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Introduction

This verse asks us to train ourselves to see when the structure of our knowing is out of alignment. Most traditional readings soften the paradox into moral advice (“humility is wise, arrogance is sick”), but that misses the recursive logic at work. The text does not offer a virtue ethic; it names a structural law.

The phrase “knowing not-knowing” is not conceptual. It is a technical term for the depth and precision of perspective required to track our own moments of (y)in-action. In Weaving the Way, this is not about doubt or indecision. It’s about tracking when our presence is truly integrated and when it’s not. That clarity turns the Sage’s flaws into the mud their lotus grows in. 

Translation

Knowing not-knowing
  is noble.
Not knowing not-knowing,
  is a flaw.

So, the Wise are not flawed
  because their flaws are flaws.

Thus, they are not flawed. 

Commentary

Knowing not-knowing
  is noble. 

To know not-knowing is to have the direct, meditative perception of the Dao, as described throughout this text. Then we must embody that direct experience into (y)in-action, i.e, Integrity (德, dé). Hence, the original name for this work is the Dao De Jing – The Classic of the Dao and Integrity.

The critical component of “nobility” is to know that one knows not-knowing.

*See verses 29, 38, 43, 48, 57, 61, 63, 65, and 67 to explore (y)in-action. 

Not knowing not-knowing,
  is a flaw. 

There are two layers of meaning here. 

First, not taking the time to train ourselves in the required way to have such a direct and immediate perception of the Dao weakens us. 

Second, and by extension, we must also develop the capacity to know when we are not functioning as not-knowing. The difference between harmoniously engaging the Way through (y)in-action and unconsciously following our self-centered desires is very subtle. 

For practice-oriented notes on how to live this, see the “In Practice” block at the bottom of this page.

So, the Wise are not flawed
  because their flaws are flaws. 

Thus, they are not flawed. 

In Weaving the Way, a flaw is an unrecognized moment of unconscious or self-centered disharmony. 

When we train ourselves in not-knowing and know when we are acting instead of (y)in-acting, each moment of acting becomes a precious opportunity for reconstruction.

To say it more directly, Weaving the Way is nothing other than training ourselves to see the unfolding harmony of life, including the emergence of our “self,” clearly. With clear eyes, we don’t need to preserve or avoid anything. This clarity lets us own our mistakes, clean up our messes, and do things differently next time. 

Eyes wide open. Pay attention. Do what you’re doing on purpose. Adjust according to the feedback you get. 

IN PRACTICE

To track not-knowing in real life, I use three metrics. 

1. How do I feel in my body? Reactive patterns of behavior map to complexes of unnecessary contraction, tension, and physical dis-ease. Not-knowing is a somatic coherence* that precisely aligns with the current-moment circumstances.

2. What is the quality of my thought stream? When self-protective (i.e., self-centered) patterns are activated, the thought stream follows a particular issue through many different iterations. For example, the thoughts may be replaying the event that triggered me, fantasizing about ways to solve it or ways to have acted differently, reinforcing the wound and belief structures, or many other activities. The thoughts are noisy and divorced from whatever I am doing. Not-knowing is quiet, concentrated, and attentive to the moment’s needs. When the moment requires memory or planning, it feels constructive and not cyclic. 

3. What is the impact my presence is having on others? The less in not-knowing I am, the more likely there will be friction with others, or a sudden decrease or increase in their energy. When we are sensitive to non-verbal cues in others’ body posture, vocal intonation, eye movements, and facial expressions, we can clearly see when we radiate the fundamental peace and joy of not-knowing, or something else. 

*Somatic coherence means your body, emotions, and thoughts are in structural agreement with what’s actually happening. You’re not bracing against the moment, reaching past it, or shrinking from it. It shows up as steadiness, ease, clarity of movement, and the absence of internal contradiction.