A Problem Free World from Following Dao - DaoDeJing 35

No news is good news. A problem-free world can be achieved through the following of Dao says Lao Zi in DaoDeJing 35. However, we will probably take it for granted. But that is precisely how Dao works, not drawing attention to itself.

DaoDeJing Chapter 35 Text and Translation:

执大象，天下往；往而不害，安平泰。

Hold on to the pattern of the behavior of the great [Dao], and let the world follow it.
Following it will bring no harms, but rather, it brings security, peace, and abundance.

乐与饵，过客止。

Happiness and good food will cause the travelers to stop by.

道之出言，淡兮其无味。

However, the speech of Dao is plain and without taste.

视之不足见，听之不足闻，用之不足既。

See it and it could not be seen. Listen and it could not be heard. But use it and it runs out not.

Lessons Learned:

1 Internal Transformation vs External Following of Rules

If only everyone can internalize the attributes of Dao, or have Dao within, then we all can live happily ever after with peace, security, and abundance. This teaching echoes the teaching of I-Ching #1 乾卦 Heaven Hexagram, has a seven stage line that says, "群龙无首，吉“ The group of dragons has no leader, it is a great fortune.  When everyone is mature and is virtuous, they don't need a leader to lead them.  This teaching also agrees with the Bible too. Christ within is the teaching of the Bible (Gal 2:20, Col 1:27, Eph 3:17, Gal 4:19, Rom 8:10, 29-30). True peace comes when everyone internalizes the virtues rather than through following a set of good behavior laws.

2.  Problem Free vs Heroism

In Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) teaching, the best doctor is one that keeps one healthy without sickness, the next best is one who diagnoses the early stage of a sickness and cures it, and the least is the doctor that cure the terminal sickness.  We always say prevention is better than cure. However, we glorify the doctors that are able to cure near terminal sicknesses. Similarly, a good leader foresees a problem and solve it before it ever happens But no one will take note of it nor appreciate him as there was not a problem. When a leader fails to foresee a problem and let it happens, people will take note of the problem and they will call the one that fixes the problem a hero. How strange! Why is it so? Because we tend to take things for granted until a problem appears. We tend to take people for granted until they go away.

Be More Appreciative and Don't take things for Granted

When things are going fine without any issues, we must learn to appreciate the leaders that run them well and in a low-key way. We need to be more sensitive to the world outside of us.

Lim Liat (c) 13 Oct 2016

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