Tao Te Ching: Chapter 11 Commentary

This is part of a series examining the Tao Te Ching from an LDS, Christ-centered perspective.

Chapter 11 of the Tao Te Ching is another chapter that extols the virtues of emptiness. Here it is:

Wheel with spokes. Image here. 

Thirty spokes join in one hub
In its emptiness, there is the function of a vehicle
Mix clay to create a container
In its emptiness, there is the function of a container
Cut open doors and windows to create a room
In its emptiness, there is the function of a room 

Therefore, that which exists is used to create benefit
That which is empty is used to create functionality

 In emptiness is function

A major point of this chapter is the idea that emptiness is functionality. A wheel is nice, but it's useful because of the hole in the middle that lets it be attached to things and used. A pot is nice, but it's useful because its emptiness can be filled. A room is a room because it is an enclosed space--the emptiness of it allows it to be useful.

This is another explanation of the concept of yin and yang. The concluding couplet of this chapter explains that the yang aspect creates benefit, and the yin aspect creates functionality.

To examine this from the masculine-feminine perspective, in a scriptural context, the chapter that comes to mind is Section 25 of the Doctrine and Covenants. This special chapter is one given to Emma Smith.

In this section, Emma is counseled to empty herself. Empty herself of jealousy and skepticism of her husband (verse 4), and empty herself of desires for the things of this world (verse 10).

Emma Smith. Image here.

As she empties herself, she is eligible to receive new callings and assignments, as far as preaching and organizing the hymns. She is better able to follow the divine counsel to "delight in her husband" and support him.

Of course, men are also counseled to empty themselves of things like sin and pride and so forth, and the Tao Te Ching is clear in encouraging both men and women to adhere to the feminine aspect in this regard. Empty is important. At the same time, "existence," as this chapter calls it, is needed for benefits as well. But emptiness and existence create each other, support each other, illuminate each other.

Like in this scriptural example, as Emma empties herself, she has more opportunities for "existence," or action. As she becomes a different person (being--a yin aspect), she is able to do more (doing is a yang aspect). When she empties herself of the things that should not be there, she is given more assignments of things to do.

Conclusion

When we empty ourselves of the things that don't belong in us for our highest good, we become a different person who is able and expected to do more.

Therefore, that which exists is used to create benefit

That which is empty is used to create functionality