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If you see a thing is worthless, you are spared chasing it || Acharya Prashant, on Lao Tzu (2019)
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5 years ago
Lao Tzu
Tao Te Ching
Desire
Value
Conflict
Truth
Saint
Worldly Knowledge
Description

Acharya Prashant explains a verse from Chapter 2 of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching. He clarifies that action is traced to the value behind it. People fall into disputes by adhering to ideologies and role models, which is what is meant by "adoring the worthy." People become robbers by valuing material objects, which are limited and thus a source of conflict. The mind gets confused by constantly looking at the various objects of lust and attraction. The central attraction to these things—ideologies, objects, or lust—appears harmless at first but inevitably leads to strife. What seems beneficial in the beginning leads to conflict soon after. The speaker contrasts worldly pursuits with the pursuit of Truth. Worldly objects are limited; for instance, if two men love the same woman, they will clash. However, Truth is infinite; if two men love God, both can have God without conflict. Worldly objects are mutable and lead to disappointment, whereas Truth is immutable. The more one values the world, the more anarchy there will be in society because everything in the world is limited. In contrast, if people run after Truth, there will be no conflict, as everyone can have it in its infinite supply. Addressing the role of a saint, Acharya Prashant explains that a saint helps people become innocent of worldly knowledge by acting as a mirror, showing them what this knowledge does to them. The saint prevents the clever from causing trouble by revealing the consequences of their cleverness. The saint implores people to see if they are truly free and blissful and to fight their real battles, sometimes assisting them or even fighting on their behalf. Regarding the desire for lust, the speaker advises not to let the senses engage with what they must not. Once you let a desire begin, it becomes an unstoppable chain reaction. You know how it begins, yet you let it happen and then complain about the outcome. The saint's role is to expose this futility.