Chapter 2

Harmony Wu Wei

The sage does not accumulate (for himself). The more that he expends for others, the more does he possess of his own; the more that he gives to others, the more does he have himself.

Commentary

Source: Editorial Summary

Here the theme of wu wei emerges - act ion through non-action. The sage doesn't force or manipulate but allows things to unfold naturally, like the complementary relationship between opposites.

Philosophical Insight

Source: Paul Carus (1913) - Canon of Reason and Virtue

1. Everywhere it is obvious that if beauty makes a display of beauty, it is sheer ugliness. It is ob vious that if goodness makes a display of goodness, it is sheer badness. For 2. "To be and not to be are mutually conditioned. The difficult, the easy, are mutually definitioned. The long, the short, are mutually exhibitioned. Above, below, are mutually cognitioned. The sound, the voice, are mutually coalitioned. Before and after are mutually positioned." 3. Therefore The holy man abides by non-as...