Chapter 39

Chapter 39

The masters of old attained unity with the Tao.
Heaven attained unity and became pure.
The earth attained unity and found peace.
The spirits attained unity so they could minister.
The valleys attained unity that they might be full.
Humanity attained unity that they might flourish.
Their leaders attained unity that they might set the example.
This is the power of unity.

Without unity, the sky becomes filthy.
Without unity, the earth becomes unstable.
Without unity, the spirits become unresponsive and disappear.
Without unity, the valleys become dry as a desert.
Without unity, human kind can’t reproduce and becomes extinct.
Without unity, our leaders become corrupt and fall.

The great view the small as their source,
and the high takes the low as their foundation.
Their greatest asset becomes their humility.
They speak of themselves as orphans and widows,
thus they truly seek humility.
Do not shine like the precious gem,
but be as dull as a common stone.

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The Chinese character corresponding to the “unity” in the above translation is actually simply number “one.”

It is interesting that Laozi does not attempt to contemplate the difficulty of achieving oneness among heterogeneous entities.

Jacques Lacan once said, “There is no sexual relationship.” Not that there can be no sex between the male and female, but there is no genuine oneness achieved through the act of having sex between the partners of the opposite sexes. Unity between the opposite sexes may be achieved biologically but not on a mental or psychological level, “perhaps (this adverb is written to indicate I am not completely sure what Lacan exactly meant).”

Since I do not have many things to say regarding this chapter (in fact, except for Chapters 1, 2, and 15, I have not much to say regarding the other chapters of the tao te ching), I will simply say that I agree with Lao Tzu on the significance of achieving natural oneness. What do I mean by “natural” oneness? If there is natural oneness, there can be “unnatural” oneness. An easy example would be a forced act of sex imposed by a stronger male upon a weaker female, which is rape. However, there is a rape on a larger scale – namely, conquest of a state by a larger state. Because the larger state unifies the smaller state by force – which was not the weaker state wanted – this is another kind of “rape.”

Likewise, if you inculcate unwanted or unsolicited opinions or ideologies in someone else’s mind, this is also a form of rape. Don’t do this.