As the poet Rainer Maria Rilke observed,
. . . behind the world our names enclose is
the nameless: our true archetype and home.
Do the Tao Now
Spend an hour with a child today, taking note of how much wisdom is embodied in what appears to be juvenile behavior and beliefs. Notice his or her fascination with seemingly insignificant items, repeating the same senseless phrase, tantrums, or laughter. Jot down your impressions of the wisdom behind such so-called childish impulses and vow to be a kid again as frequently as possible.
42nd Verse
The Tao gave birth to one.
One gave birth to two.
Two gave birth to three.
And three begat the 10,000 things.
The 10,000 things carry yin and embrace yang;
they achieve harmony by combining these forces.
People suffer at the thought of being
without parents, without food, or without worth.
Yet this is the very way that
kings and lords once described themselves.
For one gains by losing,
and loses by gaining.
What others taught, I teach.
The violent do not die a natural death.
That is my fundamental teaching.
Living by Melting
into Harmony
The beginning of this verse reiterates what Lao-tzu has been saying throughout the previous 41 sections of the Tao Te Ching—that is, the Tao is the hidden force that brings all of the creatures and substances that comprise the 10,000 things into being, as well as being the intangible that we think of as oneness or wholeness. All carry and embrace the opposites of yin and yang, or the feminine and masculine principles. This verse reinforces the idea that blending these seemingly opposing forces is the way to achieve harmony.
Lao-tzu reminds you of the things that you probably think cause suffering and suggests that being orphaned, going hungry, or feeling worthless are high on the list. But then he says that achieving harmony in terms of the Tao involves gaining by losing. Does he mean that if you lose your home, your mom and dad, your belongings, or your sense of self-esteem, you’ll gain all that you need? What? How is that possible?
Your infinite self that originated in, and is animated by, the Tao needs nothing to sustain itself. Parents, possessions, and self-worth are only necessary to the existence of your mortal self. Lao-tzu wants you to recognize this difference within the oneness that you are. He teaches that you gain awareness of your Tao nature through the loss of emphasis on the physical conditions of your life. In your oneness, you’re likely to lose the Tao sensibility in proportion to the emphasis you place on worldly desires. At the same time, Lao-tzu emphasizes that death of the mortal self is influenced by the way you live. You will die as you live is the fundamental teaching for the mortal self. This is the balancing act that’s required to truly melt into harmony with the Tao.
The last several lines of this verse insistently drew my attention when I was researching, writing, and meditating on this 42nd passage. I studied many translations of it, and I spent countless hours communing with Lao-tzu, gazing at his likeness in my writing space. I discovered that this particular verse was always interpreted with the same kind of dramatic emphasis. All said something similar to the following: “I take this to be the father of teachings”; “Know this to be the foundation of my teachings”; “This will be the essence of my teaching”; “Whoever says this is my beloved teacher”; and the one I used here, “That is my fundamental teaching.” My conclusion is that when you’re violent in any way—including in your thoughts, behavior, pronouncements, and allegiances—then you’re choosing to die in the same way. Of course, you’ll draw your own conclusions about the significance of this particularly dramatic instruction of the Tao Te Ching.
The insistence with which this teaching presented itself to me leads me to believe that Lao-tzu wants me to emphasize that its opposite is also true. That is, a person who embraces the Tao and eschews violence and hatred will live and die naturally . . . which is in harmony with the perfection of the Tao. So I invite you to change the way you perceive what keeps you from harmonizing with your Source. The birthing agent of all is also your ultimate place of return when you leave your body in that moment called “death.” You must be willing to give up your attachment to all forms of violence in your life if you want to melt into harmony.
Here are Lao-tzu’s suggestions, written through me, for embracing this fundamental teaching of the Tao Te Ching:
Remember that violence violates the harmony of life and death.
Make a decision to live harmoniously with the Tao by removing all associations that you have with violence. Stop supporting entertainment that promotes any type of it, for instance. Monitor your vocabulary to remind yourself to remove words that direct hatred 42nd Verse or killing toward any living creature. Explore avenues for resolving disputes peacefully, and get involved with organizations that discourage violence. Remember that the one fundamental principle of the Tao Te Ching is that if you take up savagery in any way, then you’re signing up for a savage end on this planet. And this includes your mental activity as well as behavior, so seek kind and forgiving thoughts in place of revenge and hatred. Change
