Lao Tzu for Everyone
Students, Scholars
& Seekers
Peter Gilboy, Ph.D.
第二章
Line 1 天下皆知美之為
美惡已
Line 2 皆知善斯不善矣
Line 3 有无之相生也
Line 4 難易之相成也
Line 5 長短之相刑也
Line 6 高下之相盈也
Line 7 音聲之相和也
Line 8 先後之相隋恆也
Line 9 是以聖人居无為之事
行不言之教
Line 10 萬物昔而弗始也
Line 11 為而弗志也 成功而弗居也
Line 12 夫唯弗居 是以弗去
LESSON 2
How the sage
is different.
There are distinctions in our world, variations, varieties, diversities. We know that. Just look out the window and you (the subject) sees many things (objects) around you Distinctions. Variations. Everywhere. This and that. High and low. Here and there. Me and you. And so on
But while there are a myriad of distinctions, there is also Oneness. That is Lao Tzu point—not just in the previous lesson, but in each of his lessons.
We can't know Oneness with our senses, because our senses can only know what is "other than" the senses. So, my ears hear a sound, but obviously my ears are "other than" the sound. I feel the bark of a tree, but obviously my sense of touch is "other than" the things I touch.
Again, the senses can only experience what is outside the senses, what is "other than" the senses. For that reason they cannot experience Oneness. After all, if there is Oneness, then Oneness must encompass everything, and that would include our senses.
So where is Oneness? Lao Tzu's point throughout his lessons is that the One comes forth as the many things of our world. As we saw in the last lesson with respect to the Way and things, "These two are actually the same."
There is one Way, and it comes for as the "ways" of each thing. This includes us. We each have our own "way" too, bestowed upon us by the Way. But differently, in no sense are we or anything else apart from the Way. That is Oneness.
In this lesson Lao Tzu tells us that the sage is not caught up in the parade of distinctions around us. He or she acknowledges these distinctions, of course. They are inescapable. But they are not the final word. The sage understands this because the sage knows that her or she is one of the many distinction in the world, and yet the sage also keenly understands that her or she is an expression of the one Way.
That is how the sage is different. Distinctions are present—the myriad of differences, varieties, contrasts and variances of the world. But the sage understands that these are each individual expressions of the Way.
How does the sage come to understand this? By first realizing that he or she is a distinct and very customized expression of the Way.
As we'll see, this lesson is also Lao Tzu's introduction to 无wu 為wei, or “not doing.” "Not doing" is living out one's own unique expression of the Way. In living this out, the sage "does nothing" of himself or herself. The sage merely lets his or her way "happen."
Click on each line number
for Chinese-English interlinear & commentary
1.
When everyone knows
what is beautiful
it is only because
of their preference.
When everyone knows
what is good,
this is not good.
Being and nonbeing
arise from each other.
Difficult and easy
contrast each other.
5.
Long and short
compare each other.
High and low
complement each other.
7.
Sound and voice
participate in each other.
Front and back always
follow each other.
That's why
the sage acts
by not doing,
and goes about
his or her teaching
with no talking.
The teeming things arise
and it is not the sage
who has set them in motion.
The sage acts without a motive
and completes his or her work
without taking credit for it.
Now, it is only because
the sage does not
take credit for it,
that what is completed
lasts forever.
. . . . . . .