Tao te ching_ annotated & explained - Derek Lin [43]
Sages note that great things are the accumulation of small, incremental steps. A tree grows a tiny amount every day until it becomes tall and strong. It offers passersby cool shade and perhaps even delicious fruits. It achieves these benefits without taking any shortcuts or using any quick fixes. (back to text)
4 The corrupt court, barren fields, and empty warehouses are the result of people seeking shortcuts instead of walking the great Tao. (back to text)
5 These descriptions depict the dishonest politician, a highly visible symbol of the degeneration that occurs when one strays far from the Tao. Corruption does not belong with the inspirational and uplifting Tao, so Lao Tzu emphatically declares that it isn’t the Tao.
To be congruent with the Tao means to stay on course and make slow but steady progress toward the destination. This can only be accomplished one step after another. Each step does not seem like much, but over time all the steps add up to miles and miles of progress. We can use this insight to help us achieve great, long-term goals. The secret is consistent action sustained over a period of time. (back to text)
54 Annotations
1 This chapter is about the permanence and strength of spirituality. If you plant the tree of wisdom deeply in the heart, it can never be uprooted. If you hold on to the virtues within, they can never be wrested away.
The material world is transient and impermanent. Anything physical, no matter how firmly grasped, can be taken from you. A fortress, no matter how strongly built, can be destroyed. Concepts, on the other hand, are not vulnerable to destruction. For instance, if a temple were demolished, the people could simply rebuild, because the idea still lives in their hearts. This single idea can manifest physical reality countless times. As long as there are people around who pass it on to others, the concept will remain eternally indestructible. (back to text)
2 There are people who study the Tao for years and see no significant improvements in their lives. There are also those who walk the path for a relatively short time and yet experience dramatic and profound transformation. What accounts for the drastic difference?
The answer is cultivation. The Tao isn’t just something to read or talk about; it is something to put into actual practice. Those who see the Tao only as a philosophy continue to live their lives as they always have, so nothing ever changes. (back to text)
3 Tao cultivators see the Tao as a way of life. We are not content merely to play with ideas. We test the Tao by applying it to life. When we start seeing results in ourselves, we apply it to the family. When we have the loving and happy home we want, we extend the Tao into the community. Others see our happiness and become curious. Slowly but surely, we see the transformation of the Tao rippling outward. (back to text)
55 Annotations
1 “Newborn infants” denotes a purer and simpler state of mind. It is a state full of bliss and grace. We all experienced it as babies, but we forget it as we grew up and became more and more affected by the material world. (back to text)
2 Poisonous insects represent the sting of malicious gossip; wild beasts represent fear and anger; the birds of prey represent greed and envy. The Tao protects cultivators from these dangers, just like parents protect infants. (back to text)
3 To be weak and soft in this context is to have a flexible and yielding approach. The firm grasp is an unwavering determination to reach one’s goals. Together, these metaphors depict how we can be determined to achieve, and yet still remain flexible in our approach. (back to text)
4 “Arousal” here refers to energy and vitality in living life with a sense of excitement, fun, and creativity. (back to text)
5 Just as babies cry all day without getting hoarse, Tao cultivators who possess the optimum essence and harmony of health can concentrate