the short of it:
To know the world, know yourself.
47. Far-seeing.
One needs not to go beyond [their] own door to know the world. One needs not to peep through [their] window to see celestial Tau. The further one goes away (from [themselves] and from home) the less [they know].
Therefore the wise [person] does not travel for knowledge (knows without traveling); names (describes) things without seeing them; and achieves [their] purpose without action.
47. ‘Surveying What is Far-off.’
47.1 Without going outside [their] door, one understands (all that takes place) under the sky; without looking out from [their] window, one sees the Tao of Heaven. The farther that one goes out (from [themselvs]), the less [they know].
47.2 Therefore the sages got their knowledge without traveling; gave their (right) names to things without seeing them; and accomplished their ends without any purpose of doing so.
47. seeing the distant.
Not going out of the door I have knowledge of the world. Not peeping through the window I perceive heaven’s Tao. The more one wanders to a distance the less [they know].
Therefore the wise [person] does not wander about but understands, [they do] not see things but [they define] them, [they do] not labor yet [they complete].
the long of it:
The Universe is unknowable (Chap 1). No matter how much we think we understand, we will never unlock the Great Mystery.
But we can know ourselves. In fact, that’s the only thing we can truly know.
So if you want to know your world, know yourself. They are one and the same.
Anything less will keep you stuck on the treadmill of discontent (Chap 46).
-TB
