Dao De Jing – Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of the Dao De Jing synthesizes two pillars of spiritual practice: the cultivation of stability and the cultivation of wisdom‌.

Attain the utmost emptiness;
hold fast to profound stillness.

While all things arise together,
I observe their return.

All things flourish abundantly,
yet each returns to its root.

To return to the root is called stillness—
this is returning to one’s destiny.

Returning to destiny is the eternal constant;
to know the eternal constant is enlightenment.

Not knowing the constant, one acts blindly and invites disaster.

Knowing the constant leads to inclusiveness;
inclusiveness leads to impartiality;
impartiality leads to kingship;
kingship leads to Heaven;
Heaven leads to the Dao;
the Dao endures forever—
throughout life, one remains unharmed.

‌The Dual Practice of Calm and Observation‌

To attain a meditative state, one must first practice mental calmness by eliminating distractions and achieving inner emptiness. This involves maintaining a mind free from chaotic thoughts and attachments or obsessions, guided by the principle of “replacing a thousand thoughts with a single focus”‌.

We have noticed that several Buddhist methods of cultivating calmness follow this principle. Thus, we may judiciously incorporate Buddhist methodologies into our cultivation of Dao-realization. Individuals can choose practices aligned with their preferences‌.

The “extreme emptiness” serves as the path to stillness. It requires controlling restless thoughts to sustain this state, preparing the mind for profound observation‌.

‌The Natural Cycle of All Beings‌

All phenomena operate simultaneously, described in Buddhist terms as “interdependent arising”‌ or “dependent origination”. Their cyclical patterns include:

• For humans: birth, aging, illness, and death.
• For objects: formation, persistence, decay, and dissolution‌.

Despite their complexity, all phenomena ultimately return to their original roots. This movement follows an immutable law: returning to the root and fulfilling destiny represents the state of ultimate yin, where yang is poised to emerge—a reflection of the Taoist view of causality‌.

Recognizing this cyclical constancy leads to enlightenment, while ignorance of it results in calamity‌.

Further Reading

The statement in Chapter Sixteen, “To know constancy is enlightenment; not to know constancy is to act recklessly and end in disaster,” echoes Chapter Twelve’s critique of material desires: “The five colors blind the eyes; the five tunes deafen the ears.” Chapter Twelve criticizes how excessive sensory pursuit leads to the loss of one’s true nature, while Chapter Sixteen, through the concept of “knowing constancy” (conforming to natural laws), proposes a goal for self-cultivation that transcends material desires – only by maintaining inner emptiness and stillness can one perceive the essence of all things and avoid disasters caused by reckless desires.

The self-cultivation method of “attaining the ultimate emptiness and maintaining profound stillness” in Chapter Sixteen complements the portrayal of those who have attained the Tao in Chapter Fifteen: “The ancient masters of the Tao were subtle and profound, mysterious and penetrating, too deep to be understood.” Chapter Fifteen describes the external manifestations of those who have attained the Tao (such as caution, simplicity, and openness), while Chapter Sixteen reveals their internal cultivation methods (emptiness, stillness, and observing the return). Together, they construct a complete image of the “Tao” – where external demeanor stems from the cultivation of inner emptiness and stillness.

The cyclical nature of all things in Chapter Sixteen, “All things flourish, but each returns to its root,” complements the cosmic origin described in Chapter Twenty-Five: “There was something formlessly fashioned, born before heaven and earth. Silent and empty, it stands alone and does not change.” Chapter Twenty-Five explicitly identifies the Tao as the cosmic origin, while Chapter Sixteen, through “observing the return,” reveals the Tao’s operating principle within all things. Together, they reinforce the ultimate nature of the “Tao” – as both the origin and the law governing the functioning of all things.

致虛極，守靜篤。萬物並作，吾以觀復。夫物芸芸，各復歸其根。歸根曰靜，是謂復命。復命曰常，知常曰明。不知常，妄作凶。知常容，容乃公，公乃王，王乃天，天乃道，道乃久，沒身不殆。