Tao Te Ching Analysis

The Tao Te Ching is a book that is very well known in the scholarly community. The text itself appears to have a myriad on self-contradictions, not to mention the debate many scholars have over the various translations available. One of the more interesting contradictions on the Tao Te Ching is over learning. In the book it is often referenced that learning is important when it comes to the way, but then goes on to say in other sections that learning should essentially be exterminated. I propose that the difference between learning and not learning is not contradictory because the Tao Te Ching is not against learning, but closed-mindedness and teachings that may go against a ruler. The Tao Te Ching continually references things that are pure,
On page twenty-five the Tao states, “I alone am meddled…And value being fed by the mother”. Looking at the material on page twenty-four, particularly after line 51, where it is also talking about a blank mind. The phrase “And value being fed by the mother” suggests that the way only comes to a person with a blank mind. This is reinforced by a piece about the sage on page fifty-six saying, “The sage has no mind of his own. He takes as his own the mind of the people.” This is a great example of having an open mind. Only a person who is entirely willing to be passive can attain the collective mind of the
Through the way one would enter a perfectly tranquil peace of mind and begin to have a unique balance to all things. As a part of that process you have to clear your thoughts and have a perfectly open mind to work with. Though, as a part of the process, you still maintain your wisdom, knowledge from all your years, but use it through much more passive means. The way also seems like a perfect state of mind for a ruler, where the people can feel as though they think for themselves, yet the ruler is in control and uses the way to bring disorder into