Tao Te Ching, Ch 35

The Door of all Wonders: 

The Commentary on the Tao Te Ching

by Nirguna, Chor-kok Lam

 Chapter 35

Hold fast to the Truth as the Great Image, 

the whole world will come to you.

Coming to you and meeting with no harm, 

it will be safe and sound.

Music and food will induce the wayfarer to stop.

The Truth in its passage through the mouth is without flavor.

Looking at it, it cannot be seen.

Listening to it, it cannot be heard.

Using it, it cannot be exhausted.

Review

“Hold fast to the Truth as the Great Image,

the whole world will come to you.”

    The image of the Truth is the greatest which has no image. Therefore, it is the Great Image. The Truth is so great that no one can use any form or shape to limit the Truth. No words, no images can be sufficient to express the Truth. It is infinite. Its image is also infinite, thus the Opening Chapter of the Tao Te Ching starts with the verses:

“The truth that can be spoken is not the Eternal Truth.

The name that can be named is not the Eternal Name.”

(Chapter 1)

    The eternal image of the Truth is without image. This Great Truth is beneficial to all beings. It only benefits and does not harm. Without the Truth, all beings would do harm to each other. If we are all living in accordance with the Truth, our world will be in harmony. No one needs to contend for anything and harm each other. Anyone who abides in the Truth will have harmony with people, thus Lao Tzu says:

“Hold fast to the Truth as the Great Image,

 the whole world will come to you.

Coming to you and meeting with no harm, 

it will be safe and sound.”

    The Truth is harmless. By itself its nature is only beneficial. It is the same as the concept of “Ahimsa” in Hindu faith. “Ahimsa” in Sanskrit means “non-violence”. It is a very important value in Hinduism. It means there should be non-violence in thoughts, speeches and actions of all beings. “Ahimsa” points to the ideal of the Truth in the Tao Te Ching. Abiding with the Truth, the whole world will be safe and sound for us. What we need to do is to attain the Truth, to be harmonious to the world and not to conquer the whole world.

    However, not every one of us abides by the Truth in our life. Many people are living opposite to the virtues of the Truth. Therefore, there are many chaos and misfortunes in our world. Some people are well off while some other people suffer badly. Without the Truth, people suffer and fail in whatever aspect of life. With the Truth, we can live well. Our life in this world is like a journey. It is not our permanent abode. Prophet Muhammad says:

    “What have I to do with the worldly things? My connection with the world is like that of a traveler resting for a while underneath the shade of a tree and then moving on.” (narrated by Abdullah bin Abbass)

    How should we deal with our life journey in this world? Will we keep on staying at one place and never move on? The enjoyment of sensual pleasure makes people forget the goal of life which will easily turn us away from the Truth. We can enjoy our life. There is no need to torture ourselves. But what we need to enjoy is a simple living, not luxurious life full of excessive sensual pleasures and enjoyments. To indulge in sensual enjoyment is dangerous for our spiritual growth. All the saints teach the same to people not to indulge in sensual pleasure but strive hard for the spiritual growth. They are yogis in Indian culture. They are the saints in all cultures who realize their divine qualities inherent in them. It is the ideal stage of life in the Tao Te Ching. Lao Tzu also tells us the same:

“Music and food will induce the wayfarer to stop.”

    “Music and Food” generally stand for all the sensual enjoyments which Lao Tzu tells us that we should discipline ourselves not to be over the limits. The Truth is inside of us while the sense objects like music and food are outside of us. If we always put our attention outside of us to enjoy the outward objects by our senses, we will stop at that enjoyment and forget to seek inside. Our real life journey is inside of us, not outside of us. If we stop at the outward level, we cannot go deep in our inward life which is the subtle abode of the Truth. We are all the wayfarers in the life journey. To live simple is a must for all people who want to have spiritual attainment in life. Their spiritual world will be enriched by simple living.

    Our goal is the Truth, not music and food. Unlike all the sensual enjoyments such as music and food, the Truth is beyond our five senses. We cannot see the Truth with our eyes. We cannot taste the Truth with our tongue. We cannot smell the Truth with our nose. We cannot hear the Truth with our ears. We cannot touch the Truth with our skin. It is without taste. It does not attract us to indulge in it. On the contrary, it seems so boring for people who can only enjoy with their five senses and cannot appreciate anything greater than the sensual objects. The Truth is without images and without flavor. It is very boring for people who do not know the Truth, thus Lao Tzu says:

“The Truth in its passage through the mouth is without flavor.

Looking at it, it cannot be seen.

Listening to it, it cannot be heard.”

    All spiritual effort of people is to go beyond the senses to the deeper level to perceive the reality of existence. When we can perceive the Truth which is all pervading in us, we can live with the Truth. We see the Truth without eyes. We hear the Truth without ears. We feel the Truth in us beyond our five senses. We go up to higher level of awareness. Our soul will not be controlled and disturbed by the sensual objects to sway between pleasure and pain. Our animal instincts without intelligence will not be the master in us. The Truth will become the Supreme Master in us. We are one with the Truth. We become immortal spiritually. When we act with the Truth, the uses of the Truth are unlimited as the Truth is infinite and eternal, thus Lao Tzu says:

“Using it, it cannot be exhausted.”