Lao-tzu's Taoteching by Lao Tzu

Author:Lao Tzu [Lao Tzu]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Copper Canyon Press
Published: 2012-12-17T16:00:00+00:00

42

The Tao gives birth to one

one gives birth to two

two gives birth to three

three gives birth to ten thousand things

ten thousand things with yin at their backs

yang in their embrace

and breath between for harmony

what the world hates

to be orphaned widowed or destitute

kings use for their titles

thus some gain by losing

others lose by gaining

what others teach

I teach too

tyrants never choose their death

this becomes my teacher

HO-SHANG KUNG says, “The Tao gives birth to the beginning. One gives birth to yin and yang. Yin and yang give birth to the breath between them, the mixture of clear and turbid. These three breaths divide themselves into Heaven, Earth, and Humankind and together give birth to the ten thousand things. These elemental breaths are what keep the ten thousand things relaxed and balanced. The organs in our chest, the marrow in our bones, the hollow spaces inside plants all allow these breaths passage and make long life possible.”

LI HSI-CHAI says, “The yang we embrace is one. The yin we turn away from is two. Where yin and yang meet and merge is three.”

LU HUI-CH’ING says, “Dark and unfathomable is yin. Bright and perceptible is yang. As soon as we are born, we all turn our back on the dark and unfathomable yin and turn toward the bright and perceptible yang. Fortunately, we keep ourselves in harmony with the breath between them. ”

THE YUNCHI CHICHIEN says, “When breath is pure, it becomes Heaven. When it becomes turgid, it becomes Earth. And the mixture of the breath between them becomes Humankind.”

TE-CH’ING says, “To call oneself ‘orphaned,’ ‘widowed,’ or ‘destitute’ is to use a title of self-effacement. Rulers who are not self-effacing are not looked up to by the world. Thus, by losing, they gain. Rulers who are only aware of themselves might possess the world, but the world rebels against them. Thus, by gaining, they lose. We all share this Tao, but we don’t know it except through instruction. What others teach, Lao-tzu also teaches. But Lao-tzu surpasses others in teaching us to reduce our desires and to be humble, to practice the virtue of harmony, and to let this be our teacher.”

CHIAO HUNG says, “Those who love victory make enemies. The ancients taught this, and so does Lao-tzu. But Lao-tzu goes further and calls this his own ‘teacher.’”

KAO HENG says, “According to the Shuoyuan (10.25), ‘Tyrants never choose their death’ was an ancient saying, which Confucius attributed to the Chinjenming. This is what Lao-tzu refers to when he says ‘what others teach.’”

WANG P’ANG says, “Whatever contains the truth can be our teacher. Although tyrants kill others and are the most hated of creatures, we can learn the principle of creation and destruction from them.”

In line seven I have followed Mawangtui A, which has chung (between) in place of the usual ch’ung (empty). Lines nine and ten are echoed in verse 39. In line thirteen, I have incorporated ku (thus) from Mawangtui A. And in line fourteen, several Tunhuang copies add yi (justly), while Mawangtui A has yi (thoughtfully).

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