Thirteen - Love the World as You Love yourself
Chapter Thirteen is another one of those chapters where different translations vary wildly. I have to say, I really like Feng and English’s translation of this chapter. I see two central themes that run through Thirteen. First, the fact that we have a body has a great impact on the way we live our lives and interpret the world as experienced. And second, losing oneself, can lead to the greatest realization of one’s Self. I have a lot to say about the first theme; I think it’s important and has many connections that I would like to bring to the fore. But I’ll save that discussion for one of the other chapters that deal with this idea, and focus instead on the second theme.
Today marks the 5th anniversary of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center (and the Pentagon). Looking back at the amazing and deeply moving acts of bravery and selflessness that the rescue workers who entered those burning buildings made is a fitting example of Lao Tsu’s words:
“Surrender yourself humbly; then you can be trusted to care for all things. Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things.”
Those firemen and women, police officers, and others who put their lives on the line to help those trapped in the buildings are the highest examples of what is best in human beings. We are greeted by these great kindnesses on rare occasions, but we are greeted daily by small kindnesses which we often fail to recognize. Selflessness begins small and has its roots in compassion. Compassion - literally to “suffer with.” In our daily lives we can work to make real these momentary kindnesses at each opportunity that presents itself. We can make loving the world as our own self a guiding principle of practice. In the end, a life of small kindnesses is just as powerful as the great kindnesses of heroes like the ones who gave their lives for their fellow human beings five years ago today.
When I think of small kindnesses, I am often reminded of a character in Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece Spirited Away. The main character (and title character in the Japanese) is a little girl named Chihiro, later called Sen in the story. The movie is one of my favorite films; the kids really like it too. Chihiro perfectly embodies the humbleness and selflessness that Lao Tsu is telling us about in Chapter Thirteen of the Tao Te Ching. Throughout the movie, Chihiro thinks of everyone but herself. She gives everything to others and never thinks of herself. I always talk with the kids about this each time we watch the movie together because I think it is such a great example of a principle that is worth living one’s life by, albeit a difficult one to do so. If you haven’t seen the film, do yourself a favor and rent it.