Lao Tzu for Everyone
Students, Scholars,
& Seekers
Chinese-English Interlinear
Peter Gilboy, Ph. D.
regarding the characters
used in this translation.
Lesson 16
Returning
Home
復fù
(彳step + 复double back)
return
Each of us has settled notions, beliefs, and assortments of knowledge-bits about the world and about ourselves. These are all true. We need only ask ourselves to be assured that they are true.
In each lesson, Lao Tzu has asked us to question these truths. Central to this questioning are the truths that we hold about ourselves. This is the "me", that self-portrait in our heads when we think about our selves. Our "me" may still need some work, and, yes, my opinion of it may fluctuate with my moods, but at least it is real. It is not theoretical. I know it is a real because I can see it in the mirror; and besides, I have known this "me" for a very long time.
In this lesson Lao Tzu asks us to put down our self-portrait, at least for a while. He speaks of 復fù, "return," or 復fù 歸guī, "returning homeward," by which he means a return to our authentic and first-hand-self. In Lesson 13 he referred to that as our 自zì 然rán, or "self-so-ness."
Our first-hand-self has been with us all along. It is not a notion in our heads. It does not change. Though I may think that I'm unfamiliar with it, at some level I have known about it all along.
Returning home to my first-hand-self which has never left me, is what this lesson is about.
Interlinear
Line 1
Attaining to emptiness
is our utmost condition.
Holding to our still-point
is the most profound.
zhī 虛xū 極jí 也yě
reach to empty utmost/furthest (part.)
守shǒu 靜jìng 篤dǔ 也yě
hold/maintain still deep/true/genuine (part.)
Reaching emptiness is utmost.
Holding to stillness is deep.
We were introduced to the character 虛xū “empty” in Lessons 3 & 5. "Empty" does not mean having nothing in our heads. Rather, it is to go through our day empty of expectations, worries, or presumptions as to what will occur. No internal dialogue continually reinforcing what we already "know" to be true and firmly believe. The “empty” person is able to meet the world freshly instead of through the many concepts that he or she already holds about the world and about themself.
The character 靜jìng, "still," is not new either. We saw it in Line 10 of the last lesson. "Stillness," is not sitting still. It means that at our center there is something that is quiet and unchanging. We cannot move our still-point, even if we tried. It is already there. It has always been there. It is our personal nature bestowed upon us by the Way.
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Grammatical note:
The final particle 也yě is omitted in what we know as the Wang Bi, Fu Yi and Heshang Gong editions. The inclusion of it in the earlier Ma Wang Tui and Guodian editions gives the line a very different meaning from what we find in many translations. The 也yě changes the sentence from a simple declarative one to an to an equative sentence, as in A = B, or A is B.
For example, in English, “Jane woman 也yě” would translate as, “Jane is a woman.”
With the 也yě omitted, this line may be translated:
Attain to utmost emptiness;
Hold firmly to center.
But as an equative sentence, A = B, its more literal translation would be:
Reaching to emptiness is utmost.
Holding to tranquility is deep.
(Note the same equative structure of Line 5.)
. . . . . .
Line 2
The myriad things are
bustling around me.
It is in stillness
that I behold them
ever returning to the Way
萬wàn 物wù 旁páng 作zuò
10,000 thing close/near act/perform
吾wú 以yǐ 觀guān 其qí 復fù 也yě
I by means see/spy (pron.) return (part.)
10,000 things act nearby;
I by means spy their return.
The things around us, and we ourselves too, seem to come onto stage at our birth and then at some point leave the stage. But each person has a still-point, a fulcrum at the center of all his or her doings. It is from our own still point that we may behold ourselves and all things as residing in the Way. This is to be "ever returning homeward."
. . . . . .
Line 3
You see, the myriad things arise
in all their varieties,
with each of them
ever returning homeward to its root.
夫fú 物wù 雲yún 雲yún
(intro) thing clouds clouds
各gè 復fù 歸guī 於yú 其qí 根gēn
each return return home (prep.) (pron.) root
Now 10,000 things (are like) clouds, clouds.
Each returns home to their root
We have different natures, but the same root. This is our stable part, our common home.
. . . . . .
Line 4
Call it our
still-point.
To discover
one's still-point is called
returning
to one's own nature.
曰yuē 靜jìng
say still
靜jìng 是shì 胃wèi 復fù 命mìng
still to be call return mandate
Called still.
Still is called returning
to one's mandate.
Each thing has its nature which is 命mìng "mandated" or "bestowed" upon it. This is what is original to us. Returning to one's "mandate, is to live out the unique way bestowed upon us by the Way. It is to to abide in it, never divorced from it.
_____
See, "Do things have their own 道tao Way?"
. . . . . .
Line 5
Returning to one's nature
is to abide in it.
To know the abiding
is to be enlightened
復fù 命mìng 常cháng 也yě
return mandate unchanging (part)
知zhī 常cháng 明míng 也yě
Know unchanging bright (part.)
Returning to one's mandate is unchanging.
Knowing the unchanging is bright.
________
Note: the definition of enlightenment.
. . . . . .
.
Line 6
Not realizing what abides
is to be blind to one's self.
To be blind to one's self
does not bode well.
不bù 知zhī 常cháng 妄wàng
not know timeless false/absurd
妄wàng 作zuò 兇xiōng
false/absurd happen ominous/inauspicous
Not knowing timelessness is false.
False brings about calamity
There is nothing more ominous than self-misunderstanding.
. . . . . .
Line 7
Knowing the abiding
is to be all-embracing.*
Being all-embracing
is to be** impartial.
Being impartial
is to be kingly.***
知zhī 常cháng 容róng
know timeless contain/appearance
容róng 乃nǎi* 公gōng
vast/contain/appearance then equitable/balanced
公gōng 乃nǎi 王wáng**
equitable/balanced then king
Knowing what is timeless is vast
Vast that equitable.
Equitable then kingly.
________
*The character 容róng has the meanings of "looks," "appearance," hold," and "contain." Translated here as "all-embracing," following Wang Bi's explanation of this line: "There is nothing that it does not penetrate." 無wù 所suǒ 不bù 包bāo 通tōng
**The character 乃nǎi, has the sense of "then," thereupon," "is none other than."
***The three horizontal lines in the graph 王wáng, "king," depict the three realms: Heaven above, earth below, and man in the center. That is our gift, and predicament. The vertical line intersecting the three lines illustrates the fullness of a ruler, or anyone, who can unite the three realms.
. . . . . .
Line 8
Being kingly is heavenly.
Being heavenly
is to be
in step with the Way.
王wáng 乃nǎi 天tiān
king then heaven.
天tiān 乃nǎi 道tào
heaven then way
Kingly, then heaven
Heaven, then way.
________
Note: The character 天tiān means "heaven," "sky," "great," and "vast." Originally it included three horizontal lines that were intersected by a vertical line, 兲, depicting the intersection of heaven above, earth below, and man in between. That is why the person who is 王 "kingly" is on that account 兲tiān "heavenly."
. . . . . .
Line 9
When one is in
step with the Way,
evermore one's sense
of "me" sinks away
without any harm at all.
道tào 乃nǎi 久
way then long time
沒mò 身shēn 不bǔ 殆dài
sink self/body not danger/peril
The way, then continually the body
sinks away and is not in peril.
In returning home to the Way and abiding there, one's misunderstanding about oneself simply falls away. If our true self is our still-point, how can that come to any harm?
. . . . . .