Daodejing, Verse 2

Daodejing - Other Voices

Under heaven all can see beauty as
beauty only because there is ugliness.
All can know good as good only
because there is evil.
Therefore having and not having arise together.
Difficult and easy complement each other.
Long and short contrast each other:
High and low rest upon each other;
Voice and sound harmonize each other;
Front and back follow one another.
Therefore the sage goes about doing
nothing, teaching no-talking.
The ten thousand things rise and fall
without cease,
Creating, yet not possessing.
Working, yet not taking credit.
Work is done, then forgotten.
Therefore it lasts forever.

Chapter 2 of Tao Te Ching is one of the most simple to understand chapters, and yet also one of the most profound. Lao Tzu speaks to the importance of contrast in the universe. One thing can only exist because the opposite also exists. You can not have “ugly” if you do not also have “beauty.” At the same time, you cannot have beautiful things, if you do not also have ugliness. It’s the Yin and the Yang.

Do you remember the lesson from physics class, that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction? This is not limited to physics, this also applies in philosphy, art, judgment, emotions, perception. I find it to be a fascinating parallel, and not a coincidence.

Picture the most beautiful woman. Now imagine all women look identical, would she still be beautiful? Of course not! You can thank the ugly women of the world for making her so beautiful!

You can only be rich if you know what it is to be poor. You can only be happy if you know what it is to be saddened. You can only be successful if you also know failure. This is a fascinating realization, because it makes you appreciate ugliness, sadness, and failure. When you experience these things, you are also allowing yourself to experience their opposites.

Real Life Application
I think it’s easy to apply the lessons of Chapter 2 to modern life. Once you understand the ultimate balance of life, the concept of Yin and Yang, nothing should affect you. Things are not good or bad, they just are. And so you can live in the moment, without judgment. The most powerful use of Chapter 2 in our modern world is to control anger, frustration and impatience. Let me give you some examples:

- You are driving in your car, and someone cuts you off. They, of course, not only cut you off but they accelerate slowly to rub it in. So frustrating, right? But why is that? Is it because most of the time you are not cut off, and therefore you have defined a good experience of driving? Only because of this definition of good can you experience the bad. Alternatively, only because that person cut you off, defining the “bad,” can you now experience the “good.” So rather than be frustrated, you can thank that person for opening you up to a new world of good driving. (Later in our lessons we’ll discuss whether “good” and “bad” really exist at all.)

- You are sitting in the bookstore and you see an overweight and unattractive woman walk by (just happened to me right now!) You could be turned off, you could wonder why she doesn’t put the 700 calorie latte down, or wonder why she doesn’t take better care of herself. You could let it bother you, or you could just observe passively, and without judgment. I suggest the latter. Ignoring the lessons of Chapter 2, I would say that she brings an ugliness to this universe. But in fact that’s wrong, she is the contrast that makes other things more beautiful. So rather than be bothered, I can better appreciate the beauty in the other people that walk by. I needn’t thank her for making others more beautiful, nor do I need to despise her for being who she is. She is who she is, and thats all. And the world remains balanced. That is Tao.
~ from Brave New Life, author TJ, original post date: 5/16/10 ~

This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.