Constancy

Leadership

Leadership is important from the national all the way down to the local level and is major a theme throughout the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching).

Yielding

Nations should abide by the Dao. Laozi (Lao Tzu) taught that nations should be willing to yield to one another.

“A great country is like the lower outlet of a river.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 61

Larger nations should not dominate smaller ones, because this leads to push back and conflict. Large nations should be willing to yield and accommodate smaller ones to create a positive and long lasting relationship.

“If a great country yields to a small country, it will conqueror the small country. If a small country yields to a great country, it will be conquered by the great country. So, some who yield become conquerors, and some who yield get conquered.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 61

Force

The government should resist using force to avoid the inevitable backlash and retaliation.

“Those who advice the ruler on the Way, do not want the world subdued with weapons. Such deeds bring on retaliation. Thorn bushes grow where armies have camped. Battles are followed by years of famine.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 30

In this way, the nation can press without force, take without effort, and push without opposing. One should never underestimate the amount of pushback to the use of force.

“I dare not advance an inch, but would rather retreat a foot. This is called marching without marching, grabbing without arms, charging without enemy, seizing without weapons. No misfortune is worse than underestimating the enemy. Underestimating the enemy, I risk losing my treasure.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 69

Wu Wei

The concept of Wu Wei or “effortless action,” applies to government. Sometimes called non-action, a nation should act only when it feels natural.

“Use justice to rule a country. Use surprise to wage war. Use non-action to govern the world.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 57

The government should take action only when necessary and then go no further.

“Therefore, good leaders reach solutions, and then stop. They do not rely on force.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 30

Power

Leaders should never seek power in order to control society. If they do, they are not fit to lead.

“Never take over the world to tamper with it. Those who want to tamper with it are not fit to take over the world.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 48

A leader should never boast to gain popularity or use violence to attain power.

“The more sharp the weapons people have in a country, the bigger the disorder will be. The more clever and cunning people are, the stranger the events will be.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 57

The leader hesitates to support laws that restrict others. These types of laws will create resentment and law breaking.

“As for the world, the more restrictions and prohibitions there are, the poorer the people will be.“

“The more laws and commands there are, the more thieves and robbers there will be.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 57

Conclusion

Larger nations should yield to smaller ones to avoid retaliation and promote neighborly coexistence. Governments should resist employing force and act only when absolutely necessary. Leaders should not seek power, control, or use violence. The leader hesitates to support any laws that restricts others.

“Therefore the sage says: I do not act, and people become reformed by themselves. I am at peace, and people become fair by themselves. I do not interfere, and people become rich by themselves. I have no desire to desire, and people become like the uncarved wood by themselves.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 57

Zhuangzi Chapter 2: Discussion on Making All Things Equal

Master Zhuang is the second most influential writer in Daoism (Taoism) and the book Zhuangzi was named after him. Chapter Two is entitled Discussion on Making All Things Equal and describes how one can live in accordance with the Dao.

Great Understanding

The sage or wise person has great understanding of the Dao and shifts their focus to a more universal perspective. They do not let the stress of everyday life distract them.

“You hear the piping of men, but you haven’t heard the piping of earth. Or if you’ve herd the piping of earth, you haven’t heard the piping of Heaven!”

The sage knows that their connection to the Dao is unique and different than any one else’s.

“Blowing on the ten thousand things in a different way, so that each can be itself-all take what they want for themselves, but who does the sounding?”

The sage is unhurried and goes along with the flow of life. They have a simple and uncomplicated existence.

“Great understanding is broad and unhurried. Great words are clear and limpid.”

Little Understanding

The foolish have little understanding of the Dao and live a busy, divisive, and complicated life. They are preoccupied with petty arguments and are convinced that they are always right. Consequently, they have high anxiety and find life difficult to manage.

“Little understanding is cramped and busy; little words are shrill and quarrelsome. In waking hours, their bodies hustle. With everything they meet they become entangled. Day after day they use their minds in strife, sometimes grandiose, sometimes sly, sometimes petty. Their little fears are mean and trembly; their great fears are stunned and overwhelming. They cling to their position as though they had sworn before the gods, sure that they are holding on to victory.“

They hurry through life without pausing or reflection and never have any satisfying accomplishments. This leaves them exhausted and unsatisfied.

“Sometimes clashing with things, sometimes bending before them, he runs his course like a galloping steed, and nothing can stop him. Sweating and laboring to the end of the his days and never seeing his accomplishment, utterly exhausting himself and never knowing where to look for rest – can you help pitying him?“

Relativity of Life

The sage recognizes that life is relative. They recognize the concepts of right and wrong are dependent on the individual and situation.

“His ‘that’ has both a right and wrong in it; his ‘this,’ too, has both a right and wrong in it. A state in which ‘this’ and ‘that’ no longer find their opposites is called the hinge of the Way.”

“The way I see it, the rules of benevolence and righteousness and the paths of right and wrong all are hopelessly snarled and jumbled.”

What works for one person does not necessarily work for another. The characteristics of kindness and morality are often dependent on the society, individual, or situation.

“Monkeys pair with monkeys, deer go out with deer, and fish play around with fish. Men claim that Maoqiang and Lady Li were beautiful; but if fish saw them, the would dive to the bottom of the stream; if birds saw them, they would fly away; and if deer saw them, they would break into a run.”

The sage sees the unity of all things in the Dao and does not create artificial divisions.

“The Way makes them all into one. Their dividedness is their completeness; their completeness is their impairment. No thing is either complete or impaired, but all are made into one again.”

Acceptance of Reality

The sage acknowledges that the Dao exists but does not waste their energy trying to define it. They do not get involved in needless arguments, but accepts life for what it is.

“As to what is beyond the Six Realms, the sage admits it exists but does not theorize. As to what is within the Six Realms, he theorizes but does not debate.”

“The sage embraces things. Ordinary men discriminate among them and parade their discriminations before others.”

The sage is unaffected by strife and unconcerned about wealth, sickness, and death. They make themself one with the universe, live in simplicity, and allow things to be as they are.

“A man like this rides the clouds and mist, straddles the sun and moon, and wanders beyond the four seas. Even life and death have no effect on him, much less the rules of profit and loss!”

The sage recognizes the absurdity of life and that they never will truly understand it.

“Once Zhuang Zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn’t know he was Zhuang Zhou. Suddenly he woke up, and there he was, solid and unmistakable Zhuang Zhou. But he didn’t know if he were Zhuang Zhou who had dreamed he was a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuang Zhou. Between Zhuang Zhou and a butterfly, there must be some distinction!”

Conclusion

The sage has great understanding of the Way. They find comfort in the midst of chaos. They stay grounded and live their life as it plays out. They make the most of their situation and realize that good and bad are relative to the individual and situation.

“Harmonize them all with the Heavenly Equality, leave them to their endless changes, and so live out your years.”

“Forget the years; forget distinctions. Leap into the boundless and make it your home!”

Constancy is important to grow closer to the Dao (Tao) and is major a theme throughout the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching). One may get closer to the Dao by simplifying their life, getting rid of unused possessions, meditating, and spending time in nature. This can help achieve peace of mind.

“Returning to the source is stillness. It is returning to one’s fate. Returning to one’s fate is eternal. Knowledge of the eternal is realization.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 16

Beginning

Constancy is important when beginning to learn about the Dao. Just like a mighty tree starts from a tiny seed, a tall building starts with the foundation, all journeys begin with the first step. Constancy starts us down the path to explore the Dao.

“A tree as wide as a man’s embrace grows from a tiny shoot. A tower of nine stories starts with a pile of dirt. A climb of eight hundred feet starts where the foot stands.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 64

Student of the Dao

The best student of the Dao has constancy. They listen to its way and follow its teachings. An average student listens but does not always follow. A poor student listens but laughs at the Dao.

“The superior student listens to the Way and follows it closely. The average student listens to the way. And follows some and some not. The lesser student listens to the way and laughs out loud.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 41

Knowledge, Virtue, and the Dao

Once one gains knowledge, that knowledge leads to the virtues of humility, simplicity and being guided by nature.

“Knowing honor, but clinging to disgrace, you become the valley of the world. Being the valley of the world, eternal virtue will be full in you, and you return to the state of uncarved wood.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 28

Eventually these virtues lead to peace of mind and the Dao itself.

“Knowledge of the eternal is all embracing. To be all embracing leads to righteousness, which is majestic. To be majestic leads to heavenly. To be heavenly leads to the way.”

Dao De Jing, 16

Once the connection with the Dao has grown, it will be found in all things in nature, no matter how large or small. This includes mountains, water, animals, insects, and plants.

“Seeing the small is called clarity. Holding on to the weak is called strength. Use the light to return to clarity. Then you will not cause yourself misery. This is called following the eternal.”

Dao De Jing, 52

Constancy is also important to stay connected with the Dao. Often people will almost reach their goal but not quite achieve it. The same applies to the journey of growing closer to the Dao.

“People fail at the threshold of success. Be as cautious at the end as at the beginning. Then there will be no failure.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 64

Conclusion

Constancy helps one explore and grow closer to the Dao. The best students will both listen and follow the Dao. As one grows more aware of the Dao, they will gain important virtues such as humility and simplicity. This allows one to see the Dao in everyday life.

Constancy: “steadfastness of mind under duress; a state of being constant or unchanging”

Merriam-Webster