Tao Te Ching · 58 of 81 · tr. James Legge

Chapter 58

The government that seems the most unwise, Oft goodness to the people best supplies; That which is meddling, touching everything, Will work but ill, and disappointment bring. Misery!--happiness is to be found by its side! Happiness!--misery lurks beneath it! Who knows what either will come to in the end? Shall we then dispense with correction? The (method of) correction shall by a turn become distortion, and the good in it shall by a turn become evil. The delusion of the people (on this point) has indeed subsisted for a long time. Therefore the sage is (like) a square which cuts no one (with its angles); (like) a corner which injures no one (with its sharpness). He is straightforward, but allows himself no license; he is bright, but does not dazzle.

Themes

◆Detachment Gelassenheitpraxis

Eckhart's Abgeschiedenheit/Gelassenheit — radical letting-go of will, image, and grasping that opens the soul to God; distinct from inner_silence (quietness) and from material renunciation, and adjacent to Sufi tark and Buddhist non-grasping as a practice rather than a metaphysical claim.

The sage 'allows himself no license' and 'does not dazzle,' reflecting a radical letting-go of will and ego-grasping similar to Gelassenheit.

All passages →

◇Opposites Transcendedanthropology

The dissolution of binary oppositions (male/female, inner/outer, above/below) as a mark of spiritual completion.

[auto] The sage is described as embodying qualities like brightness and straightness without the harmful extremes of dazzling or cutting angles, indicating a transcendence of binary oppositions.

All passages →

◇Paradox As Teachingethics

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

[auto] The passage centrally relies on reversals and contradictions, such as unwise government supplying goodness and good turning into evil, to convey its philosophical message.

All passages →

◇Wu Weipraxis

Effortless action aligned with the spontaneous flow of the Dao; non-coercive, non-striving conduct that yields results without forcing — the sage acts without acting.

[auto] The passage explicitly contrasts meddling governance with the 'unwise' government that supplies goodness through non-interference, embodying the principle of effortless action.

All passages →

Related passages · 3 parallels

◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 4, Section 1v

“cannot be free from pain, nor without a feeling of ill, since there would be something causing Him trouble, yea, all things must in that case be in a state of disorder and perpetual strife; whereas the Good imparts a principle of harmony to…”

Both passages discuss the nature of good and evil, and the role of a higher power or sage in maintaining harmony. They explore the idea that evil is not inherent in the divine or the sage, and that balance is key to understanding their relationship.

◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 8, Section 1d

“Thus, ‘tis true to say that it is more in accordance with Divine Righteousness not to lull into its destruction the manliness of the noblest characters through bestowing material goods upon them, nor to leave them without the aid of Divine…”

Both passages discuss the concept of governance and correction, emphasizing the importance of balance and the potential for distortion when interventions are misapplied. The Tao Te Ching speaks of the dangers of overreach in governance, while the second passage discusses the role of Divine Righteousness in maintaining order and preventing corruption.

◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi)|8. Warning To The Imprudentb

“The milder and calmer you are, the more effective will be your anger; the more energetic you are, the more valuable will be your forbearance; the more skilful you are, the better will you profit by your intelligence and even by your virtues…”

Both passages discuss the paradoxical nature of virtue and governance, emphasizing that excessive actions lead to their opposites and advocating for balance and moderation. The Tao Te Ching speaks of the unintended consequences of governance, while the second passage discusses the moral and magical consequences of unbridled passions and the importance of moderation in both magical and daily life.