Tao Te Ching, 40

Reversion is the action of Tao.

Weakness is the function of Tao.

All things in the world come from being.

And being comes from non-being. (Tao Te Ching, 40)

Today, I would try to interpret the above cannon from the topic "Nature of Opposites".

It can be understood from the text above that the Tao acts or reveals its self to the person when he is not in good condition. Meaning he is not in search of the Tao. "Weakness is the function of the Tao" says that the Tao would best reveal itself during the time when a person is weak. This asserts my first statement. Now, when a person is at his weakness, he then is vulnerable. He can easily be damaged by other external force. The Tao reveals itself through letting the person look back unto his actions. The Tao didn't reveal itself when one is at his strength because the person will not just mind about it because he believes that he is in control of everything. It is in his weakness that he is being humble leading him to reflect on his actions. Lao Tzu plays the role of opposites here as he tries to say that the Tao is mostly known when one is weak and vulnerable. The Tao doesn't cause action through future assumptions but because of the past actions that was changed.

On the second part, "All things in the world come from being. And being comes from non-being.". Here, Lao Tzu is pointing out that being exists because of the non-being. The play of opposites again is present here. The being cannot be a being if not because of the non-being. As what I have understood of the non-being, it is the function of a being. The being, as something perceived by the senses, is caused by the non-being, its essence.

Overall, the cannon is telling that the best way to explain something is using its opposite. The Tao, something positive is understood and made known to a person during his downfall or weakness, which is something negative. The being is caused by the non-being.