I have long been puzzled by pasage 48 of the Dao De Jing. Since my occupation is within the world of education, I have
found it provocative. In GiaFu Feng and Jane English translation it goes:
In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired.
In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.
Less and les is done
until non-action is achieved.
When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.
The world is ruled by letting things take their course.
It cannot be ruled by interfering.
There seems to be a contradiction between learning and getting closer to the Dao. Does it mean that education is
counterproductive to the objective of creating a more harmonious world? Or is LaoZi talking ''bullshit''? Suddenly I
woke up this morning with a renewed understanding. I think he is talking about defusion! r
Now I think I will make a nice print of it and hang on the wall at my office. Now I just have to make up my mind about
wich translation to chose. Any suggestions? The translations I have at home is the mentioned, Richard Wilhelm / H. G.
Ostwald, R. L. Wing and finally U. K. Le Guin.