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Don't place a lot of value on being superior; then people wouldn't have a reason to argue with each other. Don't hold as precious objects that are hard to come by; then people wouldn't have a reason to steal from one another. Don't lavish attention on things that are claimed to be desirable; then people wouldn't be chaotic. It's just natural for a wise person to cure problems by: Emptying their hearts; Satisfying their stomachs; Weakening their determination; Strengthening their bones; Constantly reminding people to accept ignorance and not crave more. Making knowledge something that doesn't have to be foolishly sought after, that doesn't require any actions, and end there. Follow that procedure and there will be nothing that doesn't cure problems.   Commentary: 3 ~ Arguments What's an easy way to stop worrying so much? -Don't place a lot of value on being superior; then people wouldn't have a reason to argue with each other. People usually get into arguments because each person is tying to show how much more they know than others. Each person thinks they have the right answer for everyone else, and gets very upset when people they’re talking to don’t agree with them. You can watch that happen in any argument you come across, and even see how the anger rises in you when someone acts like you don’t know what you’re talking about. As long as you feel you need to be seen as superior in some way, the arguments will continue. Giving up on an argument can make you feel like you’ve been defeated. Oh no...... They won! Grumble, grumble. So, how do you avoid getting into arguments in the first place? The Laozi suggests that when you begin a discussion with someone, don’t go into it looking for one person to win and the other to lose. It can be delightful to hear other people’s opinions, without the need to disprove them. -Don't hold as precious objects that are hard to come by; then people wouldn't have a reason to steal from one another. The major reason we have thieves and robbers is because some possessions are considered to be more valuable than others. That’s a pretty simple concept. Why is a painting by Monet considered by most people to be more valuable than a beautiful painting done by your uncle? Who sets those standards? We do. It makes you wonder if the people who pay such high prices to own valuable things feel superior in some way for owning them. As long as people are willing to pay lots of money for those things, thieves and robbers will try to snatch them up. -Don't lavish attention on things that are claimed to be desirable; then people wouldn't be chaotic. We all get bombarded daily with ads claiming that a certain product will bring us happiness. If we just looked like a model or had clothes that are in fashion right now, we’d become...... desirable! Since most of those things can’t insure happiness, and many of them are unattainable, people are thrown into misery and chaos trying to get them. How can you do something to change those attitudes in the people around you and help them find more happiness with what they have than what they think they need to have? This is fun. Here’s what I do. When someone tells me they just bought a very valuable item, I give it no notice whatsoever. I’ll start talking about a beautiful cloud in the sky or something else that costs nothing at all and everyone can enjoy equally. Sometimes that makes them wonder if what they bought is really that valuable. -It's just natural for a wise person to cure problems by: -Emptying their hearts; -Satisfying their stomachs; -Weakening their determination; -Strengthening their bones; -Constantly reminding people to accept ignorance and not crave more. -Making knowledge something that doesn't have to be foolishly sought after, that doesn't require any actions, and end there. Some of the things we actually can do to help us live a longer, happier and healthier life are: to not hold on to emotions but let them pass; eat good healthy food; don’t get stressed about things we can’t change; get regular exercise; and accept our own limitations. If you can accept your own ignorance, then there's no need to prance about as though you might really know something. What would be your motivation to show others that you know more than they do? When you have the understanding and acceptance that you're fine just the way you are, then there's no need to put yourself in harm's way by trying to accomplish tasks that aren't suited to you. If you try to be superior in everything you do, then of course you'd worry about whether you could actually accomplish what you set out for yourself. We each have our own strong points, but we don't have to be the best at everything. Too much striving can become a futile and debilitating endeavor. -Follow that procedure and there will be nothing that doesn't cure problems. Alternate translation: If you don’t act like such a big shot, people wouldn’t keep trying to cut each other down. If you don’t act like you have lots of valuable stuff, people wouldn’t be theives. If you don’t tell people they need stuff they don’t have, they wouldn’t go nuts trying to get it. Someone who wants to help get rid of problems would: Have an open mind and heart; Eat healthy food; Not get stressed out; Exercise their body; Accept their limitations. Admit their own ignorance; ..... And that’s about it. Then watch the problems drift away. Historical Notes: Ancient China, prior to and during the time of Laozi, was a feudal system. There was one main governing body controlled by a King who set up a hierarchial system of officials beneath him. The King actually owned all the land in his kingdom, but the Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount and Baron were in control of various amounts of land within that kingdom. The higher the rank of the official, the more land he controlled. It wasn't uncommon for a lower ranking official to kill someone in a higher position in order to usurp his domain. As the King lost more and more control over his officials, they fought with each other to gain more land from each other - thereby gain more power and material possessions. Laozi saw the futility in these quests for dominance. 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 | |
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