One may know the world without going out of doors.The last sentence obviously makes this about wu wei. On the surface, it advocates contemplation and not exerting yourself, and what is more exhaustive and yearning than discovery and exploration? They are the epitome of grasping.
One may see the Way of Heaven without looking through
the windows.
The further one goes, the less one knows.
Therefore the sage knows without going about,
Understands without seeing,
And accomplishes without any action.
Lao Tzu cautions that one need not look beyond themselves to be able to follow the Tao. The Tao is in all things, and if we allow ourselves to follow it, we will have great contentment and spontaneity of action. Nothing will be forced, we will act without thinking strenuously or acting with effort. That is the way of Tao.
I can see this when I analyze it, but the surface translation seems to be the one I see most commonly. Stay at home. Do not discover or explore. Be happy with what you have. Knowledge is bad.
Keep in mind, knowledge most often means cunning, and cunning is an avaricious sort of intelligence. Wanting to expand and grow is what all life must do. That isn't against the Tao.
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