—Lao-tzu

Lao Tsu. Tao Te Ching. Chapter 15

Translation by Arthur Waley:

Of old those that were the best officers of Court
Had inner natures subtle, abstruse, mysterious, penetrating,
Too deep to be understood.
And because such men could not be understood
I can but tell of them as they appeared to the world:
Circumspect they seemed, like one who in winter crosses a stream,
Watchful, as one who must meet danger on every side.
Ceremonious, as one who pays a visit;
Yet yielding, as ice when it begins to melt.
Blank, as a piece of uncarved wood;
Yet receptive as a hollow in the hills.
Murky as a troubled stream –
Which of you can assume such murkiness, to become in the end still and clear?
Which of you can make yourself inert, to become in the end full of life and stir?

Translation by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English:

The ancient masters were subtle, mysterious, profound, responsive.
The depth of their knowledge is unfathomable.
Because it is unfathomable,
All we can do is describe their appearance.
Watchful, like men crossing a winter stream.
Alert, like men aware of danger.
Courteous, like visiting guests.
Yielding, like ice about to melt.
Simple, like uncarved blocks of wood.
Hollow, like caves.
Opaque, like muddy pools.

Who can wait quietly while the mud settles?
Who can remain still until the moment of action?
Observers of the Tao do not seek fulfillment.
Not seeking fulfillment, they are not swayed by desire for change.

Translation by R.L. Wing:

Those skillful in the ancient Tao
Are subtly ingenious and profoundly intuitive.
They are so deep they cannot be recognized.
Since, indeed, they cannot be recognized,
Their force can be contained.

So careful!
As if wading a stream in winter.
So hesitant!
As if respecting all sides in a community.
So reserved!
As if acting as a guest.
So yielding!
As if ice about to melt.
So candid!
As if acting with simplicity.
So open!
As if acting as a valley.
So integrated!
As if acting as muddy water.

Who can harmonize with muddy water,
And gradually arrive at clarity?
Who can move with stability,
And gradually bring endurance to life?

Those who maintain the Tao
Do not desire to become full.
Indeed, since they are not full,
They can be used up and also renewed.

It’s about being still and quiet and staying low. It’s not about staying in dirt forever. One needs to keep still until one arrives at clarity. Keep still, not go half-way around the world joining causes you don’t understand. Lao Tsu talks about being careful and hesitant, not going half-way around the world to join some “freedom fighter” movement.

The I Ching says, “Old broken well is full of mud. Not even animals drink from it.” (Hexagram 48, The Well).

Those words about “flowing with the stream” – they are not there. Instead, Lao Tsu advises one to “make yourself inert” and to “wait quietly while the mud settles.” Seems fairly clear to me: a person with a muddled brain will make a mess out of anything. One needs a clarity of thought and heart before taking action.

Stay at home and meditate, study. Study new things. “We love to learn what we already know, but that is not really learning,” said my teacher. In particular, learn from the ones you now dismiss as “oppressors”, “occupiers” or “settlers”.

Lao Tsu does say “Be the stream of the Universe! … Ever true and unswerving,” (Chapter 28). But is the stream you are flowing with the stream of the Universe? Or the stream of long-discredited leftist thought patterns, which have already spilled blood of millions and keep spilling it? Is it Ever true and unswerving? Or is it swerving with the “political necessity” and “justifiable violence” (that is getting harder and harder to justify) of “revolutionary struggle” that increasingly looks like old-fashioned thuggery (like Fatah and Hamas killing each other in Gaza)? Are you drinking from an old broken well while believing that you are following the stream of the Universe?

Lao Tsu also said that Heaven and Earth are indifferent; they use things, then throw them away (lit. “Heaven and Earth are ruthless; To them the Ten Thousand Things are but as straw dogs.” or “Heaven and Earth are impartial; They regard all things as straw dogs.” Chapter 5), and people should do the same. Are you indifferent? Or impartial? Are you truly fair?

And have you truly accepted in your heart that Heaven and Earth treat everything with indifference, that cold indifference is in the very nature of things? This is not easy to accept.

You are involved with ISM, which, even though it claims to be non-violent and independent, has blood on its hands and is ruled from Fatah. Is this impartial? Is this truly fair?

Hitler too talked about his desire for peace. Beware of lies and false promises. Be careful of being used.