Tao Te Ching, Ch 59

The Door of all Wonders: 

The Commentary on the Tao Te Ching

by Nirguna, Chor-kok Lam

Chapter 59

For ruling the people and serving the Heaven,

it is best for a ruler to be sparing.

As he is sparing, he may be said to be well-prepared from the start.

Being well-prepared from the start,

he may be said to accumulate abundance of virtue.

Accumulating abundance of virtue, there is nothing he cannot overcome.

When there is nothing he cannot overcome, no one knows his limits.

When no one knows his limits, he can rule the state well.

Having the mother of the state, the state can last long.

This is called deep root and firm foundation,

the Truth of longevity and lasting vision.

 

 

 

Review

 

The Tao Te Ching tells us the basic principle of life, as if the root of the tree, our existence of life. What we need to know essentially is our root. When the root is keeping healthy, the whole of the tree will grow well. However, no matter how beautiful the flowers, leaves and stems of the tree seem to be, once the root is cut or rotten, the whole of the tree will wither soon, hence Lao Tzu always tells us to keep ourselves solid and well inwardly as the firm foundation, not only pay attention to the outward glittering appearance. Then what is the root of our existence as the basic principle of living? Tao Tzu tells us here:

 

“For ruling the people and serving the Heaven,

it is best for a ruler to be sparing.”

 

Here Lao Tzu tells the rulers the basic principle they should be aware of when they rule people and serve the Heaven. To serve the Heaven means to act according to the law of the Heaven, i.e., righteousness and integrity. This basic principle told by Lao Tzu here is not only for the ruling class, but we are all the rulers of our own selves. We should rule our personal affairs well the same as the governor who rules the whole country well. The basic principle is the same but applied in different level of concerns from the individual, the family, the society up to the whole country.

 

The basic principle that we need to bear in mind is “to be sparing” which means we should cherish what we have carefully and do not spend lavishly or waste anything valuable. We should cherish anyone and anything coming in our life. We should treat people of different relations with due concern and do not neglect or disrespect anyone. We should spend less to save more wealth for better use in the future. Lao Tzu tells us to be sparing which does not mean we should be miserly and stingy. For Lao Tzu, to be stingy is to give rise of large loss and wastage:

 

“That is why excessive meanness is sure to lead to great expense.

Hoarding too much is sure to end in immense loss.”

(Chapter 44)

 

Here Lao Tzu tells us the real meaning of being sparing:

 

“As he is sparing, he may be said to be well-prepared from the start.

Being well-prepared from the start,

he may be said to accumulate abundance of virtue.”

 

To be sparing does not mean to hoard wealth without proper use but to be well-prepared for the future expense. To use wealth properly is far better than never using any wealth. Lao Tzu tells us we should be generous to use wealth properly. How can we be generous if we cannot accumulate wealth bit by bit amply? Therefore, we should be well-prepared from the start. Time is wealth also. By the time from the start we should try to be sparing for any material we have, we can save our assets and make them accumulate for future use in need.

 

The wealth can be money, material goods, time, friendship, relationship, speech, deeds and effort to upgrade our life. We try to save all of them bit by bit, not to jump a big step and then stop doing nothing. Then our virtues will be accumulated in abundance. This accumulating effect can be marvelous if we are accumulating our virtues, not only money and material asset. Spiritual asset is far more precious and useful than material asset. One lasts forever, while the other lasts only a certain period. Here Lao Tzu explains:

 

“Accumulating abundance of virtue, there is nothing he cannot overcome.

When there is nothing he cannot overcome, no one knows his limits.

When no one knows his limits, he can rule the state well.”

 

Here virtue is the embodiment of the Truth. “Tao” means the Truth, while “Te” means the Virtue, the embodiment of the Truth. When a person abides by the Truth in life with abundance of virtue accumulated, he can overcome everything. This is the greatness of the Truth. It is infinite which has no limits. The manifestation of the Truth by the sage is widened and can be freely expressed beyond the limits of ordinary people’s capacity. His intelligence goes to the highest which seems without limits. This is the inner potential of human beings which we need to strive hard to attain bit by bit. As a ruler, the sage can rule the state well if he can act with the Truth with his own virtue. As an individual, we all should manage our life well as our own state inside of us. Then Lao Tzu continues:

 

“Having the mother of the state,

the state can last long.”

 

Here the mother means the Truth, the root of everything in the beginning. If we keep the root well, we can last long. It is the role of mother to give birth to her offspring. So, the Truth is also like a mother who gives birth and nourishes every being. The Truth is like our mother, the deep root and firm foundation in us. With firm foundation inside us, we can last long and well and see everything with lasting vision. Our view is wide, and we can see the far reaching, thus Lao Tzu says:

 

“This is called deep root and firm foundation,

the Truth of longevity and lasting vision.”