The wording of line 12 differs markedly from what we find in other editions. Normally, lines 12 and 14 are strictly parallel. For example, Wing-tsit Chan’s translation reads this way: “Therefore he who values the world as his body may be entrusted with the empire. He who loves the world as his body may be entrusted with the empire.” Although there are a number of different arrangements of the wording in lines 12-15 in other texts, the Ma-wang-tui version of line 12 is unique.
The sentiments of chapter 13—that the person who should be entrusted with ruling the world is precisely the one who cares more for his own life than he does for the wealth, honor, and power he would have by ruling the world—show up again in the Chuang-tzu in a section that A. C. Graham identifies as “Yangist” (representing the views of the “individualist” Yang Chu). The first anecdote in chapter 28 of the Chuang-tzu reads, “Yao resigned the empire to Hsü Yu. Hsü Yu refused it. Next he resigned it to Tzu-chou Chih-fu. ‘It might not be a bad idea to make me Son of Heaven,’ said Tzu-chou Chih-fu. ‘However, at the moment I am worried about a serious ailment. I’m going to put it right, and haven’t time just now to put the empire right.’ The empire is the most important thing of all, but he would not harm his life for the sake of it, and how much less for anything else! Only the man who cares nothing for the empire deserves to be entrusted with the empire.”
[CHAPTER 14]
1 We look at it but do not see it;
2 We name this “the minute.”
3 We listen to it but do not hear it;
4 We name this “the rarefied.”
5 We touch it but do not hold it;
6 We name this “the level and smooth.”
7 These three cannot be examined to the limit.
8 Thus they merge together as one.
9 “One”—there is nothing more encompassing above it,
10 And nothing smaller below it.
11 Boundless, formless! It cannot be named,
12 And returns to the state of no-thing.
13 This is called the formless form,
14 The substanceless image.
15 This is called the subtle and indistinct.
16 Follow it and you won’t see its back;
17 Greet it and you won’t see its head.
18 Hold on to the Way of the present—
19 To manage the things of the present,
20 And to know the ancient beginning.
21 This is called the beginning of the thread of the Way.
COMMENTS AND NOTES
Parts of lines 8, 14, 15, 16, and 21 are missing in Text A; there are also a couple of variant characters that distinguish A from B, but those words appear to mean the same thing in both texts.
There are a number of ways in which the Ma-wang-tui version of chapter 14 differs from what we find in the standard text. To begin with, the qualities “level and smooth” and “minute” are reversed in lines 2 and 6, and the word “this” or “these” (tz’u) is not found at the head of line 7 in the Ma-wang-tui texts (even though one must put it there in translation).
More importantly, at the start of line 9, the “One” (i-che) is singled out for attention (the words i-che are omitted in later editions), and lines 9 and 10 in the Ma-wang-tui texts seem to say, “There is nothing more encompassing above it, and nothing more minute below it”—which is true, of course, of the number one—versus the normal “Its top is not dazzling; its bottom is not dark.”
Lines 16 and 17 are normally reversed, and the standard Lao-tzu text has “Hold on to the Way of the past” in line 18, not the Way of the present. Finally, the grammatical particles used in lines 19 and 20 make it clear that these are two parallel things—that is to say, by holding on to the Way of the present one can (a) manage the things of the present and (b) know the ancient beginning. The particles used in the standard text allow for a different interpretation—“Hold fast to the way of antiquity, In order to keep in control the realm of today. The ability to know the beginning of antiquity, Is called the thread running through the way.”
[CHAPTER 15]
1 The one who was skilled at practicing the Way in antiquity,
2 Was subtle and profound, mysterious and penetratingly wise.
3 His depth cannot be known.
4 It is only because he cannot be known
5 That therefore were I forced to describe him I’d say:
6 Hesitant was he! Like someone crossing a river in winter.
7 Undecided was he! As though in fear of his neighbors on all four sides.
8 Solemn and polite was he! Like a guest.
9 Scattered and dispersed was he! Like ice as it melts.
10 Genuine, unformed was he! Like uncarved wood.
11 Merged, undifferentiated was he! Like muddy water.
12 Broad and expansive was he! Like a valley.
13 If you take muddy water and still it, it gradually becomes clear.
14 If you bring something to rest in order to move it, it gradually comes alive.
15 The one who preserves this Way does not desire to be full;
16 Therefore he can wear out with no need to be renewed.
COMMENTS AND NOTES
A number of character variants distinguish Texts A and B, but they seem unimportant. But Text A had an additional phrase between lines 15 and 16, which apparently said, “Now it is only because he does not desire [to be full, that] therefore …” (fu wei pu-yü i).
Most texts of the Lao-tzu have “The one who was skilled at being a ruler [or ‘knight/scribe’—shih] in antiquity” in line 1: The variant phrase of wei-tao (“practicing the Way”) for wei-shih (“being a ruler”) is known but uncommon. The same holds true for the sequence of lines 11 and 12: they are normally reversed. The sequence of 12 and 11 nicely juxtaposes the “muddy water” of lines 11 and 13.
Almost all texts of the Lao-tzu have shu-neng (“Who can,” “Who is able to …”) at the head of lines 13 and 14. Thus Wing-tsit Chan’s translation reads, “Who can make muddy water gradually clear through tranquility? Who can make the still gradually come to life through activity?” Those words are not found in the Ma-wang-tui texts. And later texts of the Lao-tzu agree with Text A in adding the phrase “It is only because he does not desire to be full” between lines 15 and 16.
[CHAPTER 16]
1 Take emptiness to the limit;
2 Maintain tranquility in the center.
3 The ten thousand things—side-by-side they arise;
4 And by this I see their return.
5 Things [come forth] in great numbers;
6 Each one returns to its root.
7 This is called tranquility.
8 “Tranquility”—This means to return to your fate.
9 To return to your fate is to be constant;
10 To know the constant is to be wise.
11 Not to know the constant is to be reckless and wild;
12 If you’re reckless and wild, your actions will lead to misfortune.
13 To know the constant is to be all-embracing;
14 To be all-embracing is to be impartial;
15 To be impartial is to be kingly;
16 To be kingly is to be [like] Heaven;
17 To be [like] Heaven is to be [one with] the Tao;
18 If you’re [one with] the Tao, to the end of your days you’ll suffer no harm.
COMMENTS AND NOTES
Lines 1 and 2 in the Ma-wang-tui texts seem to read as definitions. They are grammatically parallel to lines 9 and 10 and might be translated, “To reach emptiness is what we mean by the extreme; To maintain tranquility is what we mean by the center.” But the first part of this chapter makes more sense if lines 1 and 2 are rather understood as admonitions to someone practicing meditation (see the Introduction on this point).
Text A has “surface” (piao) in line 2 where Text B reads “center” (tu—literally “oversee”), but it is likely that in both cases the same word is intended (for more on this point see note 125).
> At the start of line 5 both texts literally say, “Heaven’s things” (or “the things of nature”—t’ien-wu), but Vieri is probably a mistake for the standard word fu (“The” or “Now the …”).
In line 7 we normally find the words “To return to its root” (kuei-ken) repeated before the words “This is called tranquility” (yüeh-ching); but here they are not. By way of contrast, the word wang (“wild and reckless”) is repeated in the Ma-wang-tui texts, giving us two lines (11 and 12) where we normally have only one (e.g., Wing-tsit Chan translates, “Not to know the eternal is to act blindly to result in disaster.”)
Finally, at the end of the chapter later Lao-tzu texts have one more “to be this is to be this”—namely, “To be [one with] the Tao is to be long lasting” (tao nai chiu), and then they say, “and to the end of your days …”
Note that the word kung (“impartial”) in line 14—chosen to rhyme with the “all-embracing” (jung) of the previous line—also means “duke.” This allows the author to shift emphasis and move up through a hierarchy of powers—from duke to king to Heaven to the Tao.
[CHAPTER 17]
Chapters 17, 18, and 19 should be read together as a unit.
1 With the highest [kind of rulers], those below simply know they exist.
2 With those one step down—they love and praise them.
3 With those one further step down—they fear them.
4 And with those at the bottom—they ridicule and insult them.
5 When trust is insufficient, there will be no trust [in return].
6 Hesitant, undecided! Like this is his respect for speaking.
7 He completes his tasks and finishes his affairs,
8 Yet the common people say, “These things all happened by nature.”
COMMENTS AND NOTES
In line 4 the Ma-wang-tui texts have “those at the bottom” (ch’i-hsia) where the standard text has one final “next down” (ch’i tz’u). In line 5 the standard text ends with “in him” (yen), but the Ma-wang-tui texts omit that word. Finally, in line 8, many Lao-tzu texts say “the common people all say”; but the omission of “all,” as we find here, is a known form of the line.
[CHAPTER 18]
Chapters 17, 18, and 19 should be read together as a unit.
1 Therefore, when the Great Way is rejected, it is then that we have the virtues of humanity and righteousness;
2 When knowledge and wisdom appear, it is then that there is great hypocrisy;
3 When the six relations are not in harmony, it is then that we have filial piety and compassion;
4 And when the country is in chaos and confusion, it is then that there are virtuous officials.
COMMENTS AND NOTES
At the end of line 3, Text A has hsü (“nurture”) where Text B has hsiao (“filial piety”), giving “then we have nurture and compassion [or nurturing compassion].” (The “six relations” [liu-ch’in] are father, son, older brother, younger brother, husband, and wife.) In line 4, “country” is kuo-chia in Text B; pang-chia in Text A. Text B consistently writes kuo for pang to avoid the taboo on the personal name of Han Kao-tsu (r. 206-194 B.C.), Liu Pang.
The “Therefore” (ku) in line 1 does not occur in other editions of the Lao-tzu: it is a clear indication that chapter 18 follows directly from the things said in chapter 17. Also, the Ma-wang-tui texts have an an (“then”) in the middle of every line to emphasize that “it is only then that such bad things happen”; that an does not occur in the standard text of Lao-tzu.
Finally, the variant of “virtuous officials” (chen-ch’en) for “loyal officials” (chung-ch’en) is a known but uncommon substitution.
The translator must make a number of choices in translating this chapter that unfortunately suggest different interpretations of Taoist philosophical views. For one thing, one must choose between putting the entire message in past or present tense. I have opted for the present, but one could equally say, “When the Great Tao was rejected,” and so on, and it is true that Taoists do assume that back at the beginning of time all things were in accord with the Way and that the establishment of principles of conduct coincided with the decline of the Way. But the Taoists also assume that the Way can still be followed and that in some way the Way is something that is rejected or forgotten by individuals in their individual lives as they mature.
It is unclear in most Taoist writings if, in antiquity, the Great Way was actively rejected or just declined (by nature; that is, on its own). The verb used here, fei, and the grammatical form—ta-tao fei—suggest the former.
[CHAPTER 19]
Chapters 17, 18, and 19 should be read together as a unit.
1 Eliminate sageliness, throw away knowledge,
2 And the people will benefit a hundredfold.
3 Eliminate humanity, throw away righteousness,
4 And the people will return to filial piety and compassion.
5 Eliminate craftiness, throw away profit,
6 Then we will have no robbers and thieves.
7 These three sayings—
8 Regarded as a text are not yet complete.
9 Thus, we must see to it that they have the following appended:
10 Manifest plainness and embrace the genuine;
11 Lessen self-interest and make few your desires;
12 Eliminate learning and have no undue concern.
COMMENTS AND NOTES
Text A is like the standard text in omitting the erh’s (“And”) at the head of lines 2 and 4. In line 4, Text A again has “nurture” (hsü) where Text B has “compassion.”
The Ma-wang-tui texts have “These three sayings” (san-yen) in line 7 where the standard text has simply “These three” (san-che), and in line 8, they have “not yet complete” (wei-tsu) where the standard text has simply “not complete” (pu-tsu).
Commentators and translators have gone back and forth on the issue of whether or not the first line of chapter 20 (“Eliminate learning and have no concern”) is in fact the last line of chapter 19. I think it is. The lack of punctuation in the Ma-wang-tui texts adds support for this cause. Moreover, it has always been clear that this line rhymes with lines 10 and 11 in chapter 19 (the rhyme words are p’u [“genuine”], yü [“desires”], and yu [“anxiety”]). Finally, if the “text” has “three sayings,” then there should be three appended lines as well.
[CHAPTER 20]
1 Agreement and angry rejection;
2 How great is the difference between them?
3 Beautiful and ugly;
4 What’s it like—the difference between them?
5 The one who is feared by others,
6 Must also because of this fear other men.
7 Wild, unrestrained! It will never come to an end!
8 The multitudes are peaceful and happy;
9 Like climbing a terrace in springtime to feast at the t’ai-lao sacrifice.
10 But I’m tranquil and quiet—not yet having given any sign.
11 Like a child who has not yet smiled.
12 Tired and exhausted—as though I have no place to return.
13 The multitudes all have a surplus.
[13a I alone seem to be lacking.]
14 Mine is the mind of a fool—ignorant and stupid!
15 The common people see things clearly;
16 I alone am in the dark.
17 The common people discriminate and make fine distinctions;
18 I alone am muddled and confused.
19 Formless am I! Like the ocean;
20 Shapeless am I! As though I have nothing in which I can rest.
21 The masses all have their reasons [for acting];
22 I alone am stupid and obstinate like a rustic.
23 But my desires alone differ from those of others—
24 For I value drawing sustenance from the Mother.
COMMENTS AND NOTES
Much of Text A is now missing. Missing through deterioration are parts of lines 5 and 6, all of lines 7 and 11, parts o
f lines 12, 13, 15, 16, and 22, and all of line 21. Text A is like the standard text in having a line between lines 13 and 14—“I alone seem to be lacking” (wo tu i): the omission of this line in Text B is surely an error.
On moving the first line of chapter 20 in the standard text of Lao-tzu to the end of chapter 19, see the notes to chapter 19.
Significantly, the Ma-wang-tui texts have “beautiful and ugly” (mei yü o) in line 3 where the standard text has “good and bad” (shan yü o) (though “beautiful and ugly” is an attested reading). Moreover, in line 1, Text A has ho (“angry rejection”) in place of a (“no”), giving the present reading (the graph in Text B is understood to mean the same). And the addition of the words that mean “also” and “other men” at the beginning and end of line 6 give the reading of “The one who is feared by others, Must also because of this fear other men” versus the seemingly irrelevant line “The things people fear cannot not be feared.”
In lines 19 and 20, the Ma-wang-tui texts have hu (“formless”) and huang [actually wang] (“shapeless”) where other texts normally have tan (“quiet and tranquil”) and liu (“a high wind”). And in line 23 the change from wo (“I”) at the start of the line to wu-yü (“my desires”) gives us the present reading versus the normal “I alone differ from others.”
[CHAPTER 21]
1 The character of great virtue follows alone from the Way.
2 As for the nature of the Way—it’s shapeless and formless.
3 Formless! Shapeless! Inside there are images.
4 Shapeless! Formless! Inside there are things.
5 Hidden! Obscure! Inside there are essences.
6 These essences are very real;
7 Inside them is the proof.
Lao-Tzu- Te-Tao Ching Page 14
