Tao Te Ching Chapter 78-10 Contradiction

Today's Tao

Right words sound contradictory. (Ch.78)


Tao's mechanism of return creates contradiction.

Lao Tzu says here that, if the words do not sound contradictory, they are not right.

They are artificial and superficial.

Let's review Lao Tzu's maxims in this chapter, which sound contradictory.


1. Be as soft and weak as water in order to activate Dark Depth Female. (☞See Water summary 78-1)

2. When you are lost in Mayoi, you are as hard as ice; when you are one with Tao, you are as soft as water. (☞See Water's attack 78-2)

3. A hologram doesn't change. One hologram is the whole world in each moment.
Caution! Each independent being is not one independent hologram. It is part of one hologram along with the other beings, including your own self. It is like a frame in a movie. (☞See No change 78-3)

4. Everyone in the world is you. (☞See Everyone = You 78-6)

5. No matter what we are doing, we are doing nothing, which means "sending Love (=Tao's energy)". (☞See No one acts 78-7)

6. No state. No evil. Don't criticize. Don't judge. (☞See State filth 78-8)

7. No superstitions. No bad omens. They are just catalysts.

8. Lao Tzu thinks it is ridiculous to resist. No resistance.


See? Right words sound contradictory, don't they?


«Related Articles»
-Water summary 78-1
-Water's attack 78-2
-No change 78-3
-Be weak 78-4
-Be soft 78-5
-Everyone = You 78-6
-No one acts 78-7
-State filth 78-8
-Bad omens 78-9
-Contradiction 78-10
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 78


Lao Tzu answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (28) / - Dark Depth Female [genpi / xuan pin / hsuan pin] 玄牝 - 玄 [gen / xuan / hsuan] means Dark Depth. 牝 [pi (hin) / pin], Female. This is one of the most important words in Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching. Mr Michael P. Garofalo has done an excellent research and comparison of the various translations. (http://www.egreenway.com/qigong/vstccs2.htm) Thanks to him, we can see easily how they translate 谷神不死, 是謂玄牝 in Chapter 6 / Valley God. / "The Valley Spirit never dies It is named the Mysterious Female." On the left, «Tao Te Ching (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature)» translated by Arthur Waley. With an introduction by Robert Wilkinson. / "The Tao is called the Great Mother empty yet inexhaustible," On the right, «Tao Te Ching: A New English Version (Perennial Classics)» translated by Stephen Mitchell.