41

When smarter fellers study Dudeism, they practice it diligently.

When the average study Dudeism, they practice it dispassionately.

When the dipshits study Dudeism, they say “Laughable, man! Ha ha!”

This is how we recognize dudeness: The dunces find it dumb.

Starting on the Dude Way, one at first seems like Donny.

Rolling into the semis, one enters a world of pain.

But upon making it to the finals, one abides and takes comfort.

On the Way:

The greatest stonewall seems like a pushover,

The simplest plan appears complex,

The laziest deadbeat appears lively,

The biggest Lebowski appears small,

The greatest achiever seems to be a fucking amateur.

The private residence enjoys no privacy,

The ideal father has no interest in raising the child,

And the most special lady does not want to see him socially.

The Dude cannot be correctly named or pinned down:

But he’s got certain information, man,

And he fits right in there.

He’s the man for his time and place—

You’re calling him at home.

Tao Te Ching: 41

When the best students learn about Tao,

They work hard to put it into practice.

When mediocre students learn about Tao,

They practice it only half-heartedly.

When the worst students learn about Tao,

They laugh out loud.

This is how we know it is truly Tao:

When the dull find it dumb.

Thus it is said that while starting on the path of Tao:

The way of illumination appears dim,

Moving forward seems like a retreat,

The easier path appears more difficult,

The highest virtue sounds hollow,

The purest innocence looks disgraced,

The wisest mind seems ignorant,

The most steadfast character appears deceitful,

The most evident truth seems spurious,

The ideal structure looks badly-shaped,

The perfect tool takes too long to implement,

The finest music is too unsettling to enjoy,

The most beautiful image betrays no evident form.

Tao is utterly obscure and unnamable.

This is how it safeguards its power,

And how it is able to invest itself so effectively in the world.