No Fixed Mindset: How the Sage Goes With the Flow
The Sage Has No Invariable Mind (Dao De Jing, Chapter 49):
- Literal Translation:
- “The sage has no invariable mind (常心).”
- Alternate translations: “The sage has no fixed heart-mind” or “The sage is free from rigid personal opinions.”
- Key Concepts:
- Sage (圣人): An enlightened ruler or wise person who embodies Dao (the Way).
- No Invariable Mind (无常心):
- Rejects rigid, ego-driven judgments.
- Adapts to the natural flow of things (wuwei, 无为).
- Reflects the minds/hearts of the people (以百姓心为心).
- Interpretation:
- The sage avoids fixed ideologies, instead observing and responding to circumstances fluidly.
- By emptying the “self,” the sage mirrors the needs of others, fostering harmony.
- Aligns with Daoist principles of flexibility, humility, and non-interference.
- Contrast:
- Ordinary people cling to personal views; the sage transcends duality (good/bad, right/wrong).
- Practical Implication:
- Leadership/self-cultivation should be receptive, inclusive, and detached from dogma.
Summary:
The phrase teaches that wisdom lies in adaptability and empathetic responsiveness, not in stubborn attachment to one’s own mind.
Here I understand the impermanence of the true saint.