A Simple Explanation of the Tao Te Ching -- Verse 2

The following translation of Verse 2 of the Tao Te Ching was arrived at by employing Jonathan Star's verbatim translation provided at the end of his "Definitive Edition" of the Tao Te Ching. For more information about Star's book and my translation process, please read the blog article, "Process Note: Interpreting the Tao Te Ching." Please compare my translation to one you may have on hand; I think you will find this meta-translation helpful.

Verse 2, The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

Every manifested unit of consciousness within our Universe is attracted to beauty in all its delightful forms. Each attraction co-creates its own polar opposite--the negative meme of "repulsion."

All recognize virtue whenever it arises as "virtue"--this distinction alone gives rise to the "lack of virtue" meme.

In the same way, "existence" and "non-existence" beget each other in reciprocal interdependence.

Difficult and easy perfectly complement one another,

Long is relative only to short,

High is relative only to low.

A musical note relies upon a voice to sing it just as a voice depends upon having a note to sing.

Front and back, before and after, future and past--self-referential, circular definitions.

This is why those living in tune with the Universal UC deal quietly with the affairs of daily living, administering metaversal principles to do what needs to be done through action rather than words. Every decision is executed appropriately, as needed, without attachment to either recognition or outcome, and once the task is completed, it is forgotten.

Because of this attitude, accomplishments are eternal.

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What I take away from this verse is that all of the memes we deal with in daily living are enmeshed with their polar opposites. In other words, this is a universe of relativities and relationships and whenever we push in one direction, we wind up pulling in the other direction. The Buddha among others said that all suffering is due to attachment. Verse 2 says this is because attachment is fused to its dialectical opposite--repulsion. The Golden Mean advises staying to the middle of dialectics so that neither attraction nor repulsion is activated, as a means of avoiding suffering.

Verse 2 goes a step beyond advising staying centered. It gives the example of the Wise Sage (called by the Simple Explanation "those living in tune with the Universal UC") avoiding memes altogether by doing "what needs to be done through action rather than words." When one's Self UC is fully aligned with the Universal UC's notion of the best course of action for any moment and place, then decisions will seem to come automatically and they will be the best possible response to the situation. There will be no relativistic memes invoked because "thinking" will not be involved with the response. Naturally, since one's Ego was not involved with the decision-making, there is no call or desire for recognition or even attachment to outcome. It was the Universe's call; it's the Universe's score. Except that the Universal UC does not keep egoistic scores, which are limiting and relativistic, as Verse 2 points out; therefore, such accomplishments are eternal.

A Simple Cosmology of the Universe

Before the beginning, before space and time, there was nothing but pure consciousness. And consciousness had neither pattern nor form, only awareness.
The Simple Explanation calls the pure consciousness that exists outside our universe the “metaverse.” In the original Greek, “meta” means an idea above and beyond the topic of discussion that brings greater understanding and context to the topic. In this case, the topic is the nature of the universe. In order to better understand our universe, the Simple Explanation begins with that which lies beyond this universe—the metaverse. This metaverse has many names in many traditions—“The Great ‘I AM’” and “God the Father” in the Torah and Bible, “Sat” and “Parambrahma” in Hindu scriptures, the “Tao” and “wu ming” in ancient Chinese texts, and “The Absolute” in modern philosophy.

Then consciousness had a thought which unfolded into countless dimensions. This multi-dimensional metaverse still lacked space and time but it now quivered with limitless mathematical potential. In a twinkling, our entire universe was imagined in the fullness of its complexity, from the tiniest quanta through the greatest astral body; every animal, vegetable, and mineral; every element; everything. At the moment this thought occurred, the metaverse conceived every organizing principle needed to shape and sustain space and time, energy and mass. All was in ideal balance. Every system was theoretically in tune; every function perfectly performed; the consequence of every action anticipated, understood, and plotted to the nth degree. And it was all good.

Once the metaverse formed a particular thought, thought became an object in the great sea of no-thought. Where there was only pure consciousness, now there existed something—thought. In order to preserve the undisturbed tranquility of the metaverse, thought sealed itself off from pure consciousness by focusing inward, and in so doing formed a toroidal-shaped bubble around itself. Where there was only the tranquil nothingness of the metaverse, there was now thought and directed action, initiating sequential time. On this day that time began, consciousness wrapped itself around our universe, forming a border between us and infinity. Mind took on a shape.

The “Shape of God’s mind,” also known as  the “Universal Unit of Consciousness,” the “Womb of Creation,” the “Son of God,” “logos,” “the Word,” the “universal fractal formula.” We can think of this wireframe version of the toroid as the idealized mathematical blueprint imagined by the metaversal consciousness prior to creation.

This toroidal-shaped membrane is composed of conscious thought and its concept of this universe, split off from the unformed metaverse and operating on its own. The Simple Explanation calls this original torus the Universal Unit of Consciousness (Universal UC). The content of its thought is the entire logos of our universe. The Bible puts it this way:“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Logos was in the beginning with God. All things were made through the Word, and without this logos, nothing was made that was made,” (John 1:1).

Which begs the question: How is it possible for an object (our universe) to rest "inside" the formless metaverse without affecting its undifferentiated nature? How can space and non-dimensionality, time and timelessness, change and the changeless co-exist without touching the untouchable metaverse?

This paradox is easily solved by imagining that the toroidal membrane itself possesses a fractal surface akin to the Koch snowflake. As you can see, through endless divisions, the perimeter of the figure becomes infinitely complex and long, while the interior of the 2-dimensional Koch snowflake remains finite and contained to the figure, never reaching "outside."



These are the first four iterations of the Koch snowflake fractal formula. At each computation, a side is divided into three equal segments and an equilateral triangle the length of a segment is placed at the center segment. The center segment’s line is then erased, leaving behind a perimeter that is four times longer than the original side. Even though endless computations may lengthen the perimeter to infinity, the snowflake’s volume remains finite.

Now imagine applying the Koch divisions to the surface of the Universal UC torus, with the divisions facing outside. As the membrane divides toward infinity, the space within remains finite and contained; keeping the undifferentiated unity of the metaverse unsullied. The effect of this infinitely recursive fractal surface can be likened to that of an invisibility force field deployed around our universe, i..e, "What happens in our universe, stays in our universe."

The concentrated thought of the Universal UC focused inward on a singular point of limitless energetic potential—enough to seed our universe. Concentration gave rise to toroidal forces that begat energetic waves. Our universe began to expand outward as energy exploded into the torus of space out of the zero point field at the center. In Sanskrit, “ananda” means both energy and joy. The Simple Explanation suggests that organized consciousness , “chit,” combined with ananda and began emitting the building blocks of our universe.

Shape gives rise to toroidal forces that explode into dimensional space as patterns of energy culminating in material quanta.  Cosmologists refer to this initial energetic event as the Big Bang.

 

As the interior torus of our universe expanded, over and over and over again pale echoes of the Universal UC attached themselves to the particles streaming out of the Big Bang. In Sanskrit, these smallest material quanta are individually known as “anu” and collectively called “maya,” or creation. “Avidya,” Sanskrit for “loss of consciousness” or “delusion,” is a necessary by-product of material instantiation as each individualized point-of-view in time and space replaces universal, non-localized awareness.

The Universal UC pulses with concentration at the birth of every thing in our universe. These pulsations funnel waves of consciousness inward from the border of the Universal UC toward creation, informing each new piece of material with its own unit of consciousness (UC) as it emerges from the universal portal of here and now.

Particles rush into our universe from the zero point field at the center, exploding outward, filling our universe from the middle. The outer fractal membrane presses inward to contain the energy exploding outward. Matter flows outward from the middle, repulsed by the energy streaming into the universe from the center, and coherence presses inward from the outer universal boundary. We experience the repulsive energy as “joy” and excitation, and the containing energy as “love” and security.

This cutaway view of the torus from the top shows ananda/joy exploding outward

and coherence/love pressing in.

This is the point in creation when the Universal UC is traditionally referred to by such names as “God the Creator,” “Shakti,” and the “Mother of 10,000 Things.”

Time passes and creation becomes more complex as subatomic particles reach out to one another according to the principles of organization conceived by the metaverse and set into motion by the Universal UC.

And particles joined to make atoms, atoms to make molecules, molecules to make single-celled organisms. Single-celled organisms diversified into the full panoply of life, and every one of these material building blocks came equipped with its own unit of consciousness (UC). Each unit of consciousness knew what particular role it needed to play in order to help the universe create and sustain itself, for every UC could decode and instantiate its own special piece of the metaversal ideal.

quanta UC

atomic UC

molecular UC

cellular UC

organism UC

societal UC

global UC





At each stage along the way from simple to complex, units of consciousness are increasingly sophisticated in their ability to regulate and manage their existence.

Sustaining Creation requires an uninterrupted stream of organization and intention funneling inward from the border that separates our space and time from the metaverse at large. Like pure potential pouring down the gravitational well of a great black hole, our possible futures become increasingly limited as they funnel toward the crucible of here and now at the heart of creation. Here and now, all potentials collapse as only one course of action is realized.

We generally refer to collapsed potential as “history.” The “future” is uncollapsed potential. There are an infinite number of potential futures that become increasingly constrained as they approach here and now. Here and now is the gateway of singular choice. The arrow of time flows downward through the middle of the torus, past here and now, and emerges into the past as a line of singular history. “Karma” is the consequence of historical choices made in the here and now.

Karma is the mechanism through which the consequences of behavior inform future potential. Karma is a force of influence that arises out of the decision-making history of every unit of consciousness in the universe. Each UC generates its own karma. We are all affected by one another’s karma. The more a unit of consciousness has in common with another UC, the more it is affected by the other’s karma. Our aggregate karma affects all of creation.

Tao te Ching -- Verse 53

The Tao Te Ching, or Book of the Way, is an ancient Chinese collection of 81 wisdom verses. In the "Simple Explanation” model, the Tao spoken of by Lao Tzu refers to the metaversal information and principles of organization that have informed our universe since the moment before creation; also known as the Universal Unit of Consciousness. Non-being refers to clearing your personal UC of earthly memes and karma. Non-action refers to allowing the original universal UC to direct your personal UC for the greater good. Here is the 53rd verse of the Tao Te Ching, which I have translated directly into Simple Explanation terminology from Jonathan Star's verbatim translation.

Staying centered near the vortex maintains alignment with the metaverse...

Verse 53

If those in charge possessed even the smallest bit of understanding,

they would follow nothing but the great metaversal way and dread straying from its main path.

The great metaversal path is very easy to travel, yet those in charge prefer taking side roads.

The seat of government is excessively well cared for, while the nation's fields are overgrown with weeds and the storehouses are all but empty.

Clothed in gorgeous garments, sporting the finest gadgets, gorging themselves with food and drink--bursting at the seams with more possessions than they could possibly use--this is recognized for what it is: the boasting of thieves.

This is the opposite of the metaversal path! Really!

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The Simple Explanation of verse 53 is that those in charge would make better decisions if they leaned not on their own self-serving understanding, but followed the principles of metaversal organization. This is expressed metaphorically as "staying centered" on the path. Using the torus as a visual model of staying centered looks like this:

The Simple Explanation's torus model showing the (white) line of metaversal information running through the zero-point center of here and now. This pole transmits the perfect choice for any given moment.

Not centering decisions within the metaversal plan leads to egoic decision-making, which is referred to as taking side paths. Self-centered decisions made by government officials, by definition, puts their interests above those in their care. This is because when we stray from the central path of wisdom, our choices are dictated by personal karma and memes rather than the greater good.

If the job of every unit of consciousness (UC) is to reach out to others with love, help, and information, that goes doubly for those sitting atop the hierarchical pile. The very reason for government is the care and feeding of those governed. For those in charge to ignore their "Heavenly Mandate" in favor of feathering their own nests is an abuse of power. Such abuse may prosper for a time but it cannot be maintained, as it goes against the metaversal plan.

Verse 53 says that the extravagent excesses indulged in by those in power comes at the expense of the greater populace. Lao Tzu likened such extravagence at the expense of others to "the boasting of thieves." He ends the verse with two exclamations to drive home the point! Really!

Readers of the Simple Explantion may realize by now that verse 53 not only refers to human society, but applies equally well to all other units of consciousness, be they sub-atomic particles, cells, or what-have-you. One of my favorite blog articles describing the hierarchical nature of the universe is "My Self, the Governor of Whoville." Once you see yourself as one who governs others, you will be closer to understanding how verse 53 applies to your life and your decision-making.

 

Communing With the Soul of God

This morning we were reading from The Second Coming of Christ/The Resurrection of the Christ Within You. This book was assembled and edited by the Self Realization Fellowship from numerous writings published by Paramahansa Yogananda during his lifetime (1893-1952).

Paramahansa Yogananda

Yogananda taught his followers a modified Kriya yoga technique of "scientific meditation" as the way to open up intuitive vision and access direct knowledge of "God" or, alternately, "Reality." The following quote from his chapter on Jesus and Nicodemus (John 3:1-8) leads into a discussion of what it means to be "born again":

 "All bona fide revealed religions of the world are based on intuitive knowledge. Each has an exoteric or outer particularity, and an esoteric or inner core. The exoteric aspect is the public image, and includes moral precepts and a body of doctrines, dogmas, dissertations, rules, and customs to guide the general populace of its followers. The esoteric aspect includes methods that focus on actual communion of the soul with God. The exoteric aspect is for the many; the esoteric is for the ardent few. It is the esoteric aspect of religion that leads to intuition, the firsthand knowledge of Reality." (Yogananda, p.240, vol. 1)

According to the Simple Explanation, the exoteric, public image of a religious institution is defined by the memes held by or rejected by that institution. The "moral precepts" and "doctrines, dogmas, dissertations, rules, and customs" are the particular memes and meme chords that define membership in that institution. Many religious meme chords are shared by members of diverse religions. Religions generally share, for example, belief in the overarching "God" meme chord, and generally agree on most of the lesser-included memes that make up the God chord, such as memes concerning God's omniscience and omnipotence, and the importance of communing with God in prayer. Then come the memes religions do not share in common--memes of saints and saviors, histories, and other customary beliefs. The memes they do not share set them apart from each other. 

A Simple Explanation of the esoteric aspect referred to by Paramahansa that focuses on "communion of the soul with God" is that such communion is not of the religious meme-sharing variety, but involves its opposite--meme shedding. When one's grip on habitual thought patterns relaxes, their governing UC intuitively aligns itself with the metaversal principles embodied by the Universal UC. During these brief or extended periods of alignment, "firsthand knowledge of Reality" is glimpsed.

"Glimpsing God" through a toroidal skylight at Sagrada Familia Cathedral.

Exoteric knowledge is often defined as knowledge available to anyone, whereas esoteric knowledge is reserved for the innermost circle of devotees. This definition makes it seem as though true knowledge is being withheld by those in power. Yet, if one adopts the Simple Explanation's definition of meme-based vs. intuitive knowledge, then esoteric knowledge of God is truly available to any and every believer. The only limitation is the believer's own willingness to suspend attachment to their personal meme bundle long enough to allow their UC to align with the Universal UC.

When the memes are set aside, i.e. thought is suspended; language suspended; the person's governing UC remains. This fractal unit of consciousness underlies the memes. Unencumbered by meme attachments, the person's governing UC aligns with the Universal UC. This condition is called "bliss" in Buddhist and Yogic teachings. "Be still and know that I am God" is how the Bible says it (Psalm 46:10). Verse 16 of the Tao Te Ching says, "Be still. Stillness reveals the secrets of eternity," (J. Star translation).

To "be still" is to suspend attachment. Knowing comes during the still point between the pendulum swings of breath and thought. To "be still" is how we hear God. Be still.

A Simple Explanation of "Stay Centered"

We are often advised to "stay centered" in order to better deal with life's challenges. This is timeless advice. Most ancient philosophies, in the West and the East, incorporate some version of "staying centered."

Both the Bible and the Tao Te Ching promote the memes "stay centered," and "walk the straight and narrow path." For example, during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said,

Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13)

And Lao Tzu similarly recommended,

The great Way is easy, yet people prefer the side paths. Be aware when things are out of balance. Stay centered within the Tao. (from verse 53, Tao Te Ching, Stephen Mitchell translation)

In the examples above, "staying centered" refers to keeping to a narrow field of possible action, as opposed to broader or more diverse paths.

Another way to "stay centered" is expressed by the Golden Mean, which Aristotle described as keeping to the beneficial middle and avoiding extremes. In Chinese philosophy this is called the Doctrine of the Mean. In Buddhism the same meme is called The Middle Way. Each tradition uses slightly different words and metaphors, but they all articulate the same meme.

Here is the Simple Explanation of "Stay Centered":



Staying Centered Near the Vortex Maintains Alignment with the Metaverse

Staying centered means keeping your conscious focus on the here and now, remaining poised in the present between past and future. Staying centered means allowing your Unit of Consciousness to align with the Universal UC, rather than with your ego. Staying centered acknowledges that the answers lie in the immediate present, not out there in some other place or time.   

According to the Simple Explanation, information from the metaverse flows into our universe through the dynamic patterns of the Universal UC. In our model, the patterns of our space-time continuum emerge fractally from the zero-point field at the center of the Universal UC. These patterns are both ideal and material. Idealistic patterns include, for example, the laws of physics, mathematics, and karma. Material patterns are expressed in the 3-D universe with which we are all familiar.

Spiritually, the best solutions arise from God, also known as the Universal UC, or the metaversal fractal. Answers to problems are not found in the broad pathways of the world; attempting to find answers "out there" will not align you with the metaversal plan. Keeping to the center aligns one with God's will.

When I image nestling backward into the Universal UC, I imagine falling smaller toward the ananda/joy direction, while still feeling the outer skin of the Universal UC holding from the outside and flowing through the middle. Perfection and possibility emerge from the middle as the universe instantiates around me. This would be the truest expression of the meme "stay centered".

Quantum Entanglement and Karma

Matter behaves differently at the very small level than it does at our ordinary, visible level. At the smallest levels of material instantiation, two objects can be "entangled," meaning that what happens to one object affects what happens to its partner. For quantum particles to be entangled, they must both have been part of the same larger system/object at one time. When the larger object to which they both belonged no longer holds its integrity, its parts are no longer physically yoked. These now freed quantum particles may relocate to entirely different places in the universe, but they never forget their original family, so what happens to their previous family members continues to affect them. That's a simple explanation of quantum entanglement.

 

To read more on the subject, you may start with following article about Quantum entanglement on wikipedia:

 

Quantum superposition refers to the universe's unending balancing act that preserves perfect poise amongst entangled quanta. So let's say you have a pair of entangled photons and that these two photons know how to spin right and left. What happens with superposition is this: if you cause entangled photon A to spin to the right, photon B will, of its own accord, and without you touching it, spin to the left. 

This quality of superposition makes "action at a distance" possible because you don't have to do anything at all to photon B to make it do something. You only have to affect photon A.

Furthermore, it turns out that if A is entangled with B, and B becomes subsequently entangled with C, then A and C are now also entangled. This is known as entanglement swapping. You can read more about it at the wikipedia article on Quantum teleportation.

The new field of quantum computing takes advantage of these properties of entanglement to transfer and store information. In quantum computing, entangled particles are created by blasting apart their family unit and trapping the subsequent quanta in a computer matrix, called a "register." The quanta trapped in the register then respond to stimulation and perform calculations (i.e. make choices).

The principle behind teleportation works off these same principles: it is possible, theoretically, to prompt changes amongst entangled objects, so that it appears as though information or an object has "travelled" from one place to another. But nothing travelled anywhere. It is the relationship amongst the entangled objects that causes manipulations at A to result in predictable changes in B and C.  

Quantum Superposition refers to the fact that entangled objects will not reveal their superposition outcomes until one of them makes a choice when prodded to do so ("observed"). Up until that choice point, either one of the entangled pair may be the one to, for example, spin right, which would force the other to spin left to maintain universal balance. If, on the other hand, the object was made to spin left, then its entangled partner would be the one to spin right. Quantum Superposition is the attribute of open-endedness prior to the prompted choice.

 

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Here we can see a dynamic mechanism for karma. The Simple Explanation suggests that physical manifestation is simply a fractal order of magnitude step-up from dynamic patterns which are themselves fractal step-ups from the universal Unit of Consciousness. Sub-atomic quanta share these energetic patterns of the very small.

The Simple Explanation's definition of karma is this:

"Karma is the mechanism through which the consequences of behavior inform future potential. Karma is a force of influence that arises out of the decision-making history of every unit of consciousness in the universe. Each UC generates its own karma. We are all affected by one another’s karma. The more a unit of consciousness has in common with another UC, the more it is affected by the other’s karma. Our aggregate karma affects all of creation."

To this definition we can now add quantum entanglement:  Your actions affect not only you, they affect me to the extent we are "entangled." And, because of entanglement swapping, not only am I affected by you, but so is everyone else who is entangled with me, and everyone else entangled with them. And so on, and so on, and so on.

And we are affected not only by actions, but also by each other's memes, which cycle into and throughout our shared transpersonal consciousness.

This principle is probably the reason why all separation is so difficult, especially divorce--"what God has joined together let no man put asunder." The reason is that we cannot separate what was once joined; when we do, entanglement continues, whether we are aware of it or not. Perhaps this is why divorce is so very sad when it occurs; what was once two became one; and once that happens, the bonds are never truly dissolved.

How about this? As we are all fractal replications of the Universal UC, we are in an entangled relationship with the Origin. This is why all UCs not only affect one another, but feel the pull of Consciousness. The continual cycling of information from the metaverse affects us all, all of the time. This is "information" in its truest sense--laying webs of consciousness throughout creation through principles of karmic entanglement.
 

A Simple Explanation of the Tao Te Ching -- Verse 31

The Tao Te Ching, or Book of the Way, is an ancient Chinese collection of 81 wisdom verses. In the "Simple Explanation” model, the Tao spoken of by Lao Tzu refers to the metaversal information and principles of organization that have informed our universe since the moment before creation; also known as the Universal Unit of Consciousness. Non-being refers to clearing your personal UC of earthly memes and karma. Non-action refers to allowing the original universal UC to direct your personal UC for the greater good. Here is the 31st verse of the Tao Te Ching, which I have translated directly into Simple Explanation terminology from Jonathan Star's verbatim translation.

Verse 31

Even the finest instruments of war cannot bring good fortune;

All units of consciousness  seem to detest them.

Therefore, one who is aligned with the Universal UC avoids them.

Consciousness prefers the passive, the weak--the "feminine."

War gives preference to the active, the strong, the "masculine."

Instruments of war are the least fortunate of all tools, in opposition to the instruments preferred by the indwelling Lord--the Universal UC.

They should only be used when unavoidably compelled.

Detached restraint is the best policy.

Even in victory there should be no boasting, but rather find beauty in the Universal UC.

Truly, those who find joy in killing others cannot expect to instantiate Heaven on earth!

Joyful events celebrate the feminine;

Sorrow and calamity prefer the masculine.

The second-in-command occupies the masculine position on the left,

The commander-in-chief takes  the place on the right, or feminine side--

An arrangement on par with a funeral rite.

Accordingly, killing others causes all UCs to weep with sorrow.

Victory in battle is, therefore, an opportunity for mourning, and should be treated as one.

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This verse is most obviously about how we should react to war and the slaughter of war. Simply put, killing an "enemy" is only a last resort, one absolutely compelled by circumstances. Even then, victory is never sweet, never an occasion for boasting or celebration. For, according to Verse 31, good cannot come from it. "Heaven on Earth" will not result from war--it's axiomatic.

Secondly, this verse talks a lot about left and right, feminine and masculine. These are references to Yin and Yang, not "women" and "men" per se.  Here's what it says about this polarity: consciousness requires a yin state of mind, whether it be your own personal unit of consciousness or the Universal Unit of Consciousness with which your personal UC longs to be united. To be or become conscious, one must cultivate and dwell in the passive, feminine, yin state; which is to say, "receptive." 

The rising yang is the white area on the left.
The sinking yin is the black area on the right.

War, conflict, and killing are evidence of passionate yang states--the masculine, "active" mode. Verse 31 is advancing the axiom that the mode of being required by war is antithetical to that required by consciousness. Lao Tzu equates beauty and joy with consciousness and being in alignment with the Universal UC. This is why he equates killing with sorrow--because to wield the sword, the gun, or the explosive vest is never the metaversal plan, or "will of God," and will never bring the desired joyful outcome.

Lastly, here's how I interpret the part about the second-in-command occupying the yang position and the commander occupying the yin position: when seeking enlightenment, or alignment with the Universal UC or God's will, your personal UC needs to hold the commander's position in your soul. If your UC is in control, rather than your "little me" mind or your emotional yang passions, you will be in the passive, yin state and able to channel the Universal UC. In that state, it is just fine for the passions and mind to be second-in-command; this is how it should be. When those roles are reversed, as they are for most people whose theatre of action is in the material world, their yang state precludes the receptivity required for enlightenment. Therefore, when, with full consciousness of the tragic consequences, the UC must preside over war, this is an occasion for mourning, as if presiding over a funeral.

A Simple Explanation of the Tao Te Ching -- Verse 18

Prior to reading this post, please acquaint yourself with "Start Here: A Simple Explanation--Basic Principles" in the column on the right side of the screen. The Tao Te Ching, or Book of the Way, is an ancient Chinese collection of 81 wisdom verses. In the "Simple Explanation” model, the Tao spoken of by Lao Tzu refers to the metaversal information and principles of organization that have informed our universe since the moment before creation. Non-being refers to clearing your personal UC of earthly memes and karma. Non-action refers to allowing the original universal UC to direct your personal UC for the greater good. Here is the 18th verse of the Tao Te Ching, which I have translated directly into Simple Explanation terminology from an original verbatim translation by Jonathan Star.

Tao Te Ching, Verse 18

When metaversal principles are disregarded--

Doctrines of good deeds and self-righteousness emerge, along with clever, scheming minds and accumulations of memes.

This gives rise to a great deal of lying and hypocrisy. 

Consequently, relationships between UCs are no longer harmonious.

Preaching about "Duty and Devotion," "Family Values," and "Us Against Them" gives rise to discord and chaos.

Because of the breakdown of authentic cooperation with others, loyal servants appear.

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This verse of the Tao Te Ching shows how sadly misguided is the human condition. It all begins by not acknowledging, listening to, and enacting the metaversal plan. Once off the beam of truth, look what follows... lying, hypocrisy, discord, and chaos. And the need for a class of do-gooders hired to do what cannot otherwise be accomplished due to lack of cooperation.

It's interesting to note that the first efforts the individualized UCs enact on their own is filled with all good intentions. This is "me" doing my ideas of good deeds with all best intentions. But acting out of one's ego-centered point of view is what gives rise to self-righteousness, according to Verse 18. (I am being good! What is the matter with you!?)

Clever minds, self-promoting schemes, and the accumulation of "knowledge," i.e. your personal meme bundle, follow quickly on the heels of the good intentions.

Once the personalized UC becomes self-righteous and full of its own memes, lying and hypocrisy are the inevitable result. Why? Because we are all flawed, imperfect beings when operating out of ego rather than the leading of the universal UC. And who wants others to know how flawed and imperfect we are? Especially if we are holding ourselves out to be more righteous than they are. Verse 18 says it is, ironically, self-righteousness that drives lying and hypocrisy.

At this point in Verse 18, there is a breakdown of familial and tribal relations within one's own family and tribe. Rules of conduct are imposed rather than authentic. Preaching about tribal "isms" replaces real relations of harmony and cooperation. If there is a breakdown of the parent-child relationship, or between siblings, or husbands and wives, then there's a lot of talk about how important family values are and the importance of duty and shows of devotion. But these are now hollow, rule-bound memes rather than vibrant, living relations. Borders are erected around groups of UCs, labeling "Us" against "Them," because once your primary relationships are no longer distinguished by love, differences between "us" and "them" need to be noted and emphasized, elsewise how are "we" any different than "them"? 

Once true harmony and cooperation have ceased, loyal servants are needed to do the work. These servants can be government workers, social workers, household servants... any job that needs to be done that would not otherwise be done due to people following their own private ambitions rather than instantiating the metaversal plan. And note how Lao Tzu specified "loyal" servants... on the servant's part, disciplined loyalty and following someone else's orders has replaced spontaneous action in the here and now and the freedom to do what needs to be done.

All of these outcomes arise from not being in the here and now and instantiating the metaversal plan.