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Translation and Commentary by Nina


	Dao De Jing Chapter 39 These things in the past obtained the One: The heavens obtained the One through clearness. The earth obtained the One through stability. The spirits obtained the One through supernatural powers. The valley obtained the One through being filled. The rulers obtained the One through acting in a way that brings everything in the world to a straight course. It is said: The heavens must not stop being clear or there would be anxiety that it would split apart. The earth must not stop being stable or there would be anxiety that it would crumble. The spirits must not stop having supernatural power or there would be anxiety that they would become impotent. The valley must not stop being able to be filled or there would be anxiety that it will be over filled. The rulers must not stop being valued for their high position or there would be anxiety that they would fall. Therefore, Some things must be valued, yet their roots reside in what isn't valued. Some things must be lofty, yet their foundation is built on what's below. So, it's only natural for rulers to speak about themselves as alone, isolated and "The One Without Grain". Is this how they devalue their own competency? What a contradiction. Therefore they cause their carriages to be counted while claiming they have none. It's correct, therefore, for them not to want to shine like sparkling jade charms which attract attention. Being hard and cold like a rock. Commentary: 39 ~ Fear of loss -These things in the past obtained the One: "The One" is a direct translation of the Chinese character yi (the number one). Sometimes yi is translated as "unity" or "oneness." In the context it's used here, it refers to the direct connection of all things with all other things. That's a hard concept to understand, and my own understanding of it can best be expressed through an analogy. Using the Big Bang theory, the universe was created billions of years ago from one single shape or form which exploded, sending out billions of particles into blank space. Those particles were then shaped and congealed into larger particles by forces of gravity created by their spinning. Eventually, galaxies were created, and planets and stars developed their own atmospheres. Our own planet, Earth, developed an atmosphere that could sustain what we know of as "life." "The One" symbolizes both the original shape or form from which the entire universe was created, and the interdependence of all the things that developed thereafter. Within each person and every thing in the universe is a common thread that connects them. Our outer manifestations and inner compositions may appear to be different on the surface, and that's one of the fabulous enjoyments of living, but in essence we all work together in an intricate system of co-survival. -The heavens obtained the One through clearness. The heavens (the sky) above reached this connection by providing a space through which everything else could travel. . . . -The earth obtained the One through stability. The earth below our feet reached this connection by providing us with a stable foundation on which to stand. . . . . -The spirits obtained the One through supernatural powers. The spirits (forces beyond our understanding) reached this connection by being mysteriously powerful. -The valley obtained the One through being filled. The valley (emptiness) reached this connection by being open to everything. -The rulers obtained the One through acting in a way that brings everything in the world to a straight course. The rulers (those in power in the world) reached this connection by having the ability to settle disputes and direct the actions of all people in ways that would be beneficial to humanity. On a more personal level, we can view the above statements as they relate to our own sensations. The heavens can be likened to creativity. By keeping our minds clear, we can develop new ideas. The earth can be likened to stability. We retain a sense of security in how we choose to live our lives. The spirits can be likened to intuition. Without knowing why, we sometimes are led by what appear to be supernatural forces. The valley can be likened to open-mindedness. As long as we stay open, there's always room for new delights to enter. The rulers can be likened to authority. We all have to make decisions at times for ourselves and others, hoping to act in ways that will be beneficial. -It is said: -The heavens must not stop being clear or there would be anxiety that it would split apart. This reminds me of the story of Chicken Little, running around screaming: "The sky is falling!" In ancient China, it was believed that the sky was a canopy over the earth - if it split apart, that would eliminate all existence on the earth. We take for granted both the sky and our own creativity since they're invisibly connected to "The One." The only time we might pay more attention to their functions is when there's a fear that they might no longer provide us with what we want and need. -The earth must not stop being stable or there would be anxiety that it would crumble. People don't consciously pay much attention to the earth they stand on and the constant gravitational pull that keeps them here. We all occasionally go on tangents or frolic carelessly, experimenting with things in life that might not provide any stability, but there's always a sense that we can come back down when we want to. It's only when there's a fear that something will pull us helplessly into a dark vortex in which we could lose our balance that we pay attention to the possible loss of stability. -The spirits must not stop having supernatural power or there would be anxiety that they would become impotent. The belief in spirits or gods (outside forces that have the ability to correct errors and be spiritual guides) can be very comforting for some people. Others believe in destiny or fate controlling the universe. Some believe that all the supernatural powers in the universe reside within each person, providing an intuitive sense of what actions to take. It can be a daunting experience to lose faith in those powers, and most people prefer not to question them. -The valley must not stop being able to be filled or there would be anxiety that it will be over filled. Cleansing is a natural occurrence in Nature - the old and putrefied must be washed away in order for new life to begin. Wind, rain and fire are constantly cleansing the world of debris. Our minds allow us to forget the past in order to experience new sensations without holding on to preconceptions, otherwise we'd become like a filled CD or Videocassette that just kept rewinding and repeating constantly. Fear and anxiety arise only when there's a threat of the emptiness being filled up. -The rulers must not stop being valued for their high position or there would be anxiety that they would fall. Authority is based on the idea that those in control will always know the right thing to do. Even within ourselves, we tend to think we have the ability to make the right decisions most of the time. Fear of losing our authority and decision-based power supply is usually a result of anxiety over losing a sense of control. -Therefore, -Some things must be valued, yet their roots reside in what isn't valued. -Some things must be lofty, yet their foundation is built on what's below. Anything that's considered valuable didn't start out being valuable - it's people's perceptions of them that made it so. Looking back on the analogy of the Big Bang creation theory, there was nothing in the universe that was of any importance to begin with. There was a natural flow of energy and particles that seemed very insignificant in their essence at the time. Since all things were originally connected with "The One", they are all of equal value as long as they keep doing whatever it is that they do best. As lofty as anything might seem to be now, it all started from ash and dust. -So, it's only natural for rulers to speak about themselves as alone, isolated and "The One Without Grain". -Is this how they devalue their own competency? -What a contradiction. -Therefore they cause their carriages to be counted while claiming they have none. -It's correct, therefore, for them not to want to shine like sparkling jade charms which attract attention. -Being hard and cold like a rock. Those in a position of power try to show themselves as having no more than the common people. Why do they do that? Because of their own anxiety that they might lose what they deem to be power and prestige. Possibly the best way to retain authority and control is to pretend that you have none? One who claims to be a pauper is rarely robbed. What are you afraid of losing? If every part of you is endlessly connected with "The One" - and all the things in the universe follow their proper paths without concern for losing something that's already indelibly imprinted within them - who could take anything away from you? As long as you pretend to have nothing, acting like a hard and cold rock, but at the same time sit in silence counting up your gold, you're separated from "The One." All that would produce is fear and anxiety. 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 \|