Tao Te Ching: Chapter 2

(Hon Sing Lee, Feb 10, 2003)



This is my translation of the second verse.

Translation:
The world knows 'beauty' as beauty because there exists ugliness.
Comments:
There is no absolute standard called 'beauty'.  Beauty is brought out by ugliness.  Without ugliness, there is no beauty.  Thus both beauty and ugliness arises in duality.  Each needs the other for existence.  By understanding that beauty is only relative, and that even ugliness plays an important role, we abandon our perspectives of absolute beauty and absolute ugliness.  We become non-attached to the classification of beauty and ugliness.

Translation:
The world knows 'good' as good because there exists evil.
Comments:
There is no absolute good and absolute evil as well.  Both are only relative to each other, giving meaning to each other.  Hence we abandon our perspectives of absoluteness to this duality, and become non-attached to the classification of good and evil.

Translation:
Similarly, other dualities bring out the existences of each other:

Having complements not having in existence,
Difficult complements easy in progress,
Long complements short in shape,
High complements low in position,
Tone complements sound in harmony,
Front complements back in sequencing.
Comments:
Similarly, other dualities exist, each giving existence and meaning to its respective opposite polarity.  Realizing this, we abandon our concepts of absoluteness, and become non-attached to such classifications.

Translation:
This truth on duality is ever lasting.
Comments:
This truth that polarities are relative and give rise to their respective opposites, is ever lasting.

Translation:
Thus the Wise dwells in non-action, and teaches not by words but by action (behaviour);  (see comments for explanation of non-action).
Comments:
Thus the Wise are not attached to perspectives, because they know perspectives are only relative and not absolutes.  Without such attachment, they do not react to perspectives and thus dwell in non-action.  Taoism emphasizes on practicing rather than intellectual debates.  Hence the Wise teaches by being a role model himself, illustrating the merits of the Tao.

Translation:
"All things have such causes, begins as such, births as such, come into existence as such, does such things, and become attached as such, no processes stays in a particular state forever."
Comments:
Thus the Wise teaches in such a way: things are just they are, actions are just they are, events are just they are.  There is no need to judge or form perspectives.  Processes and events will change (in cycles).  Thus even if we form perspectives or judgment, these perspectives and judgement will not be true forever.  Therefore why be overly emotional about our judgments?

Translation:
The Wise dwells in such (above mentioned) truths, thus his greatness never expires.
Comments:
By practicing non-judgment, non-dwelling in extreme polarities, non biasness and non-action, we can achieve harmony in our lives.  Such harmony will not leave us.

Conclusion:
This second chapter immediately goes into the essence of the book - the theory of duality, non-action and harmony.  We realize that many things and events do not have an absolute nature.  However our attachment to our perspectives make us think otherwise, leading us to taking sides, reacting to our perspectives, taking absolute action, and thus upsetting harmony.  Therefore the main principle of harmony, is to let go of our perspectives.  By letting things be as they are, without reacting to their relative natures, then harmony will be preserved.
 

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