Chapter 19: The Simple Path

The Three Abandonments

Laozi continues the radical logic of Chapter 18:

1. 絕聖棄智 — Abandon cleverness, discard wisdom → people benefit a hundredfold
2. 絕仁棄義 — Abandon benevolence, discard righteousness → people return to natural love
3. 絕巧棄利 — Abandon craft, discard profit → no thieves

Why These Abandonments Work

• Cleverness creates deception → abandoning it restores trust
• Benevolence creates expectation → abandoning it restores natural kindness
• Profit creates greed → abandoning it removes theft

The Three Holdings

見素抱樸，少私寡欲，絕學無憂 — “Show simplicity, embrace purity, reduce selfishness, decrease desires.”

Laozi knows these are difficult, so he gives three practical guidelines:

1. Show simplicity — Plain appearance, no pretense
2. Embrace purity — Simple heart, no ulterior motives
3. Reduce desires — Few wants, few troubles

The Paradox of Knowledge

絕學無憂 — “Abandon learning, and you will be without worries.”

This is not anti-intellectualism. It means the learning that fills your mind with concepts and opinions creates the worries those concepts cause. Simple, direct experience creates no such problems.

Modern Application

We fill our lives with cleverness, benevolence projects, and profit-seeking. Chapter 19 suggests: simplify — fewer clever plans, fewer causes, fewer desires.

Key Takeaways

• Abandoning cleverness restores natural wisdom
• Abandoning benevolence restores natural kindness
• Simplicity, purity, and reduced desires are the practice
• Knowledge can create problems, not solve them
• Simplicity is the path to peace

Next: Chapter 20 — The Difference Between →