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Tao Te Ching
THE TAOISM OF LAO TZU
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Tao Te Ching
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The Book
The Taoism of Lao Tzu Explained. The great Taoist philosophy classic by Lao Tzu translated, and each of the 81 chapters extensively commented. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link). |
Tao Te ChingDeprived of Deprivation
Greed and excess are not kindly treated by nature. Every culture contains several examples of this in myths, fables, and historical records. Lao Tzu states it several times in his book. Here, he also points out that sacrifice brings its very own form of reward: Those who are willing to make sacrifices will often find that they avoid them. They are deprived of deprivation.
Lao Tzu plays with words, but not with their meaning. The nature of deprivation is such that those who welcome it will be deprived of it. Deprivation ignores them. Their sacrifice is not called for, just because they willingly offer it.
This also means that those who try to avoid it will get it in abundance. What you try to escape is exactly what will hunt you, like the predator does its prey. Living is not for free. Those who try to escape the costs will be charged double and triple, whereas those who willingly open their purse will find it untouched. The major costs in life appear for those who reject them.
There is what we call poetic justice to life. From those who take indiscriminately, there will be taken. To those who give willingly, there will be given. Life is a puzzle of paradoxes, making sense only at a distance.
So, when Lao Tzu concludes in the last line, which seems to be only vaguely connected to this chapter, that you must show trust to be trusted, then he means it to be true also for your relation to nature and its Way. Those who volunteer to make sacrifices have that trust, and therefore the Way of nature goes their way.
It's easier said than done, but accepting life as it unfolds in front of you is the most rewarding way through it.
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Tao Te Ching Explained
Preface
Introduction
Literature
translated and explained by Stefan Stenudd.
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The Taoism of Lao Tzu Explained. The great Taoist philosophy classic by Lao Tzu translated, and each of the 81 chapters extensively commented. |
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