Tao Te Ching Chapter 38-8 Lost attainment

Today's Tao

Having lost attainment, there is mercy. (Ch.38)


The Kanji / Chinese character 仁 [jin] is translated as mercy.

Please look at the left half. 人 [hito].

Then, the right. 二 [ni].

The left part of the character signifies people or a person. You can see two legs.

The right one signifies the number two. One. Two. (Pointing at two horizontal lines)

The entire character symbolizes the merciful relationship of the two persons.

So, the character can be translated as humanity.

The character two certainly denies the oneness of Tao.


Mercy is the artificial act to control the others for so-called "their well-being".

Having lost the attainment of Tao, a "merciful" person thinks the world is not perfect.

He is refusing to accept the world as it is.


«Related Articles»
-The highest attainment 38-1
-The lowest attainment 38-2
-No trace of act 38-3
-Mercy 38-4
-The highest righteousness 38-5
-Politeness 38-6
-Lost Tao 38-7
-Lost attainment 38-8
-Lost mercy 38-9
-Lost righteousness 38-10
-Disorder 38-11
-Foreknowledge 38-12
-Thick and Thin 38-13
-Tao's Flower 38-14
-Leave it 38-15
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 38


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-Haruki Murakami writes the introduction of Natsume Soseki's «Sanshiro». It seems that both writers somehow try to stay away from the lust and desire of «Tale of Genji» and Saikaku's amorous men and women.