Verse 28 | Tao Te Ching | The Fusion of Opposites
Many years ago, I spent time with the owner of a used bookstore called “Ye Old Bookstore” in Visalia, CA. The store no longer exists, outside of the confines of my own memory, and the discussions that I used to have with J.P. Beavers, there. One such discussion had to do with the binary: male and female, on and off, ones and zeros, Yin and Yang, happy and sad, open and close, light and dark, good and evil, and so forth.
Binary. It is rapidly becoming an outdated idea, as we approach the realizations of the Quantum. If you were to look at Superposition in the realm of Quantum Mechanics, specifically the idea of the Schrodinger’s Cat thought experiment—yes, it is a paradox—however, nonetheless, superposition revolves around the idea that reality is indeterminate, and possibly everything, until the point of being observed by a spectator. Moreover, Schrodinger created this thought experiment to illustrate how ludicrous an idea this is in the first place, in conversation with Albert Einstein. He did not create this thought experiment to illustrate its beauty, but rather, to show how crazy the world is around us on the Quantum level. Crazy—and also powerful.
Our thoughts are powerful. Regardless of whether we are discussing superposition, or the duality of nature, we as an observer, are not outside the realm of that in which we observe. We are an active participant, thus changing that in which we are observing, with every observation we make.
We create our reality, as much as reality creates us.
We are creatures of balance, and this Verse is here to remind us that we are only whole, by accepting all the virtues of our being. If you are a man, you have a feminine side, that needs to be integrated into your being. If you are female, you have a male aspect to you as well. Jung, described this attribute within all of us, as an archetype: Anima and Animus. It is not exact. It is hormone driven inside the fabrications of chemical warfare within our bodies: estrogen and testosterone. These values of scale balance are in constant flux within the chemical balance of the little particle driven chemistry set that make up our Human Physiology.
We do ourself justice, by being fertile ground, like a valley. Anything can grow there. Ideas need to be listened to, rather than shot down. Expressing things in absolutes, does no good to those trying to be the uncarved block, in which all things are possible, carved from its very natural state. Much like a particle in superposition, it can be anything up until the point of being observed by a conscious being, trying to understand the idiosyncrasies to a Universe, that you and I and everyone else around us, are all a part of.
Verse 28
Dale Translation
To know the masculine and be true to the feminine
Is to be the waterway of the world
To be the waterway of the world is to flow with the Great Integrity
Always swirling back to the innocence of childhood.
To know yang and to be true to yin is
To echo the Universe.
To echo the Universe is to merge with the Great Integrity,
Ever returning to the infinite.
To know praise and be true to the lowly
is to be a model for the planet
To be a model for the planet is to express the Great Integrity
as the primal simplicity—like and uncharted block.
When the uncharted block goes to the craftsman,
it is transformed into something useful.
The wise craftsman cuts as little as necessary
because he follows the Great Integrity.
Verse 28
Kwok, Palmer, Ramsay Translation
Understand the the thrust of the yang—
But be more like the yin in your being.
Be like a valley
That parts to its stream;
Be like a stream
For the earth…
And channel it,
So it flows, to the sea.
Be newborn—be free of yourself
Be humble
Be earthy
Be a valley for the whole world
Be a channel for the energies here—
Weave them in a true and practical way
So they can link up with the Way and become one again.
Oneness generates everything:
When the sage rules in the light of it,
He rules everything.
A wise man never tries to breakup the Whole.
Verse 72 (Ma Wang Tui) or Verse 28 (Wang Pi)
Lau Translation
Know the male
But keep to the role of the female
And be a ravine to the empire
If you are a ravine to the empire,
The constant virtue will not desert you.
When the constant virtue does not desert you,
You will again return to being a babe.
Know the white
But keep to the role of the sullied.
And be a wallet to the empire.
If you are a valley to the empire
The constant virtue will be sufficient.
When the constant virtue is sufficient,
You will again return to being the uncharted block.
Know the white
But keep to the role of the black
And be a model to the empire.
If you are a model to the empire,
The constant virtue will not deviate.
You will again return to the infinite.
When the uncharted block shatters it becomes vessels. When the sage is employed he becomes the chief of the officials.
Now the greatest cutting
Never severs.
Verse 28
Wilson Translation
If you know the male, but preserve the female
You will effect a mountain stream for all under heaven
Effecting a mountain stream for all under heaven,
You will stay close to the Unchanging virtue
And be restored to the state of a suckling child
If you know the bright but preserve the dark
You will effect a model for all under heaven
Effecting a model for all under heaven
You will not run counter to the unchanging virtue
And will be restored to that-without-limit
If you know the flourishing but preserve the retiring,
You will effect a valley for all under heaven
Effecting a valley for all under heaven
Your unchanging virtue will not be lacking
And you will be restored to a state of plain, unfinished wood.
When plain, unfinished wood is broken up into pieces
The pieces may be fashioned into utensils
If the wise man uses these
They will be fashioned into bureaucrats
For this reason
The Great Preparer of things does not break them up.
Verse 28
Mitchell Translation
Know the male
But keep to the female
Receive the world in your arms
If you receive the world
The Tao will never leave you
And you will be like a child
Know the white
Yet keep to the black
Be a pattern for the world
If you are a pattern for the world
The Tao will be strong inside you
And there will be nothing you can’t do
Know the personal
Yet keep to the impersonal
Accept the world as it is
If you accept the world
The Tao will be luminous inside you
and you will return to your primal self
The world is formed from the void
like utensils from a block of wood
The master knows the utensils
yet keeps to the block
Thus she can use all things
Verse 28
Walker Translation
To know the masculine and yet cleave to the feminine is to be the womb for the world
Being the womb for the world, never departing from he eternal power of the Tao
You become an infant once again: immortal.
To know the bright yet hold to the dull is to be the example for the world
Being the example for the world, not deviating, from the everlasting power of Tao
You return to the infinite once again: limitless
To know honor and yet keep humility is to be the valley for the world
Being the valley for the world, rich with the primal power of Tao
You return once again to simplicity
Like uncharted wood.
Allow Tao to carve you into a vessel for Tao
Then you can serve the world without mutilating it.
Verse 28
Ames and Hall Translation
Know the male
Yet safeguard the female
And be a river gorge to the world
As a river gorge to the world
You will not lose your real potency
You return to the state of the newborn babe
Know the clean
Yet safeguard the soiled
And be a valley to the world
As a valley to the world
Your real potency will be ample
And with ample potency
You return to the state of unworked wood
Know the white
Yet safeguard the black
And be a model for the world
As a model for the world
Your real potency will not be wanting
And with your potency not wanting
You return to the state of limitless
When unworked wood is split
It is made into utensils
When the sages are employed
They are made into head officials
There is no cutting, however, in the very best tailoring.
Verse 28
Dyer Translation
Know the strength of man,
but keep a woman’s care!
Be a valley under heaven;
if you do, the constant virtue
will not fade away.
One will become like a child again.
Know the white,
keep to the black,
and be the pattern of the world.
To be the pattern of the world is
to move constantly in the path of virtue
without erring a single step,
and to return again to the infinite.
One who understands splendor
while holding to humility
acts in accord with eternal power.
To be the fountain of the world is
to live the abundant life of virtue.
When the unformed is formed into objects,
its original qualities are lost.
If you preserve your original qualities,
you can govern anything.
Truly, the best governor governs least.
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: