Introduction

Verse 38 officially kicks off the second section of the Dao De Jing, focusing more on Integrity (德, dé) than on the Dao (道, dào). Though, as we’ve seen, this “first part, second part” line isn’t quite as concrete as that. 

Discussing Integrity is an excellent example of how “virtue” is an inadequate translation for 德 (dé), as discussed in verses 1, 28, and 33.

This verse sticks in my heart for the straightforward way that it places me in my practice. It’s like a GPS zooming in, ::beep… beep… beep…:: on whether or not I am connected and flowing in the stream of the Dao or off in my artificially separated, ego-centric, ripple-making “la la land.” 

Translation

Superior integrity is not virtuous,
  this is how it has integrity.
Inferior integrity does not lose virtue,
  this is how it lacks integrity.

Integrity is (y)in-action and surrender.
  Virtue is doing and acquiring.

Compassion acts with surrender;
  Righteousness acts with forcefulness.

Propriety acts, and when no one responds,
  drags them along against their will.

Therefore, neglect the dao and virtue follows,
  neglect virtue and compassion follows,
    neglect compassion and righteousness follows,
      neglect righteousness and propriety follows.

Propriety.
  A veneer of sincerity
    leading to instability.

Foreknowledge.
  A flower of the Dao
    leading to foolishness.

Therefore,
  release the other
    and hold to yourself.

Commentary

Superior integrity is not virtuous,
  this is how it has integrity.
Inferior integrity does not lose virtue,
  this is how it lacks integrity. 

This is a puzzle that seems mystical and philosophical until you remember the author's worldview. 

The Dao is an unfolding process, flowing from a bottomless vessel as the energetic force supporting the evolutionary process. Integrity is being harmoniously attuned with the Dao, inside and out. Virtue is a moralistic conception of what people should and shouldn’t do based on beliefs, life experiences, and social norms.  

Ergo, holding to a specific and fixed position of “dos and don’ts” can only be a fallacy born of egotistical, conditioned self-referencing. By extension, integrity with the Dao and “being virtuous” are mutually incompatible despite frequently coinciding.

One of the more practical ramifications of this realization is we recognize a breach of integrity when we suppress what is natural in favor of what we think we should do. It may be entirely appropriate and necessary to “suppress our baser instincts” or “behave according to our ideals.” Such virtues are essential, though inferior, aspects of integrity. They are inferior because we cannot experience inner peace arising through harmony with Dao while we are at war within. 

The purpose of meditative living is to radically accept discord within and actualize its resolution. The starting point is always precisely where we are, and our internal work must begin with establishing integrity, not upholding virtue. 

For example, if I yelled at my kids and later use a virtuous attitude to reflect on the situation, I may think:

• “I shouldn’t have done that.”
• “After all this training, how could I have failed to live up to my ideals so badly?”
• “I didn’t really scream at them that bad. I just raised my voice a little to get over how loud they were being.”
• “They made me so mad I couldn’t help it!”

Each phrase tries to uphold a fixed idea of how things should or shouldn’t go and collapses into either shame or justification. 

By contrast, reflecting on the same situation without a notion of virtue and solely focused on integrity, I might think:

• “Wow, I really lost my cool there. What happened?” 
• “Did I choose to be a disciplinarian to facilitate their growth, or did I become emotionally reactive and lash out in frustration?”
• “Did I really need to yell there? Is there a different way that I could’ve communicated more effectively?

Notice how the starting point becomes curiosity and inquiry, seeking to understand “What is this? Was my behavior appropriate?” As those answers emerge from honest, detached self-inquiry focused on integrity, we find patterns of reactivity and reconcile our conditioned emotional patterns with our external behaviors. (Shameless plug: CoreTraining is a system I’ve developed to do this work in a concrete way. It consists of 12 meditative and mindfulness techniques that synthesize my training in various traditions into a unified paradigm, including a few innovations of my own.)