Tao Te Ching, Verse 2, Part III

“Beauty doesn’t exist; Ugliness doesn’t exist: except through the other. Good doesn’t exist; bad does’t exist: except through the other. Long doesn’t exist; short doesn’t exist: except through the other. High doesn’t exist; low doesn’t exist: except through the other. Before doesn’t exist; after doesn’t exist: except through the other. Inside doesn’t exist; outside doesn’t exist: except through the other. Profit doesn’t exist; loss doesn’t exist: except through the other. Therefore the master acts without setting a goal, and teaches that there is no teaching. Freedom from duality resides with him. Everything is his, but he has nothing. Every act is his, but he expects nothing. This is his accomplishment, which can never be destroyed.” (Tao Te Ching, Verse 2, Bullen Translation)

Verse 2 deals with continuums. I believe that much of what we try to box up into categories (good and bad, left and right, faith and reason) are actually continuums. The first two stanzas of verse two are about continuums and I suspect that we’d all pretty much agree with them. There are people who think of good and evil as absolutes w/o nuance, but I doubt any of them are reading this. The interesting part for me is the third stanza. It begins with the word “therefore,” in other words: since everything is a continuum, the Master does these things in the third stanza. What does the Master do, since everything is a continuum?
ITEM I: The Master acts without doing anything
ITEM II: The Master teaches without saying anything.
ITEM III: Things arise and she lets them come; things disappear and she lets them go.
ITEM IV: She has but doesn't possess, acts but doesn't expect.
ITEM V: When her work is done, she forgets it. That is why it lasts forever.
I’m out of time – I’ll have to deal with the items tomorrow