Tao Te Ching, Ch 75

The Door of all Wonders: 

The Commentary on the Tao Te Ching

by Nirguna, Chor-kok Lam 

Chapter 75

The people are hungry

because those in authority eat up too much in taxes.

So the people are hungry.

The people are difficult to govern

because those in authority are too fond of action.

So the people are difficult to govern.

The people treat death lightly

because their ruler pursues too much for luxurious life.

So they do not fear death.

Therefore, those who do not strive for high living are better

than those who highly value living.

Review

    Like the last Chapter, in this Chapter, Lao Tzu also teaches the rulers how to rule their countries, and what they should avoid doing. First, they should not “eat up too much in taxes” which means they should not deprive of the good livelihood of people:

“The people are hungry

because those in authority eat up too much in taxes.

So the people are hungry.”

    Lao Tzu tells the rulers to make people live in a simple way of life with satisfactory provision of basic needs. They should be well-fed to enjoy their life with simplicity, is the living philosophy of Lao Tzu. He warns the rulers not to take away too much from people but let people keep their own resources for their needs. This is the value of humanity nowadays people all embrace. No one should be hungry in living.

    Second, the rulers should not do too much to govern people by acting too much, which will turn into a kind of interference and disturbances to people. People should be given the freedom to start their own life the most suitable for them. Lao Tzu advises the rulers should do as little as possible to maintain a good environment for people to live and work. The authority should not take too many actions to control people in every aspect of life. This wisdom has proven so well by our human history in different countries. Those totalitarian countries which controlled people in every aspect of life could never last long. They were overthrown by people within short period. Those rulers who were eager to reform to respect people’s livelihood and choice of living can last long up to now. This is the wisdom of Lao Tzu who told us more than 3000 years ago in China:

“The people are difficult to govern

because those in authority are too fond of action.

So the people are difficult to govern.”

    For Lao Tzu, the best authority is to do as little as possible which means to govern people with basic rules and regulations to make life simple for people to follow. The best authority should not pose as a very strong leader to oppress people to follow him or her. Yet this authority should do work to guarantee people’s livelihood. No one will offend the government who intends to improve people’s livelihood as a whole. On the contrary, if the government intends to benefit some people and neglect the basic needs of some other people with a lot of rules and regulations to make games difficult for living, discontentment among people will arise. Conflicts among people and chaotic situations will come soon.

    Third, the rulers should never oppress people to ensure the luxurious life of the privileged class. Lao Tzu encourages simple living for all people including the rulers. However, in our history, all the ruling classes were fond of very luxurious life. When they oppressed people so much, they would be overthrown by people in the end. The rulers were overthrown because they oppressed people so much to the extent that they made people no long fear oppression and death, thus Lao Tzu says:

“The people treat death lightly

because their ruler pursues too much for luxurious life.

So they do not fear death.”

    If people do not fear death, there will be great disasters for the ruling classes as warned by Lao Tzu in the previous Chapter, which helps explain more here:

“When people no longer fear oppression, 

the great disaster will come.

Do not constrict people’s living space.

Do not oppress their livelihood.

If the ruler does not oppress people,

 people will not reject the ruler.”

(Chapter 72)

    After elaboration of these three advices for the rulers, Lao Tzu tells all of us how to treat our living which is contrary to what people think in our materialistic society:

“Therefore, those who do not strive for high living are better

than those who highly value living.”

    In our materially affluent society, people tend to live with much comfort. We eat and drink too much. We have machines to help us do nearly all the manual work. We even do not need to walk too much as we have vehicles for us to travel long or short distance. Obesity is commonly seen among many people nowadays, which was very rare in our world in the last century. To live too well without proper exercises of the body causes a lot of chronic diseases in our contemporary living as there are more and more scientific researches and findings going to tell us.

    Surprisingly, more than 1400 years ago, Prophet Muhammad foretold a lot of signs at the ending period of our world. One of them is obesity among people. Prophet Muhammad was the sage who ruled his people with truthfulness and simplicity with the same principle told by Lao Tzu. More than 1400 years ago, Prophet Muhammad foretold and warned his followers and all people:

    “Rejoice and hope for what will please you! By Allah, I am not afraid of your poverty but I am afraid that you will lead a life of luxury as past nations did, whereupon you will compete with each other for it, as they competed with each other for it, and it will destroy you as it destroyed them.” (Bukhari, Vol IV, no. 3158)

    Prophet Muhammad is exactly the sage who rules with the Truth as Lao Tzu wishes. He always lived in modesty and poverty for his 23 ruling years before death. He kept regular fasting for himself. He and his family members never ate full meals more than three successive days. He gave his followers a lot of health advices. He tells us to fast when needed which is beneficial for curing diseases as proven by modern scientific work. Prophet Muhammad also teaches people to have small meals during the day. Should someone like to eat more, the belly must not be more than two-thirds full. He tells his companions to keep one third of their stomach’s space for food and one third for drink and the last third should be kept empty for breath.

    For Prophet Muhammad, there was no way for luxurious life in his lifetime even when the nobles and ruling classes were all living with luxury. He was strict to himself to live in poverty but kind and gentle to people to improve their livelihood. He left no private property for himself and even his family members after his death. His companion, Omar Ibn Al’khattab narrated his experience with the Prophet:

“…..I put on my clothes and went to Allah’s Apostle’s dwelling. He was staying in an upper room belonging to him, to which he ascended by a ladder. There was a black slave of the Messenger of Allah (sitting) on the first step. I said to him, “Tell the Prophet that Omar Ib Al’khattab is here.” Then the Prophet admitted me. I related the story in full to him. When I came to the item of Ommu’salama, the Messenger of Allah smiled while he was lying on a mat made of palm tree leaves with nothing between him and the mat. Under his head there was a leather pillow stuffed with palm fiber, and leaves of a palm tree were piled at his feet, and above his head a few water skins were hung. On seeing the marks of the mat imprinted on his side, I wept.

He said, “Why are you weeping?”

I replied, “O Allah’s Apostle! Caesar and Khosrau* are leading to (luxurious) life, while you, in spite of your being the Messenger of Allah are living in destitute.”

(*Note: Caesar and Khosrau refer to the kings of Roman empire and Persian empire.)

The Prophet said, “Won’t you be satisfied that they enjoy this world and we enjoy the Hereafter?””

(extract from Bukhari, Vol V no.4913)

For Lao Tzu, to live in austerity is much better than to highly value living for all comforts which is also the teaching in the Upanisad-s for physical, mental and spiritual health. Our Prophet acted as a model to live in modesty and also with contentment within his heart. Our life in this world is a preparation for the real life hereafter which is promised by Allah in the Quran:

    “The life of this world is nothing but sport and a diversion. It is the life of the Hereafter which is the only true life, if they but knew it” (Quran 29:64)

    “(This is) God’s promise. Never does God fail to fulfill His promise – but most people do not know this; they only know the outward appearance of the life of this world, and they are neglectful of the Hereafter.” (Quran 30:6-7)