Tao Te Ching Chapter 49 – 任德 (道德經 第49章)
Paul PengShare
Tao Te Ching — Chapter 49: The Quality of Indulgence
道德經 第四十九章 · 任德 · Lao Tzu · Bilingual Edition with Classical Commentaries
Original Text — 原文
English Translation — James Legge
The sage has no invariable mind of his own; he makes the mind of the people his mind.
To those who are good to me, I am good; and to those who are not good to me, I am also good — and thus all get to be good. To those who are sincere with me, I am sincere; and to those who are not sincere with me, I am also sincere — and thus all get to be sincere.
The sage has in the world an appearance of indecision, and keeps his mind in a state of indifference to all. The people all keep their eyes and ears directed to him, and he deals with them all as his children. This openness of mind connects to the daily diminishing of the Dao — and to the inward knowing that needs no outward seeking.
✦ Key Insight
Chapter 49 describes the sage’s most distinctive quality: having no fixed mind of his own, he takes the people’s mind as his own. He is good to the good and also to the bad — and through this, all become good. He trusts the trustworthy and also the untrustworthy — and through this, all become trustworthy. The sage blends his mind with the world, appearing undecided and indifferent, while the people look to him with all their attention. He treats them all as children — with care, without judgment.
Classical Commentaries — 古典注释
王弼注 Wang Bi's Commentary
Wang Bi says the sage has no fixed mind but makes the people’s mind his own. He is good to the good and also to the bad; he trusts the trustworthy and also the untrustworthy. The sage blends his mind with the world, treating all people like children.
河上公注 Heshang Gong's Commentary
Heshang Gong says the sage values following the natural course. The good are treated with goodness; the bad are transformed through goodness. The faithful are trusted; the unfaithful are transformed through trust. The sage loves the people as parents love infants.
About the Author
Paul Peng
Paul Peng is a Zhengyi Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain, Jiangxi — the ancestral home of the Celestial Masters' tradition. Ordained at 25 after a dream from the Celestial Master, he has practiced for 25 years under Master Zeng Guangliang. He is the curator of this store, which is officially authorized by Tianshi Fu. All items are consecrated at the temple by the resident priest team.
Read his full story →
