Meet the One (Tao Te Ching 39)
39.
Since ancient times,
the following have met the One:
The heavens met the One
and skies cleared.
The earth met the One
and found calm.
Spirits met the One and became conscious.
Valleys met the One
and rivers flowed through them.
The living things met the One
and became alive.
Leaders met the One and
modeled justice for everyone.
All of this all happened through
encountering the One.
Without clarity, the heavens
would realize total entropy.
Without calm, the earth
would burst forth with
a million volcanoes.
Without consciousness,
spirits would cease to exist.
Without flowing water,
the valleys would dry up.
Without life, the living things
would go extinct.
Without justice, leaders
end up getting overthrown.
So, nobility relies on what is common.
High towers rest on low foundations.
Leaders often portray themselves
as working class, average folk.
Isn’t this an example of appealing
to common people in order
to form a base of support?
Therefore, the highest compliment for a leader
is to be accepted as one of the fellas.
So don’t try to be flashy like fine jewelry
but instead seek the gravitas
of an unpolished stone.
Reflection
We were (and admittedly remain) worried about using a capital “O” to translate “一” which indicates the number one, though it is suggestive of the Tao itself. We’ve already seen that the one is split into two, as yin and yang, and then adds a third product: chi or the energy of the yin and yang in motion. Then come the ten thousand things, or the myriad living creatures. Here, then the One refers to the ultimate unifying reality of the universe. Depending on one’s understanding of God—for instance as the unifying ground of being or as an impersonal creative force behind the material reality we experience—this One might be identified with the supreme God. But a personal deity is not entailed by this text, nor is there indication that the text is nudging the reader in that direction. Rather, it seems clear that this chapter is pointing to something like what philosopher and anthropologist Bruno Latour describes as a “flat ontology,” the idea that, ultimately, no existing thing is superior to anything else, but rather exists in relation with other entities.
When any being in the natural world returns to the unity behind all things, or perhaps recognizes its interconnectedness with all things, that being discovers its ideal state of being. On the other hand, by trying to be separate, a being or thing ironically loses its defining identity. An easy-to-understand example is that of a ruler. By ignoring the interdependence of the people and the ruler, a ruler thinks he is distinct, loftier, and worthy of unique glory. Nevertheless, by becoming detached from the people, he loses touch with his rule. In practical terms, this typically leads to the overthrow or irrelevance of an arrogant and self-serving leader.
All of this is markedly different from the way many Western religious believers think about a creator God. Lao Tzu here does not speak of a tinkerer God that manipulates and puppeteers the created world. Rather, if we want to think of the One as God, we would see in this chapter the idea that the One is in a sort of “let there be” sort of mode. With a pattern engrained into the very fabric of the material world, this universal unity naturally produces patterns and manifestations without direct intervention. Thus, the One touches nature and it evolves. Crystals grow without a direct heavenly artisan (or even little fairy spirits). DNA molecules come together without battery-powered engineering robots to form a living organism. Through natural geological forces, the skies are clarified, as are muddy pools that get stirred up before settling back down into their stillness. In all this there is a creative pattern but no heavy-handed manipulation. In this way, there is a clearly distinct way of thinking about the role of the heavens, fate or Providence when we compare most Western and Eastern ways of thinking. That said, one can find many analogs in Western writers to what this chapter presents.
A key takeaway for all this is that if even the heavens are able to lead to a harmonious universe by trusting in the cosmic unity, why should we try to be like a micromanaging deity? We shouldn’t of course, because such a way of interacting with the world isn’t even the way the One operates. No, the One lets things run their course, and they run in such a way that they are clear, active, alive, and filled with abundance. Our lives can be like this as long as we surf the unity behind the universe, without wiping out due to our egotism.