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Quotes from the Tao Te Ching

DECENTRALISM FILE

Lao-Tse

 Lao-Tse (Old Master) (5th century BC) is the quasi-legendary founder of Taoism, described in the ancient book Tao Te Ching. Since many editions of the book have been prepared over 2500 years, it’s authorship and precepts remain matters of scholarly interpretation and dispute.

The Tao (or Dao) is said to be source and ideal of all existence, unseen, but not transcendent, immensely powerful yet supremely humble, being the root of all things. People have desires and free will (and thus are able to alter their own nature). Many act “unnaturally”, upsetting the natural balance of the Tao. The Tao Te Ching intends to lead students to a “return” to their natural state, in harmony with Tao.

“Non-action” or “not acting”, (‘Wu wei”), is a central concept of the Tao Te Ching. It can mean “not doing anything”, “not forcing”, “not acting” in the theatrical sense, “creating nothingness”, “acting spontaneously”, and “flowing with the moment”.

It’s difficult to describe Taoism in terms of “decentralism”. Still, Lao Tze’s vision of the exemplary Small Country emphasizes simplicity, humility, harmony, contentment, autarky, and refraining from activities that disrupt the balance of the Tao. It comes close to observing that any new thing attempted is likely to disrupt Nature, and prove to be ineffectual or bad.

Here is one modern English translation of that 75-word (in Chinese) chapter, followed by some proverbs and nuggets from throughout the work.

“Let it be a small country, with a small population.

Let the supply of goods be so plentiful that it counts in tens and hundreds, but teach the people to choose not to use them.

Teach the people not to risk death lightly and not to migrate far.

Although there are boats and carriages, none will choose to rid in them.

Although there are armour and weapons, there will be no need to display them.

Encourage the people to return to the ancient way of life as primitive as tying ropes for reckoning.

[When the ideal state is reached]

The people will [naturally] enjoy their food, adorn their clothing, be satisfied with their customs, and happy with their [simple] mode of life.

The neighboring countries are so near to each other that people can hear the barking of dogs and the crowing of cocks of their neighbors.

But until the end of their lives, the people have no necessity to exchange visits with each other.”  (Chapter 80)

 

“He who acts, spoils; he who grasps, lets slip. The affairs of men are often lost when they think completed. Therefore the Sage desires to have no desire [design], values not the objects difficult to obtain, learns what the public neglect, restores what the public have fouled, so that he may assist in bringing all things back to the course of Nature, but he dares never interfere.” (Chapter 64)

 

“Attain the utmost in passivity. Hold firm to the basis of Quietude. All things grow and rise, but I watch them fall back to their repose, like all luxuriant vegetation return to its roots. To return to roots is Repose. Repose is back to one’s life. Going back to one’s life is to find the Eternal Law of Tao. Knowing not the Tao and acting recklessly is to court disaster.” (Chapter 16).

 

“The best government is the one that does practically nothing, that the people only now a government exists (but do not know what it does) Therefore when all tasks are done and problems solved, the people all will say ‘we did it ourselves.’” (Chapter 17)

 

“When the government is dozing and dull, its people are unspoiled and satisfied. When the government is watchful and smart, its people are discontented.” (Chapter 58)

 

“Why the people are hungry? Because the governments eat up the taxes too much. Why the people are unruly? Because the governments try to do something.” (Chapter 75)

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