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The heavens' Dao is similar to an expanding bow. What is high it presses downward. What is low it lifts up. What has excess it reduces. What is lacking it replenishes. Therefore, the heaven's Dao decreases what is in excess, and increases what is lacking. A person's Dao decreases what is lacking, and adds to what is in excess. Well, who has the ability to have excess and considerately give in the manner of the heavens? Only one who follows Dao can do that. It's correct for a wise person to act but not be willing to possess; To succeed but not be willing to rest on his laurels. It seems as though what he rejects is paying attention to what is perceived as valuable.  Commentary: 77 ~ Trying To Prevent Change -The heavens' Dao is similar to an expanding bow. -What is high it presses downward. -What is low it lifts up. -What has excess it reduces. -What is lacking it replenishes. “The heavens’ Dao” is the process by which Nature works. If we look to Nature, we can see that things are always changing. The sun rises, reaches its zenith, then starts to set. The seasons, when they reach their hottest, start to cool down. When water overflows, it soaks into the soil or evaporates and comes back down as rain. That's how life is sustained. -Therefore, the heaven's Dao decreases what is in excess, and increases what is lacking. -A person's Dao decreases what is lacking, and adds to what is in excess. -Well, who has the ability to have excess and considerately give in the manner of the heavens? -Only one who follows Dao can do that. The process of Nature allows dead leaves to fall and nourish the soil so new growth can occur. The process that people follow tends to do the opposite. If they think things arent going well for them, they make it seem much worse than it actually is and can’t seem to find happiness in what they do have. When things seem to be going really well, they expect it to stay that way and try to get more of whatever it is they want. How many times have you decided you're so unhappy or upset that nothing is going to make you feel better? Then a friend might tell a stupid joke that has you laughing despite yourself. Or maybe the opposite happens - you're flying high on Cloud 9, then you have an experience that crashes you down to smithereens. For some reason, people want to keep things just the way they are. They find familiar territory they're comfortable with and get annoyed at anything that threatens their sense of security. Maybe the changes you go through aren't really that terrible? Haven't there been times in your life when something rocked you to your roots, then later on you were glad they happened? Who would be able to let go of the things that have vanished - like the dead leaves - and see them as a means to allow things to change and grow? Only someone who tuned into the process of Dao could do that. -It's correct for a wise person to act but not be willing to possess; -To succeed but not be willing to rest on his laurels. -It seems as though what he rejects is paying attention to what is perceived as valuable. Someone who sees the true value in how things naturally change wouldn’t want to prevent anything from following its natural course - coming and going. When good things happened to them, they’d accept and enjoy them, but wouldn’t demand that those things whould always have to happen to make them happy. A person like that would seem to not place a lot of value in the things other people place value in. It's only when we give up on the idea that what we have now is valuable that we can be open to receiving something that's more valuable. If you try to cling to what you have right now, dreading the idea of a possible change, who are you really causing harm to? Do you think what you hold dearest to your heart makes you a more respected and admired person? Is the sun more valuable when it's high in the sky or when it's providing a sunset? Change is the spice of life. Without it, the world would be a dreary and lackluster place. Alternate translation: The process of Nature is to keep itself going. If something is too tall, it brings it down. If something is too short, it allows it to grow taller. If things get too big, it makes them smaller If things get too small, it makes them bigger. So, Nature somehow seems to keep itself and whatever exists going. The process most people follow is to try to get rid of what they don’t like and get more of what they do like. Who could do what Nature does and just give without deciding what should exist and what shouldn’t? Only someone who’s tuned in to the process of Dao. Someone who understand that would keep doing things for others, but wouldn’t try to make them feel like posessions. Even if what they did worked, they wouldn’t brag about it. The only thing they wouldn’t get involved with would be what other people think is worthy of their attention. | 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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