrisy. Filial piety and kindness arise only because the six types of family relationship are no longer in harmony. Loyal officials arise only because the nations are in turmoil." . This is what I meant when I said we need to look at the historical context in which LaoTse came up with his very paradoxical teachings. In such circumstances, LaoTse advocates, doing less, not more so as not to add further to the already existing confusion, disorder, disintegration, lawlessness, the chaos and pandemonium. In Cap 19 of the TCC, he says: "It would benefit the people a hundredfold if we were to stop extolling the notion of the virtuous man and abandon the use of smartness. The people will revert to being filial and kind if we stop talking about benevolence and justice. We will no longer have thieves and robbers if we abandon the notions of skillfulness and profit. It is wrong to think that we have not talked sufficiently about these three former notions if we really wish them to be followed. We should see more of purity and embrace simplicity and think less of the self and abate our desires." (絕聖棄智，民利百倍；絕仁棄義，民復孝慈；絕巧棄利，盜賊無有。此三者以為文不足，故令有所屬。見素抱樸，少私寡欲). Before we deal with conduct, we must first deal people's minds, attitudes and desires. It is better to deal with the disease rather than to treat its symptoms. To LaoTse, the excessive use of the mind may itself be a source for trouble. That is why he advocates that in his times, the people we should revert more to a state of primitive ignorance. That is why he says in Cap 20: "To eliminate worries, teach less. What is the difference between acceptance and denial? Betweeen good and bad? We cannot not fear what others fear. The others look happy, as if they were enjoying the beef, pork and mutton, as if they were stepping on to a terrace in springtime. I alone am quiet and my heart is not pounding, as if I were a baby who has not yet turned into a child, relaxed and attached to little. Everyone appears to have more than enough and I alone appear to be lacking something. I appear to have the mind of an idiot, and appear to be confused. The ordinary folks appear to be bright. I alone appear to be slow. Everyone appears to be smart. I alone appear to be dazed. I look like I were an ocean and appear to be flying about endlessly. Everyone appears to long to be able  and I alone appear to be stupid and uncut. I am different from the others and value being nourished by my maternal Tao. " (絕學無憂。唯之與阿，相去幾何？善之與惡，相去若何？人之所畏，不可畏。..眾人熙熙，如享太牢，如春登臺。我獨泊兮其未兆，如嬰兒之未孩，儽儽兮若無所歸。眾人皆有餘，而我獨若遺。我愚人之心也哉，沌沌兮！俗人昭昭，我獨昏昏。俗人察察，我獨悶悶 。澹兮其若海，飂兮若無止。眾人皆有以，而我獨頑且鄙。我獨異於人，而貴食母).  It is clear that LaoTse thinks that to be happy, we need to abate as much as possible the kind of constant calculations of advantages of the herd, be less busy, desire less, appear to be slow and stupid and thus be more relaxed about everything because that is the way of the Tao. He is a good psycho-therapist. He starts at the disease: the sick and excessive emphasis of the common folk on possession, desires are to him sources for the generation of tensions, conflict, stress and all kinds of negative emotions. He advocates a more relaxed approach to life's problems so that we may enjoy rather more peace, serenity, silence and freedom from excessive wants and desires. It is not that he advocates the repression of desires and the abandonment of the use of reasoning. All he advises is not to allow desires and excessive use of reason on problems relating to how to satisfy such desires which in turn create unnecessary tensions and stresses in our lives. In this respect, his ideas are very similar to those advocated by the Buddha. To the Buddha, the cause of human suffering is excessive use of our mind to create difference and division about what is good, what is bad, whether we should have more of this or less of that. Like the Buddha, LaoTse encourages us to return to the state of joy of a baby, who accepts everything, rejects nothing and whose life is not dominated by anger, frustration, disappointment about the past nor fear of not having what we think we "need" in the future and who lives only at and for the present. 

 

4. Further examples of the kind of things LaoTse observed in life which appeared quite contrary to accepted commonsense appear in Cap 22 of the TCC. There he says:"The bend may power wholeness. The curve may help create the straight. Hollow holds. Damage may lead to renewal. Little may lead to much. Too much may confuse. Thus the wise man holds on to the principle of unity or the Tao as the universal formula. Because he does not think too much of himself, he becomes enlightened. Because he does not think his self image, he shall be prominent. Because he does not fight against himself, he may achieve. Because he does not respect himself, he may grow and develop. ". (曲則全，枉則直，漥則盈，敝則新，少則得，多則惑。是聖人抱一為天下式。不自見，故明。不自是，故彰。不自伐，故功。不自矜，故長。). Here we again got the chance to see how taking a contrary view may sometimes give us new insights into the disadvantages, the bad in what we normally consider to be our advantages and what we normally think of as good. There are always two points of the view, the short term and the longer term. We should not allow our short term view to blind us to its hidden advantages or disadvantages in many phenomona. When he says that "The bend may power wholeness", he is probably talking about how when we give in on small things, we may achieve bigger things and when we bend or yield our own will to those of others, we may together make the path forward much straighter and smoother etc.  Sometimes, when we do not have sufficient, that may motivate us to work harder so that in the longer term, we may gain even more. But if we have too much, it may merely confuse our minds so that we may not be able to think clearly as to which of the things that we have are more important or may be better for us in the longer term. To LaoTse, the way to enlightenment is to think less of our "selves", our "needs" our "desires", our "will", our "advantages". our "good" and to yield more to the needs of those around us.