Dao De Jing - Chapter 29


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Translation and Commentary by Nina


	Dao De Jing Chapter 29 If you want to make changes by capturing the world and controlling its actions, I can see that you won't ever be done with it. You see, the world is merely a tool for the manifestation of the heavens. It would oppose your actions. One who acts this way would destroy it. One who tries to hold onto it would lose it. All living things might at times leave footprints for others to follow, or might be followers; Might at times be introspective, or at times blow hot air; Might at times be strong, or at times be weak; Might at times construct, or at times destruct. It is correct for a wise person to forget about extremes, forget about greatness, forget about all these things. Commentary: 29 ~ On Trying To Change The World When looking at what's going on in the world around you, you might think there are lots of things that should be changed. Especially in this modern world, with the news and media bombarding you daily about all the injustices and atrocious behaviors being perpetrated in the name of God, country or technology, there always seems like something needs to be "fixed." -If you want to make changes by capturing the world and controlling its actions, -I can see that you won't ever be done with it. It would be a completely overwhelming and unreachable goal to think you could have the ability to change everything in the world. No one would be able to do that. Why not? Because..... -You see, the world is merely a tool for the manifestation of the heavens. -It would oppose your actions. -One who acts this way would destroy it. -One who tries to hold onto it would lose it. ....The power of Nature is what controls the world. The weather might provide rain that nourishes crops, but it can also create a tsunami that destroys. Some people might be kind and considerate, but throughout history there's always been those who wreaked havoc. If you tried to control the weather or people, you'd only destroy the natural balance. If you tried to hold on to what you perceived as "good", it would eventually slip through your fingers. All you have to do to see that this is true is to look at the consequences of your own actions in the past. Were you ever able to take complete control and force things to turn out the way you wanted them to? -All living things might at times leave footprints for others to follow, or might be followers; -Might at times be introspective, or at times blow hot air; -Might at times be strong, or at times be weak; -Might at times construct, or at times destruct. As you read through the list of opposites above, were you attracted to one of them more than another? Did you see strength as more valuable than weakness? Or construction as more pleasing than destruction? Everything has a place and provides a basis for balance. If you find yourself preferring one extreme over another, then the balance becomes skewed - both within you and in the world. -It is correct for a wise person to forget about extremes, forget about greatness, forget about all these things. Most of the things that happen in the world around you aren’t at one extreme or the other. Rarely is there a tsunami or earthquake, and most people go about their daily activities rather comfortably. Then why do people think so much about what’s extremely good or extremely bad, and try to find ways to make the world fit into their sense of what it should be? If you can accept that some things will just happen whether you like it or not, and not think that you’re great enough of a person to change the entire world..... then you might find little ways to help those around you. It might not be on a grand scale, but it could increase your happiness and the joy of those you come into contact with. Alternate translation: Do you think you can change everyone in the world and make them act the way you want them to? Even if you devoted your whole life to that, you couldn’t do it. You see, everyone in the world is just doing what destiny has allowed them to do. You can’t fight destiny. If you tried to fight Nature, you’d actually be trying to destroy Nature. You might think you know how you could do it, but you really don’t.. Everyone at certain times in their lives are leaders, and at other times are followers.. Sometimes they spend a lot of time thinking about what they’re doing, and at other times just act without a thought. Sometimes they’re strong, and sometimes they’re weak. Sometimes they add to the world, and sometimes they destroy . Why just think about the extremes people might go to and evalauate them for it? That’ll get you nowhere. Dao Is Open Site Map \| BY: Nina \| Guodian Laozi \| DDJ Concordance \| Comparisons \| 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 \|