[TTC Study] Chapter 48 of the Tao Teh Ching

[Marblehead]

Chapter 48

 

John Wu

 

Learning consists in daily accumulating;

The practice of Tao consists in daily diminishing.

Keep on diminishing and diminishing,

Until you reach the state of Non-Ado.

No-Ado, and yet nothing is left undone.

To win the world, one must renounce all.

If one still has private ends to serve,

One will never be able to win the world.

 

 

English/Feng

 

In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired.

In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.

Less and less is done

Until non-action is achieved.

When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.

The world is ruled by letting things take their course.

It cannot be ruled by interfering.

 

 

Robert Henricks

 

Those who work at their studies increase day after day;

Those who have heard the Dao decrease day after day.

They decrease and decrease, till they get to the point where they do nothing.

They do nothing and yet there's nothing left undone.

When someone wants to take control of the world, he must always be unconcerned with affairs.

For in a case where he's concerned with affairs,

He'll be unworthy, as well, of taking control of the world.

 

 

Questions? Comments?

[anatman]

The follower of knowledge acquires as much as he can every day;

The follower of Tao loses as much as he can every day.

By attrition he reaches a state of inaction

Wherein he does nothing, but leaves nothing undone.

To conquer the World, do nothing;

If you must do something,

The World remains beyond conquest.

 

i'm not going to say much,as others will come on and get much deeper philosophically.

[Marblehead]

 

Wherein he does nothing, but leaves nothing undone.

 

 

I actually like the translation of this line. It speaks more to the personal rather than the general.

[ChiDragon]

Chapter 48 - Rule with Wu Wei
1. In learning, knowledge increases daily.
2. In seeking the Principles of Tao, one's desires are lessen daily.
3. Lessen and more lessen.
4. Until reached to the state of Wu Wei.
5. Being Wu Wei then there is nothing that cannot be accomplished.
6. Ruling the world always with no accomplishment,
7. Or with multifarious decrees.
8. Then, one is not suffice to rule the world.

1. 為學日益。
2. 為道日損。
3. 損之又損，
4. 以至於無為。
5. 無為而不為。
6. 取天下常以無事，
7. 及其有事，
8. 不足以取天下。

Edited to change:
8. Then one does not fit to rule the world.

Edited July 17, 2014 by ChiDragon

[devoid]

Thanks for starting the thread and providing the translations.

 

IMO the part about doing nothing leading to nothing undone is too often misunderstood as a call for inaction. This is a great vice because whereas doing nothing surely implies that no consequences will ensue of the action not taken it is not the same as to say that no action should be preferable to action.

 

Very elegant in the formulation across the translations - and (I suppose) in the chinese originals as well

[Marblehead]

Thanks for starting the thread and providing the translations.

 

IMO the part about doing nothing leading to nothing undone is too often misunderstood as a call for inaction. This is a great vice because whereas doing nothing surely implies that no consequences will ensue of the action not taken it is not the same as to say that no action should be preferable to action.

 

Very elegant in the formulation across the translations - and (I suppose) in the chinese originals as well

 

Excellent point and one that should be considered meaningfully.

[Marblehead]

 

5. Being Wu Wei then there is nothing that cannot be accomplished.

 

 

Yes, I like that very much.

[doc benway]

SImilarly, Hu Xuezhi translates it thus:

 

The pursuit of learning is to increase knowledge day after day.

The pursuit of Dao is to decrease knowledge day after day.

Persist in reducing the False Heart little by little,

Till all the acquired is dropped.

When taking non-acquired action, nothing is left undone.

The entire world is gained by taking non-acquired action,

To be qualified for achieving all by taking any acquired action is not enough.

 

 

I love the first two lines - I might have used these for my initial argument in the thread about Tai Ji Quan and Yin-Yang.

Reducing the False Heart is getting rid of choices, judgements, desires.

Non-acquired action is his attempt to translate Wu Wei into a concise English concept.

I like Wu Wei better as Chi Dragon leaves it.

[dawei]

In the Guodian, there are five lines but a stop after four; and again at five; As well, the first line is not parallel to the next, although most translate it as such. And some characters are changed. Only Hendrick preserves ‘those’ which the original texts suggest. It seems most want some poetic explanation; or not translate at all. I tend to agree in some uses of “dao”, “de”, “wu wei”, but it lacks an ability to translate in the end:

 

1. Those that seek learning each day are those who generate an accumulation [of such learning]

2. Those that seek to follow the Way each day are those who experience a disappearance [of this way of life]

 

3. A gradual disappearance until all is completely gone.

4. And then one reaches [the point of] no thought-generated action.

-- Guodian, End of Statement --

 

NEXT LINE IS NOT IN MAWANGUI (BOTH):

 

5. When nothing is thought-generated, what action is there left to do (...but more of the same practice)

 

-- END of Guodian --

 

This is an explanation of spiritual and inner neidan of Lao Zi, which is found in many chapters if you translate as such.

Edited July 10, 2011 by dawei

[Marblehead]

Good point Steve and Dawei.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[lienshan]

It seems most want some poetic explanation; or not translate at all.

The last line of the Guodian chapter 48 translated:

 

Disappearing is acting; disappeared is not acting.

[dawei]

The last line of the Guodian chapter 48 translated:

 

Disappearing is acting; disappeared is not acting.

You'll need to translate the Guodian since a single line needs it's place among the whole.

[lienshan]

You'll need to translate the Guodian since a single line needs it's place among the whole.

No. This line is able to stand alone. It's the definition of the phrase "wang wei" or "wu wei"!

 

"wang" is like "wu" a negative (no, not) but had too an active verbal function in classical chinese.

That's why the Guodian line is simple to translate and understand without further explanation.

 

The later development from "wang wei" to "wu wei" is much more complicated to understand,

because the two verbal meanings of "wu", "to not have" and "to not exist" are both passive.

I think, that "wu" in the first place of the line place should be read as the verb "to not have",

while "wu" in the last place of the line should be read as the verb "to not exist":

 

Not having is acting; not existing is not acting. (The Received TTC versions)

 

Disappearing is acting; disappeared is not acting. (The Guodian TTC version)

 

"wu bu wei" can be understood as both before and after "wu wei".

"wang bu wei" is only after "wang wei" as I read/translate the line.

Edited July 11, 2011 by lienshan

[ChiDragon]

 

The later development from "wang wei" to "wu wei" is much more complicated to understand,

because the two verbal meanings of "wu", "to not have" and "to not exist" are both passive.

I think, that "wu" in the first place of the line place should be read as the verb "to not have",

while "wu" in the last place of the line should be read as the verb "to not exist":

 

Not having is acting; not existing is not acting. (The Received TTC versions)

 

Disappearing is acting; disappeared is not acting. (The Guodian TTC version)

 

"wu bu wei" can be understood as both before and after "wu wei".

"wang bu wei" is only after "wang wei" as I read/translate the line.

 

In classic text, "wang" and "wu" are interchangeable as "none" which implies that something that "does not exist". Hence, There was no difference between "wang wei" and "wu wei". "wang wei" was, only, a more classic way of writing.

[lienshan]

In classic text, "wang" and "wu" are interchangeable as "none" which implies that something that "does not exist". Hence, There was no difference between "wang wei" and "wu wei".

According to professor Edwin George Pulleyblank, the classical chinese grammar expert, was the negative "wang" used without an object and the negative "wu" with an object, corresponding to their verbal meanings "to disappear" and "to not have".

 

The term "wang wei" might thus be understood as "not doing" (doing = verb)

The term "wu wei" might thus be understood as "no doing" (doing = noun)

[Marblehead]

Well, we just don't do those things we shouldn't do then. But take good care of your wei wei.

[lienshan]

But take good care of your wei wei.

The term have for more than 2300 years been wu wei

 

But in 1993 was the earliest known Tao Teh Ching version found in Guodian.

A grave nearby the grave with the bamboo slip bundles has been dated 312 BC

 

Bundle A contains 4 chapters (2, 37, 57, 64) with cang wei instead of wu wei

Bundle B contains 1 chapter (48) with two cang wei instead of two wu wei

Bundle C contains 1 chapter (64) with wu wei like wu wei of the later versions.

 

Bundle C is by the scholars considered the latest written of the three bundles.

 

That'll say seven examples ...

 

Did Lao Tzu use cang wei everydays and only wu wei on sundays?

[Marblehead]

Did Lao Tzu use cang wei everydays and only wu wei on sundays?

 

Hehehe. Maybe that's it!

[lienshan]

In the Guodian, there are five lines but a stop after four; and again at five;

 

1. Those that seek learning each day are those who generate an accumulation [of such learning]

2. Those that seek to follow the Way each day are those who experience a disappearance [of this way of life]

 

3. A gradual disappearance until all is completely gone.

4. And then one reaches [the point of] no thought-generated action.

 

5. When nothing is thought-generated, what action is there left to do (...but more of the same practice)

Here's my, litteral as usual, reading of the Guodian chapter 48:

 

1. Being knowing is the rising of the sun.

2. Being Dao of being is the setting of the sun.

3. Setting its more setting.

4. When zenith the being of disappearing.

5. The being of disappearing and then disappeared not being.

 

Note: The first "Being" of the lines 1 and 2 are the character "zhe" read/translated this way:

"wue zhe" means "one who knows" and in my reading "being knowing".

"wei dao zhe" means "that which is the dao of being" and in my reading "being Dao of being".

[Marblehead]

Here's my, litteral as usual, reading of the Guodian chapter 48:

 

1. Being knowing is the rising of the sun.

2. Being Dao of being is the setting of the sun.

3. Setting its more setting.

4. When zenith the being of disappearing.

5. The being of disappearing and then disappeared not being.

 

Note: The first "Being" of the lines 1 and 2 are the character "zhe" read/translated this way:

"wue zhe" means "one who knows" and in my reading "being knowing".

"wei dao zhe" means "that which is the dao of being" and in my reading "being Dao of being".

 

That's a horrible translation. Sorry, but that's just the way I feel about it. (You wouldn't want me to lie and say I think it is beautiful, would you?)

[lienshan]

That's a horrible translation.(You wouldn't want me to lie and say I think it is beautiful, would you?)

My translation is indeed ugly while a sunset is beautiful

 

Lao Tzu compares the being of the sage to the setting of the sun;

The light is most beautiful when the sun disappears in the horizon!

 

Explained grammatically:

 

There are two versions of chapter 64 in the Guodian Tao Teh Ching.

The oldest have "wang wei" where the youngest have "wu wei".

That'll say Lao Tzu began with writing "wang wei" but ended with writing "wu wei".

That'll say Lao Tzu must have realized, that "wang wei" is equal to "wu wei":

 

"wang wei" meaning disappearing being is now tense of the verb "wang" to disappear.

"wu wei" meaning disappearing being is future tence of the verb "wu" to not have.

"wang wei" meaning disappeared being is past tense of the verb "wang" to disappear.

"wu wei" meaning disappeared being is now tence of the verb "wu" to not have.

 

That'll say the term "sheng ren wu wei" means the sage is going to have no being/doing/acting

alternatively will have no being/doing/acting (my knowledge of english grammar is limited)?

Edited July 17, 2011 by lienshan

[Marblehead]

My translation is indeed ugly while a sunset is beautiful

 

Lao Tzu compares the being of the sage to the setting of the sun;

The light is most beautiful when the sun disappears in the horizon!

 

...

 

That'll say the term "sheng ren wu wei" means the sage is going to have no being/doing/acting

alternatively will have no being/doing/acting (my knowledge of english grammar is limited)?

 

And the sunrise is just as beautiful. Ah!, dualities - comparing one to the other. If one is going to judge, it is better I think, to judge each according to its own merits.

 

You are doing fine with your translations. I am enjoying the alternate view you oftentimes offer. Remember, I even critize Henricks' translation on occasion and his is my favorite.

 

And I thank you for allowing me to speak honestly to your translations as how I experience them. Honesty is very important, in my opinion.

 

Don't know what else to say. Keep up the good work!

[lienshan]

Wherein he does nothing, but leaves nothing undone.

I actually like the translation of this line. It speaks more to the personal rather than the general.

I agree, that the line beautiful, but it's not a translation of wu wei er wu bu wei, because:

 

Verbs in series connected with "er" (and) had a temporal implication in classical chinese.

An example:

"I opened the door and walked in" isn't equal to "I walked in and opened the door".

Compared to:

"He does nothing and leaves nothing undone" is equal to "He leaves nothing undone and does nothing".

 

While "He is going to do nothing and leaves nothing undone" can't be temporal reversed.

[Marblehead]

"He does nothing and leaves nothing undone"

 

Yeah, well, I will still hold to this but, of course, "does nothing" needs to be explained.

 

I am satisfied with my explanation: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[lienshan]

but, of course, "does nothing" needs to be explained.

Well, not clinging to the chinese characters is my explanation:

 

"the one who knows" is just like the rising sun; people are blinded when looking.

Therefore do sages copy the setting sun half below the horizon enlightening people.

This specific way of copying nature when promoting Dao is called "wu wei".