#24 The Art of Unselfconscious and Responsive Living
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 24
Welcome back to The Wisdom of Lao Tzu.
We are reading chapter 24 of Tao Te Ching this week.
We learn Taoist action codes from this chapter, such as not being self-righteous and not having self-pride. On a fundamental level, Taoists believe one should not practice over-exertion and overreaching in all areas of life.
More importantly, this chapter offers essential ideas for living in the modern world, such as adopting a responsive mode of life, which is critically tied to spiritual freedom.
Let’s dive in.
**24**
企者不立;跨者不行;自見者不明;自是者不彰;自伐者無功;自矜者不長。
其在道也,曰:餘食贅行。
物或惡之,故有道者不處。
Border-crossing: English translations
#1 Lin Yutang’s version
He who stands on tiptoe does not stand (firm);
He who strains his strides does not walk (well);
He who reveals himself is not luminous;
He who justifies himself is not far-famed;
He who boasts of himself is not given credit;
He who prides himself is not chief among men.
These in the eyes of Tao
Are called "the dregs and tumors of Virtue,"
Which are things of disgust.
Therefore the man of Tao spurns them.
#2 Edmund Ryden’s version
The puffed up do not stand upright;
The overleaping do not walk ahead;
The self-revealing do not shine brightly;
The self-affirming do not radiate out;
The self-appropriating do not achieve;
The self-magnifying do not increase.
With respect to the Way these are called ‘over-eating and overdoing it’.
As there are things that hate this,
(Therefore,)
Those who have the Way do not indulge in them.1
#3 D. C. Lau’s version
He who tiptoes cannot stand; he who strides cannot walk.
He who shows himself is not conspicuous;
He who considers himself right is not illustrious;
He who brags will have no merit;
He who boasts will not endure.
From the point of view of the way these are ‘excessive food and useless excrescences’! As there are Things that detest them, he who has the way does not abide in them.2
Deeper dive
Lao Tzu starts this chapter with a direct judgment of unrestrained and ostentatious behaviors.
In the first sentence, he observes, “He who tiptoes cannot stand; he who strides cannot walk.” This reveals the excessive intention and even recklessness of people desperate to realize their goals.
He Shanggong’s (approximately 200 BC - ?) comment gives us a different interpretation of the underlying meaning: “To stand on tiptoe is to move forward. But, if one is excessively obsessed with power and fame, aiming to make achievements rapidly, this way of doing things will not help one establish oneself and endure in the long run.” 「跂,進也。謂貪權慕名,進取功業,則不可久立身行道也。」
Throughout this chapter, Lao Tzu’s message is that those who solely pursue power and reputation for their own sake do not represent the Tao properly.
Then, Lao Tzu singles out a few traits incompatible with the Tao's workings, such as being self-righteous and self-pride. Individuals behaving like this are temporarily blinded by their own perspectives and narrow understanding.
The lesson is that they have yet to grasp that, from the perspective of the Tao, all these achievements, fame, recognition, and being right about something are only secondary for the awakened individual embodying the Tao.
As the external rewards are like “excessive food and useless excrescences,” individuals who understand the Tao do not fall into this endless race.
Spiritual Taoism
Living in the complex modern world, we inevitably have to find unique ways to manage our relationships with ourselves and others in society.
In this regard, we can learn two Taoist principles to navigate life’s journey.
Unselfconsciousness and spontaneity
In our daily interactions, the irresistible temptation to assert ourselves and contend with others arises from an innate self-consciousness driven by the desire to be correct.
However, this fixation can be counterproductive, which ultimately entangles us in an endless cycle of relative opposites that impedes natural and genuine social interactions.
To liberate ourselves from this predicament, it is crucial to dissolve our obsessions and free our minds to the limitless spiritual sphere, allowing them to transcend the limitations of worldly pursuits, reputation, and the pursuit of being right.
True detachment emerges when we recognize the misleading effects of prevailing opinions and our own subjective prejudices and perspectives. We do not see it because our focus is still on the outside.
Responsive living
The key is to take an inner journey and have conversations with ourselves.
As we strive to incorporate an unselfconscious mindset and dissolve the notion of self, navigating intricate social relations becomes more fluid. We can roam with external changes responsively.
To intentionally dissolve our obsessions is to accept that none of us possess the ultimate truth, which opens the heart to comprehensive understanding. Acknowledging that others have the same right and reason to adhere to their perspectives fosters an open value system based on tolerance, liberty, and harmony.
Chuang Tzu aptly describes the Taoist path, stating that "the Pure individual has no self; the Divine man avoids achievement, and the sage has no name." Notably, this doesn't discourage the pursuit of achievements but cautions against bathing in inflated egos and the fame and rewards derived from such accomplishments.
Thus, the pure individual, having transcended self-centeredness, responds effortlessly to the complexities of ever-changing situations. Instead of being shrouded by subjective views in challenging scenarios, they could develop solutions with a comprehensive understanding of the contexts.
Fame and reputation can place the burden of identity on us. We dismantle the weight of external identities and labels when we dissolve self-obsession. We no longer cling to predefined and manufactured identities inserted into our minds.
Eventually, we salvage ourselves from being defined and limited by others and prevailing opinions.
We regain a sense of control over our spiritual freedom.
Thank you for reading!
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To your spiritual journey,
Yuxuan
Daodejing, trans. Edmund Ryden. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008), 51.
Tao Te Ching, trans. D. C. Lau. (London: Penguin Classics, 1963), 29.