Gia fu Feng's translation translates poorly into english:
> Verse Forty-eight of the Tao Te Ching
>
> In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired.
> In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.
>
> Less and less is done
> Until non-action is achieved.
> When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.
>
> The world is ruled by letting things take their course.
> It cannot be ruled by interfering.
>
When nothing is done, nothing is left undone, is nonsensical.
Anything not done is left undone. Think about it--its like the
sound of one hand clapping--try it, its not as loud but it still
makes sound when it occurs.
LaoTsu did not recommend laziness or inactivity. That's the problem
with the translation. Haven't you seen a dams built, windmills, petrol
autoexhaust, or concrete banks. Man makes things--he changes natural
degradation (maybe even adds a little speed to degradation). Man is
nonetheless part of nature.
Taoists are peculiar people, I know a few and they are extremely
powerful with what they know--they are hardly non-doers. They are
instead controllers of natural forces unknown to most people. The
good ones are healers and teachers. Luckily, I haven't met evil
Taoists.
Charles Barclay 2404 Maile Way
Dept. of Mgmt & Ind Relations Honolulu, HI 96822
University of Hawaii Fax: 808 956-2774
barclay@busadm1.cba.hawaii.edu Phone: 808 956-8545
Executives who do not ask themselves, "What can I contribute?" are
not only likely to aim too low, they are likely to aim at the wrong
things. Above all, they may define their contribution too narrowly.
---Peter Drucker, The Effective Executive