Chapter 38 – Tao Te Ching

1. The Verse (Original)

The highest virtue is not virtuous,and thus truly has virtue.

The lower virtue never lets go of virtue,and thus is not virtue.

The highest virtue takes no actionand has no need to act.

The lower virtue takes actionand clings to its actions.

The highest benevolence acts,but has no need to act.

The highest righteousness actsand needs to act.

The highest propriety acts,and when people do not respond,it rolls up its sleevesand forces compliance.

Thus:When the Tao is lost, virtue appears.When virtue is lost, benevolence appears.When benevolence is lost, righteousness appears.When righteousness is lost, propriety appears.

Propriety is the faintest shadow of trust and sincerity.It is the beginning of disorder.

Foreknowledge is the flowering of the Tao,but also the beginning of foolishness.

Thus the sage dwells in the substanceand not in the surface.She lives in the fruitand not in the flower.

She lets go of that which is merely glitterand holds fast to what is real.

2. The Essence — What Laozi Is Actually Saying

This chapter explains the falling-away ladder —how humanity drifts further from the Taowhen it tries to imitate goodness instead of living it.

Here’s the heart of it:

True virtue doesn’t try.The moment you try to be virtuous,you’ve already lost the naturalness of it.

The more artificial a value becomes,the more force is needed to maintain it.

Laozi maps a slow decline:

Tao → Natural virtue → Benevolence → Morality → Rules and rituals.

Each step downward becomes more forced,more self-conscious,more performative.

Real goodness is effortless.False goodness is strenuous.

Real virtue is inner.False virtue needs an audience.

The sage chooses substance over appearance,root over decoration,fruit over flower.

3. Modern Clarity — Slow, Rich, Beginner-Friendly Line-by-Line Commentary

“The highest virtue is not virtuous, and thus truly has virtue.”

When someone is deeply aligned with the Tao,they don’t think about virtue.They don’t calculate goodness.They simply act from their nature.

The moment you try to be virtuous,you’re already performing.

“The lower virtue never lets go of virtue, and thus is not virtue.”

If you have to remind yourself to be kind,to be honest,to be humble —you are not those things naturally.

Lower virtue clings to moral identityinstead of living from essence.

“The highest virtue takes no action and has no need to act.”

This doesn’t mean doing nothing.

It meansnothing forced.Nothing strained.Nothing done to impress, to fix, or to prove.

Virtue flows like breathing —without effort, without self-consciousness.

“The lower virtue takes action and clings to its actions.”

Lower virtue is busy.Performative.Attached to outcome.Hungry for recognition.

It keeps score.

“The highest benevolence acts, but has no need to act.”

Benevolence is already a step down from virtue.

It means good intentions,but still a little effortful.

There is kindness,but also awareness of being kind.

“The highest righteousness acts and needs to act.”

Righteousness is further down the ladder.

Here, there’s a sense of obligation —“I should,”“I must,”“They ought to.”

It is moral pressureinstead of natural harmony.

“The highest propriety acts, and when people do not respond, it rolls up its sleeves and forces compliance.”

Propriety is the lowest rung.

It’s the realm of rules, rituals, appearance, and social enforcement.

When people don’t behave,propriety becomes coercion.

Rigid morality always leads to force.

“When the Tao is lost, virtue appears.”

This is the beginning of the decline.

Lose the natural connection to the Tao,and you need “virtue” to hold society together.

“When virtue is lost, benevolence appears.”

Kind intentions replace natural harmony.

“When benevolence is lost, righteousness appears.”

Morality replaces kindness.

“When righteousness is lost, propriety appears.”

Rules replace morality.

Propriety is the husk of virtue —the shell left after the life has gone.

“Propriety is the faintest shadow of trust and sincerity. It is the beginning of disorder.”

When a culture relies on rules instead of trust,it is already in decline.

Rules multiplywhen natural goodness fades.

“Foreknowledge is the flowering of the Tao, but also the beginning of foolishness.”

Trying to out-think the Taocreates cleverness, not wisdom.

The more you plan, predict, strategize —the further you drift from natural clarity.

“Thus the sage dwells in the substance and not in the surface.”

The sage wants the real thing,not the imitation.

Depth,not appearance.

“She lives in the fruit and not in the flower.”

Flowers are beautifulbut temporary.Fruit is nourishingand enduring.

The sage chooses nourishmentover display.

“She lets go of that which is merely glitter and holds fast to what is real.”

She releases pretense, appearance, performance.

She holds to the quiet, grounded, genuine center.

4. IFS-Informed Understanding — The Tao Inside the Psyche

A. Highest virtue → Self-energy

When Self leads,you don’t try to be good —you simply are.

Self doesn’t perform.It radiates.

This is the highest virtue.

B. Lower virtue → Protector performance

Some protectors try to imitate Self:

• “Be good.”• “Be kind.”• “Be spiritual.”• “Be patient.”

But it’s effortful.It’s strained.

This is low virtue —goodness under pressure.

C. Benevolence → Manager energy

Managers want harmony,but they also want control.

They act kindlybut with tension inside.

D. Righteousness → Moralizing protectors

These parts judge,correct,lecture,police.

They believe they’re protecting youby enforcing rules.

E. Propriety → Shame-based protectors

These parts rely on:

• approval• reputation• proper behavior• social conformity

They fear disruptionand often use force internally:

“Just behave.”“Do it right.”“Don’t mess up.”

This is the beginning of inner disorder —when outward image replaces inner truth.

F. The sage dwelling in substance → True unblended Self

Self cares about essence,not appearance.

It doesn’t need to perform goodness.It simply moves from clarity, compassion, and presence.

Self leads with fruit,not flowers.

5. A Soft Invitation — Not Therapy, Just Curiosity

• Where do I act from naturalness, and where do I try to seem good?• Which parts of me cling to virtue, kindness, or morality?• Can I feel the difference between real goodness and performative goodness?• What inner “rules” do I follow out of fear rather than truth?• Where in me is the fruit, not the flower?

6. Closing — The Tao and IFS Share the Same Gate

Both the Tao and IFS whisper the same truth:

Real goodness is effortless.Forced goodness is suffering.

When you’re aligned with the Tao,action flows from ease.When you’re aligned with Self,parts relax and harmony appears.

Morality dissolves into naturalness.Performance dissolves into presence.Rules dissolve into clarity.

Fruit over flower.Root over appearance.Essence over effort.

This is the way back —from proprietyto righteousness,to benevolence,to virtue,and finallyto Tao itself.