Tao Te Ching Chapter 30-9 Can't help it

Today's Tao

It's just a result. Say you couldn't help it. (Ch.30)


Please ask old Sai (Favour 13-4) if losing his horse is a good result or not.

Then, ask him if his son breaking the leg is a bad result or not.

His answer is always the same:

"You never know".

He is right because there is neither good nor bad.

One cannot help the result.

Thinking about another result hypothetically is a waste of energy.

We cannot help the result because it is the best result no matter how awful it seems.

Let's believe it.


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-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 30


Tao answers your question!



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-Surely, you can translate the name of «Makura no Soshi» as "The Pillow Book". It is not linguistically wrong or immorally distorted. Not at all. The author, Sei Shonagon who was born more than one thousand years ago, might be quite happy to have this title with tongue in cheek. She must have been a cheeky intellectual maid in the imperial palace.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 30-8 No arrogance

Today's Tao

It's just a result. Don't be arrogant. (Ch.30)


Lao Tzu keeps on asking us not to be arrogant.

Then, to him, what is being arrogant?

He says:

"Being a good man is just a result. Don't be arrogant".

It seems that Lao Tzu thought being good is arrogant.

Well, being good is bad. Being bad is good.

Sounds a bit like Honen and Shinran's Akunin shoki setsu 悪人正機説 (The Doctrine of Evil Persons as the Object of Salvation).

It is logical, isn't it?

There is neither good nor bad in Tao.

If you try to distinguish something from another, it won't work with Tao.


«Related Articles»
-Force by soldiers 30-1
-Tao likes to return 30-2
-Brambles 30-3
-Good man 30-4
-Don't force 30-5
-Don't show off 30-6
-Don't boast 30-7
-No arrogance 30-8
-Can't help it 30-9
-Force nobody 30-10
-Strong steroids 30-11
-Against Tao 30-12
-Early end 30-13
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 30


Tao answers your question!



Previous video / Ch.30 text / Next video


-We don't really know why you call it «Ise monogatari / The tales of Ise». It is about an aristocrat's life when the samurai did not yet grasp the power. If you buy a packaged tour to Japan, chances are that you will visit Ise Shrine. Then, you can think about the Japanese man in the ancient times who might have visited the princess offered to Shintoist god of Ise.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 30-7 Don't boast

Today's Tao

It's just a result. Don't boast. (Ch.30)


Once again Lao Tzu asks us not to boast, but boast about what?

In the previous sentences of this chapter, Lao Tzu says that being a good man is just a result.

War is a good example.

A good man in this side of the border is a bad man in the other side.

In the history of human beings, we know plenty of individuals who boasted, "I am good", and regretted it the day after.


«Related Articles»
-Force by soldiers 30-1
-Tao likes to return 30-2
-Brambles 30-3
-Good man 30-4
-Don't force 30-5
-Don't show off 30-6
-Don't boast 30-7
-No arrogance 30-8
-Can't help it 30-9
-Force nobody 30-10
-Strong steroids 30-11
-Against Tao 30-12
-Early end 30-13
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 30


Tao answers your question!



Previous video / Ch.30 text / Next video


-If you like legends and fantastic stories, this is for you. «The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter» and «The Old bamboo-Hewer's story» have different English titles, but they share the same original story «Taketori Monogatari». An alien princess born in the bamboo fascinates terrestrial men. They fight each other to marry the beautiful princess who has to go back to the outer space. «The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter» might be worth checking because it was translated into modern Japanese by Yasunari Kawabata and into English by Donald Keene. They are probably the best duo to introduce Japanese literature to English readers.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 29-11 Arrogance

Today's Tao

He stays away from arrogance. (Ch.29)


Be balanced.

Stay away from luxury.

Don't be arrogant.

That's for sure.

But did Lao Tzu need to emphasize them here?

I translated the Chinese character Kanji 去 [saru] as "stay away".

But the original meaning of the character is "to leave".

In order to leave, you have to go there once.

Be imbalanced.

Enjoy luxury.

Be arrogant.

Then, you leave.

This explains why Geishas in Kyoto have been patronized by many Buddhist monks historically.


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-Arrogance 29-11
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 29


Tao answers your question!



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-There is nothing wrong with living beautifully. It is no use judging those Buddhist monks who fell in love with a geisha in the red light district in Kyoto. On the contrary, I want to praise them for their honesty and sincerity. How can we stop someone from loving an adorable creature living in the despised sphere of a decent society? Fortunately, the Japanese have Master Ikkyu who respected and worshipped "it". So-called pure religious leaders often make us laugh in Japan although this attitude sometimes confuses the naive believers of Zen Buddhism abroad.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 29-10 Luxury

Today's Tao

He stays away from excessive luxury. (Ch.29)


We know Tao doesn't like excess.

But how about luxury?

"Of course, I know how to stay away from luxury. I don't wear neither Gucci nor Brooks Brothers. I am happy to be in my cotton Samue "working Yukata" designed by a humble Japanese monk living in an authentic Buddhist temple in Kyoto, who respects the traditional materials and designs and, above all, made in Laos, not even in China. I don't think there is something less luxurious than my Zen outfit."

Don't worry.

I can guarantee you that you are in the state of Satori while wearing Levi's.


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-A god's vessel 29-2
-Defeat it 29-3
-If you stick to it 29-4
-Lead 29-5
-Blow gently 29-6
-Judo 29-7
-Maximum = Minimum 29-8
-Imbalance 29-9
-Luxury 29-10
-Arrogance 29-11
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 29


Tao answers your question!



Previous video / Ch.29 text / Next video


-Showing their publicities does not mean that I recommend them. Some people don't know what a Yukata is. Therefore, I show the photos. Unfortunately, Amazon does not seem to sell a Samue. It is a set of a cotton top and pants. Please picture the yukata with a pair of pants made of the same cloth. Japanese rappers can wear Levi's, so there is nothing wrong with a samue or a yukata worn in a country where they speak the language of Shakespeare.