《道德真經廣聖義》Vol. 43

A great state occupies the lower reaches, like rivers and seas that sit below the many streams—therefore the hundred rivers all gather toward it. “Lower stream” is a metaphor for humility. When a great state can receive all sides with a humble, yielding attitude, people under Heaven will come to associate with it.

This passage uses the flow of water to explain the way of governing a state: water all runs to low places, and rivers and seas thereby collect every stream; a ruler should likewise be humble toward others and open the door wide to many people. When the ruler has the Way (Dao), the state can be secure; when virtue (De) is lacking, hearts will scatter. When a great state is willing to hold the lower place and open its gates broadly, people under Heaven will gather, and the state will thereby be preserved and strengthened.

The reason people under Heaven come to attach themselves is that the great state is humble and does not presume upon its greatness. In governing the people and founding a state, the ruler should put moral character first: use virtue (De) to treat others with humility, and use the Way (Dao) to nurture the ten thousand things. The stronger the state grows, the more humble the ruler’s mind should be; the more people wish to join, the more yielding the ruler should be. In this way, people from near and far will come, and the common people will gladly support the ruler.

When people under Heaven meet and gather together, it is as when the female often overcomes the male through stillness and softness. Mentioning again “the meeting of all under Heaven” is meant to explain further the principle that “the great state holds the lower place.” The reason the people gather is that the great state treats others with humility.

General Interpretation

The main meaning of the passage

The female, representing the Yin and gentle side, often becomes the one the male, representing the Yang and restless side, seeks to join, through her quietness and gentleness.

“To take the lower position through stillness” means that the female can often prevail over the male by being quiet and yielding. This is possible because she is content with a lower position and holds to stillness.

Interpretation: self-cultivation and governing the state

Use stillness to regulate yourself, and Qi (vital energy) will naturally flow in harmony while Shen (spirit) finds peace. Govern the state through stillness, and the transforming influence of De (Virtue/Power) will spread widely, drawing people’s hearts to you. This is what it means to “take the lower position through stillness.”

“When a great state places itself below a small state, it wins over the small state.”

The word “therefore” links this passage to what came before and brings the earlier point to a close: a ruler of a great state wins people’s allegiance through the humble, gentle De of yielding, rather than through displays of force. The aim is to win over and attract the rulers of small states, so that their people willingly become subjects.

Interpretation: how to care for small states

When a great state sets an example of humility and stillness, people are drawn to it. It relies neither on military force nor on political schemes. Small states then come of their own accord, drawn by its benevolence, and willingly become its subjects. Its territory grows, as does its population.

One example of a great state pacifying a small one occurred when Jin was leader of the alliance. The state of Wei had deposed its ruler and installed Chuo. Jin intended to punish Wei. The Marquis of Jin asked Yan, known as Xianzi of Zhongxing, for advice. Yan said that it would be better to go along with events and stabilize Wei: a forceful attack might not achieve its aim and would alarm the other lords. Shi Yi had said, “Build on what is already established and pacify it.” Zhong Hui had said, “Pacify those in decline and win over those in disorder; advance the fallen and secure the established—this is the way of a state.” The ruler should settle Wei and wait for the right time. That winter, the lords met at Qi and settled the matter in Wei. This is how a great state pacifies a small one.

When a great state brings small states together, the lords gather for assemblies and the arrangement is passed down through the generations. Examples include Xia Qi’s feast at Juntai, in present-day Henan; the mandate issued by Tang of Shang at Jingbo, in present-day Yanshi; the oath taken by King Wu of Zhou at Mengjin; the hunt held by King Cheng at Qiyang; the assembly convened by King Kang at Feng Palace, in the Hudu area; the meeting held by King Mu at Tushan, near present-day Shouchun; Duke Huan of Qi’s campaign at Shaoling; and Duke Wen of Jin’s alliance at Jantu. In each case, the great state cared for those below it, while the small states served those above them, and each found its proper place.

An example of failure to pacify a small state occurred when the Marquis of Jin failed to care for and protect the lords, instead issuing forceful demands to Zheng. In a letter to Zhao Xuanzi, Ziji of Zheng quoted an old saying: “If you fear for your head and fear for your tail, what part of you is left?” He also said, “When a deer is about to die, it does not choose where to call.” This gives a rough sense of how precarious life was for a small state.

On serving a great state: with De, people return to it; without De, they flee like deer toward danger

This passage concerns how a small state should serve a great state. If the great state treats the small state with De, its people will naturally give it their allegiance. If the great state lacks De and oppresses the small state, its people will flee in fear like deer pursued by hunters, rushing toward dangerous paths. In their panic, how could they choose calmly?

The text cites history as evidence. If Jin treated Zheng with wanton cruelty, Zheng would surely turn to Chu for support. The ruler’s commands were arbitrary, and Zheng knew its survival was at stake; it would muster all its strength and wait for Jin at Shu, on the border with Shu Jin. Caught between great states and forced to submit to superior power, was Zheng to blame? In fact, the great state had failed to reassure and win over the small state, driving it to turn away. A great state should therefore take a humble, yielding stance toward a small state and win it over through gentleness and calm. This is how it “takes”: by gathering people’s hearts and earning their allegiance.

When a small state yields to a great state, it takes the great state

Note: A great state takes a small state as a subordinate; a small state takes a great state as a source of support.

Commentary: The ruler of a great state treats a small state with humility and gentleness. The ruler of the small state attends court and joins in alliances, remaining faithful and serving the great state with due humility, in the hope of drawing on its power for support.

Explanation: If a small state can act with humility and loyalty, and serve a great state with wholehearted respect, the great state will embrace it, keep it secure, and win its submission through gentleness. But if a small state fails to observe proper rites and serve the great state with sincere dedication, it is like Song seeking the support of the feudal lords through an alliance with Chu at Lushang. Chu agreed, but Song’s Prince Muyi said, “A small state that seeks good fortune through an alliance is inviting disaster. Is Song about to perish?” Fortunately, Song was defeated later. At the time of the alliance, Muyi also said, “Could disaster already be on its way? The ruler’s desires are excessive; how can others bear them?” At the meeting at Bo, Chu then seized the Duke of Song and released him only in winter. Muyi said, “That is not enough; it will not teach the ruler a lesson.” This is an example of a small state failing to serve a great state properly.

An example of a small state that knew how to serve a great one appears in the first year of Duke Yin, in the third month, when Yi Fu of Zhu made an alliance at Mie, in Lu territory. Zhu was a dependent state, and its ruler had not received an official title from the Zhou king; for this reason, the historical record gives his personal name but no rank. Yet because this small state drew close to a great one, maintained friendly relations, and helped keep the people at peace, the record honored him by using his courtesy name, “Yi Fu.” This is the kind of case meant here. Under the rules for court visits, a great state’s visit to a small state was called a “visit,” using the lesser form of ceremony for an important matter; a small state’s visit to a great state was called a “court audience,” using the greater form of ceremony for a lesser matter. Maintaining goodwill, building trust, discussing affairs, and making up for shortcomings are the deeper purposes of ritual. Mencius said that only the humane can serve a great state while remaining in the position of a small one. Tang of Shang serving Ge Bo and King Wen of Zhou serving Kunyi are examples.

These passages discuss the weight and force of diplomatic language, the need to avoid excessive expenditure in governing, and the Sage’s refusal to hoard, his generosity toward others, and his alignment with the Way of Heaven. Another passage draws on Zhuangzi to explain “beautiful words,” what is “not beautiful,” non-contention, and the importance of putting the Way into practice.

The Weight of Words and Harmonious Relations

These lines concern how to judge the weight and force, strength and softness, and status of words in relations between states. Without a sense of proportion, one cannot help two countries live in harmony and maintain amicable relations.

Excessive Care and Excessive Expenditure

“Care too much, and expenditure will be great; great expenditure is unacceptable.” This means that excessive care brings excessive expense, and such expense must be avoided. Excessive care and expenditure amount to wasting resources. If one cares indiscriminately and spends day after day, how could the costs not mount? Even when these expenses arise from “care,” such care is still untenable. The point that excess and overindulgence cannot serve in governing leads to the question of why the Sage “does not hoard.”

The Sage Does Not Hoard

“Hoarding” means accumulating and storing things away. The Sage does not keep goodness and virtue hidden away for himself; he spreads them throughout the world and places them among the people. The Sage and Celestial Master (Tianshi) keep their hearts steady and do not exalt themselves. They do not identify themselves with their troubles or make themselves small. They teach others without looking down on them, and treat others as one with themselves, maintaining an even balance. Thus, though they accumulate goodness without bias and cultivate virtue within, they do not hoard it for themselves.

Since they aim to teach people and ensure that each person has what they need, they have no wish to keep anything in reserve for themselves. Hence: “Because he gives himself to others, he has more; because he gives to others, he has still more.” The Sage cares for others and gives to them without end. Though he devotes much to them and gives them much thought, he still feels that he has not done enough.

Ruler, Parent, Teacher, and “Nurturing”

“Nurturing” here does not refer specifically to bodhisattvas or to any particular lineage of teachers. It concerns the weight of the three roles of ruler, parent, and teacher, and further develops the preceding point. At home, one has parents: affection moves one to help and care for them, and one must not act wrongly. One has a teacher, under whose guidance one remains for a long time; by placing oneself below, one can become a teacher of the highest order. One has a ruler who governs the state and must not harm the people or make them suffer. Serving one’s ruler, parent, and teacher follows a single principle: remain humble and yield. Even when in a position of authority, one stays modest and takes the lower place; one welcomes goodness like a guest and lets good words flow freely. To care for others and look after one’s own conduct, one must offer goodness to others. If one realizes that others are making demands, then one should be ready to care for them and give generously. But if one thinks one has already done all the good one can, one will instead hoard one’s wealth and keep it hidden. How could one then give generously? When each person has enough, one too will find support and sufficiency.

The Sage is never weary of giving. He does not seek wealth or hoard goodness, and so the people all uphold him. Hence the saying, “Because he gives to others, he has more and more each day.” The Sage does not regard great wealth as riches or extensive hoarding as precious. When things are burdened by excess, they bring harm; excessive lavishness in their use is not to be valued.

The Way of Heaven and the Way of the Sage

The Way of Heaven benefits and does not harm. A ruler can hardly conform to Heaven completely. The principle of Heaven is that the living fulfill their own course and the dead return to their resting place. This may be called benefiting without harming. The Sage acts in this way, in accord with Heaven’s principle. The Way of Heaven is empty and still: it benefits things, makes dangers clear, and supports the weak. It benefits all things without causing them harm. The Way of Heaven is discussed here to show that the Sage is one with it.

The Way of the Sage is to “act without relying on achievement”: the Sage does not rest on his accomplishments or seek fame.

The Sage and Celestial Master acts quietly to help things along and does not rely on his own achievements. How much less would he seek fame and act arrogantly toward others? Thus he always takes the lower place.

Beautiful Words and What Is Not Beautiful: A Reading Based on Zhuangzi

“To praise another’s words is not beautiful.” Zhuangzi’s Dongguozi Shunzi says, in effect, that a speaker may be praised while his words are not beautiful. Here, “beautiful words” refers to the kind of “beauty” that does not embody goodness; this is illuminated by the idea of non-contention. Since Zhuangzi’s original text may not set up a direct contrast in every line, this passage first presents a difficult interpretation.

“Beautiful” means that something is praised as beautiful, or that someone is admired; the words are therefore heard beyond their source, and their reputation spreads. “Words that are not beautiful” are words confined to the ear, with offensive speech kept out and hidden within. This is like the Sage’s beautiful conduct: no one hears about it, and so it is said that he does not make himself out to be beautiful. Beauty lies in one’s actions and within oneself. If one praises oneself, one cannot be in harmony with what is beautiful.

Among those who live in the world, only the Sage does not contend. Considered from the perspective of being without good or evil, one should take those who are not good as one’s teachers, setting an example through conduct rather than showing off one’s verbal skill. Someone who speaks of goodness but does not put it into practice is not truly good. If a teacher has only “beautiful words” and does not embody the goodness you should follow, that teacher cannot be a good one. Goodness lies in good conduct, not in speaking at length: “conduct” can make a person; words alone cannot. This can be read alongside the line, “One who speaks well is not good.”

“Gifts” are offerings presented as a formal courtesy. “Currency and textiles” refers to money and woven cloth. When feudal lords paid court to the Zhou king, or when two states exchanged envoys, they displayed and presented jade tablets, goods, and textiles, and held these items as part of the ceremony. Hence the terms “gifts” and “currency and textiles.”

When a small state sought aid from a great one, it might do so as follows. In the autumn of the fourteenth year of Duke Wen in the Spring and Autumn Annals, the Earl of Zheng feasted with the Duke of Lu at Fei. The Zheng minister Guisheng recited the poem “Hongyan” (“Wild Geese”) from the Book of Songs, drawing on its plea for compassion and care for widowers and widows to urge the ruler of Lu to show consideration for Zheng. He then recited the fourth stanza of “Zaichi” (“Driving Away”) from the Book of Songs, explaining Zheng’s weakness as a small state. The point was that a small state in dire need hoped to enlist the aid of a great one.

Each side thus obtained what it sought. Hence it is also said: The great should willingly take the lower position.

Commentary: One side seeks to become a subordinate—gaining protection and shelter—while the other seeks to provide aid. Each side’s wish is fulfilled. But a great state must always guard against becoming overfull and complacent, so the text especially says, “The great should take the lower position.”

Explication: The great side wants to foster and protect the small, while the small wishes to come and serve; both wishes are fulfilled. Thus the text says, “Each obtains what it wants.” “The great should take the lower position” means that things often regard the small as insignificant and the great as weighty, so the great is bound to press down on the small. Fearing that the ruler of a great state might grow arrogant and bring disaster upon himself—and that few rulers can remain humble—the text gives a special admonition: a great state should be especially humble.

On cultivating oneself: One can come to a good end only by remaining unarrogant amid wealth and rank, guarding against excess when one is full, and disciplining oneself with care. If a great state cannot take the lower position, or displays extravagance and brutality at an assembly, people will turn against it. The people rebelled against King Jie of Xia at the gathering at You’reng; the eastern Yi rebelled against King Zhou of Shang during the hunt at Li; the Rong and Yi peoples rebelled against King You of Zhou at the covenant on Mount Tai Shi; the feudal lords rebelled against Duke Xiang of Song at the meeting at Lushang; and at the meeting at Shen, the people’s support for the ruler of Chu ebbed away. If one does not practice De while claiming to cherish it, and does not treat the people with ritual propriety while claiming to bring them peace, everyone will have their own intentions. How could they be made to obey?

Note: “Regulating oneself” here means cultivating and governing oneself. “Gifts, currency, and textiles” refers to the rites used when one state visited another or paid tribute. Fei is a place name. “Hongyan” and “Zaichi” are titles of poems from the Book of Songs. “Explication” and “Commentary” reflect the structure of the original work; their tone has been incorporated into the translation.

(Continuing from the previous passage) People in lower positions, whether important or humble, can each obtain what they desire. This chapter explains that when all things are transformed through the Dao, both the good and the wicked find shelter. It first points to the profound nature of the Dao, then explains how teachings are established and people are led to follow the way of the ancient sages, praising the Dao’s power and virtue as supremely worthy. The previous passage spoke of great and small states each keeping to humility; this one speaks of what is cherished: it is neither lost because it is exalted nor cast aside because it is lowly. Together, these passages illuminate the workings of the Dao. Use fine words to honor it and exemplary conduct to guide the people; establish a state and appoint officials so that people put its teachings into practice. To show that the Dao’s profound power is the root of all things, do not prize a ceremonial jade disc above ordinary people, yet do not cast ordinary people aside. Thus the Dao is what all under Heaven rely upon.

The Dao is the innermost depth of all things

Commentary: All things are generated and nurtured by the wondrous root, the foundation of the Dao. They draw what they need from it, so it is called the innermost depth of all things. “Innermost depth” means what lies within, deep inside.

Explanatory note: “Dao” is an imposed name for the wondrous root. “Innermost depth” means what lies within. The Dao contains all things without exception and is where they draw the beginning of their existence; therefore it is the innermost depth of all things. The Scripture of the Ascent to the West says, “The Dao is profoundly deep, the abyss of emptiness and nothingness.” This is what it means.

Explanation: The Dao is so deep and vast that it contains and governs everything. The height of the round canopy, the thickness of the square earth, the light of the sun and moon, and the profusion of plants and animals are all nurtured by the Qi of the Dao and dwell within the Great Dao. Therefore, it is the innermost depth of all things. The Scripture of the Ascent to the West recounts that, after Laozi had finished transmitting the two scriptures, the Dao De Jing, to Yin Xi in Yin Xi’s thatched tower on the northern slopes of Mount Zhongnan, in the fourth month of the twenty-fifth year of King Zhao of Zhou, in the year guichou, he wished to travel west and spread his teachings in the shifting sands. Yin Xi asked him about the method of preserving the three and guarding the One, and about the essentials of practicing the Dao and cultivating the self. Later, the sage’s words were arranged into a text, whose title refers to ascending into the Great Subtlety and spreading the teachings westward in the shifting sands. The Scripture of the Ascent to the West consists of thirty-six chapters, nine hundred and seventy-two sentences, and four thousand two hundred and seventy-eight words. Its central ideas overlap with those of the Dao De Jing. It says that the Great Dao is profoundly deep, the source and gathering place of emptiness and nothingness.

The treasure of the good person

Commentary: The good person knows that by holding to the Dao, one flourishes, and by losing it, one perishes. Therefore, the good person always treasures the Dao and suffers no affliction.

Explanatory note: “Treasure” means something precious. The good person embodies the Dao through Wuwei (non-action), and keeps body and mind pure; therefore, the good person treasures it and never forgets it.

Explanation: The good person’s thoughts and intentions accord with the Dao, and so the good person always treasures it.

The Meaning of the Passage

As for what should be treasured: Zihan once said, “Others treasure jade; I treasure freedom from greed.” A ruler who governs a state treasures worthy people. How much more should good people treasure the Dao, which they never forget.

“What the Un善 person relies on”

Commentary: “Rely on” means to hold fast to something for support. Those who are not good do not value the highest Dao. When hardship comes, they want to entrust themselves to the Dao and seek refuge in it to avoid disaster.

Explanatory note: To rely on something is to lean on it for support. Those who are not good lack clear understanding and are misled by ingrained habits. They disregard the Dao in ordinary times, then, when disaster strikes, try to entrust themselves to it and rely on it for safety.

Interpretation: Those who are not good act against the teachings and are already far from the Dao. Even if they try to protect themselves and rely on the Dao to escape difficulty and danger, they cannot do so. Some versions of the scripture read, “What the un善 person does not treasure.” Those who are not good go against the Dao, so they do not treasure it. The reason is that the Dao favors gentleness and weakness, while they favor force; the Dao favors calm harmony, while they favor rigidity and agitation; the Dao favors emptiness and stillness, while they favor clamor; the Dao favors humility, while they favor defiance; the Dao favors Wuwei (non-action), while they favor deliberate action; and the Dao favors bringing things into being, while they favor causing harm. Their conduct runs counter to the Dao, so they do not treasure it.

“Fine words can win esteem; noble conduct can benefit others”

Commentary: Pleasing words can win someone esteem in the marketplace, and noble conduct can bring benefit to others. How much more can a sage guide those who are not good through pleasing words that convey the subtle flavor of the teaching and through conduct marked by dignity and stillness? It is like a merchant selling goods, with people following one another to buy. Hence the next passage says…

Explanatory note: This is a metaphor. It says that those who are not good, too, can be guided and transformed.

Interpretation: The words established by the Dao are plain and flavorless. How could those who are not good be drawn to them? So the sage offers fine words to guide them, and people follow as eagerly as those seeking profit in the marketplace. The sage displays noble conduct to transform them, and they follow as animals are drawn to a scent. In this way, those who are not good are transformed and take up the practice of the Dao. This is what is meant by saying that the Dao abandons no one.

“If people are not good, why abandon them?”

Commentary: Those who are not good can also be guided and transformed. How could they ever be cast aside?

Plain-language explanation: This chapter teaches that the Dao is the highest treasure. Good people never forget it. Those who are not good fail to treasure it in ordinary times and only try to rely on it for protection when danger comes, though they cannot truly count on that. The sage does not frighten people with obscure, flavorless words. Instead, the sage uses “fine words” and “noble conduct,” like attractive goods in a marketplace, to lead those who are not good back to the Dao. Thus Laozi says: even if people do wrong, why should they be cast aside? The Dao abandons no one, and people, in the end, can return to the Dao.

Plain-language explanation

The previous passage asks: if someone’s words and actions are unkind, why should we “cast him aside”? We should guide him along the path of goodness, hoping he will change his ways and turn toward what is good. We must not leave him unattended or fail to teach him. That is why the scripture asks, “How can one say that he should be cast aside?”

Interpretation: The sages are filled with great compassion, and the Dao never abandons anyone. Even when people act badly, the sages pity them because they have not yet awakened. They counsel them with gentle words and encourage them through good teaching, guiding them along the path of goodness without leaving anyone out, so that they may mend their ways and begin anew.

For this reason, the text says, “Establish the Son of Heaven and appoint the Three Dukes.”

Note: They jointly teach and transform those who act badly.

Commentary: Thus the Three Dukes were appointed: the Grand Preceptor, the Grand Tutor, and the Grand Protector. The Son of Heaven practices Wuwei (non-action), while the Three Dukes discuss the Dao. Their purpose is to set an example, establish instruction, and teach and transform those who act badly. The Book of Documents says, “Heaven’s work is carried out by people in its place.” This is what it means.

Interpretation: The four seas are vast and the myriad things flourish. When human beings first appeared, they could not be without a ruler, so the Son of Heaven was established to govern them. The Son of Heaven honors the Lord on High, taking Heaven as his father and Earth as his mother; hence the title “Son of Heaven.” One person cannot govern the whole world, so officials were appointed to assist him, with the Three Dukes at their head. The “Officers of Zhou” chapter of the Book of Documents says, “The Three Dukes discuss the Dao and order the state.”

The Grand Preceptor had wisdom deep enough to serve as a source and conduct worthy of setting an example. He answered every question and met every request, which is why he was called the Grand Preceptor. He was also called the “Honored Father.” “Grand” means great. As the king’s teacher, he rode in a comfortable carriage with a blue canopy and bore a gold seal on a purple cord.

The Grand Tutor’s role was to instruct, while the Grand Protector’s was to safeguard. The Book of Dai Rites says that the Grand Tutor instructed the Son of Heaven in virtue and righteousness. If the Son of Heaven showed no kindness to his parents, no generosity toward commoners, no respect for his ministers, or no fairness in criminal cases, the Grand Tutor had failed in his duty.

The Grand Protector’s role was to provide support and depend upon whom the Son of Heaven could rely. The Book of Dai Rites says that if the Son of Heaven sat improperly, received a book without respect, spoke without order, used a voice that did not accord with the musical tones, or entered, withdrew, or took his seat without observing the proper rites of rising, descending, and bowing, the Grand Protector had failed in his duty.

The offices of Grand Marshal, Minister of Education, and Minister of Works were also established. Their duties were to assist the Son of Heaven in harmonizing Yin-Yang, drawing close to the people, and extending education. The words “Heaven’s work is carried out by people in its place” come from the “Counsels of Gao Yao” chapter of the Book of Documents: “In a single day, in two days, there are ten thousand affairs. Let no office be left vacant; Heaven’s work is carried out by people in its place.” “Vacant” means unfilled, and “many” refers to the numerous offices. Those who hold office must be the right people; if they are not, the office is empty. The meaning is that people are appointed to carry out Heaven’s affairs, and no official post should be left unfilled.

General Meaning of the Passage

Original sentence: If a high minister employs people only for private gain, he is not making good use of their abilities. Even a great jade disc large enough to encircle with both arms, or an extravagant gift led by a team of four horses, is worth less than sitting at ease and presenting the Way.

Commentary: Even if the Three Dukes, who assist in governing, present the sovereign with a jade disc large enough to encircle with both arms and gifts led by a team of four horses, it is still better to sit at ease and offer the Way of Wuwei (non-action).

Explanation of the Text

A jade disc large enough to encircle with both arms means a very large jade disc. A team of four horses means a carriage drawn by four horses. In ancient times, when feudal lords paid court to the Son of Heaven, met in a great state, exchanged diplomatic visits in a small state, or encountered one another on the road, they presented formal gifts. Material goods were sent ahead as an advance offering, called a “forerunner.” The Spring and Autumn Annals records an example: “Twelve oxen were sent ahead with twelve bundles of rawhide to provision the troops.”

Expanding on the Meaning

A jade disc that can be encircled with both arms is a great auspicious jade object; a team of four horses means four horses yoked to one carriage. Under ancient custom, when feudal lords paid court to the king, met in alliance, exchanged diplomatic visits, or encountered each other in the open country, they prepared formal gifts and sent material goods ahead as an introduction. This was called a “forerunner.”

The Three Dukes should make discussion of the Dao and the ordering of the state their chief concern. If they only want to present their ruler with a team of four horses and a great jade disc, they will merely encourage extravagance and do nothing to benefit the affairs of state. It is better to offer the quiet, clear Way of Wuwei, so that people throughout the realm turn from wrongdoing to goodness and those who have refused to reform come to repent. When the Dao’s transforming influence reaches everywhere and the emperor’s De (Virtue/Power) extends far and wide, what need is there for jade and horses?

Assistant ministers: Those who support and aid the ruler; the term can also refer to observing what is good and evil. The Son of Heaven modeled the office of assistant minister on the stars of the Four Supports. These ministers make up for the ruler’s shortcomings, uphold proper ritual, guide people through Dao and virtue, and support them through government and instruction.

“Twelve oxen sent ahead”: This appears in the thirty-third year of Duke Xi in the Spring and Autumn Annals. The Jin army attacked Zheng and Hua. Xian Gao, a merchant from Zheng doing business in Zhou territory, encountered the Jin army. He provisioned the troops with twelve bundles of rawhide and twelve oxen, saying: “Our ruler has heard that you are sending troops to our humble state. I venture to provision your followers. Though our gifts are modest, we have prepared a day’s provisions for your stay and a night’s protection for your journey. I will also send a messenger swiftly to inform Zheng.” Zheng was therefore able to prepare its defenses. This is an example of the ancient custom of sending material gifts ahead as a preliminary offering and advance notice.

Why Did the Ancients Esteem This Way So Highly?

Commentary: The word “why” introduces a question: Why did the ancients regard this Way as so important?

Plain-Language Interpretation

Commentary (general overview)

Ancient examples are cited to affirm what is true today and inspire people’s trust. The ancients referred to here are the “treasure-seeking men of the Dao” mentioned earlier. The question is: Why did they cherish the Dao so deeply? What was their purpose?

Meaning

A jade disc held in both hands is not the most precious thing, nor is a team of four horses the rarest treasure. From ancient times to the present, only the Dao has been truly precious. Laozi is about to explain what the Dao can do: it can bring harmony and peace to Heaven and Earth and support the state. Follow it, and there is order; go against it, and there is disorder. To further show how it benefits all things, the text asks again: Why is the Dao so precious?

Scripture

Is it not something that cannot be obtained by seeking it day after day? Can one escape guilt simply by having committed an offense? This is why the whole world treasures it.

注

The Dao is found through awakening, not through seeking. It is unlike wealth, which can be obtained by seeking it day after day. Hence the saying, “It cannot be obtained by seeking it day after day.” Once one awakens, one is no longer burdened by guilt. Why would someone first commit an offense and only then seek release from it? This is why the Dao can be treasured by the whole world.

Commentary (explaining this answer about why the Dao is precious)

“It cannot be obtained by seeking it day after day”: The Dao is found through awakening, and awakening lies in understanding the mind. It is unlike practices based on deliberate effort, which require years of striving to attain something. One need only still the mind and leave worldly concerns behind for pure clarity to arise naturally.

“Can one escape guilt simply by having committed an offense?” When deluded thoughts become clouded by desire, the burdens of karma arise. But when one awakens to the Dao and empties the mind, the causes of guilt disappear on their own. This is unlike those who cling to things, repeatedly fall into regret, and seek release only after incurring guilt and punishment. That is why good people throughout the world cherish the Dao.

Meaning

The Dao is precious to the whole world because it is attained through sudden awakening, not through striving. As soon as deluded thoughts are dispelled, one enters the true Way; when those thoughts are fully cleared away, worldly burdens also vanish. What is sought can be attained, and guilt can be dispelled—this is why the whole world treasures the Dao.

Because Laozi knew that the highest Dao is profound and remote, and that few people awaken to it, he posed this question to praise and clarify its importance, hoping people would awaken and enter the Way. Ordinary scholars may value even a small portion of time more than a jade disc held in both hands. How, then, could a ruler who follows the highest Dao fail to honor the subtle, hidden work of the wondrous source, and instead prize such things as a jade disc held in both hands or a chariot drawn by four horses?