《道德真經取善集》Vol. 6

Volume Six of the Daode Zhenjing Qushan Ji (Collected Wisdom of the True Scripture of Dao and De), compiled by the Song dynasty lay scholar Li Lin of Raoyang, examines the essential nature of "De" (Virtue/Power). It explains that the Great Dao (cosmic source) itself has no fixed form, while De (the manifestation of Dao) manifests differently according to specific circumstances.

Those truly aligned with the Dao do not deliberately flaunt virtue. Once "De" is distinguished as a separate concept, one actually deviates from the Great Dao. Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom—these specific virtues are merely expressions of De adapted to temporal needs. But those who truly comprehend the Dao transcend such distinctions.

Wang Yuanze (a commentator) clarifies: "De" means "to attain." All things are born from the Dao, each receiving its nature from it. Preserving this nature without losing it constitutes perfect De. Originally, De is no different from the Dao, but clinging to the name of De leads to selfishness and estrangement from the Dao. Perfected beings (those who have attained the Dao), however, integrate nature, life, and virtue into one. Though worldly needs may assign them different names, in reality, they are indivisible. This is the most profound De. True De lies in "non-attainment"—not deliberately seeking to acquire, yet reaching the highest state of virtue.

Chapter 38 ("Highest De Does Not Claim to Be De") explains: Those with the highest virtue do not proclaim it, and thus they truly possess it. Just as all things exist by virtue of the Dao, they act in harmony with it, fulfilling their roles without claiming merit—this is the state of "non-De." Confucius never proclaimed himself a sage, yet he embodied sagely virtue at all times precisely because he genuinely possessed De.

Wang Bi (a prominent commentator) argues: Those of highest De follow the Dao completely, never treating virtue as a goal to pursue. Without attachment or contrivance, they truly retain it. Master Gu Shen (a Daoist recluse) adds: Highest De is one with the Dao, so it does not strive for virtue. What is called De is simply the attainment of the Dao. Those of highest De merge with the Dao, holding no thought of "having attained," yet they truly realize it. The Qingjing Jing (Scripture of Clarity and Stillness) states: "Though it is called attaining the Dao, in truth, nothing is sought." Just as the highest propriety requires no deliberate display, the greatest righteousness makes no distinctions, the deepest wisdom needs no calculation, and perfect benevolence shows no partiality. This state, transcending form, is "non-De"—the highest expression of virtue.

Conversely, those of lesser De cling to the name of virtue and thus lose true De. Because they treat it as private property, they have already strayed from the Dao. Cheng Xuanying (a Daoist scholar) observes: Falling short of the highest state, they are called "lesser De." Their attachment to the name proves they have not grasped De’s true meaning.

Su Zhe (Su Ziyou) said that sages follow their hearts' desires without overstepping boundaries, not deliberately pursuing De (Virtue/Power), yet their De naturally overflows. Those of lower attainment know De is precious and strive for it forcibly—at best they can preserve themselves, how can they speak of true De?

Master Gu Shen (a Daoist figure) explained: What is called "lower De" appears not to have lost De, but in truth has only grasped its superficial form. Practitioners of "lower De" fragment the great Dao into separate virtues to pursue—they limp along practicing humaneness, tiptoe seeking righteousness, exhaust their minds discussing ritual propriety, and strain their intellects displaying wisdom. Though nominally they haven't lost De, in reality they're far from the Dao, thus it cannot be considered true De.

"Higher De" (the highest level of Virtue) is naturally Wuwei (non-action), and isn't deliberately practiced. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang annotated: Knowing Wuwei and deliberately practicing it still isn't the ultimate; when even the notion of "Wuwei" disappears and one naturally doesn't act, that's the true state. Wang Pang (Wang Yuanze) said: Those with higher De practice Wuwei because they fundamentally need no deliberate action—their De is naturally complete. Cao Daochong (a Daoist figure) pointed out: The highest De is originally Wuwei, not intentionally creating the notion of "non-action." Lü Huiqing (Lü Jifu) explained: Higher De's Wuwei isn't intentional inaction, but following nature—there's truly nothing needing deliberate effort. Gu Huan (Southern Dynasties Daoist) added: Higher De's teaching lies in doing Wuwei deeds, practicing wordless instruction—its traces are invisible hence called "Wuwei"; since actions leave no deliberate marks, the heart has no desires, thus called "having no deliberate purpose."

"Lower De" practitioners deliberately act with ulterior motives. Lü Huiqing said: Lower De practitioners don't understand this principle and act deliberately, thus unavoidably having purposes. True De should be naturally complete—if one still flaunts humaneness, it's already deliberate action. Such people cannot attain without thinking, cannot achieve without acting—thus they neither reach Wuwei nor avoid deliberate action.

"Higher humaneness" (the highest level of benevolence) acts yet without purpose. Emperor Xuanzong cited Yao and Shun as examples: Their nature was humane, their De covered the world yet sought no profit, thus "having no deliberate purpose." Heshang Gong (the recluse who annotated the Daode Jing) explained: Universal beneficence without partiality—this humaneness is supreme. Those practicing humaneness accomplish merits yet don't claim them, complete affairs yet don't control them—having nothing needing deliberate grasp.

King Hui of Song [Emperor Huizong] stated that a benevolent person inevitably has preferences and affections. Precisely because of these partial sentiments, one cannot achieve true wuwei (non-action) governance. From this perspective, those of lesser virtue need not be mentioned.

Wang Yuanze [son of Wang Anshi] explained that benevolence is the foremost among all virtues, another name for De (Virtue). Since it distinguishes itself from De, it belongs to deliberate human action. However, the sage's benevolence flows naturally from innate nature without artificial effort, hence it is called "wuwei."

Regarding "Superior righteousness acts with purpose":

Emperor Huizong's commentary states that righteousness involves assessing adversaries and weighing matters. Establishing one's own principles to handle affairs—how can this be considered wuwei? Emperor Xuanzong of Tang viewed righteousness as judging right from wrong. Acting to make such judgments means "acting with purpose." Determining choices to make matters appropriate is called "acting with purpose," representing intentionality from inner thought to outward action.

Miscellaneous explanations note:

In the era of ancient Fu Xi, superior virtue was wuwei and spontaneous;

During Yao and Shun's time, superior benevolence involved action but without selfish motives;

The Shang and Zhou dynasties' superior righteousness entailed purposeful action with clear aims;

Ritual propriety already belonged to inferior virtue. Someone asked: Since Tang of Shang and Wu of Zhou were great sages, is it appropriate to call them inferior in virtue? The response: Sages share the same fundamental mind—their virtue appears different due to changing eras. True sages adapt their conduct according to their historical context.

Concerning "Superior ritual acts without receiving response":

Yan Junping [Han dynasty Daoist scholar] differentiated five types of people:

• Dao-person: Follows emptiness and wuwei, opening the way for all things
• De-person: Serene and wuwei, responding to circumstances
• Benevolent person: Loves all things widely, bestowing kindness extensively
• Righteous person: Matches names to realities, handling affairs appropriately
• Ritual person: Modest and yielding, reverent and harmonious

These five all have describable manifestations, yet none represent the supreme state. The ultimate realm doesn't cling even to "oneness"—how much less to these five?

Wu Yun [Tang dynasty Daoist] summarized:

Ritual and wisdom are crucial defenses against chaos, while Dao and De are fundamental principles for ordering disorder. Dao is ritual's root; ritual is Dao's branch. Grasping the root brings stability; clinging to branches brings danger. Thus rulers should:

• Take Dao as their heart
• Make De their substance
• Use benevolence and righteousness as chariots and garments
• Employ ritual and wisdom as ceremonial caps

Thus they may govern effortlessly while the world transforms naturally. Emphasizing only ritual and wisdom while forgetting Dao and De is like having ornamental trappings without inner spirit—even laboring day and night, the world will still fall into malady.

This passage describes the gradual decline from "Dao" (the Way) to "Li" (ritual propriety). The most ideal state is to follow the Dao (the fundamental cosmic principle). When people deviate from the Dao, they fall back on "De" (Virtue/Power, one's natural essence). When De can no longer be maintained, they turn to "Ren" (benevolence, universal love). When even Ren becomes unattainable, emphasis shifts to "Yi" (righteousness, proper conduct). Finally, when Yi is lost, society can only rely on "Li" (external rituals and norms) to maintain order.

Yet ritual propriety is actually the beginning of dwindling sincerity and social disorder. Just as Yin and Yang cannot flourish simultaneously, and authority and kindness wax and wane in opposition, excessive focus on elaborate formalities dilutes genuine emotions. For instance, if father and son become overly rigid in observing etiquette, their true feelings for each other weaken. The more intricate the rituals, the more hollow their substance becomes, giving rise to hypocrisy and conflict.

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang explains that "losing the Dao" refers to the loss of the highest form of De (superior De), because superior De is itself in harmony with the Dao. Concepts like Dao, De, Ren, and Yi are responses to different social conditions. In an era of simplicity, excessive emphasis on ritual propriety is absurd, while in times of moral decline, completely abandoning propriety is foolish. The truly wise approach is this: when ritual fails, return to righteousness; when righteousness fails, return to benevolence; when benevolence fails, return to Virtue—ultimately arriving at unity with the Dao and restoring the most pure and natural state.

The passage concludes by noting that entirely discarding Dao, De, Ren, and Yi and relying solely on ritual governance is indeed the root of social chaos. But if one can uphold Dao, De, Ren, and Yi while appropriately applying ritual propriety, this becomes the highest form of statecraft.

In the highest realm of Dao-De cultivation, people act with sincerity without conscious effort to be loyal, and their words and deeds are proper without deliberate intention to be trustworthy. Though embodying loyalty and trustworthiness, they remain completely unaware of it. With the rise of ritual propriety, people began exchanging precious gifts like jade and silk, emphasizing reciprocity, performing bows, folded-hand salutes, and other deferential postures—all superficial displays of respect that might lack genuine sincerity within.

Only when the heart-mind is pure and unadorned can one return to the innate joy of original nature; only when actions are authentically spontaneous can they accord with the true meaning of ritual. When ritual-music (the norms of ceremonial propriety) became universally enforced, the world instead fell into disorder. Therefore, the supreme Dao teaches: In conducting oneself, choose substantial depth over flashy superficiality; preserve the essence rather than chase appearances. This is the principle of "rejecting that and embracing this."

Lü Jifu (note: Song dynasty Daoist Lü Dongbin) explains that forgetting humaneness-righteousness, discarding ritual teachings, abandoning cleverness, and concentrating on the root of Dao-De—this is the true "rejecting that and embracing this." Dao-De represents substantial depth, while ritual-cleverness constitutes superficial ornamentation. Thus the great person rejects the empty show of ritual-cleverness to choose the substantial depth of Dao-De. Only thus can one fully comprehend the root of Dao. The rise of concepts like humaneness-righteousness-ritual-cleverness instead leads people astray from Dao. Those of highest De (virtue-power) unite with Dao, thus they don't deliberately pursue De—they transcend humaneness-righteousness, regard ritual-cleverness lightly, and focus on the substantial essence of Dao-De.

Regarding "the ancient attainment of the One" (note: the primordial state of unity with Dao), Lu Dian explains: "One" is both the gateway to Dao and the dividing line for losing it. "One" is the origin point of all transformations. Viewing antiquity from today, "ancient" refers to the period after heaven-earth formed. Dao generates "One"—this "One" being the essential qi of all things. In ancient times, those attaining unity with "One" included heaven, earth, spirits, humans, and creatures. Though their forms differed, all achieved unity through attaining "One," hence "their ultimate is One."

Specifically: Heaven attains "One" and becomes clear (Gu Huan notes: Heaven as pure yang qi, attaining "One" becomes light and limpid above); Earth attains "One" and becomes tranquil (Gu Huan notes: Earth as pure yin substance, attaining "One" becomes stable below); Spirits attain "One" and become numinous (Heshanggong notes: Spirits attain "One" to transform without form. Wang Yuanze adds: Spirits refer to the numina of ghosts and deities, numinosity being the manifestation of shen-spirit).

This scripture elucidates the fundamental role of "the One" (the essence of Dao) in relation to heaven, earth, and all things. Valleys remain full and rivers flow ceaselessly because they attain "the One." Though valleys appear empty, they contain all things precisely because "the One" resides within them. Emptiness is the valley's nature, while fullness manifests its function.

All beings—whether living or inanimate—flourish through attaining "the One." When rulers (houwang) embody it, the world returns to its proper course. Zhuangzi observed: "To comprehend 'the One' is to accomplish all things; to focus on it is never to stray; to hold fast to it is never to change." Those who truly understand "the One" know everything, while those ignorant of it know nothing.

Ancient masters who attained "the One" embodied heaven and earth's subtlest principles, beyond comparison with ordinary things. Above, they achieved purity without mixture; below, stillness without alteration. The most profound and formless aspect is shen (the Dao's mysterious function)—those who attain "the One" never grow clouded. Like valleys, supremely empty yet responsive, they never exhaust their vitality. All things take form through the transformation of jing (essence) and qi (vital energy), thus only by attaining "the One" do they endure. Rovers govern multitudes through minority—only by embodying "the One" can they become the world's standard.

From heaven and earth to rulers, though their positions and manifestations differ, none rely on external force. Heaven's clarity, earth's stability, and rulers' exemplary status all stem from attaining "the One." It is the singular, unchanging truth—its essence remains constant, attainable through no other means.

The scripture concludes with grave warnings: Should heaven lose clarity, it may collapse; should earth forfeit stability, it may quake; should shen lack efficacy, it may vanish; should valleys cease filling, they may run dry; should living things lose vitality, they may perish; should rulers fail to uphold dignity, they may fall. All these illustrate the dire consequences of losing "the One."

This scripture elucidates the philosophy that "the noble takes the humble as its root" through metaphors of heaven, earth, and human-spirit relations. Heaven and earth each fulfill their roles: Heaven covers all things, yet if broken cannot provide shelter; Earth bears all forms, yet if collapsed cannot offer support. Just as spirits rely on human bodies to manifest—when humans perish, spirits lose their dwelling—so too valleys contain myriad things without hoarding, but when dried up lose their responsive capacity.

When Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) coalesce, they form life by maintaining their connection to the "One" (the origin of Dao); when dispersed, the hun and po souls wander, perishing through loss of this unity. True "rightness" (the great Dao) governs myriad transformations while transcending worldly attachments—those who presume nobility struggle to preserve themselves. As Wang Yuanze observed, the source of all things permeates everywhere: in humans, Jing (vital essence) serves as root; when essence and Qi gather, they form consciousness and form; when scattered, body and spirit separate—the fundamental principle remains constant.

Thus nobility must take humility as its foundation, just as a nine-tiered terrace rises from piled earth, and a hundred-ren mountain begins with basketfuls of soil. Water's nature of flowing downward without contention perfectly aligns with the Dao of Yin-Yang. Enlightened rulers therefore style themselves "orphaned" (fatherless), "widowed" (spouseless), and "unworthy"—embodying humility as root. Gu Huan explains these were originally terms of contempt, yet rulers adopt them to remember their foundations. Just as preserving essence sustains the spirit, those in high positions secure their status by never forgetting their roots.

Through natural phenomena and rulers' humble epithets, this passage reveals the wisdom of "abiding below and preserving softness": seemingly lowly foundations uphold true nobility, just as downward-flowing water nourishes all things, and rulers who maintain humility achieve enduring stability.

Wang Yuanze explains that the number "one," though the smallest, is the foundation of all things. Those who truly understand the root often gain insight from humble places, recognizing that true nobility lies in embracing the lowly. Just as excessive pursuit of praise leads to the loss of genuine honor, elevating oneself too highly invites slander instead.

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang read "数" (number) with a rising tone and interpreted "誉" (praise) as "舆" (cart). He said: Just as focusing solely on individual parts like wheels and shafts when building a cart prevents the completion of the whole vehicle, pursuing nobility while forgetting its lowly foundation results in losing true nobility. Wheels and shafts are the basis of cart-making, just as humility is the root of nobility. This serves as a warning to rulers to regard the lowly as fundamental.

Wang Yuanze alternatively read "数" with a departing tone and interpreted "舆" as "誉" (praise). A true Daoist takes humility as the foundation, embodying supreme nobility within, so that the world can neither elevate nor demean them. If one deliberately seeks empty fame, how can it be considered true honor?

Regarding the phrase "不欲琭琭如玉，落落如石" (not wishing to be rare like jade or common like stone):

The imperial commentary explains that while jade is inherently noble and stone lowly, the sage adapts to circumstances while maintaining inner constancy—this is the mark of true attainment. It resembles Mencius’ criticism of rigid adherence to one extreme at the expense of all others. Only a sage who comprehends transformation can achieve this state of non-attachment to nobility or baseness.

Heshang Gong states: "琭琭" describes rarity (like jade), while "落落" describes abundance (like stone). Jade is precious because it is scarce; stone is deemed lowly because it is plentiful. The Daoist neither desires to be prized like jade nor dismissed like stone, instead abiding in the Middle Way.

Wang Yuanze adds: Jade and stone are rigid and unchanging—this is not the true "One." The genuine "One" adapts to myriad transformations while preserving its essence. Clinging to the immutability of jade or stone contradicts the truth of the "One." Those who embody the Dao are like water—flowing into any shape, responding to all things without losing their nature.

This passage discusses the importance of the concept of "One" in Daoist cultivation. "One" refers to the primordial state of the Dao, the fundamental source from which all things in heaven and earth arise. All beings—whether noble or humble, divine spirits or plants and animals—exist precisely because they have attained this "One."

The Supreme Venerable (Laozi) cautioned against becoming overly attached to pursuing the "One" without understanding its fluid nature, using jade as a metaphor: if one becomes as rigid and unyielding as jade, one actually loses the true meaning of "One." The process of cultivating the Dao should follow this sequence: first, refine Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) as the foundation; second, perfect Shen (spirit) to reach higher states. Without establishing this foundation, there can be no genuine Dao cultivation.

However, Laozi also warns against stopping at the stage of refining Jing and Qi alone. Just as someone who merely seeks longevity like a tortoise or crane without cultivating spiritual refinement will ultimately fail to attain immortality, true Daoist practice requires the dual cultivation of essence-energy and spirit. Only through this simultaneous cultivation can one merge with the Dao, reaching the supreme state of "union with the true Dao" (Hezhen).

(Note: "Supreme Venerable" refers to Laozi, the honorific title used in Daoism; "refining essence" means cultivating vital energies within the body; "perfecting spirit" refers to achieving higher spiritual states; "union with the true Dao" means complete integration with the great Dao.)