Lao Tzu for Everyone
Students, Scholars
& Seekers
Peter Gilboy, Ph.D.
Line 5 天門啟闔能為雌乎
Line 6 明白四達能毋以知乎
Line 7 生之畜之生而弗有
Line 8 長而弗宰也是胃玄德
LESSON 10
Lao Tzu
asks us
6 Questions
A key character in this lesson, 氣qì, is most often translated as “vital energy” or “vital breath.” There is nothing mysterious about it. In everyday language we typically understand 氣qì “vital energy” as what doctors measure as our “vital signs.”
For Lao Tzu, what we think of as “our 氣qì” is provided to us by none other than the Way. So, it is not a personal 氣qì. Life force is universal. We didn’t cause our 氣qì to come into being, and we have little say about when our 氣qì departs.
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for Chinese-English interlinear
& commentary
1.
As for watching over your
physical and mental self
and embracing the One,
can you keep them
from coming apart?
In the gathering together of
your 氣qì vital energies
to attain suppleness, are you
able to be like an infant?
In cleansing your
most inner mirror,
can you leave no residue?
In caring for the people
and establishing a nation,
can you do so without scheming?
In opening and closing
heaven's gate, can you
play the feminine part?
With all your insight
into the world, can you
keep from becoming clever?
Give birth to things and raise them,
but without owning them.
Be nurturing, but without
lording over others.
This is known as the
profound power of the Way.
. . . . . . .