Do you understand Lao Tzu's "inaction" correctly?

There is a sentence in Laozi's "Tao Te Ching": "Do nothing and do everything." Many people understand this sentence like this: "If you don't have to do anything, there is nothing you can't do." If This understanding is tantamount to equating Lao Tzu's "inaction" thought with the current "lying flat".

If you hold such an idea, you will definitely make people laugh. Because not only is the understanding wrong, but it is also outrageously wrong. Not only did he make the mistake of interpreting the text literally, but he also misunderstood Lao Tzu's thoughts.

So what does Lao Tzu's "inaction" mean?

First of all, let’s look at the source of this sentence: Chapter 48 of Laozi’s "Tao Te Ching":

"In order to learn, we will grow day by day, and in the pursuit of the Tao, we will lose every day.

Loss It is also detrimental to doing nothing.

To take the world without doing anything, and to take things into consideration is not enough. ”

Translated into vernacular as follows:

Those who seek knowledge, their erotic ornaments increase day by day; those who seek the Tao, their erotic ornaments decrease day by day. Reduce and reduce, and finally reach the state of "inaction". If you can do inaction, that is, do nothing rashly, you can make a difference in anything. Those who govern the country should always take the principle of not disturbing the people as the basis of governing the country. If they often disturb the people with cumbersome policies, they are not worthy of governing the country.

It can be seen that the "inaction" here is not "not doing", but "not acting rashly".

Taking parents as an example, not to act rashly means not to interfere in the lives of their children. Many parents hope that their children will succeed. When their children are young, they put them in various classes and just focus on studying. When their children grow up, they choose schools and jobs for their children, and they even have to intervene in what kind of partner their children choose. It can be said that everything about children is taken care of by their parents. The result of this is that many giant babies are produced in society. It is said that there are many people in their 30s who are still chewing on their old age. At this time, it was too late for the parents to regret. This is the result of parents' "reckless behavior"!

Taking the boss as an example, not to "act recklessly" means not to mix too much personal preferences.

What standards should the boss use to recruit employees? If the boss likes beautiful women and only chooses beautiful vases, and all the employees are very good-looking and look good to the eye, but if their talents are mediocre, the end of the company can be imagined. The selection of talents should be based on both ability and political integrity. If the company wants to develop, it cannot recruit talents based solely on personal preferences.

Taking the country as an example, if those in power do not "act recklessly", they should not give blind orders or give random orders. Those who govern the country should adhere to the principle of not disturbing or harming the people, otherwise they will be "acting rashly". Liu Zongyuan analyzed the dangers of officials disturbing the people in "The Story of Planting Trees and Guo Lituo", "We cannot allow the people to multiply and live, and we cannot let the people's hearts be stable." If the people cannot multiply and live, how can society prosper; if the people are uneasy, then how can the society prosper? Come to happiness and peace! Therefore, politicians should not act recklessly.

Lao Tzu's thoughts are profound, and his "inaction" has made future generations realize that nature has its own laws. No matter where people are, they can only "do something" if they do not "act rashly".

2022-07-08