“The Tao that can be named is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.”
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.”
Through the Tao Te Ching the theme of eternity is always constant. Lao-tse talks about a “way” or a “path” to live a meaningful life, and this path or way is eternal. The text starts with a grave contradiction for it is directly telling us that the Tao that can be told to us is not the eternal one, therefore, the one the text explains to us is not the real Tao. Something eternal is everlasting. Nothing material will ever be eternal. Eternity can only describe ideas, methods, and a “way”. Only that what you have learned will be forever in you, everything else you may lose. Material things may be stolen from you, but your education never.
“Ever desireless, one can see the Mystery.
Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations.”
One who doesn’t desire to understand never will. But one that strives to understand will learn the way of the mystery. Taoists strive to go past the mystery into the depth of the manifestations. One can choose to go along with everything that happens acceptingly, but one may also choose to learn about his surroundings to produce an impact on those that go along with him. We should all be impatient to understand and learn mysteries in our lives to be ever prepared to accept anything positively.
“The wise are impartial: they see people as straw dogs.”
In our world education has become a priority and a social divisor. Times are changing and the world is becoming more and more competitive. Our world is not impartial, for people with name or money have advantages and priority over those without. Wisdom is something which society has not come close to understand. We are learning and teaching the wrong things. We are being carried away into the wrong “path”. The general world society is very intolerant and completely closed to new ways that threaten their normal life-style. These close minded visions are not the way of Tao. A Taoist is open to new ideas and positive about everything, because everything has a bright side for him.
“Give up learning and put an end to your troubles.”
Not knowing the degree of your troubles might as well get you through them unaware of your position. If you are ignorant about something you don’t understand or even care to understand, you are removing a burden from your mind. Taoist turns what is negative to others and changes it into something positive. Ignorance might be negative to us, but to the Taoist it may simply be a way to live in tranquility without being aware of your troubles.
“Knowing others is wisdom.
Knowing oneself is enlightment.”
The way of Tao is to be able to know yourself, learn about yourself and you will learn how to live. Know about yourself and you will understand much. Only after knowing yourself should you go into understanding others to be able to relate yourself to the people around you. You should be the center of your learning but not of your actions, because even if you should learn about yourself as a priority, the targets of your actions should be others who need you. After you acquire the enlightment of knowing yourself, you are able to enlighten the life of those around you.
“The wise student hears of the Tao and practices it diligently.
The average student hears of the Tao and gives it though now and again.
The foolish student hears of the Tao and laughs aloud.”
What type of student are you? We must decide if we are to learn diligently, if we are simply going to take into consideration, or if we are going to laugh at wisdoms face. The kind of learner you are talks much about yourself. Taoist will strive to not only learn but to apply it unto the mystery. What good is knowledge if it’s not to help you understand the mysteries of life?
“Therefore the Sage seeks freedom from desire.
He does not collect precious things.
He learns not to hold on onto ideas.”
The way to living in harmony with the Tao is to seek only what is necessary, but never to pursue precious things or greedy ideals. Materialism is not the way of Tao. The Taoist will consider all ideas but will accept change in them, because he is able to see the positive side in every change life presents to him. These are one of the hardest things for our society in current times, for every single person at some point of his life is greedy and ambitious about something. We all have dreams we would do anything to achieve. Not many of us would be capable to put aside personal benefit for benefit of others as the Taoist does. He searches instructional and educational benefit, but greed in possessions is not the way of Tao.
“The sage never tries to store things up.
The more he does for the others, the more he has.”
We live in a world of greed and ambition where people are worth what they have and according to their possessions they believe they are more. A real sage will never strive to acquire more for him; he would rather see others have more. The Taoist is generous and works for other but never for him. If we live along with millions of people it’s because living is not about yourself, everyone else around you makes part of your life according to the way of Tao. A sage will seek the correct learning to complement his life and his understanding of the mysteries. When you help others you learn much about yourself and life, that’s why the more you do for others, the more you have.
A true learner is able to difference important teaching from those not as relevant. A Taoist sage is able to learn all that helps him carry out a meaningful life, but doesn’t strive to acquire knowledge that helps him only to become more powerful. Power and materialism are not the way of Tao. True learning is the way of Tao, for learning is “the way”. Learn to know yourself and you will be able to help others. Help others and obtain the true knowledge that makes up a real Taoist. When you have the knowledge to follow the correct Tao, you will then understand beyond the mysteries onto the manifestations.
