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Translation and Commentary by Nina


	Dao De Jing Chapter 18 The reason Great Dao has been abandoned is because there's benevolence and righteousness. As wisdom and intelligence spread then there's deception. As families don't experience harmony then there's filial piety. As unconditional love within the households is misunderstood then there are proper servants. Commentary: 18 ~ Putting on a false face This chapter could be a direct confrontation with Confucian ideals. Confucius' followers stated that outward expressions and actions were more important than revealing what was truly in one's heart. As long as a person showed benevolence and righteousness in their actions, they would eventually become benevolent and righteous. The ideal was a good one - to make the world a better place in which to live for everyone. However, Laozi criticized that concept because he felt that as long as a person wasn't acting from their hearts, but rather doing what they thought was expected of them, they would still be in turmoil. As examples, Laozi states: -The reason Great Dao has been abandoned is because there's benevolence and righteousness. When people believe they're acting benevolently and righteously, it's because someone has told them what benevolence and righteousness are. Dao moves naturally through all things, and in that way nurtures them. If a person thinks they're doing the right thing, even if they don't feel it in their hearts, then they're just acting like puppets for someone else's ideals. How could that be in keeping with Dao? -As wisdom and intelligence spread then there's deception. If wisdom and intelligence are promoted as good attributes, then people will pretend to be wiser than they are. It can take a lot of effort to pretend to be smart, and there's always the anxiety of fearing you'll be exposed. Who determines wisdom and intelligence? Cheating on exams doesn't benefit anyone in the long run. -As families don't experience harmony then there's filial piety. If a person doesn't feel close to their family members, can love and respect be mandated through filial piety? Just because you share the same blood line with your family members, does that mean you have to bow to them with respect? Almost anyone can have children - but that doesn't mean they'll be nurturing parents. It's only through understanding and acceptance of one's family members as fallible human beings that love can grow. -As unconditional love within the households is misunderstood then there are proper servants. Unconditional love means letting the glow within your heart reach out with warmth to everyone, without asking for anything in return. When this type of unconditional love is misunderstood, then people just act like proper servants - pretending to show love in order to be treated graciously. However, a servant is always aware that he's subservient - could that ever be a true expression of love? Dao Is Open Site Map \| BY: Nina \| Guodian Laozi \| DDJ Concordance \| Comparisons \| From the DIO Forum \| BY: Bao Pu \| By: Joshua \| Who was Laozi \| \| Return Home \| Laozi's Dao De Jing \| Your Dao De Jing \| Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu) \| Links \| Meditation \| Dao (Tao) is Open Forum \| Book List \| Other Stuff \|