Tao Te Ching, Ch 36

The Door of all Wonders: 

The Commentary on the Tao Te Ching

by Nirguna, Chor-kok Lam

Chapter 36

If you would have a thing shrunk, 

you must first expand it.

If you would have a thing weakened, 

you must first strengthen it.

If you would have a thing abolished, 

you must first set it up.

If you have a thing taken away, 

you must first give it.

This is called subtle discernment.

The soft and weak will overcome the hard and strong.

The fish cannot leave the deep.

The sharp instrument of the state cannot be shown to anyone.

Review

    The whole Tao Te Ching tells us to be humble all the time. Being humble like water in the river flowing from the top to the bottom, it resembles the virtue of the Truth. The Truth is the greatest but it seems to be the smallest also. The sages abiding in the Truth are humble and will never show off any cleverness. They do not intend to be smart and sharp before people. They do not desire any recognition of fame and honor from anyone. They do not pose as a strong character to threaten anyone. They are always mild and gentle. This is the good sign of people abiding in the Truth. To be arrogant and proud is dangerous for people. This message is repeatedly mentioned in the Tao Te Ching. The Tao Te Ching tells us not to show off, not to be proud and full of pride:

“Holding a cup and overfilling it,

 better to have stopped in time.

Pounding a blade and sharpening it, 

the sharpness cannot be kept for long.

Gold and jade fill up the house, 

none can keep them well.

To be arrogant when having wealth and position, 

it will bring calamity upon oneself.”

(Chapter 9)

“Those who hold fast to the Truth, desire not to be full. *

As they are not full, they can be worn and made anew.”

(*Full here means proud.)

(Chapter 15)

 

“Bearing to be wronged, 

one can preserve oneself.

Bearing to be treated unjustly, 

one can uphold the justice.

A low-lying place can be filled full.

Things withering can be renewed.

To get little can be benefited.

To get a lot will be perplexed.

Therefore the sage embraces the Oneness of the Truth as the rule of the world.

He does not show himself, and so is manifested.

He does not consider himself right, 

and so is illustrious.

He does not brag, and so has merits.

He is not arrogant, 

so is lasting and progressing.

As he does not contend, 

no one in the world can contend with him.

What the ancients said, “bowed down then preserved” is not an empty saying.

Truly preserving oneself, one can return to the Truth.”

(Chapter 22)

“He who tiptoes cannot stand steadily.

He who strides cannot walk for long.

He who shows himself is not conspicuous.

He who considers himself right is not illustrious.

He who brags will have no merit.

He who is arrogant will not last and progress.

From the viewpoint of the Truth, 

these behaviours are like leftover food and tumors.

People detest them.

He who has the Truth does not abide in them.”

(Chapter 24)

“Know the masculine, but keep to the feminine, 

be a creek to the world.

Being the creek to the world, 

the constant virtue does not depart.

Return to be pure and innocent as an infant.”

(Chapter 28)

“Therefore the sage: eliminates the extremes,

eliminates the competitiveness,

 eliminates the arrogance.”

(Chapter 29)

    In this Chapter, Lao Tzu further tells us:

“The soft and weak will overcome the hard and strong.”

    This Truth is the “subtle discernment”. It seems invisible but it always manifests itself if we have the wisdom, the light, to see deep enough. Here in this Chapter Lao Tzu explains why we must be gentle and humble and avoid posing to be strong and aggressive. Lao Tzu does not mean that people must be weak like a coward. He tells people to be firm and strong inwardly but gentle and mild outwardly. Lao Tzu tells us never posing to be strong and threatening, never outshining to attract people. Imagine a new born infant. Can it have any intention to harm or to attract anyone? The new born baby just keeps its innocence and living force as the starting point of life. It has no intention to show anything to anyone.

    A spiritually matured person never seeks any recognition from anyone. They have the Truth inside their own. They do not seek outside objects of senses. Outside the world, they cannot see anything to be proud of. People who are full of pride cannot see things clearly. They either over-evaluate themselves or under-evaluate other people. They may look down upon anyone unnecessarily by their imagination without knowing the facts. They will likely behave wrongly to people while they do not know their misdeeds. Taking an example, some people who are rich only materially but very poor spiritually are most troublesome to people when they think everyone is greedy for their wealth. All the friendship with this spiritually poor guy but materially very arrogant to people only brings harm and downfall of the soul. They are hypocrites and think that all people are lower than them and should be insulted by them whenever they like. They think all the people around them are ready to be a beggar to beg for living. They do not know many people are also very rich and contented in life. They do not show off because they have spiritual merits to be meek and humble.

    Materially rich people with bad character are most disgusting in the world. They only spread evil idea to pollute other people to be the same with them. They are living opposite to the Truth. Outwardly they seem very rich and enjoy life very much. They stay at five-star-hotels with business class on flight. Inwardly they are corrupted as their happiness lies on material enjoyments only. They are full of darkness. They may think, speak and act with evil idea to harm others. They are exactly what the ancient scriptures tell us how the corrupted souls with a lot of wealth and power to behave wrongly as hypocrites to people. Their destiny is hell only. Their wealth, power, success and being cunning lead them to the hell. The more wealth they have, the more arrogant they will be. Then they will become more corrupted without any hope to correct themselves, which is how Lao Tzu explains to us:

“If you would have a thing shrunk, 

you must first expand it.

If you would have a thing weakened, 

you must first strengthen it.

If you would have a thing abolished, 

you must first set it up.

If you would have a thing taken away, 

you must first give it.

This is called subtle discernment.”

    It is also the same in the Quran which tells us that their material affluence given by Allah is to limit their space on earth because they will have no chance to repent for their misdeeds. They will be severely punished on the Judgment Day.

    “Do they not see how We come to (their) land and shrink its borders? God decides – no one can reverse His decision – and He is swift in reckoning. Those before them did also devise plots; but in all things the master planning is God’s. He knows what each soul does. Those who deny the truth shall soon know for whom is the final abode.”   (Quran 13:41-42)

    “Yet We bestowed the good things (of life) upon their fathers for a great length of time. But do they not see how We are shrinking their borders? Is it they who will prevail?” (Quran 21:44)

    “Do you imagine that the wealth and children We have provided have other purpose except to help them in acquiring material benefits? No, indeed, but they do not understand.” (Quran 23:55-56)

    Lao Tzu tells us the really strong people are strong inside but mild and gentle outside. They always show their gentle character to people. They just look ordinary like every one of us. They do not intend to be outstanding in whatever way. They do not like to show off any greatness of them to people. Lao Tzu uses two parables to illustrate his teaching:

“The fish cannot leave the deep.

The sharp instrument of the state cannot be shown to anyone.”

    If the fish is always swimming at the top of the water, it will be caught easily because it shows off its site so clearly. Likewise, the sharp instrument of the state should not be shown off and must be hidden, so that no one can take away the instrument easily. Even people do not know its existence. The sharp instrument is not for showing off to illustrate any greatness of the state but it is used when really in need. This is the “subtle discernment” Lao Tzu is going to tell us.