Verse Eighteen

When the greatness of Tao is present, action arises from one's own heart. When the greatness of Tao is absent, action comes from the rules of "kindness" and "justice." If you need rules to be kind and just, if you act virtuous, there is a sure sign that virtue is absent. Thus we see the great hypocrisy.

- Rules are meant for those who are too impatient to find the Tao
- Blindly following the rules keeps one in line but off the path
- Kindness and justice come naturally and need not be enforced
- Kindness and justice are not an act
- Do no act virtuous, be virtuous through the Tao

Application: A lot of self-reflection and meditation upon morality and ethics have revealed the inner laws. Laws are made to control people who can't control themselves. When there is no critical thinking involved, then rules are necessary. All just laws make sense. Unfortunately we live in a world where people don't think critically or even for themselves. We can either let them be, causing harm to themselves and others, or we can control them through the law. I believe we could reduce problems caused through stupidity by educating people about spirituality and interpersonal relationships. A lot of education is spent on dealing with things rather than people, so we grow up treating people like things. I would like this to change.

Only when the family loses its harmony do we hear of "dutiful sons." Only when the state is in chaos do we hear of "loyal ministers."

- This is the difference between Confucius and Lao Tzu
- Rules cannot bring peace, only you can
- One can only control oneself
- Leave the order of the universe to the Tao
- When one tries to control more, he runs into conflict with the Tao

Application: This shows the problem with the first part of verse 18. I said I would like to change the focus of education from dealing with things to emphasizing relationships and spirituality. This is control--the more one tries to control the education system, the more one runs into conflict with the goal itself. If I managed to change the education system, it could not be strict and rigid. But many educators will not buy into a system without clear-cut boundaries and limits. I hope this demonstrates how spirituality can only successfully change one person instead of a family or a community. Nobody likes the guy/gal in charge telling them what to do and how to think.