Indian stream·Tao Te Ching·Chapter 26 — Gravity and Lightness
Heavy is the root of light
Heavy is the root of light; stillness is master of haste. The sage on a long journey never separates from his baggage-cart of gravity. To act lightly is to lose the root.
Source context
- Theme
- gravity of stillness as ground for movement; heaviness as root of lightness, stillness as master of restlessness
- Soul-faculty
- Consciousness Soul
Steiner
not engaged in the GA corpus
Cross-tradition
- Vedanta / SamkhyaThe Samkhya distinction between tamas (inertia/heaviness) as substrate and rajas (activity/lightness) as derived quality shows cross-tradition congruence with Chapter 26's axiom that the heavy is root of the light.
- Aristotle — prime moverAristotle's unmoved mover, which generates all motion while itself remaining in absolute stillness, exhibits cross-tradition congruence with the Daoist sage-ruler who governs from non-agitated repose.
- Hesychast contemplative traditionThe Eastern Christian hesychast practice of inner stillness (hesychia) as the precondition for genuine spiritual action shows cross-tradition congruence with Chapter 26's principle that the lord of ten thousand chariots does not act from restlessness.
Chapter 26
Gravity is the root of lightness; stillness, the ruler of movement.
Therefore a wise prince, marching the whole day, does not go far from his baggage waggons. Although he may have brilliant prospects to look at, he quietly remains (in his proper place), indifferent to them. How should the lord of a myriad chariots carry himself lightly before the kingdom? If he do act lightly, he has lost his root (of gravity); if he proceed to active movement, he will lose his throne.