Indian stream·Tao Te Ching·Chapter 33 — Self-Knowledge
He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened
He who knows others has knowledge; he who knows himself has wisdom. He who overcomes others has strength; he who overcomes himself has true power. He who dies but does not perish has eternal life.
Source context
- Theme
- distinction between self-knowledge and knowledge of others as the higher path to inner strength and eternal life
- Soul-faculty
- Consciousness Soul
Steiner
not engaged in the GA corpus
Cross-tradition
- Vedanta (Atma-jnana)The Upanishadic distinction between knowledge of the external world (apara vidya) and self-knowledge (para vidya) mirrors the chapter's privileging of inner knowing over knowing others, with the knower of Atman attaining what Vedanta terms immortality.
- Stoic philosophy (Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius)The Stoic division between what is 'up to us' (eph' hēmin) and what is not maps onto Chapter 33's structural contrast between self-mastery as genuine strength and mere power over others as lesser attainment.
- Aristotelian ethicsAristotle's account in the Nicomachean Ethics of self-command (enkrateia) as the foundation of virtue shows cross-tradition congruence with the chapter's claim that overcoming oneself is stronger than conquering others.
Chapter 33
He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent. He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty. He who is satisfied with his lot is rich; he who goes on acting with energy has a (firm) will.
He who does not fail in the requirements of his position, continues long; he who dies and yet does not perish, has longevity.