Heaven and earth are ruthless;
They see the ten thousand things as dummies.
The wise are ruthless;
They see the people as dummies.
The space between heaven and earth is like a bellows.
The shape changes but not the form;
The more it moves, the more it yields.
More words count less.
Hold fast to the center.


My John C.H. Wu translation uses "not sentimental" in place of "ruthless" and "straw" dogs in place of "dummies". "All things are treated as straw dogs."

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THE VALUE OF NOTHING

Neither Heaven nor Earth has any predilectations; they regard all persons and things as sacrificial images.

The wise man knows no distinctions; he beholds all men as things made for holy uses.

The celestial space is like unto bellows - though containing nothing that is solid, it does not at any time collapse; and the more it is set in motion, the more does it produce.

The inflated man, however, is soon exhausted.

Than self-restraint there is nothing better.


To me, this symbolizes how everything is of the Tao, yet the Tao is not those things, it cares not for evil or good, they both have their equal chances on Earth. But man, through the practice of virtue, has the oppotunity to be the vessel for the Tao on Earth, to allow it to mold his shape rather than trying to mold the Tao to human wishes.

Travis

The legend of Lao Tzu says he was a well educated man. However, this passage shows his complete dismission of "knowledge" as we know it.

Heaven and Earth is not sentimental;
It treats all things as straw dogs.

In chinese culture, straw dogs were used in many ceremonies and rituals. But afterwards were completely discarded, burnt, thrown away. This shows us that first and foremost. What you have, will not last forever. So why be sentimental. Heaven and Earth is not, why should you? And thus he says...

The Sage is not sentimental;
He treats all his people as straw dogs.

This does not mean that he doesn't care about his people. Just that he doesn't care for some more than others. He doesn't play favorites.

Lao Tzu then continues to discuss how to treat all as straw dogs.

"Between heaven and earth, there seems to be a bellows.
It is empty, and yet inexhaustible;
The more it works, the more comes out of it.
No amount of words can fathom it:
Better look for it within you."

So he shows us that between heaven and earth there is a place where "air", or in chinese culture "chi" comes from. It's emptiness is the source of it's endless use. And since no words can fathom it, we must look within to understand it.

The Tao is now seen as a personal experience. We stop looking at nature to understand, and now look inwards. This allows us to treat all people as straw dogs. In future chapters, he will bring us back outside of ourselves. And we will start seeing the outside from an inward perspective. Which is key for a Taoist.

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