《道德真經廣聖義》Vol. 38

Daode Zhenjing Guang Shengyi, Scroll 37, Section 13

Commentary on Daodejing Chapter 51, “Dao Sheng Zhi” (The Way Gives Birth to Them). The previous chapter discussed birth and death, and how to nurture body and mind and escape calamity. This chapter explains that the Dao gives birth to and nurtures the ten thousand things, and De (Virtue/Power) stores and nourishes them; Dao and De do not claim credit for their work, yet they are naturally honored. The opening identifies the Dao as the subtle root that responds to the ten thousand things and brings forth generation; it then explains why the ten thousand things honor the Dao and treasure De, praises the work of the Dao in giving birth and De in nourishing, and finally commends their virtue of achieving without claiming achievement.

The Dao is the subtle root that can generate the ten thousand things; De is the functioning of the Dao that can store and nourish the forms of the ten thousand things. Animals belong to Heaven; plants are paired with Earth. Heaven and Earth nurture the ten thousand things, and creation completes them. Without Dao-Qi (vital energy of the Way), the ten thousand things cannot be generated; without the functioning of the Dao, they cannot fully grow. The ten thousand things stand through the Dao and rely on its power. Whether sentient or insentient, all should honor the Dao, cherish De, and not forget their root.

The Dao is honored by the ten thousand things not because it holds high rank or awesome authority, but because without the Dao they must perish. Especially when a ruler governs the realm: without the Dao, the myriad states cannot be settled; for those cultivating the Way, leaving the Dao means cultivation cannot succeed. The Dao never boasts of its merit toward all categories of beings, so its merit grows ever more subtle and deep.

“Dao sheng zhi” (The Way gives birth to them): The commentary says: the subtle root of the Dao-body activates and sends down harmonizing Qi.

“De xu zhi” (And De stores them): The commentary says: the ten thousand things thereby grow, and the myriad kinds thereby receive nourishment.

The shu (exegesis) says: “Dao sheng zhi” means the Dao sends down harmonizing Qi and transforms and nurtures the ten thousand things. When things receive this Qi, they can live—hence “the Way gives birth to them.” What the annotation calls “the subtle root activates and sends down harmonizing Qi” means that as the subtle root, the Dao sends down Qi so that Qi becomes the root of the ten thousand things.

In “De xu zhi,” De carries the sense of de (obtaining, receiving); xu is to store and nourish. When the ten thousand things receive the Dao’s functioning, they can store and nourish their own forms. Here De is so named from the Dao’s role of storing and nourishing the ten thousand things.

Yili (principle): If there were only generation without storing, De could not show its efficacy; if there were only storing without generation, the Dao’s subtlety could not be revealed. Generation begins in wuwei (non-action); storing ends in purposeful action; ending and beginning turn in a cycle, always with the Dao as root—therefore the Dao is called the subtle root.

The Dao gives birth to all things, and De nourishes them. All things take shape by following this principle.

The Forms of Things (the forms of all things)

Note: Qian understands, Kun acts; forms appear, positions are established, and circumstances bring things to completion.

Note: The forces of cold and heat each bring things to their fulfillment.

Commentary: The Dao gives birth, De nurtures, and the myriad beings take form. The note says, “Qian understands, Kun acts, forms appear, positions are established.” The Commentary on the Appended Statements in the Book of Changes says: “Qian understands the great beginning; Kun acts to bring things to completion.” Heaven and Earth provide form; above and below establish position. These are all workings of the Dao, which are put to use through Qian and Kun. “Circumstances bring things to completion” means that, as the myriad things transform, they draw on the forces of season, terrain, and Yin-Yang to take what they need and come to completion. That is why the phrase “circumstances bring things to completion” is included.

Explanation: In coming into being, the myriad things receive Qi from Dao and De, and form from Qian and Kun. Their Qi comes from the workings of Dao and De; their forms depend on the transformations of Heaven and Earth. Through the cycle of cold and heat, and with the aid of Yin-Yang, they are born and completed, brought to an end and begun anew. This process of birth, completion, ending, and beginning is what is meant by “circumstances.” Qian understands the great beginning: it means the initial beginning. Qian is Heaven and represents Yang Qi; all things are born when they first receive Heaven’s Yang Qi. Kun acts to bring things to completion: Kun is Earth and represents Yin Qi; all things take form when they receive Earth’s Yin Qi. Once living and growing things have their forms and positions, they still rely on the Qi of cold and heat to fulfill their function. Yet the source of birth and transformation lies in the Dao. How could Heaven, Earth, cold, and heat themselves give birth to and transform things?

Therefore, among all things, none fails to honor the Dao and esteem De.

Note: All things are born and nurtured by Dao and De, so they honor and esteem them.

Commentary: Because Dao and De have the power to give birth and nurture, all beings that possess life honor the Dao and respect De. This passage urges all living beings to value their roots and revere the Dao.

Explanation: “Honor” means to hold in high regard, like a father; “esteem” means to value and respect, like a mother. The Dao gives birth and De nurtures, and things receive their forms from them. Since Dao and De are their father and mother, how could they fail to honor and esteem them? To forget one’s roots is to be less than human.

The Dao is honored and De esteemed, yet neither is granted a noble title; their honor and esteem are always natural.

Note: The honored and esteemed standing of Dao and De does not depend on titles or commands. Their power to give birth and bring things to completion extends to all things, and their honor and esteem are always natural.

Commentary: In the human world, a person’s honor and prominence must come from a ruler’s appointment before they are considered distinguished. But the Dao is honored and De esteemed because of their power to give birth and bring things to completion.

The General Meaning of the Scripture

The Dao’s beneficial power extends to all things, and so all things revere and value it. This reverence does not come from an emperor granting titles or issuing appointments. It is a lasting nobility that arises naturally.

Interpretive Explanation

When people serve a ruler, they must have talent and learning to be selected for office; only then may they receive rank and honor. Human honors have their limits. The Dao, however, gives life to and transforms all things, and is revered by them; through De, it nurtures all things, and is valued by them. Its work of giving life never ceases, so the power of bringing things into being is always revered. Its work of bringing things to completion is inexhaustible, so the power of completing things is always valued. These honors have no end.

Confucius passed down a model for all ages through cultural teaching and the Way of the Five Constant Virtues, and rulers of every age revered him. Taigong passed down military instruction and the Seven Virtues as a teaching for all ages, and rulers of every age valued him. Yan Yuan and Min Ziqian are admired by later generations for their virtue and conduct; Boyi and Shuqi for their benevolence and righteousness. The Ten Philosophers set an example for later generations through the Four Subjects, which have been followed throughout history. Such esteem was beyond the reach of titles and appointments granted by rulers of their own time. Their De remains revered and valued. Yet great as their mysterious achievements were, they still fell short of the Dao and De of the Supreme One, the Mysterious Origin.

Titles and appointments are what rulers use to honor the worthy and employ the capable. In ancient times, emperors governed vast populations across far-flung lands, and no one person could administer everything alone. They therefore established offices and granted ranks to govern the people. Rank is a position with its stipend; appointment is a designation and grade. When designations are proper, offices do not multiply without need; when offices are properly limited, each person is assigned according to their ability, and good governance can take shape. An office is a charge of oversight, like the cord of a net or the collar of a garment: lift the cord or collar, and the many parts fall into order.

The Great Hao (Fuxi) named offices after dragons; Shennong, after fire; the Yellow Emperor, after clouds; and Shaohao, after birds. Each named official roles after auspicious signs. From Shaohao onward, virtue no longer reached far enough to name offices after such things, so officials were named after the people. All assisted the Son of Heaven in governing the four seas. Tang and Yu, studying the ancient precedents, established just a hundred offices; the Xia and Shang doubled that number and still governed effectively. Officials held positions to regulate local customs, and their names were recorded to set out their achievements. Rank and stipend honored them, while authority and power lent them weight, so that all things would look up to them and follow their instructions. When a sage rules above, the worthy serve as his assistants, as fish and water depend on one another; neither can be lacking. Such, in broad terms, is the way of titles and appointments.

The Meaning of the Scripture: The Five Tribute Zones and Ranks of Nobility

In ancient times, the titles included Emperor, Sovereign, Empress, King, and Ruler. Below them were Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, and Baron, forming five ranks of states. The territory ruled directly by the emperor or king extended five hundred li in each direction, making a total of a thousand li. This was called the Dianfu, or Royal Domain. Within this thousand-li area, tribute to the royal house was determined by distance and divided into five grades: within one hundred li, people paid tribute in stalks; within two hundred li, in ears of grain; within three hundred li, in straw; within four hundred li, in millet; and within five hundred li, in husked rice.

Beyond the Dianfu, the next five hundred li formed the Houfu, or Nobles’ Domain, which was divided into three grades. The inner one hundred li was the Cai domain, whose sole duty was to serve the king. The next two hundred li comprised the Nanbang, or Men’s States: “men” means those who undertake duties, and these states performed royal service. The outer three hundred li belonged to the feudal lords, who acted as scouts and guarded the royal house. These three grades together were called the Houfu.

Beyond the Houfu, the next five hundred li formed the Suifu, or Pacification Domain. “Sui” means to bring to peace: its people followed royal government and instruction. It was divided into two grades. For three hundred li, the Kui domain assessed and carried out the king’s civil teachings. For one hundred li, the Fenwuwei domain used military force to protect peace throughout the realm.

Beyond the Suifu, the next five hundred li formed the Yaofu, or Restrained Domain. “Yao” means to restrain; restraint was used to maintain civil instruction. It too had two grades. The inner three hundred li was the Yi domain. “Yi” means level or even: its people upheld ordinary teachings and served the ruler. The outer two hundred li was the Cai domain. “Cai” means law: its people administered the legal system in a simple manner.

Beyond the Yaofu, the next five hundred li formed the Huangfu, or Frontier Domain, a distant region where governance was less elaborate. It was divided into two grades. In the inner three hundred li, the Man domain used civil virtue to draw people in rather than suppressing them with harsh laws. In the outer two hundred li, the Liu domain—“liu” meaning to move or migrate—governed according to local customs wherever royal instruction and government reached.

The five tribute zones extended a total of five thousand li and were divided into fourteen grades according to distance from the center.

The Rites of the King also states that the territories of dukes and marquises were one hundred li across, those of regional lords were seventy li, and those of viscounts and barons were fifty li. This was the ancient system of establishing officials, conferring noble ranks, and assigning territories by grade, so that they could assist the emperor in governing the realm together. Those who received noble rank and appointment from the emperor governed the people.

Explanation of “The Dao Gives Birth to Them and Nurtures Them”

This passage returns to the opening idea that “the Dao gives birth” and “De nurtures”: first comes birth, then comes nurture.

Explanation: Since the earlier passage has already said that the Dao gives birth and De nurtures, this passage says only, “The Dao gives birth to them and nurtures them.” De is the operation of the Dao, and the birth and nurture of all things are both set in motion and brought to completion by the Dao. For this reason, De is not mentioned separately here.

Note: Dianfu, Houfu, Suifu, Yaofu, and Huangfu were the five ancient tribute zones arranged around the royal domain. Terms such as Cai, Nan, Kui, Fenwu, Yi, Cai, Man, and Liu were mostly names of regions or offices; their meanings have been briefly explained here based on the commentary.

The Broad Explanations of the True Scripture of the Dao and Its De

It increases and grows; it nurtures and brings forth

The commentary says: The growth of things is called “growing”; nourishing and fostering them is called “bringing forth.”

Interpretation: All things receive life from the Dao. Yin and Yang, cold and heat, then circulate and bring them to growth. The nourishment and fostering of all things do not come from human effort, but from the working of the Dao.

It brings them to completion and ripeness

Interpretation: The Dao grants life to all things. Their completion in autumn and ripening in winter also come about because the Dao turns the Qi of the four seasons and brings them to maturity. “Assisting and supporting” means helping and giving aid. The Book of Changes, in its “Tai” hexagram, says, “Assist and support what is fitting in Heaven and Earth, thereby aiding the people.” This is the same idea.

It nourishes and shelters them

Note: For this reason, people everywhere honor the Dao and prize De.

Commentary: Providing resources is called “nourishing”; sheltering and protecting is called “covering.” The eight functions of giving life, sustaining, growing, nurturing, completing, ripening, nourishing, and sheltering are all functions of Dao and De. Therefore, all things honor and prize them.

Interpretation: These eight beneficial functions toward all things—giving life, sustaining, growing, nurturing, completing, ripening, nourishing, and sheltering—are the wondrous workings of Dao and De. All beings of Heaven and Earth, everything with awareness and life, down to tiny insects, grasses, and trees, come into being through the transforming power of the Dao. How could they fail to honor and prize it, taking the wondrous source as their foundation?

It gives life without claiming ownership

Commentary: The Dao gives life to all things, yet does not regard its act of giving life as something to boast about. It forgets its achievement in giving life. This continues the preceding idea that “the Dao gives life.”

Interpretation: The Dao can give life to things, but does not rely on having a self that gives life. All things receive the Dao’s power, yet the Dao does not boast of its strength.

It acts without relying on its achievement

Commentary: De nourishes and fosters things, yet does not regard its action as something to rely on or boast about. It does not depend on its achievement. This continues the preceding idea of De sustaining things.

Interpretation: De nourishes things without taking pride in its achievement. All things receive the Dao’s power, yet the Dao does not rely on having a self that acts.

It leads without ruling

Commentary: Through Dao and De, the achievement of giving life and nurturing is forgotten. Though they stand at the head of all things, they bring them to growth, maturity, and ripeness without ruling over them or seeking anything in return. This is said to teach rulers to model themselves on the Dao: they should give life to and nurture all things, then forget their achievement.

Interpretation: The Dao gives life to things without considering itself virtuous; De sustains things without considering itself accomplished. Dao and De stand above all things but do not rule them, and so they are always honored by all things. A ruler should bring all things to life and nurture them without boasting of ability; extend benevolence throughout the realm without seeking repayment; and benefit all under Heaven without taking pride in kindness. Let De be attributed to Heaven and achievement to the things themselves. With a mind that stands apart, do not prize the lofty palace. Then the ruler can preserve the state and enjoy blessings without end.

This is called mysterious De

Note: Its meaning is explained in the chapter “Nourishing the Corporeal Soul”: that chapter describes how people cultivate themselves in accordance with the Dao; this chapter describes how the Dao is put into practice and how one moves among others.

Commentary: Here the text praises the virtue of “forgetting one’s achievements.” “Mysterious” means profound and beyond measure. Although the Great Dao can give life and nurture, in the end it neither relies on its accomplishments nor rules over what it creates. Its blessings extend everywhere, yet it makes no display of its name or deeds. Is this not a virtue profound and beyond measure? In other words, the Dao’s virtue neither relies on its achievements nor dominates, and so may be called profoundly mysterious; the sage’s virtue neither relies on its achievements nor takes pride in them, and so may be called great. Because the Dao’s virtue is profound and mysterious, all things constantly honor it. Because the sage’s achievements are great, they can be passed down through the ancestral temples for generations. Those who cultivate the Dao accumulate De without claiming credit, and perform hidden good works without relying on them for support. Their longevity, and their realization of the Dao and attainment of true being, all follow from this principle.

The world has a beginning, Chapter 52 (commentary: the previous chapter clarified that the Dao gives life and De nurtures, without domination)

(Natural nobility is at work here. This chapter explains how to guard the mother and preserve the child, return to illumination, and avert calamity from oneself. The first seven lines identify the source that gives life and urge us to guard the mother and preserve the child; the next six lines show the warning against desire, clarifying the contrast between opening and closing; the final six lines praise the achievements of cultivation and realization, concluding with the practice of holding fast to the constant.)

In essence: Once the Dao’s transformative power has been made clear, “the world has a beginning”: the Dao is the mother of things and holds within itself all living beings. Rulers who govern the country and those who cultivate the Dao see that the myriad things are complete, and thereby understand that they arise from the wondrous source. If they abide by and use the Dao to govern, the country will face no danger and the body will remain at peace. The essentials of guarding the Dao are to draw in the hearing and close the eyes, keep the mouth shut and the body still, observe what is subtle and embrace softness, conceal one’s brilliance and return to the ordinary. By following and guarding the highest Dao, one can approach it. But if one flaunts one’s cleverness and boasts of one’s achievements and De, one has strayed far from the Dao. This is the chapter’s meaning.

The world has a beginning, which is regarded as the mother of the world.

Note: “Beginning” refers to undifferentiated Qi—the balanced, subtle, and wondrous energy. This undifferentiated Qi gives rise to all things and has the virtue of flourishing and nurturing them, so it can be regarded as the mother of the world.

Commentary: What things draw their Qi from is called the “beginning”; what gives them life is called the “mother.” The Dao uses balanced, wondrous Qi to bring all things into being. Things receive life from it as children are born from a mother; hence the phrase “regarded as the mother of the world.” Although “beginning” and “mother” differ as names, in the Dao they are one: a single Qi spreads its transformations and remains one whole. That is also the meaning of the earlier classic’s words: “The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth; the named is the mother of the myriad things.”

Plain-language interpretation

Main idea of the scripture: Its aim is to help people recognize their source, hold fast to the “mother,” and preserve the “child.”

Meaning: “Inborn endowment” refers to the natural qualities a person receives. All things receive life from the Dao, which is their foundation. The Dao nurtures and sustains humanity through its De, like the compassion of a mother raising her child. One should contemplate flowing water to recognize its source, and perceive the root through what is soft and yielding. By holding to the Dao, one can bring peace and stability both to governing a state and to cultivating oneself. “Emptiness” refers to the Qi of harmony and balance. “The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth” is a phrase from the first chapter of the upper section.

Once you have attained the mother, you can know the child.

Commentary: Once all things have received abundant nourishment from the Qi of harmony, they should understand that they themselves are the “children” formed from this Qi.

Explanation: Since people are abundantly nourished by the Qi of harmony and balance as their “mother,” they should understand that the body is the “child” of this Qi.

Meaning: The Dao is the mother of the body, granting it life and nourishment; the body is the child of the Dao, able to recognize the source of its nourishment and life. Once you know this Dao, you should embody and apply it within harmony and balance, thereby preserving yourself.

Once you know the child, return to holding fast to the mother; you will be free from danger throughout your life.

Commentary: Once you know that the body is the child of the Qi of harmony, you should hold fast to this subtle Qi and not let it disperse. Then you can live your whole life free from danger.

Explanation: Once people know that their bodies arise from the Qi of the Dao, they should take this Qi as their foundation. They should return to the Dao and hold fast to the “mother”; hence the words “return to holding fast.” “Free from danger throughout your life” means that if people remain without desires and return to the Dao, they can live out their natural lifespan without peril.

Meaning: Once you know what your body has received—that the Dao gave life to your body—you should cleanse your heart-mind, return to Shen (spirit), and hold fast once more to the Dao. Let go of confusion over right and wrong, and cut off the distractions of fame and gain. Practice this throughout your life, and the Dao can be attained.

Close its openings, shut its gates, and you will not toil throughout your life.

Commentary: “Openings” refers to what brings pleasure: the eyes delight in colors, the ears in sounds, and each of the six senses has its own pleasures. Indulgence brings trouble, so block these openings and do not indulge the pleasures of the six senses. Then the gates of misfortune will close, and you will not toil throughout your life.

Explanation: This describes the practice of cutting off desires and holding fast to the mother. “Openings” means pleasure: the ears and eyes delight in sounds and colors, while the nose and mouth delight in fragrances and flavors. Each of the six senses has its own pleasures. “Gates” refers to entrances and exits, meaning the places where the senses meet external forms. If you close the openings and shut the gates, you will not toil throughout your life—that is, you will not exhaust yourself in pursuit of desires.

Meaning: Closing the gates of the senses and cutting off external enticements puts into daily practice the way of holding fast to the mother and returning to the source. Toil often arises from chasing desires; without desire, the body is not worn out and troubles do not arise.

When the eyes and ears, stirred by greed and delight, are kept in check, the gates of misfortune close. Once those gates are shut, there is no need to toil over this for one’s whole life.

Meaning: The Dao gathers in emptiness, and the spirit gathers in nothingness. Let the heart grow still and extinguish cleverness, and the Dao will return of its own accord. Without deliberately looking with the eyes, one sees as clearly as the Way of Heaven; without deliberately listening with the ears, one hears as keenly as the Way of Heaven. Without acting from selfish intent, one accomplishes what the Way of Heaven accomplishes. When the six faculties remain unstained, one’s conduct joins the Mysterious Way; when the six desires do not arise, one is at one with the Dao. The body is at ease and things proceed smoothly; one need not toil throughout life.

The Yi associates Dui with delight; Dui also represents the mouth, and a gate is likewise an opening of the mouth. This, too, warns people to close the gates of misfortune. The Jing of the Western Ascent says that what pleases the nose and mouth—fragrance and flavor—brings resentment. This is the same idea: the six emotions and desires prompt one another. The eyes see, the ears hear, and the heart is stirred; when the heart takes delight in something, the mouth becomes talkative. The mouth is the gate of misfortune, and the heart is the master of attachment and delight, so these can be blocked and closed. If this misfortune takes hold in governing a state, its affairs fall into disorder; if it takes hold in cultivating oneself, the Dao is diminished. Close the gates as they should be, and both body and state can be brought into order.

Open its apertures, and accomplish its affairs; to the end of life, there will be no remedy.

Commentary: Open the six faculties and indulge sight and hearing to pursue objects of greed and attachment, and misfortune will be constant; therefore, to the end of life, there will be no remedy.

Explanation: This clarifies conduct that departs from the Dao. Open the gates of sight and hearing to pursue what one delights in, and misfortune and distress will only increase; therefore, to the end of life, there will be no remedy.

Meaning: The Dao does not favor agitation. Straining to look diminishes the clarity of the Dao; the Dao does not favor clamor. Straining to listen diminishes its acuity. When the heart and mind contend and churn, the Dao cannot remain. To indulge in sounds and appearances, to covet profit and delight in fame: countless concerns multiply, and many afflictions arise together. Every movement brings regret and blame; even at rest, one sinks into disaster and confusion. The spirits cannot protect one, and the powers of creation cannot give life. By indulging desire and harming oneself, one leaves no remedy to the end of life.

Seeing the small is called clarity.

Commentary: If a person can notice what is slight in a situation and change their conduct, this may be called clarity.

Explanation: This shows where preventing misfortune begins. As evil portents are about to arise, their faint beginnings must be noticed; regret and blame take hold in the tiniest traces. Those who guard the root should prevent trouble while it is still budding and set things in order before disorder begins. One who can do this may be called clear-sighted.

Meaning: Those who guard the Dao and rulers who order the state prevent subtle dangers before they show signs and consider trouble before it takes shape. To notice what is small and change course is called clarity; to preserve gentleness and remain low is called strength. They do not prevail through force or schemes of cleverness. By guarding only emptiness and stillness, they possess both clarity and strength.

“Be alert before trouble appears; shut the door against wicked flatterers; appoint the worthy and good; close the gates to indulgence in desires. Then simplicity and sincerity will deepen day by day.”

“Concern for regret and disgrace”

The Xici Commentary to the Book of Changes says that good and ill fortune often show themselves in one’s words, and that worry, regret, and disgrace often begin with the faintest signs. The point is that even the slightest hint of good fortune, ill fortune, regret, or disgrace should not be taken lightly. Guard against it early and take precautions in advance.

Note: “Shut” means to block; “sprouting” means a faint sign; “gradual” means growing slowly from a small beginning.

“Set things in order before they fall into disorder” is the teaching of chapter 63 of this classic.

To “set things in order before the situation becomes chaotic” is the meaning of chapter 63 of the Dao De Jing. The Book of Documents also says: govern the realm while it is still free from great disorder, and preserve a state before it is in danger. Both teachings call for preventing trouble while it is still at the stage of a first sprout or a growing tendency.

Before a plant breaks through the soil, a tiny shoot appears. Changes toward good or evil do not happen in a single day; they always grow from small beginnings. So block and contain them early, before they spread. Once they have grown and spread, they are hard to control.

“Guarding softness is called strength.”

Note: If you hold to softness and weakness, others cannot harm you. That is what true strength means.

Commentary: Those who follow the Way of guarding softness and weakness occupy a place where there is no contention, making it difficult for others to harm them. To act this way while walking with the Great Dao may be called “strength.”

Interpretation: The physically strong may be broken by others; those who display their cleverness may be plotted against; the powerful may become targets of others’ schemes; the proud and forceful may be suppressed; and even those whose virtue appears formidable may be brought under control. Only those who can remain weak, embody softness, and avoid contention and conflict possess the kind of virtue that can truly be called “strength.” When they act as the Great Dao does, who would dare to harm them lightly?

“Use its light, then return to its brightness.”

Note: To perceive what is subtle is “brightness”; to hold to softness and weakness is “strength.” If you take yourself to be perceptive and flaunt your strength in pursuit of victory, you lose the original meaning of “guarding softness” and “perceiving the small.” So even when you use your “light” to illuminate what is outside, gather your mind and spirit back within, and abide in inward brightness. Only then can you remain free of trouble for a long time.

Commentary: “Light” shines outward and is constantly active; “brightness” illuminates inward and is constantly still. Brightness and strength come from “perceiving the small” and “guarding softness,” so one must not boast of cleverness or misuse force. Though one first uses light to illuminate the outside, one must still return to inward brightness. This further explains “perceiving the small” and “guarding softness”: let outward activity subside and return within. Hence the phrase “return to its brightness.”

Interpretation: Outward brightness has limited reach: it is like being unable to distinguish oxen from horses five miles away. Inward brightness has no limit: with a mind that observes closely, one can discern things both near and far. Outwardly, one is entangled in countless circumstances, exhausting the spirit and harming one’s nature. Inwardly, one silently realizes the profound mystery, enters stillness, and returns to the root. To restore inward brightness is to draw near to the Great Dao.

Explanatory Reading

Notes: “Leaving things to others” means giving up the urge to show off before others and compete with them for credit. The point is that by turning inward and guarding one’s inner clarity, calamity will not befall oneself. This is to secretly put the Way of constant truth into practice: to uphold the unchanging true Way without drawing attention to it.

Commentary: “Leaving things to others” also means keeping far from calamity. Let one’s light shine on external things without becoming attached to them; turn inward and preserve clarity without self-display. Guarding the mother and preserving the child means holding fast to the root and preserving the subtle workings that arise from it. Reflect back to the source, and misfortune will naturally not arise. This is called following the constant Way in secret: inheriting it and quietly aligning oneself with it. Secret practice is called “following”: one who can perceive what is subtle and keep harm at a distance, remain gentle and yielding, and hold light within can thus know the child and guard the mother, secretly putting the Way of constant truth into practice.

Interpretation: Once one understands the principle of “returning to inner illumination,” calamity will not reach oneself. When calamity cannot intrude, one is secretly in accord with the Way of constant truth. In governing a state, if one merely boasts of shining outward, scrutinizes everything, and minutely polices every detail, affairs of state become more burdensome and the people more unsettled. But if one can notice subtle signs and prevent trouble, remain humble and yielding, keep one’s wisdom veiled while holding light within, and entrust affairs to worthy people while governing with calm restraint, how far away can the way of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors—the path of the sage rulers of antiquity, meant here by “the three and five”—really be?