Virtues

               “Who understands the world is learned;

               Who understands the self is enlightened.

            Who conquers the world has strength;

           Who conquers the self has harmony.

     Who is determined has purpose;

 Who is contented has wealth.

                 Who defends his home may long endure;

                          Who surrenders his home may long survive it.”

          The Tao De Ching is a concept that is not always easy to understand. The poem called, “Virtues,” is something to try to understand, even if you don't understand it fully. The first line, “Who understands the world is learned.” What I think this means is that someone who understands the world is someone who has considered the good and bad with the world and finally had that “Ah ha” moment where the light bulb was turned on and so there for once you understand the world and the balance, you have learned.

         The second line, “ Who understands the self is enlightened,” this is, how I understand or viewed this line is that when someone understands the self, or themselves, they are enlightened. It's like a cloth was removed from their eyes and they can see everything in a new light. So once you understand your self, what other mystery is out their for you to understand?

         The third line, “Who conquers the world has strength,” I took into a view point such as one who conquers the world, the struggles, the troubles...that is what makes a person stronger and have more strength. Once you solve a problem or a boulder in your path to your way or to another aspect of your life you have more strength to keep going, so each boulder that is in the way get's smaller and smaller till it's down to a stone.

         The fourth line, “ Who conquers the self has harmony,” actually caused me to think deeply about the concept of Tao De Ching and the balance..the good and bad. Usually people do not want to think or face bad habits or parts of their personality that is not so pretty, because usually people like push of their bad habits or change them or just act like they do not have them. But once you accept them, you face them head on and you clash and you conquer the bad habits or thoughts about yourself. Once you do all that, you have reached harmony. In harmony there is no denial. There is no “Well, I am perfect,” or “I do not like these parts of me,” because in accepting ones self you accept every part of you that you acquire. Once you feel balance, you look at the ying and yang in yourself, and you realize that good cannot be without the evil, once you realize that than you are peaceful within yourself.

         The fifth line, “ Who is determined has purpose,” does make a point about life and goals in general. Let's say you are a college student and you just went to college because you think that is what everyone should do after high school. If you think this than you won't have to hunger, or thirst to finish college with the best of your abilities because you want to be there. So, once you feel determined, you found a drive or force for the purpose.

         Line six, “ Who is contented has wealth.” This line, to me, deals with the Tao De Ching, because the Tao De Ching deals with being content with ones self, not being materialistic, because money is not everything and should not rule whether you are happy or not. You could have all the money in the world and still feel lonely or sad, because in the end, you can't buy affection, real affection, or real friends who like you for who you are inside, not the amount of cash in your pockets or bank accounts. So, to be content with ones self had wealth, because the small things make you happy.

         Line Seven, “ Who defends his home may long endure,” was a big confusing. I guess, if you defend your dreams, hopes, loved ones, or even homes you may long endure the struggles or problems that come from all of that.

        Line eight, “ Who surrenders his home may long survive it,” This confused me even more because of line seven. But, if I would have to take a stab at what I think of it, is that someone who defends his home may long endure and someone who surrenders his home may long survive it. So, I guess someone who defends his home will endure the problems but someone who surrenders his home may survive without any problems. Each go hand in hand.