Sun Tzu and the Tao

Question: Derek, I am currently reading Sun Tzu, and I am wondering how it is connected to the Tao. I think the title "The Art of War" may be an important clue, because the Tao is all about the art of living, and war is part of life. Am I on the right track?

Answer: Actually, the original title of the work, Sun Zi Bing Fa, means "Sun Tzu's Military Principles." There is nothing in it that can be translated as "art." Thus, the title we all know so well today is actually a distortion created by early scholars.

This does not mean you are wrong to connect Sun Tzu to the Tao. The connection is real, and also quite profound. Althought Sun Tzu seems to talk about the art of waging war, his ultimate message is actually the art of not fighting. He distills this essence in writing the following lines:

Therefore, a hundred victories in a hundred battles
Is not the best of the best
The military that can defeat others without battle
Is the best of the best

This resonates powerfully with Lao Tzu's message, which is clearly expressed in chapter 30 of the Tao Te Ching:

The one who uses the Tao to advise the ruler
Does not dominate the world with soldiers
Such methods tend to be returned

The place where the troops camp
Thistles and thorns grow
Following the great army
There must be an inauspicious year

A good commander achieves result, then stops
And does not dare to reach for domination
Achieves result but does not brag
Achieves result but does not flaunt
Achieves result but is not arrogant
Achieves result but only out of necessity
Achieves result but does not dominate

...and also in chapter 31:

A strong military, a tool of misfortune
All things detest it
Therefore, those who possess the Tao avoid it
Honorable gentlemen, while at home, value the left
When deploying the military, value the right

The military is a tool of misfortune
Not the tool of honorable gentlemen
When using it out of necessity
Calm detachment should be above all
Victorious but without glory
Those who glorify
Are delighting in the killing
Those who delight in killing
Cannot achieve their ambitions upon the world

Both Sun Tzu and Lao Tzu are describing the warriors of the Tao – knights of honor who are as devastating in combat as they are reluctant to fight. They are the rare few who understand from studying the Tao that the most powerful weapon of all is not the instrument of warfare... but the hand of friendship.

The Tao Follows Nature

Question: Derek, what is the real meaning of dao fa zi ran? The translation I have says "the Tao follows itself." Is this correct?

Answer: This is an important phrase that comes from chapter 25 of the Tao Te Ching. Let's take a closer look at its four characters.

Dao is the new romanization for the Tao. Fa has multiple definitions, but in this context it means to follow or to model after. Put these two together and we can see that the first half of your translation is correct.

Zi ran means nature or natural. Therefore, dao fa zi ran means "the Tao follows nature." We can express this in different ways and still remain faithful to the original: the Tao follows the laws of nature; the Tao follows that which is natural; the method of the Tao is natural, etc.

Some choose to analyze zi ran as two separate characters. Zi means self and ran means correct, or "just so." This leads them to the explanation that naturalness in the Tao means "of itself so." It also leads to the translation that the Tao follows itself.

Many translators accept this, but is it what the original really says? It turns out that analyzing the characters separately may not be necessary at all. In addition to chapter 25, the Tao Te Ching also uses zi ran in chapters 17, 23, 51, and 64. In each usage, the context is always nature or natural, and never "of itself so." There is no particular reason why chapter 25 should be an exception to the rule.

Simplicity is treasured in the Tao. "The Tao follows nature" is simpler because it requires only the basic definition of zi ran. It is also more meaningful. The phrase tells us that the functioning of the Tao must always be consistent with natural laws and universal principles. Miracles in the Tao are not impossibilities resulting from supernatural intervention. Instead, they are achievements within reach of human beings who understand how to work with nature rather than against it.

The last four lines of chapter 25 are as follows:

Humans follow the laws of Earth
Earth follows the laws of Heaven
Heaven follows the laws of Tao
Tao follows the laws of nature

Once we understand Lao Tzu's message, it should become obvious why "the Tao follows iteself" is only a shadow of the real teaching. When we refrain from making things too complicated, we see a clearer image of the Tao - one that also happens to be more practical and applicable to everyday living!

Translation Differences

Question: Derek, I noticed your translation of the Tao Te Ching has significant differences from other versions. As I study further, I begin to see the underlying truth in your approach, which leads me to suspect that others may be somewhat flawed. Is this a common occurrence? If so, why? Is it because other translators believe differently and let bias get into the work?

Answer: That's certainly possible. We're all human beings, and probably one of the toughest things for any of us is to just be aware that we have blind spots - never mind actually looking into them, and overcoming the "blindness" in one's thinking.

If we survey existing translations, we can see some examples where personal beliefs may have been mixed in with the work:

1. The translator has studied the concept that everything in the world is ultimately meaningless. This gets weaved into the translation as well as the commentary whenever Lao Tzu talks about emptiness. However, the lack of meaning in everything has never been part of Taoism. It actually comes from the philosophy of nihilism.

2. The translator believes everyone is already enlightened and everything is already perfect, so there is nothing to do. Therefore, the concept of unattached action, wu wei, becomes distorted as non-action. This misconception may have come from depictions of Asian spirituality in movies; certainly it has embedded itself into the popular consciousness.

3. The translator may be a staunch supporter of women's rights, and intentionally uses female pronouns "she" and "her" in the translation. This may appeal to some readers, but masks the fact that in the original Chinese, words like "sage" and "ruler" are completely gender-neutral. Forcing a feminist position into the translation is contrived and unnecessary. The Tao Te Ching itself is already the ultimate statement on feminism.

4. The translator likes the notion of spiritual evolution, and uses it in the translation whenever possible. Thus, the characters for sage, shen ren (literally a divinely wise person), are rendered as "evolved individual" even though the term says nothing about any kind of evolution. It is an addition that is solely based on personal preconception.

Of course, words can never completely describe the Tao, and no translation is perfect. As a native speaker of both Chinese and English, I may be more aware of this than most, since I know not only the overall meaning that can be translated, but also the subtle nuances that cannot. This, however, does not mean we should give up the attempt to translate accurately, and one way to increase accuracy is to eliminate as much personal bias as possible.

Until we are able to get closer to the ideal of accuracy, I still recommend reading multiple translations and let your instincts guide you toward the meaning that resonates with you. Although words are imprecise and imperfect, I believe anyone who spends the time to experience the Tao will be able to sense truth from untruth. Anyone who invests the effort to apply the Tao will be able to reach through the distortions to touch the real essence. In the final analysis, none of the flaws and biases really matter - and that's the beauty of it!

Introducing the Tao to Friends

Question: Derek, if one is still in the process of learning various lessons in the Tao, what can one do to introduce others to the philosophy in a non-invasive way? I would like to help someone special better understand life, but do not know how to go about it without contrivance. Is there a gentler, subtle way to generate authentic interest in the other person? I'm not a fan of zealotry, but I do honestly think that the Tao could help people.

Answer: Your thoughts on introducing the Tao to others demonstrate great compassion. I have no doubt that the Tao can help them in tremendous ways. In fact, I have personally witnessed friends make incredible changes for the better when they connect with its teachings.

The way of real Tao cultivators may be contrary to expectations. They make no attempt to influence others, either in overt or subtle ways. They do not initiate a discussion on the Tao, nor do they drop hints. Instead, they focus only on what they do. Their actions, behaviors, attitudes all speak louder than words; by saying less and doing more, they actually have a greater effect on people.

You may think friends won't notice what you do unless you point it out to them, but this is where it gets interesting. If you really live the Tao, people will notice, become curious, and approach with questions. Lao Tzu calls this "wordless teaching" and it always works, almost like a law of nature.

If you are not following the Tao correctly, the opposite occurs. People pay no attention to you and have little interest in your ways. It simply won't occur to them to ask you questions about life. Among themselves, they may even dismiss you as being a bit strange.

I know someone who describes a Tai Chi teacher as follows: "He never pushes his beliefs on us, but that only makes us more intrigued to learn more." This teacher is a someone who has attained true mastery in the art of wordless teaching. You can too, with the following three steps:

1. Be patient. Allow for time to work on yourself, with the understanding that spiritual cultivation won't happen overnight. Transform your desire to share into motivation for bettering yourself.

2. Be open. When you have elevated yourself to another level, the questions will start coming. Welcome them with a receptive mind. Brushing people off with a false display of modesty would not be your best response here.

3. Be restrained. Limit the scope of your answer to only the questions asked. Resist the temptation to exploit the opening by talking about everything else you have learned. You'll only overwhelm people and drive them away. Answer the question as clearly and completely as you can; make relevant suggestions to learn more; and then come to a graceful and natural stop.

When you act without contrivance in this manner, you help people without seeming to do anything. You avoid calling attention to yourself, but you end up drawing others closer in spite of it… or perhaps because of it. If you haven't seen someone demonstrate this in real life, its power may surprise you. Give it a try and enjoy the process!

To Ferry Others

Question: Derek, I keep coming across references to "ferrying people" while studying Eastern philosophy. What does it mean?

Answer: In the Tao, "ferrying people" means helping others reach a better understanding of spiritual truths. The Chinese characters are du ren. The image they evoke is that of a sentient soul on one side of a river, seeking a way to cross it. You come by with your boat and take this person to the other side, thus rendering assistance and creating powerful, positive karma.

The river in this image is our typical human existence, a life that has not completely awakened to the truth of spiritual reality. The opposite shore is the higher state of consciousness, greater awareness and wisdom. Some look across the river longingly but have no means to get across; others may not even realize that there is more to life than the shore where they are still stuck. Either way, the river is a barrier, just as life in the mundane, materialistic world can keep us from discovering spirituality.

Having studied the Tao, you have a boat that allows you to navigate the waters. This boat is the principles of the Tao, a tool that you can use to attain wisdom in life (reach the other side). However, the fact that you possess greater mobility (access to Tao teachings) also means that you have an obligation. Sages and Buddhas all point out that enjoying the teachings alone cannot compare to sharing them with friends. Therefore, you are called upon to help fellow sentient beings by ferrying them across the river.

Once the people you ferry reach the other side, they will also be able to create their own vessels. This allows them to help even more people just as you have helped them. In this manner, the goodness that you have created will multiply indefinitely.

More discussions on the Tao are available at www.taoism.net.