Tao Te Ching Chapter 20
The Ideal Person — The Fool
The Ideal Person — The Fool
In 2019, I began a journey to study the Tao, which is to explore the nature of the universe. You may think, “How can anyone study the universe?” And to that, I would respond, “Look inside yourself.” What may seem like poetry or metaphor is, in fact, reality. The carbon atoms in our body can only be formed through the explosion of a star due to the heat and pressure required for its construction. So, when you gain an understanding of yourself, you gain an understanding of the universe around you.
In chapter 20 of the Tao Te Ching, the ancient Chinese book of wisdom, the legendary author, Lao-Tzu, describes what I consider to be the ideal state of mind for a person, the fool.
The fool, or imbecile, is a portrayal mentioned more than once in the 81 chapters of the Tao Te Ching. Lao-tzu makes a point many times that those who gain or seek knowledge for no other reason than to be knowledgeable are not in harmony with the Tao. That is to say, they are not in connection with the natural order of things. This causes stress, grief, and anger as you try to prove your worth to everyone else, including yourself!
In chapter 20, the text starts by stating good and evil aren’t that different and, again, emphasizes that knowledge leads to problems. He then describes that while others seek to be joyful, have excess material possessions, and are clever, he doesn’t pursue any of these things and is stead, dull, stubborn, and humble.
Think about politicians. What are they? They are loud and sure of their own opinions and believe they can right the world’s wrongs. How incredibly different the person described in this book is from the men and women we see on TV trying to lead our countries!
Try to picture a life living like the sage in chapter 20. What if you did your work and didn’t ask for recognition? What if you allowed yourself to move through life instead of trying to fight everyone and everything, like a wave traveling through the ocean or a palm tree bending in the wind rather than holding stiff and breaking? How much anxiety and stress could you save by living this way? I would argue a lot.
A sage is not the most knowledgeable, skilled, or boisterous. The wisest person will not argue or debate but rather enjoy life in its fullness as a baby. A newborn doesn’t concern themselves with what will come tomorrow or what happened yesterday. Their only concern is now. How blissful that must be!
The version of chapter 20 you see below was translated by J.H. McDonald in 1996 and is provided free of charge by the University of Nebraska-Lincon. I also highly recommend Derek Lin’s extremely accurate (but a little harder to understand) translation on his website, taoism.net.
Renounce knowledge and your problems will end.
What is the difference between yes and no?
What is the difference between good and evil?
Must you fear what others fear?
Nonsense, look how far you have missed the mark!
Other people are joyous,
as though they were at a spring festival.
I alone am unconcerned and expressionless,
like an infant before it has learned to smile.
Other people have more than they need;
I alone seem to possess nothing.
I am lost and drift about with no place to go.
I am like a fool; my mind is in chaos.
Ordinary people are bright;
I alone am dark.
Ordinary people are clever;
I alone am dull.
Ordinary people seem discriminating;
I alone am muddled and confused.
I drift on the waves on the ocean,
blown at the mercy of the wind.
Other people have their goals,
I alone am dull and uncouth.
I am different from ordinary people.
I nurse from the Great Mother’s breasts.
Thank you for reading. If you’d like to read more of Patrick’s writings or if you would like to support his work, please see his website, Buy Him a Coffee, or consider becoming a patron on Patreon.
