Tao Te Ching Ch 41

The Door of all Wonders: 

The Commentary on the Tao Te Ching

by Nirguna, Chor-kok Lam

Chapter 41

When the best people hear about the Truth,

they practice it diligently.

When the average people hear about the Truth,

it seems to them one moment there and gone the next.

When the worst people hear about the Truth,

 they laugh out aloud.

If they did not laugh,

 it would be unworthy of being the Truth.

Hence the proverb has told the following:

The Truth that is bright seems dull.

The Truth that leads forward seems to lead backward.

The Truth that is even seems rough.

The highest virtue is like the valley.

The sheerest white seems sullied.

The ample virtue seems insufficient.

The vigorous virtue seems indolent.

The plain virtue seems inconstant.

The greatest square has no corners.

The greatest vessel takes long to complete.*

The greatest note is rarefied in sound.

The greatest image has no form.

The Truth conceals itself being nameless.

But it is the Truth alone that excels in bestowing and accomplishing.

*Another translation of the verse:

“The greatest vessel does not need any achievement.”

Review

   

Here in this Chapter, Lao Tzu tells us three types of people when hearing the Truth. The best are the people who are eager for knowing the Truth. They have sought the Truth for long. Once they have the chance to know more, they will practice it in their life diligently. They know what they want and what is the most important for them. They will not be hesitated and in doubt. They know themselves very well and seek the Truth ceaselessly, thus Lao Tzu says:

 

“When the best people hear about the Truth,

they practice it diligently.”

 

The second type of people is majority in number. They do not know whether they like the Truth or not. They know very little about the Truth and themselves. They hear the Truth by chance. They do not understand much. Therefore, the Truth seems to come to them this moment and go away the next moment. They do not strive hard for the Truth. They also cannot digest the Truth well. It is too mysterious and incomprehensible for them; thus, Lao Tzu says:

 

“When the average people hear about the Truth,

it seems to them one moment there and gone the next.”

 

The third type of people is the worst and also majority in number. They know very well that they do not like anything about the Truth. They love this material world and their physical bodies so much that anything seems not of the material level they will reject with contempt. They regard good as evil and evil as good. What they like and behave is just opposite to the Truth. Therefore, they will laugh aloud showing disrespect when hearing about the Truth. For them, it is non-sense and poison. As their heart is not pure, they cannot appreciate any messages about the Truth. They love luxurious life. How can the Truth convince them to be simple in living without luxury? They love fame and honor. How can the Truth convince them not to seek fame and honor? The Truth is beyond this material world, so much higher that they cannot experience down-to-earth. As they do not like the Truth, it shows the superiority of the Truth much higher than their low level of cognition, thus Lao Tzu says:

 

“When the worst people hear about the Truth, they laugh out aloud.

If they did not laugh, it would be unworthy of being the Truth.”

 

In the Upanishad, it tells us that the demons only love the material world without knowing the spiritual world. Hence, they are mortal and stay at the low level which only see sensual enjoyments full of pride, greed and lust. They cannot grow higher. Then what is the Truth? Why does the best type of people love the Truth so much, while the worst type of people abhors so much? Lao Tzu further explains to us why the Truth is so mysterious and incomprehensible to most people:

 

“Hence the proverb has told the following:

The Truth that is bright seems dull.”

 

The Truth is the light to guide us safe and sound, but the light is not to seek outward fame and recognition. Lao Tzu tells us not to show off. We should be modest in life. To show people that we are clever and sharp is not the way for the Truth, thus “the Truth that is bright seems dull.”

 

“The Truth that leads forward seems to lead backward.”

 

The direction of seeking the Truth is to return to our pure nature which is within us not outside us. If we want to uplift our spiritual level, we should be introvert to see our mind. Do not go forward to look at the sensual objects but look at ourselves. Turn backward to us in order to nourish our mind with the Truth. Do not consume our mind with lots of sensual attractions. We will get lost knowing nothing about our real nature.

 

“The Truth that is even seems rough.”

 

People who strive hard for the Truth do not intend for any worldly happiness. Thus, the road of the Truth seems “rough” as there is little worldly enjoyment. Chuang Tzu [1], the follower of Lao Tzu, tells us that the highest happiness is no happiness. Our world is full of dualities, the pairs of opposites, good and bad, beauty and ugliness, happiness and sorrow, fortune and misfortune, up and down. All these pairs of opposites come and go hand to hand, one by one. If we have worldly happiness at a moment, sooner or later, sorrow will also come to visit us as the happiness cannot last long and go away.

 This is the nature of this world Lao Tzu has already told us starting from the Second Chapter, how our world is functioning with all the pairs of opposites. The real happiness is nothing related to this world which Lao Tzu tells us to pursue by the name, “Tao”. As there is no worldly happiness pursued on the way of the Truth, it is an even road but seems rough for worldly people because their happiness lies on this world only. They cannot see something better than the worldly happiness. For people abiding in the Truth, they neither pursue worldly happiness nor worldly sorrow. They are liberated from these pairs of opposites.

 

“The highest virtue is like the valley.”

 

The highest virtue of the Truth is to be humble like a valley which can contain much water. The Truth resembles water. We should become an empty vessel to contain the fullest water. If we are filled with ego and pride, always think that we are the best, much better than many people, there will be no room for the Truth to function inside us and we also cannot progress more. On the contrary, we will ruin ourselves if we are so proud of ourselves. We may become corrupted and have no way to eliminate any defects in us, thus Lao Tzu has told us in many Chapters.

 

“The sheerest white seems sullied.”

 

When we are right and correct, we can tell people the Truth. However, there may be some occasions that we are misunderstood as bad and wrong which we cannot have any chance to clarify ourselves. Lao Tzu tells us to be patient and calm. Do not do anything harmful to ourselves or others; otherwise, we will be on the wrong path by doing so. Then we go worse and have no more chance to prove our righteous deeds. Thus, Lao Tzu says, “the sheerest white seems sullied.” We may be considered as black and dull, but we do not retaliate, just keep calm and alert. This stage is very difficult to attain. Only people abiding in the Truth so much can bear and return to their normal stage without grievance.

 

“The ample virtue seems insufficient.”

 

There is no oppression by the Truth. People with the Truth do not need to be compelled to be good and meritorious. They are naturally good and healthy. They do not need to show in order to prove what kind of people they are. Their virtue is ample, but they do not need to show their fullness.

“The vigorous virtue seems indolent.”

 

They are active with living force, but they will not show off. Sometimes they may be at rest which seems indolent and idle; however, they are always alert inside them.

 

“The plain virtue seems inconstant.”

 

They are also not stubborn and are ready to change in need. The plainness of the Truth is always with them, but the outward manifestation of the Truth is flexible. They can adjust their life well to be harmonious with the surroundings. They are flexible, never rigid with harshness to themselves and to people.

 

“The greatest square has no corners.”

 

“Square” means righteousness and good deeds. The greatest righteousness and good deeds resemble a circle, round without corners to prickle people. “Square”, also means to be straightforward, without any crookedness. They are simple, honest and straightforward. They are not cunning and never hypocritical. They are very truthful in their speeches and deeds, and they never harm anyone. They do not need to tell lies in order not to harm anyone. There is no white lie in their life because there is absolutely no need to tell any lies black or white. It is only the idea of cunning people showing their cleverness which is not the Truth. Even they speak out the hard Truth, they can only benefit people by the way they are doing so because they act with the Truth only, without private interest or desire. The Truth is unlimited and beneficial.

 

“The greatest vessel takes long to complete.”

 

“The greatest vessel” means the person attains the Truth fully in life. It is the hardest and takes long time to attain even the whole lifetime. There is no intensive short course for attaining the Truth. It must be long, very long, until we are fully mature enough to appreciate the Reality of the Truth. The teenagers would like to pursue worldly happiness and achievements. They cannot jump up to the highest without experiencing various aspects of life; then gradually they would know what they cherish the most and attain their goal step by step.

 

Another translation of this verse which implies different interpretation is:

 

“The greatest vessel does not need any achievement.”

 

“The greatest vessel”, i.e., the person attaining the Truth fully in life, does not need any worldly achievement. It is the Truth doing work without claiming any gratitude, honor, recognition, confirmation or authority. A person who strives hard for worldly achievements will go astray from the Truth easily. The Truth is beneficial to all but it is also beyond the world. Hence, renunciation from the world is a must for the last stage of spiritual attainment. We do our duties to the best but never desire any fruits of action in the world, i.e., renunciation. There is no achievement. Therefore, Lao Tzu also says the sages will leave when their task is accomplished:

 

“To retire when the task is accomplished

is the natural way of the Heaven.”

(Chapter 9)

 

“When their task accomplished and their work done,

People all say, “We did it naturally.”

(Chapter 17)

 

“The greatest note is rarefied in sound.

The greatest image has no form.”

 

Tao, the Truth, is soundless, colourless and without any images. However, it is omnipresent. We are enveloped by the Truth, but we cannot know with our limitation of sense organs and understanding. The Truth is the greatest, but we cannot see if we do not know the Truth at all.

 

“The Truth conceals itself being nameless.”

 

The Truth is the greatest in the sense that it also does not have any names. All the names cannot express the infinite and eternity of the Truth. It is beyond all languages, all cultures and all boundaries. Lao Tzu tells us the mystery of the Truth in the Opening Chapter that all names when coming out are not the eternal names of the Truth. When we perceive the Truth, we understand it with our limitation, like a vessel holding water. Therefore, when we try to express the Truth, it is inevitably expressed with limitation, thus Lao Tzu tells us the wonder of the Truth:

 

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

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

(Chapter 1)

 

Lao Tzu tells us that the Truth is the greatest, the smallest and the subtlest but it is only a makeshift description. He is unable to describe the Truth without defects and limitation.

 

“But it is the Truth alone that excels in bestowing and accomplishing.”

 

Since the Truth is mysterious and hidden, we are all sustained by the nourishment of the Truth, but we may not know. The sun shines forth with the functioning of the Truth. We all enjoy the sunlight without any payment or effort. The nature itself only bestows and accomplishes. What we need to do is to be in harmony with the nature. All the sages abiding in the Truth also excel in bestowing and accomplishing. Therefore, people like to memorize them and let them be the models for our society. Then people in our society will turn better instead of ruining ourselves with harmful deeds to each other. Sages are the living models of the Truth. Ancient scriptures are the guidance telling us the Truth. The light of the Truth only brings us goodness, never does harm to us. We should have faith in the Truth and live in the Truth.

 

 

Note:

 

[1] Chuang Tzu, also rendered as Zhuang Zhou, commonly known as Zhuangzi, literally “Master Zhuang”, was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4^th century B.C. during the Warring States period, a period corresponding to the summit of Chinese philosophy, the Hundred Schools of Thought. He is credited with writing – in part or in whole – a work known by his name, the Zhuangzi, which is one of the foundational texts of Taoism.