To him who holds in his hands the Great Image (of the invisible Dao), the whole world repairs. Men resort to him, and receive no hurt, but (find) rest, peace, and the feeling of ease.
Music and dainties will make the passing guest stop (for a time). But though the Dao as it comes from the mouth, seems insipid and has no flavour, though it seems not worth being looked at or listened to, the use of it is inexhaustible.
Note
Act in accordance with the principles of Dao, and one may traverse the world unimpeded. Wherever they go, they encounter no obstacles but bring peace and tranquility. Yet when spoken, the Dao seems plain and flavorless. It remains invisible to the eye, inaudible to the ear, and to ordinary people, not easily applied in practice. Thus they delight in offering bait or grace to wayfarers, creating opportunities to preach the Dao.
Further Reading
Chapter Forty-One proposes that “the great form is formless,” explicitly stating that the highest manifestation of the Tao is without shape or form. This directly resonates with Chapter Thirty-Five’s “holding to the great form, the world follows.” Chapter Forty-One, through layered discussions such as “when a superior person hears of the Tao, they diligently practice it,” emphasizes the varying levels of understanding of the formless Tao. Chapter Thirty-Five, on the other hand, reveals the appeal of “embodying the Tao” from a practical perspective – how people across the world naturally gravitate toward it. Together, they construct the cognitive and practical framework of the “formless Tao.”
Chapter Twelve, with its critique that “the five colors blind the eyes; the five sounds deafen the ears,” sharply contrasts with Chapter Thirty-Five’s “music and delicacies may detain passersby, but the Tao, when spoken, is bland and tasteless.” Chapter Twelve warns against the dangers of excessive sensory desires from a negative perspective, while Chapter Thirty-Five elaborates on the plain and unadorned nature of the Tao from a positive angle. Together, they point toward the wisdom of transcending sensory stimulation and seeking inner fulfillment.
執大象，天下往。往而不害，安平大。樂與餌，過客止。道之出口，淡乎其無味，視之不足見，聽之不足聞，用之不足既。
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