The Author of Tao Te Ching Is a Genius

Tao Te Ching is becoming the top religion (or principals?) in my list. I agree with most of what this book is saying and I like the part that it doesn’t have this specific role model that looks down at you. I would still need to analyze and evaluate it carefully before giving an opinion about this book though.

So, I would like to observe some pieces that got my attention.

Let me begin with a line from chapter 34, “It does not show greatness. And is therefore truly great.” Well, the line reminded me of this saying in Japan. Which goes like the following,

“Intelligent hawks hide their nails.”

It more or less means that the ‘the truly great ones don’t show their greatness.’ I think it is part of the culture of being conservative. (However, I also think that this saying shows the good side of being conservative. I mean, being conservative is not always good.) As you might have noticed, I do like the line from chapter 34 just as I like the saying. I think the more you try to show how great you are, the more you would look fake. Off course there are exceptions such as performance arts. But in general I think it is so true.

Another line that got stuck in my head was from chapter 44 that goes, “Gain or loss: Which is more painful?” I never realized how ‘painful’ it is to gain something until I was asked which one is more painful. Well, let me assess the terms gain and loss. Gaining something automatically means loosing something. For example, learning the academics intensely means loosing time to do other things than studying. (Whether or not it is worth using the time.) Or gaining opportunity and loosing friendship. However, loosing something doesn’t necessary need to mean gaining something too. This means if you gain something it will result zero. However, if you loose something it will result negative one. Or would it? When you loose something, does it mean it is because you have gained something? Does that mean that they are the same thing? I will say that gaining and loosing is not a matter of comparison for now.