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Commentary on Chapter 81 by C.L. Babcook, PAGES
Commentary on Chapter 81: Spiritual Directors, Sages, and Other Powerful Charismatic Types
By C.L. Babcook
The final chapter of the Dao De JIng, Chapter 81, is one of the most important chapters for those who seek spiritual truths and direction. Chapter 81 reads:
True words are not beautiful, beautiful words are not true. Competence does not persuade, persuasion is not competence. The sage is not learned, the learned man is not wise. The Man of Calling does not heap up possessions. The more he does for others, the more he possesses. The more he gives to others, the more he has, The Dao of Heaven is “furthering without causing harm”. The Dao of the Man of Calling is to be effective without quarreling.
From this chapter we see that, according to Lao Zi, the authentic sage or spiritual director has six qualities. These are:
• The sage does not flatter people. • The sage does not use his power to persuade anyone about anything. • The sage does not show off his knowledge or act well learned. • The sage is not into acquiring lots of possessions. • The sage is of service to others. • The sage does not argue or quarrel with others.
The above characteristics are important to keep in mind when one seeks or comes upon a possible spiritual teacher or director. Too often we can be charmed by a charismatic, powerful person who wears the guise of one who can help us grow spiritually. But all too often charismatic and powerful people are not spiritual in their focus; they simply are powerful and charismatic. Some examples of this unique class of people are David Coresh, Charles Manson and perhaps Hitler.
Charismatic people are often simply born that way and their charm is often known by them at an early age. Quickly some of the charismatic types learn to manipulate the world as they see fit by means of their
charm. Their energy is enticing, quite pleasurable to be around, and if, in later life, they read and act in a “spiritual fashion” they can deeply impress the unsuspecting spiritual seeker. Sweet energy may be a trap not unlike the trap of taking drugs to feel better. Often people fall under the spell of charismatic types and may be manipulated at various levels. Some unsuspecting people have been known to give much of their money and belongings to charismatics.
Charismatic people become more dangerous if they have acquired or were born with psychic gifts. Because there are relatively few charismatics in our culture, when we do meet such people it can be like a magnet drawing us to them. Some people can exert an almost hypnotic spell on others who are unprepared for their powerful charm. Thus prospective spiritual directors, tai ji masters, shamans, qigong masters, sage, etc. should be observed to see if there are any hidden agendas lurking in their minds. It is important to know about the integrity of one’s potential spiritual director.
Lao Zi was very much aware of the unbalanced but charismatic psychic types and urged his readers to check out their potential mentors. Chapter 81 of the Dao De JIng is his reflection about these so-called sages who seek students. If one comes across a “sage” who actively attempts to persuade one to be his student, best to move on. Authentic sages do not “need” students. With this in mind, let us look at what Lao Zi has to say about the authentic sage or spiritual director.
In the first line of Chapter 81 we read:
This line initially sounds harsh and only partly true; after all some beautiful words are true. We better understand what Lao Zi is saying when we remember that Lao Zi lived during a time when many people under the emperor or under a person of position would flatter, embellish and exaggerate to please the person who could raise their level of living and extend favors. We all live to believe that what we do or think is right on target, that we are not mistaken. The more responsibility we have the more likely we want to be correct most of the time. For such people beautiful words are hoped to be true.
But for the honest seeker of truth, “True words are not [always] beautiful” and flattering, or self-serving “beautiful words are not true”. It is difficult to accept words that point to one’s weaknesses, errors, or places that need to be reworked. Many of us want only positive aspects of ourselves to be acknowledged but sadly that information may not be as valuable for our growth as words that point to places we need to work upon.
In the next line we read:
Many of us are awed by seeing a person perform or act competently and we are often persuaded by the image of competence or power at work. False sages realize this and utilize this ability to persuade by means of their competence. What is it they persuade us to do? Almost anything, depending on how drawn in we are by their acts of persuasion.
Thus informs us:
How odd this seems at first reflection. It’s odd because we know real sages understand the nature of reality — they have learned a lot. There is, however, a peculiar aspect to how wisdom and knowledge are generated by the authentic sage. In Chapter 56 of the Dao De Jing it is written:
The authentic sage, in Daoist terms, does not literally “speak” his knowledge; rather he is a person who shares his wisdom by other means of teaching. The true sage points to the way but he does not literally show off his knowledge in a professional fashion, giving lectures and only appealing to his student’s intellect.
The authentic sage is involved and concerned about the multidimensional levels of the student and much that is absorbed by the student is never “spoken of”. Various transmissions of knowledge and wisdom are part of the sage’s teaching and knowledge and are directed to various aspects of the student’s personality. Thus it may appear that “the sage is not learned,” and it may even appear as if the sage is downright foolish, but such folly is generated by an expanded wisdom. Lao Zi next informs us:
Richard Wilhelm calls the sage the “Man of Calling” alluding to the notion that sages are not made, they are people born with a sagely destiny. The importance of the quoted line is that a sage, or as we may call such a person today, a spiritual director, will not be a person who is frequently buying things. A spiritual director, according to the Dao De Jing, “does not heap up possessions”. In Daoism, authentic spirituality is equated with simplicity in living and thus a lack of attachment for the outpourings of a consumer society. This does not mean that the sage’s home has only the barest essentials; rather Lao Zi suggests there is not an over-abundance of possessions. Daoist thought stresses simplicity, balance, and harmony. Heaped-up possessions are excessive and encourages desire upon the onlooer and as such, do not reflect the simplicity of the sage’s way of living.
In the following lines, Lao Zi informs us of the essential nature of the sage. We read:
Doing acts of service is what the sage is about. In Chapter 38 of the Dao De Jing, Lao Zi states “whosoever cherishes love acts but has no design.” Thus the sage is a sage, in part, because of his selflessness and his performing acts of service. Unlike some powerful charismatic types, the sage has no agenda for his students — they can come and go and they please. The authentic sage has “no design” for others.
Chapter 81 ends with the words:
In the years before Lao Zi’s birth China was a country of continual wars among various kingdoms. Much sorrow, bloodshed and destruction was the result of the Warring States period. Lao Zi was deeply impressed by the ravages of war both in terms of kingdoms and individuals. Negative forces block an individual’s potential to develop spiritually, a potential inherent in all people. Thus for Lao Zi, the Heavenly Way is one that “furthers without causing harm” and the authentic sage “is effective without quarreling.”
The highest level sage, according to the Dao De Jing, does not insist upon anything and has no agenda for others. Because of this attitude no negative blockages creep into the sage’s relationships with his students. “Take me or leave me” is the attitude of the sage who has no desire to impose anything on anyone. This attitude sets up a relationship of freedom with the student. Unlike many of our “modern sages” who assume they know what is best for their students, Lao Zi’s sage is not caught in such idea or knowledge of how “it should be”.
In Chapter 1 of the Dao De Jing we read:
From these words we understand that all things are subject to change and as such the sage has “no knowledge, does not try to persuade, does not falter, and does not heap up possessions.” Instead, the sage actively, “gives to others” and is “effective without quarreling”.
With these qualities of the highest level sage in mind one may more accurately assess one’s potential spiritual director. Without these qualities in mind one may be charmed by powerful but inauthentic spiritual directors, sage, etc., and the negative consequences to one’s life may be devastating.
Sources
• All quotes from the Dao De Jing are from the Richard Wilhelm editions.
