Verse 62 - Living in the Treasure-house of the Tao

[Eva Libre]

62nd Verse

 

 

The Tao is the treasure-house,

the true nature,

the secret Source of everything.

It is the treasure of the good man

and the refuge of the bad.

 

If a person seems wicked,

do not cast him away.

Awaken him with your words,

elevate him with your deeds,

repay his injury with your kindness.

Do not cast him away;

cast away his wickedness.

 

Thus when a new leader is chosen,

do not offer to help him

with your wealth or your expertise.

Help him to meditate on the principle;

offer instead to teach him about the Tao.

 

Why did the ancients make so much of the principle?

Is it not because it is the Source of all good,

and the remedy for all evil?

It is the most noble thing in the world.

Contemplation/Meditation Verse

I am a divine creation of Tao,
           as are all others,
I cast out no one; rather,
           I cast out wickedness
by elevating others, with my deeds.

           
Do The Tao Now

Today, make the decision to help one other person, if only for a few moments, to meditate on this verse's principle.  But do so without mentioning the Tao Te Ching or this book.  Possibly send out an expression of love where you might have chosen anger.  Or mail a greeting card with a particularly meaningful verse of the Tao to someone who's assumed a new position of leadership.  Whatever you do, your motivation is to help that man or woman unlock the door to his or her treasure-house by offering keys in the form of your own Tao-centered thoughts and behaviors.


Source - Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life (Living the Wisdom of the Tao) 
by Dr Wayne W Dyer

[Eva Libre]

Advice from Dr Dyer –

 

Practice seeing the door of the
treasure-house opening to you.

 

See yourself as a Divine creation of the eternal Tao, with the entrance to a sacred space always available to you. Know that what you've thought of as negative can never be if it's able to enter the treasure-filled Tao. Visualize a house that's opening its front door to you and welcoming you to bask in the sacred warmth of its interior, and imagine leaving all angst and fear behind as you walk in. Make this home of the Tao a private retreat that you're free to enter with this meditative visualizing technique. It is divinity itself, and it can be your sanctuary at any time.

[Eva Libre]

Advice from Dr Dyer –

 

Practice forgiving, and avoiding judgment, when
you see reprehensible or evil-minded ways.

 

Take Lao-tzu up on his advice for dealing with those who appear to be wicked people by mentally separating the individuals from their toxic behavior. Remember that they are Divine creations of the Tao who simply believe that ego should control life. In your thoughts, erase the vileness, the wrongdoing, and the addictive or harmful actions; and allow those folks to just be there apart from their malevolent behavior. See the unfolding of the Tao in them, and picture them as innocent children who are overstimulated by ego's temporary stronghold. In your mind, forgive the evil conduct, and make every effort to wrap loving arms around the children you see before you.

Lao-tzu urges you to treat yourself in a similar manner: Cast out any behavior you dislike about yourself, allow your pain to be felt, and absolve yourself. With these behaviors removed, visualize embracing yourself, and notice the radiant being of light who is yourself in your imagination. Practice elevating yourself with your Tao deeds and doling out kindness to others as well as yourself. This is how you apply this verse of the Tao, which is indeed the remedy for all evil.

[Eva Libre]

From The Tao of Motherhood by Vimala McClure

62
NO BLAME

Knowing how things work
is helpful to you. But remember,
mothers have mothered since the
dawn of time, and it all seems to
work out in the end.

If you don't know your intuition,
it is no crime. However, if you
know how things work, you are
fortunate. Your behavior will be
more effective, your words will
have more power, your decisions
will be good ones.

Since ancient times people have
revered those whose spiritual
faculties are well developed.

[Eva Libre]

From Tao Te Ching - The Definitive Edition by Jonathan Star

Tao is the treasure-house
the true nature
the secret source of everything
It is the great wealth of those who are awake
the great protector of those still sleeping

If a person seems wicked
do not cast him away -
Awaken him with your words
Elevate him with your deeds
Requite his injury with your kindness
Do not cast him away
cast away his wickedness

When the emperor is crowned
or the three ministers installed
they receive a gift of jade and horses
But how can this compare
to sitting still and gaining the treasure of Tao
This is why the ancient masters
honored the inward path of Tao
Did they not say
”Seek and you will find”?
”Err and you will be forgiven”?
Within, within
This is where the world's treasure has always been

[Eva Libre]

From Richard Grossman - The Tao of Emerson

From James Legge - The Texts of Taoism, 1891

Tao has of all things the most honored place.
No treasures give good men so rich a grace;
Bad men it guards and doth their ill efface.

Its admirable words can purchase honor;
Its admirable deeds can raise
    their performer above others.
Even men who are not good are not abandoned by it.

Why was it that the ancients prized this Tao so much ?
Was it not because it could be got by seeking for it,
And the guilty could escape from
    the stain of their guilt by it ?
This is the reason why all under heaven consider it
the most valuable thing.


From the Essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson - ”The Over-Soul”, ”Intellect”

With a geometry of sunbeams, the soul
lays the foundation of nature.
Of this pure nature, every man is at some time sensible.
Language cannot paint it with its colors.
It is too subtle, it is indefinable,
unmeasurable,
But we know that it pervades and contains us.

The truth and grandeur of this thought
is proved by its scope and applicability,
For it commands the entire schedule
and inventory of things for its illustration.

[Eva Libre]

Tao Te Ching - The Classic Book of Integrity and The Way by Lao-Tzu

A New Translation by Victor H Mair

based on the recently discovered Ma-Wang-Tui Manuscripts

 

62 (25)

 

     The Way is the cistern of the myriad creatures;

     It is the treasure of the good man,

     And that which is treasured by the bad man.

 

     Beautiful words can be traded.

     Noble deeds can be used as gifts for others.

     Why should we reject even what is bad about men ?

 

Therefore,

     When the son of heaven is enthroned

               Or the three ministers are installed,

     Although they may have large jade disks

     And be preceded by teams of four horses,

     It would be better for them to sit down

              and make progress in this.

 

     What was the reason for the ancients

              to value this so highly ?

Did they not say:

      “See and thou shalt receive;

     Sin and thou shalt be forgiven” ?

 

Therefore,

      It is valued by all under heaven.

[Eva Libre]

Lynn's - Daode jing of Laozi

 

The Dao is the shelter of the myriad things.

 

"Shelter" [ao, innermost recesses of a house] is used here in the sense of ai [shade]; it is an expression for where shelter can be obtained.

 

It is the treasure of the good man

 

It is a "treasure" because it is useful to him.

 

And the protector of the man who is not good.

 

It is thanks to this protection that his wholeness is kept intact [quan].

 

Fine words can be used to market it, and noble behavior can be used to influence others by it.

 

In other words, the Dao takes precedence over absolutely everything, and nothing could be more valuable than this.  Whether it be jewels or treasures, disks of jade or horses, nothing can match it.  If one were to express it in fine words, it could, accordingly, command the highest price on the market.  Thus the text says: "Fine words can be used to market it."  If one were to practice it in noble behavior, those even more than a thousand li away would respond to it. (1)  Thus the text says: "Noble behavior can be used to influence others by it."

 

As for men who are not good, how could they ever be discarded ?

 

Those who are not good should be protected, for they are spared rejection by the Dao. (2)

Thus the son of Heaven is established, and the three dukes are installed.

 

This refers to how the Dao is expressed through noble behavior.

Although one could promote it by providing them with disks of jade to hold and teams of four horses to lead, this falls short of promoting this Dao by just letting them sit quietly.

 

"This Dao" refers to what is said above.  In other words, the reason the son of Heaven is established and the three dukes (3) installed, with these positions ennobled and high value placed on the men who fill them, is so the Dao can be carried out through them.  Because nothing could be more valuable than this, "although one could promote it by providing them with disks of jade to hold and teams of four horses to lead [i.e., by enhancing their nobility and value], this falls short of promoting this Dao by just letting them sit quietly."

How did the ancients show their esteem for the Dao ?  Did they not say: "When beseeching it, one obtains, and, when in violation of it, one is forgiven" ?  Thus it was that it was esteemed by all under Heaven.

 

If one beseeches it, he will get what he wants, and, if one violates it, he will be forgiven by it.  There are no circumstances under which it does not apply.  Thus it was that it was esteemed by all under Heaven.

Text, in Italics above, is Wang Bi's commentary.

The notes below, are from the translator, Richard John Lynn -

(deb's note - "section" is used for verse in these notes.)

 

(1) Cf. section 8 of the Xici zhuan (Commentary on the Appended Phrases), Part One, of the Yijing (Classic of changes), which reads in part: "The noble man might stay in his chambers, but if the words he speaks are about goodness, even those from more than a thousand li away will respond with approval to him, and how much more will those who are nearby do so !" (Lynn, The Classic of Changes, 58; see Zhouyi zhengyi [Correct meaning of the Changes of the Zhou], 7:17b).

(2) Cf. section 27, fifth through seventh passages.

(3)  For a discussion of the three dukes as the three most eminent ministers at court, see Henricks, Lao-Tzu Te-Tao Ching, 146; and Hucker, A Dictionary of Official Titles in Imperial China, 399.

[Eva Libre]

From Stephen Mitchell - tao te ching - A New English Version

The Tao is the center of the universe,
the good man's treasure,
the bad man's refuge.

Honors can be bought with fine words,
respect can be won with good deeds;
but the Tao is beyond all value,
and no one can achieve it.

Thus, when a new leader is chosen,
don't offer to help him
with your wealth or your expertise.
Offer instead
to teach him about the Tao.

Why did the ancient Masters esteem the Tao?
Because, being one with the Tao,
when you seek, you find;
and when you make a mistake, you are forgiven.
That is why everybody loves it.

From Byron Katie - A Thousand Names For Joy - Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are

Why did the ancient Masters esteem the Tao ?
Because, being one with the Tao,
when you seek, you find;
and when you make a mistake, you are forgiven.

I love that what is of true value can't be seen or heard. It's nothing and it's everything, it's nowhere and it's right under your nose - it is your nose, as a matter of fact, along with everything else. It can't be reached or achieved, because as soon as you start looking for it, you leave it. It doesn't have to be achieved, only noticed.

Nothing anyone says is true, and no thought that arises within you is true. There's nothing. And yet, here is the world again. The sun in the sky. The sidewalk. The dog trotting along on a leash.

When you understand that you're one with reality, you don't seek, because you realize that what you have is what you want. Everything makes sense because you don't superimpose your thinking onto reality. And when you make a mistake, you realize immediately that it wasn't a mistake; it was what should have happened, because it happened. Before the fact, there were infinite possibilities; after the fact, there was only one. The more clearly you realize that would have, could have, should have are just unquestioned thoughts, the more you can appreciate the value of the apparent mistake and what it produced. Seeing this is forgiveness in its totality. In the clarity of understanding, forgiveness is unnecessary.

[Eva Libre]

Dr Dyer's Essay for Verse 62 –

 

Imagine having access to a very special place where we could retreat and commune with the sacred Source of everything. Here we'd find “the treasure of the good man” and a space where the bad man goes to be forgiven. This is where great rulers and the wisest among us would meditate for guidance to carry out awesome responsibilities, where we'd be given the secret for casting out all wickedness without personally needing to cast out anyone ourselves. In this wonderful locale, we would absolutely know the Source of good as well as the remedy for evil.

As I studied and contemplated this passage, I began calling it the “Count your blessings” verse. It reminds me that I can access a sacred treasure-house deep within me, as can you and all other conscious beings. It reminds me to change the way I see the appearance of darkness in our world today. It reminds me to be willing to change the way I view myself and my role here as one of the 10,000 things.

You can modify your conditioned way of viewing most things by looking at all that appears to be weighted with hatred, wickedness, and evil. According to Lao-tzu, no one is evil or wicked; rather, those who live in contradiction to the Tao's teaching only appear to be so. Instead of casting them aside, you must reconnect them to the Great Way. So stay centered by thinking and behaving in ways that harmonize with the all-loving, all-knowing Tao, keeping in mind that this Source doesn't inflict harm on, exclude, or judge anyone - it just gives life.

Where you perceive negativity, alter your view to see pure love and kindness that's mistakenly being directed to seek a sacred place in the material world. That energy is powerful, and it's moving away from its Source instead of returning and replenishing in the spiritual cycle that is it originating point. When you've succeeded in changing how you perceive so-called wickedness, invite others to see the difference as well. Thanks to your new point of view, you'll be quite comfortable discussing the difference between material-world satisfactions and the riches of the Tao. And if requested, you'll even be able to offer a map or path to the sacred treasure-house of the Tao.

In a translation of the Tao Te Ching by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English, the 62nd verse concludes with the following words:

Why does everyone like the Tao so much at first ?
Isn't it because you find what you seek
and are forgiven when you sin ?
Therefore this is the greatest treasure of the universe.