Wisdom is Effortless Mutuality. What does that even mean? The sharing of feelings between two or more people—and one must do this without effort—and then furthermore, we achieve wisdom through this action? Perhaps so.
If we were to perceive one another as all being part of one large great whole, how would we behave? Would we steal? Would we worry that others will steal from us? There are a myriad of paths to follow with this line of thinking, far beyond the confines of theft.
Intelligence is important, however, wisdom is paramount. Shamefully, I have found myself making the same mistakes on occasion, which implies a lack of wisdom on my part—and in ruminating on this notion, I found that my emotions were what led me down that path: impulsivity driven by emotion.
I wrote a song many years back that discusses the notion of imperfection as well as the pursuit of honesty, and the delivery of such being done delicately. It is easy for us all to pass judgement on one another, as well as to pass judgment on ourselves. Is it possible to live without judgement? These are questions to ask ourself, in the solitude of our self-reflection, should we desire to do so.
How do we fully embrace the notion of living with the lead of our inner light? To put it another way: how do we live life being the best version of ourself?
Like the picture above: are we living a monochrome life in a colorful world, simply by how we perceive it?
I highly recommend reading all of the translations I provided below. Nuances are gained. I found Wayne Dyer’s thoughts to be useful on this verse. Perhaps you will as well:
LIVING BY YOUR INNER LIGHT
“For just a moment, imagine your most valuable possessions, including a large cache of money, on a table in your bedroom and in full view of anyone who might come in. Now further imagine that your pile of precious jewelry, cash, and important documents is completely safe—there’s no need for insurance, and no one could ever possibly steal your treasure. Is this state of complete trust possible? I think so, especially since it’s encouraged in this 27th verse of the Tao Te Ching: “The door . . . though having no lock, cannot be opened.”
The “knower of the truth” lives by an inner light. This illumination shines on the fact that stealing isn’t the way of truth, so it’s unnecessary to lock anything up. Possessions are safe among those who live by an inner light, which reflects the perfection of the Tao. It’s the Source you’re encouraged to always carry with you and to consult when you feel the need for assistance or direction.
Lao-tzu advises you to give without keeping an account or expecting something in return, for this is the nature of the Tao, and you are of the Tao. Giving is synonymous with receiving when you “live by this illumination. Trust the inner light to guide you, for it is your heritage. Your origin is more from the Tao than from parents, culture, or country.
It’s also important that you live more spontaneously—you don’t need to neatly wrap up each detail of your life. Understand this and you can travel without being attached to a plan that covers every possible scenario. Your inner light is more trustworthy than any guidebook, and it will point you in the direction that’s most beneficial to you and everyone you encounter. When you develop a trust in the Tao, you’ll change the way you look at life. You’ll marvel at the brilliance and clarity of what you begin to see: Fear, anxiety, stress, and unrest will simply become facets of yourself seen in the glow of the Tao, like candles marking your way and helping you love everyone as a piece of yourself.
Lao-tzu advises you to “be wise and help all beings impartially, abandoning none”—that is, you don’t need anyone else’s rules in order to reach out to others. Giving of yourself becomes your natural response because you’re following the inner light of the Tao. You and giving are one; you and receiving are one. In such an arrangement, there is no one who is not you.
The most revealing lines of this verse remind you that a good man is but a bad man’s teacher, and a bad man is but a good man’s job. This is an extremely empowering way to see life and eliminate stress and anger: If you perceive yourself to be a “good” person, then those whom you call “bad”—including convicted felons or enemies on the other side of the world—are your job! Try on the view that you’re here to teach yourself and others in some way, and that the work is to raise the collective energy of our entire universe. Cultivate your awareness of the inner light that’s within all. Be the Tao!
Virtually every translation of the Tao Te Ching I’ve examined refers to all of us being one, and all of us needing to be there for each other. The great secret is this: Waste no opportunity, abandon no one, respect the teachers, and care for the student. Twenty-five hundred years later, the Tao remains elusive to most of us because it’s so infrequently practiced. Nevertheless, it must be instilled within us if we’re to ever truly walk in the luminosity of the Great Way.
Become “a knower of the truth,” as Lao-tzu advises, by forgetting the locks, chains, maps, and plans. Travel without leaving a trace, trust in the goodness that is the root of all, and rather than curse the darkness that seems so rampant, reach out with that inner light and let it shine on those who aren’t seeing their own legacy in the Tao.
From his ancient spiritual throne, Lao-tzu is telling you to practice in these new ways:
Trust in yourself.
Develop an inner code of conduct that’s based exclusively on your irreversible connection to the Tao. When you trust this wisdom that created you, you’re trusting yourself. Know that nothing could ever dissuade you from your internal code of honesty, and live by this standard. If you encounter an easy opportunity to cheat, perhaps because you’ve been handed too much change by a hurried cashier, make the decision to be down-to-the-penny honest. Furthermore, have faith in yourself to go on a trip with a minimal amount of planning. Allow yourself to trust in the energy of the Tao to guide you, rather than relying upon fixed plans arranged by someone else.
Don’t judge yourself or others.
Don’t criticize the behavior or appearance of those you’ve assessed to be “bad people.” Instead, switch your thoughts to something along these lines: I am my own student and have this opportunity to learn that I’m instructing rather than judging. I will now cease critiquing myself or any other, and teach by being the Tao. If the entire world of the 10,000 things knew the simple truth that we are all one, then in my opinion war, hostilities, confusion, and even illness would cease to exist.
Why not be one individual who chooses to respect yourself and all others as teachers and as students? When you see the world as full of opportunities to help, one thought and one action at a time, you’ll be living by your inner light.”
Excerpt From: Dr. Wayne W. Dyer. “Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life.”
Verse 27
Dale Translation
The expert traveler leaves no footprints
The expert speaker makes no mispronunciations
The expert in Calculation needs no calculator
The expert in closing things needs no lock,
Yet no one can open what has been closed.
The expert in binding uses no knots,
Yet no one can pull apart what has been bound.
The expert in caring for things never wastes anything.
The expert at helping people never abandons anyone.
There are the paths to enlightenment.
Those who arrive at their destination
Teach those who are still on the path,
While those still on the path
Are sources of wisdom for the teachers.
Chapter 27
Kwak, Palmer, Ramsay Translation
The sage who goes by the way leaves no traces
The sage who speaks the true law never slips up —
He never calculates what profit he can make from what he does.
He keeps out thieves with wisdom! He’s never robbed —
He makes sure the rules are binding, then no one can undo them:
He is aware of everyone, leaving on one uncounted;
He cares like a parent, and wastes nothing.
This is the essence of harmony.
So, a good man is a model for a bad one
And, misguided, he is touched by his goodness.
Not to follow a teacher here
Or to love his precious message
Is to lose the Way, however clever you are —
This is the essence of the matter.
Verse 27
Lau Translation
One who is good at traveling leaves no wheel tracks;
One who is good at speech has no flaws;
One who is good at reckoning uses no counting rods;
One who is good at shutting uses neither bolt nor lock
Yet what he has shut cannot be opened;
One who is good at trying uses no cords yet what he has tied cannot be undone.
Hence the sage is always good at saving people, and so abandons no one; nor does he abandon any useful material where things are concerned.
This is called following one’s discernment.
Hence the good man is the teacher of the good man.
While the bad man is the material for the good man.
Not to value the teacher
Nor to love the material
May, perhaps, be clever, but it betrays great bewilderment.
This is called the subtle and the essential.
Verse 27
Mitchell Translation
A good traveler has no fixed plans
and is not intent upon arriving.
A good artist lets his intuition
Lead him wherever he wants.
A good scientist has freed himself of concepts
and keeps his mind open to what is.
Thus the Master is available to all people
and doesn’t reject anyone.
He is ready to use all situations
and doesn’t waste anything.
That is called embodying the light.
What is a good man but a bad man’s teacher?
What is a bad man but a good man’s job?
If you don’t understand this, you will get lost,
however intelligent you are
It is the great secret.
Verse 27
Wilson Translation
Auspicious traveling leaves neither ruts nor tracks.
Auspicious worlds have neither flaws nor points for blame.
Auspicious calculation needs neither bamboo markers nor receipts.
The auspiciously shut has nether bolt nor key, but cannot be opened.
The auspiciously fastened uses neither rope nor binder,
But cannot be untied.
Therefore the sage
Always saves men from their mistakes in a goodly fashion,
And thus no one is thrown overboard;
Always saves things from their flaws in a skillful way,
And thus none are tossed away.
This is called doubling or tripling your clarity.
In this way the adroit are the teachers of the clumsy,
And the clumsy are a wealth of raw material for the adroit.
If you do not treasure your teacher
Or show kindness to your raw material,
You will be shortsighted
Though you have the wisdom to predict the rain.
This is called the pivotal mystery.
Verse 27
Walker Translation
A good runner leaves no tracks;
A good speaker makes no slips;
A good planner doesn’t have to scheme,
The best lock has no bolt, and no one can open it.
The best knot uses no rope, and no one can untie it.
Thus the master is always good at saving people, and doesn’t abandon anyone;
Always good at saving things, and doesn’t waste anything.
This is known as “following the light.”
What is a good man but a bad man’s teacher?
What is a bad man but a good man’s charge?
It doesn’t matter how smart you are if you don’t have the sense to honor your teachers
And cherish your responsibilities.
This is an essential teaching of Tao.
Verse 27
Hall and Ames Translation
Able travelers leave no ruts or tracks along the way;
Able speakers make no gaffes that might occasion reproach;
Able reckoners have no use for tallies or counting sticks;
Able sealers make no use of bolts or latches yet what they close off cannot be opened.
Able pinchers make no use of ropes or cords yet their knots cannot be undone.
It is for this reason that the sages in being really good at turning others to account,
Have no need to reject anyone,
And in dealing with property,
Have no need to reject anything.
This is what is called flowing their natural acuity (ming).
Thus able persons are teachers of the able
While the inept provide them with raw materials.
While perhaps wise enough,
Those who fail to honor their teachers and to be sparing with their raw materials
Have gotten themselves utterly lost.
This is what is called being subtle and getting to the essentials.
Verse 27
Dyer Translation
A knower of the truth
travels without leaving a trace,
speaks without causing harm,
gives without keeping an account.
The door he shuts, though having no lock,
cannot be opened.
The knot he ties, though using no cord,
cannot be undone.
Be wise and help all beings impartially,
abandoning none.
Waste no opportunities.
This is called following the light.
What is a good man but a bad man’s teacher?
What is a bad man but a good man’s job?
If the teacher is not respected
and the student not cared for,
confusion will arise, however clever one is.
This is the great secret.
WHO IS MIKE VITALE?
I am a storyteller, singer, songwriter, music producer, traveling musician, Jungian dream analyst, all-around curious fellow (Spiritual, Mathematical Historical, Scientific), Taoist, and much much more, based out of Los Angeles, California. I’m constantly releasing new music, in all sorts of different genres. You can listen to me below, on Spotify:
