[♥] [♥] [♥] .♥ಌڿڰۣ N░A░M░A░S░ T░E’♥ ॐ♥[♥] [♥] [♥]
The Tao te Ching
The Tao te Ching, or The Book of the Way is a classic manual for on the art of living, revered as one of the wonders of the world. The Tao are the basic principles of the Universe and can be applied in any area of life, from government, love and business to family life and ecology. Lao-tsu the originator of this manual may have been a contemporary of Confucius in 551-479 B.C. As the legend goes, Lao-tsu was asked to write down the principles of life upon leaving the city he lived in.
The Tao is the art of doing not doing!
The Tao may seem paradoxical only on the surface, that the more truly solitary we are the more compassionate we can be, the more we let go of what we love, the more we present our love becomes, the clearer our insight into what is between good and evil, the more we can embody the good. The Tao says, "I am the truth and the life." The teaching of the Tao is moral in the deepest sense. The Master sees evil as an opaqueness, state of self absorption which is disharmony of the universal process. Embodying the light, light shines through by compassion for the wicked and helpless. Does not reject anyone and is available to all people.
The Chinese do not have words for male and female, therefore he/she will be used interchangeably in this text. One note before embarking on The Book of the Way; the truth is right before our eyes, the farther you enter into it the deeper you will go.
The pages are broken up into sets of five verses each. I suggest that you take a few verses and contemplate them for a while before moving to the next ones. Taking each sentence within so the feelings and ideas will surface and reveal themselves to you. Each time you read or listen to the Tao you may find that your perceptions change thus, when you re-read the verses you never comprehend them in the same way, but in a new and more subtle light. There is a an unspeakable spiritual quality to the Tao Te Ching.
May inner Peace keep and guide you.
It is said that every morning Lao Tzu used to go for a walk in the hills. One friend asked him, "Can I come with you one day? I would particularly like to come tomorrow, because I have a guest who is very much interested in you, and he will be immensely glad to have the opportunity to be with you for two hours in the mountains."
Lao Tzu said, "I have no objection, just one simple thing has to be remembered. I don't want anything to be said because I have my eyes, you have your eyes, he has his eyes, we can see. There is no need to say anything."
The friend agreed, but on the way when the sun started rising the guest forgot. It was so beautiful by the side of the lake, the reflection of all the colors, the birds singing and the lotuses blossoming, opening, he could not resist, he forgot. He said, "What a beautiful sunrise."
His host was shocked because he has broken the condition. Lao Tzu did not say anything, nothing was said there. Back home he called his friend and told him, "Don't bring your guest again. He is too talkative. The sunrise was there, I was there, he was there, you were there -- what is the need to say anything, any comment, any interpretation?"
(an excerpt from The Third Quantum Leap by Osho) ✿ڿڰۣ♥✿
The Tao te Ching, or The Book of the Way is a classic manual for on the art of living, revered as one of the wonders of the world. The Tao are the basic principles of the Universe and can be applied in any area of life, from government, love and business to family life and ecology. Lao-tsu the originator of this manual may have been a contemporary of Confucius in 551-479 B.C. As the legend goes, Lao-tsu was asked to write down the principles of life upon leaving the city he lived in.
The Tao is the art of doing not doing!
The Tao may seem paradoxical only on the surface, that the more truly solitary we are the more compassionate we can be, the more we let go of what we love, the more we present our love becomes, the clearer our insight into what is between good and evil, the more we can embody the good. The Tao says, "I am the truth and the life." The teaching of the Tao is moral in the deepest sense. The Master sees evil as an opaqueness, state of self absorption which is disharmony of the universal process. Embodying the light, light shines through by compassion for the wicked and helpless. Does not reject anyone and is available to all people.
The Chinese do not have words for male and female, therefore he/she will be used interchangeably in this text. One note before embarking on The Book of the Way; the truth is right before our eyes, the farther you enter into it the deeper you will go.
The pages are broken up into sets of five verses each. I suggest that you take a few verses and contemplate them for a while before moving to the next ones. Taking each sentence within so the feelings and ideas will surface and reveal themselves to you. Each time you read or listen to the Tao you may find that your perceptions change thus, when you re-read the verses you never comprehend them in the same way, but in a new and more subtle light. There is a an unspeakable spiritual quality to the Tao Te Ching.
May inner Peace keep and guide you.
It is said that every morning Lao Tzu used to go for a walk in the hills. One friend asked him, "Can I come with you one day? I would particularly like to come tomorrow, because I have a guest who is very much interested in you, and he will be immensely glad to have the opportunity to be with you for two hours in the mountains."
Lao Tzu said, "I have no objection, just one simple thing has to be remembered. I don't want anything to be said because I have my eyes, you have your eyes, he has his eyes, we can see. There is no need to say anything."
The friend agreed, but on the way when the sun started rising the guest forgot. It was so beautiful by the side of the lake, the reflection of all the colors, the birds singing and the lotuses blossoming, opening, he could not resist, he forgot. He said, "What a beautiful sunrise."
His host was shocked because he has broken the condition. Lao Tzu did not say anything, nothing was said there. Back home he called his friend and told him, "Don't bring your guest again. He is too talkative. The sunrise was there, I was there, he was there, you were there -- what is the need to say anything, any comment, any interpretation?"
(an excerpt from The Third Quantum Leap by Osho) ✿ڿڰۣ♥✿
The Tao Te Ching
✿ڿڰۣ♥✿
1.
The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao, the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The unnamable is the eternally real. Naming is the origin of all particular things. Free from desire, you realize the mystery caught in desire, you see only the manifestations. Yet mysteries and manifestations arise from the same source, this source is called darkness. Darkness within darkness. The gateway to all understanding.
2.
When people see same things as beautiful other things become ugly. When people see some things as good other things become bad. Being and non-being create each other. Difficult and easy support each other. Long and short define each other. High and low depend on each other. Before and after follow each other. Therefore, the Master acts without doing anything and teaches without saying anything. Things arise and she lets them come. Things disappear and she lets them go. She has but doesn't possess, acts but does not expect. When her work is done she forgets it. That is why it lasts forever.
3.
If you over-esteem great men, people become powerless. If you over value possessions, people begin to steal. The Master leads by emptying peoples minds and filling their cores by weakening their ambitions and toughening their resolve. He helps people lose everything they know, everything they desire and creates confusion in those who think that they know. Practice not doing and everything will fall into place.
4.
The Tao is like a well, used but never used up. It is like the eternal wind filled with infinite possibilities. It is hidden but always present. I don't know who gave birth to it. It is older than God.
5.
The Tao doesn't take sides, it gives birth to both good an evil. The Master doesn't take sides. She welcomes both saints and sinners. The Tao is like a bellows is empty but infinitely capable. The more you use it the more it produces. The more you talk of it the less you understand. Hold onto the center.
6.
The Tao is called the Great Mother, empty yet inexhaustible. It gives birth to infinite worlds. It is always present within you. You can use it anyway you want.
7.
The Tao is infinite and eternal. Why is it eternal? It was never born so it can never die. Why is it infinite? It has no desires for itself thus it is present for all beings. The Master stays behind that is why she is ahead. She is detached from all things. That is why she is one with them, because she has let go of herself. She is perfectly fulfilled.
8.
The supreme good is like water which nourishes things without trying to. It is content with the low places that people disdain. Thus it is like the Tao. In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don't try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present. When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or conceit, everybody will respect you.
9.
Fill you bowl to the rim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt. Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench. Care about peoples approval and you will be their prisoner. Do your work then step back. The only path to serenity.
10.
Can you coax your mind from its wondering and keep to the original oneness? Can you let your body become supple as a new born child's? Can you cleanse your inner vision until you see nothing but the light? Can you love people and leave them without imposing your will? Can you deal with the most vital matters by letting events take their course? Can you step back from your own mind and thus understand all things? Giving birth and nourishing. Having without possessing. Acting with no expectation. Leading and trying not to control. This is the supreme virtue.
11.
We join spokes together in a wheel. But it is the center wheel that makes the wagon move. We shape clay into a pot but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want. We hammer wood for a house, it is the inner space that makes it livable. We work with being but non-being is what we use.
12.
Color blinds the eye. Sounds blind the ear. Flavors numb the taste. Thoughts weaken the mind.Desires wither the heart. The Master observes the world but trust his inner vision. He allows things to come and go. His heart is as open as the sky.
13.
Success is as dangerous as failure. Hope is as hollow as fear. What does it mean the success is as dangerous as failure? Whether you go up or down the ladder, your position is shaky. When you stand with your two feet on the ground you always keep your balance. What does it mean that hope is as hollow as fear? Hope and fear are both phantoms that arise from thinking of the self. When we don't see the self as self what do we have to fear? See the world as yourself. Have faith in the ways things are. Love the world as yourself then you can care for all things.
14.
Look and it can't be seen. Listen and it can't be heard. Reach and it can't be grasped. Above it isn't bright. Below it isn't dark. Seamless unnamable, it returns to the realm of nothing. Form that in clouds all forms. Image without image. Subtle beyond all conception and there is not beginning. Follow it and there is no end. You can't know it but you can be it. At ease in your own life. Just realize where you come from. This is the essence of wisdom.
15.
The Ancient Masters were profound and subtle. Their wisdom was unfathomable. There is no way to describe it. All we can describe is their appearances. They were careful as someone who crosses over an iced over stream, alert as a warrior in enemy territory, courteous as a gusty fluid on melting ice. Shapeable as a block of wood. Receptive as a valley. Clear as a glass of water. Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles and the water clears? Can you remain unmoving until the action arises by itself? The Master doesn't seek fulfillment, not seeking or expecting. She is present and can welcome all things.
16.
Empty your mind of all thoughts. Let your heart be at peace. Watch the turmoil of beings but contemplate their return. Each separate being of the universe returns to the common source. Returning to the source is serenity. If you don't realize the source you stumble in confusion and sorrow. When you realize where you come from you naturally become tolerant, disinterested and amused. Kind hearted as a grandmother and dignified as a king. Immersed in the wonder of the Tao you can deal with whatever life brings you and when death comes you are ready.
17.
When the Master governs, the people are hardly aware that he exists. Next best is the leader who is loved. Next on who is feared. The worst is the one who is despised. If you don't trust the people you make them untrustworthy. The Master doesn't talk he acts. When his work is done, the people say..."amazing, we did it all by ourselves."
18.
When the Great Tao is forgotten, goodness and piety appear. When the body's intelligence dies, cleverness and knowledge step forth. When there is not peace in the family, felial piety begins. When the country falls into chaos, patriotism is born.
19.
Throw away holiness in wisdom and people will be one hundred times happier. Throw away morality and justice and people will do the right nohing. Throw away industry and profit and there won't be any thieves. If these three aren't enough just stay at the center of the circle and let all things take their course.
20.
Stop thinking and end your problems. What difference between yes or no? What difference between success and failure? Must you value what they value? How ridiculous! Other people are excited as though they were at a parade. I alone don't care. I alone am expressionless like and infant before it can smile. Other people have what they need. I alone possess nothing. I alone drift about like someone without a home. I am like and idiot, my mind is so empty. Other people are bright, I alone am dark. Other people are sharp, I alone am dull. Other people have a purpose, I alone don't know. I drift like a wave on the ocean. I blow as aimless as the wind. I am different from ordinary people. I drink from the Great Mothers' breasts.
21.
The Master keeps her mind always at one with the Tao. That is what gives her her radiance. The Tao is ungraspable. How can her mind be at one with it? Because she doesn't cling to ideas. The Tao is dark and unfathomable. How can it make her radiant? Because she lets it. Since before time and space were - The Tao is. It is beyond IS and IS NOT. How do I know this is true? I look inside myself and see.
22.
If you want to become whole let yourself become partial. If you want to become straight let yourself become crooked. If you want to become full let yourself be empty. If you want to become reborn let yourself die. If you want to be given everything then give everything up. The Master by residing in the Tao sets an example for all beings because he doesn't display himself, people can see his light. Because he has nothing to prove, people can trust his words. Because he doesn't know who he is, people recognize themselves in him. Because has has no goal mind, everything he does succeeds. When the Ancient Masters said, "If you want to be given everything, give everything up." They weren't using empty phrases. Only in being lived by the Tao, can you truly be yourself.
23.
Express yourself completely then keep quiet. Be like the forces of nature. When it blows there is only wind. When it rains there is only rain. When the clouds pass the sun shines through. If you open yourself to insight you are at one with insight. And you can use it completely. If you open yourself to loss, you are at one with loss and you accept it completely. Open yourself to the Tao then trust your natural responses and everything will fall into place.
24.
He who stands on tip toe does not stand firm. He who rushes ahead does not go far. He who tries to shine dims his own light. He who defines himself can't know who he really is. He who has power over others can't empower himself. He who clings to his work will create nothing that endures. If you want to accord with the Tao just do your job and let go.
25.
There was something, formless, perfect before the universe was born. It is serene, empty, unchanging, infinitive, eternal, present. It is the Mother of the Universe. For lack of a better name - I call it the Tao. It flows through all things inside and outside and returns to the origin of all things. The Tao is great. The Universe is great. Earth is great. Man is great. These are the four great powers. Man follows Earth, Earth follows Universe and the Universe follows the Tao. The Tao follows only itself.
26.
The heavy is the root of light. The unmoved is the source of all movement. Thus the Master travels all day without leaving home. However, splendid the views, she stays serenely in her self. Why should the Lord of the country flit about like a fool? If you let yourself be blown to and for you lose touch with your root. If you let restlessness move you, you lose touch with who you are.
27.
A good travel has not fixed plans and does not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuitions lead him where ever he wants. A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is. Thus the Master is available to all people and doesn't reject anyone. He is ready to use all situations and doesn't waste anything. This is called embodying the light. What is a good man but a bad man's teacher. What is a bad man but a good man's job. If you don't understand this you will get lost however intelligent you are. Is the the Great Secret.
28.
Know the male yet keep to the female. Receive the world in your own arms. If you receive the world, the Tao will never leave you and you will be like a little child. Know the white yet keep to the black. Be a pattern for the world. If you are pattern for the world the Tao will be strong inside you and there will be nothing you can't do. Know the personal yet keep to the impersonal. The Tao will be luminous inside you and you will return to your primal self. The world is formed from the void like utensils from a block of wood. The Master knows the utensils but keeps to the block, thus she can use all things.
29.
Do you want to improve your world? I don't think it can be done. The world is saved. It can't be improved. If you tamper with it you'll ruin it. If you treat it like an object, you will lose it. There is a time for being ahead, a time for being behind, at time for being in motion, a time for being at rest, a time for being vigorous, a time for being exhausted, a time for being safe, a time for being in danger. The Master sees things as they are without trying to control them and resides at the center of the circle.
30.
Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men, doesn't try to force issues or defeat enemies by force of arms. For every force there is a counter force. Violence, even well intended, always rebounds upon oneself. The Master does his job then stops. He understands that the universe is forever in control and trying to dominate events goes against the current of the Tao. Because he believes in himself he doesn't try to convince others. Because he's content with himself he doesn't need other's approval. Because he accepts himself the world accepts him.
31.
Weapons are the tools of violence. All decent men detest them. Weapons are the tools of fear. A decent man will avoid them except in the direst necessity and if compelled will use them only with the utmost restraint. Peace is his highest value. If the peace has been shattered, how can he be content? His enemies are not demons but human beings like himself. He doesn't wish them personal harm nor does he rejoices in victory. How could he rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of men. He enters the battle gravely with sorrow and with great compassion as if he were attending a funeral.
32.
The Tao cannot be perceived. Smaller than an electron it contains uncountable galaxies. If powerful men and women could remain centered in the Tao all things would be in harmony. The world would become a paradise. All people would be at peace and the law would be written in their hearts. When you have money and fame know that they are provisional. When you have institutions you should know where their functions end. Knowing when to stop you can avoid any danger. All things end in the Tao as rivers flow to the sea.
33.
Knowing others is true intelligence. Knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power. If you realize you have enough you are truly rich. If you stay in the center and embrace death with a whole heart you will endure forever.
34.
The Great Tao flows everywhere. All things are born from it yet it does not create them. It pours itself into its works it makes no claim. It nourishes infinite worlds yet doesn't hold onto them. Since it merged with all things and hidden in their hearts it can be called..humble. Since all things vanish into it and it alone endures, it can be called Great. It isn't aware of its greatness thus it is truly great.
35.
She who is centered in the Tao can go where she wishes without danger. She perceives the universal harmony even amid great pain because she has found peace in her heart. Music or the smell of cooking can make people stop and enjoy. But words that point to the Tao seem monotonous and without flavor. When you look for it there is nothing to see. When you listen for it there is nothing to hear. When you use it, it is inexhaustible.
36.
If you want to shrink something you must first allow it to expand. If you want to get rid of something you must first allow it to flourish. If you want to take something you must allow it to be given. This is called the Subtle Perception of the way things are. The soft overcomes the hard. The slow overcomes the fast. Let your workings remain a mystery. Just show people the results.
37.
The Tao never does anything, yet through it, all things are done. If powerful men and women could center themselves in it the whole world would be transformed by itself in its natural rhythms. People would be content with their simple everyday lives in harmony and free of desire. When there is not desire all things are at peace.
38.
The Master doesn't try to be powerful, thus he is truly powerful. The ordinary man keeps reaching for power thus he never has enough. The Master does nothing, yet he leaves nothing undone. The ordinary man is always doing things, yet many more needs to be done. The kind man does something, yet something remains undone. The just man does something, yet leaves many things undone. The moral man does something and when no one responds he rolls up his sleeves and uses force. When the Tao is lost there is goodness, when goodness is lost there is morality, when morality is lost there is ritual. The ritual is the husk of true faith. The beginning of chaos. Therefore the Master concerns himself with the depths and not the surface. With the fruit and not the flower. He has no will of his own. He dwells in reality and lets all illusions go.
39.
In harmony with the Tao the sky is clear and spacious. The earth is solid and full. All creatures flourish together content with the way they are endlessly repeating themselves endlessly renewed. When man interferes with the Tao, the sky becomes filthy, the earth becomes depleted and the equilibrium crumbles. Creatures become extinct. The Master have used the parts with compassion because he understands the whole. He doesn't glitter like a jewel, but lets himself be shaped by the Tao, as rugged and common as a stone.
40.
Return is the movement of the Tao. Yielding is the way of the Tao. All things are born of being. Being is born of non-being.
41.
When a superior man hears the Tao, he immediately begins to embody it. When an average man hears the Tao, he half believes it and half doubts it. When a foolish man hears the Tao, he laughs out loud. If he didn't laugh it wouldn't be the Tao. Thus it is said the path into the light seems dark. The path forward seems to go back. The direct path seems long. True power seems weak. True purity seems tarnishes. True steadfastness seems changeable. True clarity seems obscure. The greatest art seems sophisticated. The greatest love seems indifferent. The greatest wisdom seems childish. The Tao is no where to be found, yet it nourishes and completes all things.
42.
The Tao gives birth to 1.
1 gives birth to 2
2 gives birth to 3
3 gives birth to all things.
All things have their backs to the female and stand facing the male. When male and female combine all things achieve harmony. Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it. Embracing his aloneness realizing he is one with the universe.
43.
The gentlest thing in the world overcomes the hardest thing in the world. That which has no substance enters where there is no space. This shows the value of non action. Teaching without words, performing without actions. That is the Master's way.
44.
Fame or integrity which is more important? Money or happiness which is more valuable?
Success or failure which is more destructive? If you look to others for fulfillment you will never truly be fulfilled. If your happiness depends on money you will never be happy with yourself. Be content with what you have. Rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking the whole world belongs to you.
45.
True perfection seems imperfect yet it is perfectly itself. True fullness seems empty yet it is fully present. True straightness seems crooked. True wisdom seems foolish. True art seems artless. The Master allows things to happen. She shapes things as they come. She steps out of the way and lets the Tao speak for itself.
46.
When a country is in harmony with the Tao, it makes trucks and tractors. When a country goes counter to the Tao, weapons are stockpiled outside cities. There is no greater allusion that fear. No greater wrong than preparing to defend yourself. No greater misfortune than having an enemy. Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe.
47.
Without opening the door you can open your heart to the world . Without looking put your window you can see the essence of the Tao. The more you know the less you understand. The Master arrives without leaving - sees the light without looking - achieves without doing a thing.
48.
In the pursuit of knowledge, everyday is added in the practice of the Tao. Everyday something is dropped. Less and less do you need to force things. Where finally you reach non-action. When nothing is done, nothing is left undone. True mastery can be gained by letting things go their own way. It can't be gained by interfering.
49.
The Master has no mind of her own. She works with the mind of the people. She is good to people who are good and also good to people we aren't good. This is true goodness. She trusts people who are trustworthy. She also trusts people who aren't trustworthy. This is true trust. The Master's mind is like space. People don't understand her. They look to her and wait. She treats them like her own children..
50.
The Master gives himself up to whatever the moment brings. He knows he is going to die. He has nothing else to hold on to. No allusions in his mind, no resistance in his body. He doesn't think about his actions, they flow from the core of his being. He holds nothing back from life. Therefore he is ready for death. As a man is ready for sleep after a good days work.
51.
Every being in the universe is an expression of the Tao. It springs into existence, unconscious, perfect, free, takes on a physical body lets circumstances complete it. That is why every being spontaneously honors the Tao. The Tao gives birth to all beings. Nourishes them, maintains them, cares for them, comforts them, protects them. Takes them back to itself. Creating without possessing. Acting without expecting. Guiding without interfering. That is why love of the Tao is in the very nature of things.
52.
In the beginning was the Tao. All things issue from it, all things return to it. To find the origin, trace back to the manifestations. When you recognize the children and find the mother you will be free from of sorrow. If you close your mind with judgements and traffic with desires, your heart will be troubled. If you keep your mind from judging and aren't led by the senses, your heart will find peace. Seeing into darkness is clarity. Knowing how to yield is strength. Use your own list and return to the source of light. This is called practicing eternity.
53.
The Great Way is easy but people prefer the side paths. Be aware when things are out of balance. Stay centered within the Tao. When rich speculators prosper while farmers lose their land, when government officials spend their money on weapons instead of cares, when the the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible, while the poor have no where to turn, all this is robbery and chaos. It is in not in keeping with the Tao.
54.
Whoever is planted in the Tao will not be rooted up. Whoever embraces the Tao will not slip away. Her name will be holding honor from generation to generation. Let the Tao be present in your life and you will become genuine. Let it be present in you country. And your country will be an example for all countries all over the world. Let it be present in the universe and the universe will sing. How do I know this is true? By looking inside myself.
55.
He who is in harmony with the Tao is like a new born child. Its bones are soft and its muscles are weak but its grips are powerful. It doesn't know about the union of male and female. It can scream its head off all day but it never becomes hoarse. So complete is its harmony. The Master's power is like this. He lets all things come and go effortlessly without desires. He never expects results. Thus he is never disappointed. He is never disappointed thus his spirit never grows old.
56.
Those who know don't talk. Those who talk don't know. Close your mouth and block off your senses, blunt your sharpness, untie your knots, soften your glare, settle your dust. This is the primal identity. Be like the Tao. It can't be approached or withdrawn from, honored or brought into disgrace. It gives itself up continually. That is why it endures.
57.
If you want to be a great leader you must learn to follow the Tao. Stop trying to control. Let go of fixed plans and concepts and the world will govern itself. The more prohibitions you have the less virtuous people will be. The more weapons you have the less secure people will be. The more subsidies you have the less self reliant people will be. Therefore the Master says, I let go of the law and people become honest. I let go of economics and people become prosperous. I let go of religion and people become serene. I let go of all desires for the common good and the good becomes common as grass.
58.
If a country is governed with tolerance the people are comfortable and honest. If a country is governed with oppression the people are depressed and crafty. When the will to power is in charge, the higher the ideals, the lower the results. Try to make people happy you lay the groundwork for misery. Try to make people moral you lay the groundwork for vice. Thus the Master is content to serve as an example and not to impose her will. She is pointed but doesn't pierce. Straight forward but supple. Radiant but easy on the eyes.
59.
For governing a country, well, there is nothing better than moderation. The mark a of moderate man is freedom from his own ideas. Tolerant like the sky, all pervading like the sunlight. Firm like a mountain and supple like a tree in the wind. He has no destination in view and makes use of anything life happens to bring his way. Nothing is impossible for him because he has let go. He can care for people's welfare as a mother cares for her child.
60.
Governing a large country is like frying a small fish. You spoil it by too much poking. Center your country in the Tao and evil will have not power. Not that is isn't there but that you might step out of its way. Give evil nothing to oppose and it will disappear by itself.
61.
When a country obtains great power it becomes like the sea. All streams run downward into it. The more powerful it grows the greater need for humility. Humility is trusting the Tao. Thus never needing to be defensive. A great nation is like a great man. When he makes a mistake he realizes it. Having realizing it, he admits it. Having admitted it, he corrects it.
62.
The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure. The bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words. Respect can be won with good deeds. The Tao is beyond all value and no one can achieve it. Thus when a new leader is chosen, don't offer to help him with your wealth and expertise. Offer instead to teach him about the Tao. Why did the ancient Masters esteem the Tao, because being one with the Tao, you seek and you find. And when you make a mistake you are forgiven. That is why everybody loves it.
63.
Act without doing, work without effort. Think of the small as large. Think of the few as many. Confront the difficult while it is still easy. Accomplish the great task by a series of small acts. The Master never reaches for the Great, thus she achieves greatness. When she runs into a difficult situation she stops and gives herself to it. She doesn't cling to their own comfort thus problems are not problem to her.
64.
What is rooted is easy to nourish. What is recent is easy to correct. What is brittle is easy to break. What is small is easy to scatter. Prevent trouble before it arrives. Put things in order before they exist. The giant pine tree grows from a tiny sprout. The journey of a thousand miles starts from beneath your feet. Rushing into action you fail. Trying to grasp things you lose them. Forcing a project to completion, you ruin what is almost ripe. Therefore the Master takes action by letting things take their course. He remains as calm at the end as in the beginning. He has nothing thus he has nothing to lose. What desires is non desire? What he learns is to unlearn. He simply reminds people of who they have always been. He cares about nothing but the Tao. Thus he can care for all things.
65.
The ancient Masters didn't try to educate the people but kindly taught them to not know. When they thing they know the answers they are difficult to guide. When they know they don't know, people can find their way. If you want to learn how to govern avoid being clever or rich. The simplest pattern is the clearest. Content with the ordinary life you can show all people the way back to their won truenature.
66.
All streams flow to the sea. Because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it its power. If you want to govern your people you must place yourself below them. If you want to lead people you must learn how to follow them. The Master is above the people and no one feels oppressed. She goes ahead of the people and no one feels manipulated. The whole world is grateful to her. Because she competes with no one. No one can compete with her.
67.
Some say my teaching is nonsense. Other call it lofty and impractical. But to those who have looked inside themselves this nonsense makes perfect sense. And to those who put it into practice this loftiness has roots that grow deep. I have just three things to teach. Simplicity, patience and compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and in thoughts, you return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies yet accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself and you reconcile all beings in the world.
68.
The best athlete wants his opponent at his best. The best general enters the mind of his enemy. The best businessman serves the communal good. The best leader follows the will of the people. All of them involve the virtue of non-competition. Not that they don't love to compete but they do it in the spirit of play. In this they are like children and in harmony with the Tao.
69.
The generals have a saying, rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see rather than advance an inch- it is better to retreat a yard. This is called going forward without advancing. Pushing back without using weapons. There is no greater misfortune than under estimating the enemy. Under estimating your enemy is thinking that he is evil. Thus you destroy your three treasures and become an enemy yourself. When two great forces oppose each other, the victory will go to the one that knows how to yield.
70.
My teachings are easy to understand and easy to put into practice. Yet your intellect will never grasp them and if you try to practice them you will fail. My teachings are older than the world. How can you grasp their meaning? If you want to know me look inside your heart.
71.
Not knowing is true knowledge. Presuming to know is disease. First realize you are sick then you can move toward health. The Master is her own physician. She has healed herself of all knowing. Thus she is truly whole.
72.
When they lose their sense of awe, people turn to religion. When they no longer trust themselves they begin to depend on authority. Therefore the Master steps back so people won't be confused. He teaches without teaching so people will have nothing to learn.
73.
The Tao is always at ease. Overcomes without competing, answers without speaking a word, arrives without being summoned, accomplishes without a plan. Its net covers the whole universe and though its meshes are wide it doesn't let a thing slip through.
74.
If you realize all things change you'll realize there is nothing to hold onto. If you aren't afraid of dying there is nothing you can't achieve. Trying to control the future is like trying to take the Master carpenter's place. When you handle the Master carpenter's tools, chances are you will cut your hand.
75.
When taxes are too high, people go hungry. When the government is too intrusive people lose their spirit. Act for the peoples benefit. Trust them. Leave them alone.
76.
Men are born soft and supple. Dead they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant. Dead they are brittle and die. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail.
77.
As it acts in the world, the Tao is life the bending bow. The top is bent downward, the bottom is bent up. It adjusts excess and deficiencies, so there is perfect balance. It takes from what is too much and gives to what isn't enough. Those who try to control, who use force to protect their power go against the direction of the Tao. They take from those who don't have enough and give go those who have too much. The Master can keep giving because there is no end to her wealth. She acts without expectation. Succeeds without taking credit and doesn't thing she is better than anyone else.
78.
Nothing in the world is as soft and yielding as water. The hard and inflexible, nothing can surpass it. The soft overcomes the hard. The gentle overcomes the rigid. Everyone knows this is true but few can put it into practice. Therefore the Master remains serene in the midst of sorrow. Evil cannot enter his heart. Because he has given up helping. He is the peoples greatest help. True words seem paradoxical.
79.
Failure is an opportunity. If you blame someone else there is no end to the blame. Therefore the Master fulfills her own obligations and corrects her own mistakes. She does what she needs to do and demands nothing from others.
80.
If a country is governed wisely, its inhabitants will be content. They enjoy the labor of their hands and don't waste time inventing labor saving machines. Since they dearly love thier homes they aren't interested in travel. There may be a few wagons and boats but these go no where. There may be an arsenal of weapons but nobody ever uses them. People enjoy their food, take pleasure in being with their families, spend weekends working in the their gardens. Delight in the doing of their neighborhood. Even though the next country is so close where people can hear its roosters crowing and its dogs barking. They are content to die of old age without even having goneto see it.
81.
True words aren't eloquent. Eloquent words aren't true. Wise men don't need to prove their point. Men who need to prove their point are not wise. The Master has not possessions. The more he does for others the happier he is. The more he gives to others the happier he is. The Tao nourishes by not forcing. By not dominating, the Master leads.
1.
The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao, the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The unnamable is the eternally real. Naming is the origin of all particular things. Free from desire, you realize the mystery caught in desire, you see only the manifestations. Yet mysteries and manifestations arise from the same source, this source is called darkness. Darkness within darkness. The gateway to all understanding.
2.
When people see same things as beautiful other things become ugly. When people see some things as good other things become bad. Being and non-being create each other. Difficult and easy support each other. Long and short define each other. High and low depend on each other. Before and after follow each other. Therefore, the Master acts without doing anything and teaches without saying anything. Things arise and she lets them come. Things disappear and she lets them go. She has but doesn't possess, acts but does not expect. When her work is done she forgets it. That is why it lasts forever.
3.
If you over-esteem great men, people become powerless. If you over value possessions, people begin to steal. The Master leads by emptying peoples minds and filling their cores by weakening their ambitions and toughening their resolve. He helps people lose everything they know, everything they desire and creates confusion in those who think that they know. Practice not doing and everything will fall into place.
4.
The Tao is like a well, used but never used up. It is like the eternal wind filled with infinite possibilities. It is hidden but always present. I don't know who gave birth to it. It is older than God.
5.
The Tao doesn't take sides, it gives birth to both good an evil. The Master doesn't take sides. She welcomes both saints and sinners. The Tao is like a bellows is empty but infinitely capable. The more you use it the more it produces. The more you talk of it the less you understand. Hold onto the center.
6.
The Tao is called the Great Mother, empty yet inexhaustible. It gives birth to infinite worlds. It is always present within you. You can use it anyway you want.
7.
The Tao is infinite and eternal. Why is it eternal? It was never born so it can never die. Why is it infinite? It has no desires for itself thus it is present for all beings. The Master stays behind that is why she is ahead. She is detached from all things. That is why she is one with them, because she has let go of herself. She is perfectly fulfilled.
8.
The supreme good is like water which nourishes things without trying to. It is content with the low places that people disdain. Thus it is like the Tao. In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don't try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present. When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or conceit, everybody will respect you.
9.
Fill you bowl to the rim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt. Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench. Care about peoples approval and you will be their prisoner. Do your work then step back. The only path to serenity.
10.
Can you coax your mind from its wondering and keep to the original oneness? Can you let your body become supple as a new born child's? Can you cleanse your inner vision until you see nothing but the light? Can you love people and leave them without imposing your will? Can you deal with the most vital matters by letting events take their course? Can you step back from your own mind and thus understand all things? Giving birth and nourishing. Having without possessing. Acting with no expectation. Leading and trying not to control. This is the supreme virtue.
11.
We join spokes together in a wheel. But it is the center wheel that makes the wagon move. We shape clay into a pot but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want. We hammer wood for a house, it is the inner space that makes it livable. We work with being but non-being is what we use.
12.
Color blinds the eye. Sounds blind the ear. Flavors numb the taste. Thoughts weaken the mind.Desires wither the heart. The Master observes the world but trust his inner vision. He allows things to come and go. His heart is as open as the sky.
13.
Success is as dangerous as failure. Hope is as hollow as fear. What does it mean the success is as dangerous as failure? Whether you go up or down the ladder, your position is shaky. When you stand with your two feet on the ground you always keep your balance. What does it mean that hope is as hollow as fear? Hope and fear are both phantoms that arise from thinking of the self. When we don't see the self as self what do we have to fear? See the world as yourself. Have faith in the ways things are. Love the world as yourself then you can care for all things.
14.
Look and it can't be seen. Listen and it can't be heard. Reach and it can't be grasped. Above it isn't bright. Below it isn't dark. Seamless unnamable, it returns to the realm of nothing. Form that in clouds all forms. Image without image. Subtle beyond all conception and there is not beginning. Follow it and there is no end. You can't know it but you can be it. At ease in your own life. Just realize where you come from. This is the essence of wisdom.
15.
The Ancient Masters were profound and subtle. Their wisdom was unfathomable. There is no way to describe it. All we can describe is their appearances. They were careful as someone who crosses over an iced over stream, alert as a warrior in enemy territory, courteous as a gusty fluid on melting ice. Shapeable as a block of wood. Receptive as a valley. Clear as a glass of water. Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles and the water clears? Can you remain unmoving until the action arises by itself? The Master doesn't seek fulfillment, not seeking or expecting. She is present and can welcome all things.
16.
Empty your mind of all thoughts. Let your heart be at peace. Watch the turmoil of beings but contemplate their return. Each separate being of the universe returns to the common source. Returning to the source is serenity. If you don't realize the source you stumble in confusion and sorrow. When you realize where you come from you naturally become tolerant, disinterested and amused. Kind hearted as a grandmother and dignified as a king. Immersed in the wonder of the Tao you can deal with whatever life brings you and when death comes you are ready.
17.
When the Master governs, the people are hardly aware that he exists. Next best is the leader who is loved. Next on who is feared. The worst is the one who is despised. If you don't trust the people you make them untrustworthy. The Master doesn't talk he acts. When his work is done, the people say..."amazing, we did it all by ourselves."
18.
When the Great Tao is forgotten, goodness and piety appear. When the body's intelligence dies, cleverness and knowledge step forth. When there is not peace in the family, felial piety begins. When the country falls into chaos, patriotism is born.
19.
Throw away holiness in wisdom and people will be one hundred times happier. Throw away morality and justice and people will do the right nohing. Throw away industry and profit and there won't be any thieves. If these three aren't enough just stay at the center of the circle and let all things take their course.
20.
Stop thinking and end your problems. What difference between yes or no? What difference between success and failure? Must you value what they value? How ridiculous! Other people are excited as though they were at a parade. I alone don't care. I alone am expressionless like and infant before it can smile. Other people have what they need. I alone possess nothing. I alone drift about like someone without a home. I am like and idiot, my mind is so empty. Other people are bright, I alone am dark. Other people are sharp, I alone am dull. Other people have a purpose, I alone don't know. I drift like a wave on the ocean. I blow as aimless as the wind. I am different from ordinary people. I drink from the Great Mothers' breasts.
21.
The Master keeps her mind always at one with the Tao. That is what gives her her radiance. The Tao is ungraspable. How can her mind be at one with it? Because she doesn't cling to ideas. The Tao is dark and unfathomable. How can it make her radiant? Because she lets it. Since before time and space were - The Tao is. It is beyond IS and IS NOT. How do I know this is true? I look inside myself and see.
22.
If you want to become whole let yourself become partial. If you want to become straight let yourself become crooked. If you want to become full let yourself be empty. If you want to become reborn let yourself die. If you want to be given everything then give everything up. The Master by residing in the Tao sets an example for all beings because he doesn't display himself, people can see his light. Because he has nothing to prove, people can trust his words. Because he doesn't know who he is, people recognize themselves in him. Because has has no goal mind, everything he does succeeds. When the Ancient Masters said, "If you want to be given everything, give everything up." They weren't using empty phrases. Only in being lived by the Tao, can you truly be yourself.
23.
Express yourself completely then keep quiet. Be like the forces of nature. When it blows there is only wind. When it rains there is only rain. When the clouds pass the sun shines through. If you open yourself to insight you are at one with insight. And you can use it completely. If you open yourself to loss, you are at one with loss and you accept it completely. Open yourself to the Tao then trust your natural responses and everything will fall into place.
24.
He who stands on tip toe does not stand firm. He who rushes ahead does not go far. He who tries to shine dims his own light. He who defines himself can't know who he really is. He who has power over others can't empower himself. He who clings to his work will create nothing that endures. If you want to accord with the Tao just do your job and let go.
25.
There was something, formless, perfect before the universe was born. It is serene, empty, unchanging, infinitive, eternal, present. It is the Mother of the Universe. For lack of a better name - I call it the Tao. It flows through all things inside and outside and returns to the origin of all things. The Tao is great. The Universe is great. Earth is great. Man is great. These are the four great powers. Man follows Earth, Earth follows Universe and the Universe follows the Tao. The Tao follows only itself.
26.
The heavy is the root of light. The unmoved is the source of all movement. Thus the Master travels all day without leaving home. However, splendid the views, she stays serenely in her self. Why should the Lord of the country flit about like a fool? If you let yourself be blown to and for you lose touch with your root. If you let restlessness move you, you lose touch with who you are.
27.
A good travel has not fixed plans and does not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuitions lead him where ever he wants. A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is. Thus the Master is available to all people and doesn't reject anyone. He is ready to use all situations and doesn't waste anything. This is called embodying the light. What is a good man but a bad man's teacher. What is a bad man but a good man's job. If you don't understand this you will get lost however intelligent you are. Is the the Great Secret.
28.
Know the male yet keep to the female. Receive the world in your own arms. If you receive the world, the Tao will never leave you and you will be like a little child. Know the white yet keep to the black. Be a pattern for the world. If you are pattern for the world the Tao will be strong inside you and there will be nothing you can't do. Know the personal yet keep to the impersonal. The Tao will be luminous inside you and you will return to your primal self. The world is formed from the void like utensils from a block of wood. The Master knows the utensils but keeps to the block, thus she can use all things.
29.
Do you want to improve your world? I don't think it can be done. The world is saved. It can't be improved. If you tamper with it you'll ruin it. If you treat it like an object, you will lose it. There is a time for being ahead, a time for being behind, at time for being in motion, a time for being at rest, a time for being vigorous, a time for being exhausted, a time for being safe, a time for being in danger. The Master sees things as they are without trying to control them and resides at the center of the circle.
30.
Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men, doesn't try to force issues or defeat enemies by force of arms. For every force there is a counter force. Violence, even well intended, always rebounds upon oneself. The Master does his job then stops. He understands that the universe is forever in control and trying to dominate events goes against the current of the Tao. Because he believes in himself he doesn't try to convince others. Because he's content with himself he doesn't need other's approval. Because he accepts himself the world accepts him.
31.
Weapons are the tools of violence. All decent men detest them. Weapons are the tools of fear. A decent man will avoid them except in the direst necessity and if compelled will use them only with the utmost restraint. Peace is his highest value. If the peace has been shattered, how can he be content? His enemies are not demons but human beings like himself. He doesn't wish them personal harm nor does he rejoices in victory. How could he rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of men. He enters the battle gravely with sorrow and with great compassion as if he were attending a funeral.
32.
The Tao cannot be perceived. Smaller than an electron it contains uncountable galaxies. If powerful men and women could remain centered in the Tao all things would be in harmony. The world would become a paradise. All people would be at peace and the law would be written in their hearts. When you have money and fame know that they are provisional. When you have institutions you should know where their functions end. Knowing when to stop you can avoid any danger. All things end in the Tao as rivers flow to the sea.
33.
Knowing others is true intelligence. Knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power. If you realize you have enough you are truly rich. If you stay in the center and embrace death with a whole heart you will endure forever.
34.
The Great Tao flows everywhere. All things are born from it yet it does not create them. It pours itself into its works it makes no claim. It nourishes infinite worlds yet doesn't hold onto them. Since it merged with all things and hidden in their hearts it can be called..humble. Since all things vanish into it and it alone endures, it can be called Great. It isn't aware of its greatness thus it is truly great.
35.
She who is centered in the Tao can go where she wishes without danger. She perceives the universal harmony even amid great pain because she has found peace in her heart. Music or the smell of cooking can make people stop and enjoy. But words that point to the Tao seem monotonous and without flavor. When you look for it there is nothing to see. When you listen for it there is nothing to hear. When you use it, it is inexhaustible.
36.
If you want to shrink something you must first allow it to expand. If you want to get rid of something you must first allow it to flourish. If you want to take something you must allow it to be given. This is called the Subtle Perception of the way things are. The soft overcomes the hard. The slow overcomes the fast. Let your workings remain a mystery. Just show people the results.
37.
The Tao never does anything, yet through it, all things are done. If powerful men and women could center themselves in it the whole world would be transformed by itself in its natural rhythms. People would be content with their simple everyday lives in harmony and free of desire. When there is not desire all things are at peace.
38.
The Master doesn't try to be powerful, thus he is truly powerful. The ordinary man keeps reaching for power thus he never has enough. The Master does nothing, yet he leaves nothing undone. The ordinary man is always doing things, yet many more needs to be done. The kind man does something, yet something remains undone. The just man does something, yet leaves many things undone. The moral man does something and when no one responds he rolls up his sleeves and uses force. When the Tao is lost there is goodness, when goodness is lost there is morality, when morality is lost there is ritual. The ritual is the husk of true faith. The beginning of chaos. Therefore the Master concerns himself with the depths and not the surface. With the fruit and not the flower. He has no will of his own. He dwells in reality and lets all illusions go.
39.
In harmony with the Tao the sky is clear and spacious. The earth is solid and full. All creatures flourish together content with the way they are endlessly repeating themselves endlessly renewed. When man interferes with the Tao, the sky becomes filthy, the earth becomes depleted and the equilibrium crumbles. Creatures become extinct. The Master have used the parts with compassion because he understands the whole. He doesn't glitter like a jewel, but lets himself be shaped by the Tao, as rugged and common as a stone.
40.
Return is the movement of the Tao. Yielding is the way of the Tao. All things are born of being. Being is born of non-being.
41.
When a superior man hears the Tao, he immediately begins to embody it. When an average man hears the Tao, he half believes it and half doubts it. When a foolish man hears the Tao, he laughs out loud. If he didn't laugh it wouldn't be the Tao. Thus it is said the path into the light seems dark. The path forward seems to go back. The direct path seems long. True power seems weak. True purity seems tarnishes. True steadfastness seems changeable. True clarity seems obscure. The greatest art seems sophisticated. The greatest love seems indifferent. The greatest wisdom seems childish. The Tao is no where to be found, yet it nourishes and completes all things.
42.
The Tao gives birth to 1.
1 gives birth to 2
2 gives birth to 3
3 gives birth to all things.
All things have their backs to the female and stand facing the male. When male and female combine all things achieve harmony. Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it. Embracing his aloneness realizing he is one with the universe.
43.
The gentlest thing in the world overcomes the hardest thing in the world. That which has no substance enters where there is no space. This shows the value of non action. Teaching without words, performing without actions. That is the Master's way.
44.
Fame or integrity which is more important? Money or happiness which is more valuable?
Success or failure which is more destructive? If you look to others for fulfillment you will never truly be fulfilled. If your happiness depends on money you will never be happy with yourself. Be content with what you have. Rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking the whole world belongs to you.
45.
True perfection seems imperfect yet it is perfectly itself. True fullness seems empty yet it is fully present. True straightness seems crooked. True wisdom seems foolish. True art seems artless. The Master allows things to happen. She shapes things as they come. She steps out of the way and lets the Tao speak for itself.
46.
When a country is in harmony with the Tao, it makes trucks and tractors. When a country goes counter to the Tao, weapons are stockpiled outside cities. There is no greater allusion that fear. No greater wrong than preparing to defend yourself. No greater misfortune than having an enemy. Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe.
47.
Without opening the door you can open your heart to the world . Without looking put your window you can see the essence of the Tao. The more you know the less you understand. The Master arrives without leaving - sees the light without looking - achieves without doing a thing.
48.
In the pursuit of knowledge, everyday is added in the practice of the Tao. Everyday something is dropped. Less and less do you need to force things. Where finally you reach non-action. When nothing is done, nothing is left undone. True mastery can be gained by letting things go their own way. It can't be gained by interfering.
49.
The Master has no mind of her own. She works with the mind of the people. She is good to people who are good and also good to people we aren't good. This is true goodness. She trusts people who are trustworthy. She also trusts people who aren't trustworthy. This is true trust. The Master's mind is like space. People don't understand her. They look to her and wait. She treats them like her own children..
50.
The Master gives himself up to whatever the moment brings. He knows he is going to die. He has nothing else to hold on to. No allusions in his mind, no resistance in his body. He doesn't think about his actions, they flow from the core of his being. He holds nothing back from life. Therefore he is ready for death. As a man is ready for sleep after a good days work.
51.
Every being in the universe is an expression of the Tao. It springs into existence, unconscious, perfect, free, takes on a physical body lets circumstances complete it. That is why every being spontaneously honors the Tao. The Tao gives birth to all beings. Nourishes them, maintains them, cares for them, comforts them, protects them. Takes them back to itself. Creating without possessing. Acting without expecting. Guiding without interfering. That is why love of the Tao is in the very nature of things.
52.
In the beginning was the Tao. All things issue from it, all things return to it. To find the origin, trace back to the manifestations. When you recognize the children and find the mother you will be free from of sorrow. If you close your mind with judgements and traffic with desires, your heart will be troubled. If you keep your mind from judging and aren't led by the senses, your heart will find peace. Seeing into darkness is clarity. Knowing how to yield is strength. Use your own list and return to the source of light. This is called practicing eternity.
53.
The Great Way is easy but people prefer the side paths. Be aware when things are out of balance. Stay centered within the Tao. When rich speculators prosper while farmers lose their land, when government officials spend their money on weapons instead of cares, when the the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible, while the poor have no where to turn, all this is robbery and chaos. It is in not in keeping with the Tao.
54.
Whoever is planted in the Tao will not be rooted up. Whoever embraces the Tao will not slip away. Her name will be holding honor from generation to generation. Let the Tao be present in your life and you will become genuine. Let it be present in you country. And your country will be an example for all countries all over the world. Let it be present in the universe and the universe will sing. How do I know this is true? By looking inside myself.
55.
He who is in harmony with the Tao is like a new born child. Its bones are soft and its muscles are weak but its grips are powerful. It doesn't know about the union of male and female. It can scream its head off all day but it never becomes hoarse. So complete is its harmony. The Master's power is like this. He lets all things come and go effortlessly without desires. He never expects results. Thus he is never disappointed. He is never disappointed thus his spirit never grows old.
56.
Those who know don't talk. Those who talk don't know. Close your mouth and block off your senses, blunt your sharpness, untie your knots, soften your glare, settle your dust. This is the primal identity. Be like the Tao. It can't be approached or withdrawn from, honored or brought into disgrace. It gives itself up continually. That is why it endures.
57.
If you want to be a great leader you must learn to follow the Tao. Stop trying to control. Let go of fixed plans and concepts and the world will govern itself. The more prohibitions you have the less virtuous people will be. The more weapons you have the less secure people will be. The more subsidies you have the less self reliant people will be. Therefore the Master says, I let go of the law and people become honest. I let go of economics and people become prosperous. I let go of religion and people become serene. I let go of all desires for the common good and the good becomes common as grass.
58.
If a country is governed with tolerance the people are comfortable and honest. If a country is governed with oppression the people are depressed and crafty. When the will to power is in charge, the higher the ideals, the lower the results. Try to make people happy you lay the groundwork for misery. Try to make people moral you lay the groundwork for vice. Thus the Master is content to serve as an example and not to impose her will. She is pointed but doesn't pierce. Straight forward but supple. Radiant but easy on the eyes.
59.
For governing a country, well, there is nothing better than moderation. The mark a of moderate man is freedom from his own ideas. Tolerant like the sky, all pervading like the sunlight. Firm like a mountain and supple like a tree in the wind. He has no destination in view and makes use of anything life happens to bring his way. Nothing is impossible for him because he has let go. He can care for people's welfare as a mother cares for her child.
60.
Governing a large country is like frying a small fish. You spoil it by too much poking. Center your country in the Tao and evil will have not power. Not that is isn't there but that you might step out of its way. Give evil nothing to oppose and it will disappear by itself.
61.
When a country obtains great power it becomes like the sea. All streams run downward into it. The more powerful it grows the greater need for humility. Humility is trusting the Tao. Thus never needing to be defensive. A great nation is like a great man. When he makes a mistake he realizes it. Having realizing it, he admits it. Having admitted it, he corrects it.
62.
The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure. The bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words. Respect can be won with good deeds. The Tao is beyond all value and no one can achieve it. Thus when a new leader is chosen, don't offer to help him with your wealth and expertise. Offer instead to teach him about the Tao. Why did the ancient Masters esteem the Tao, because being one with the Tao, you seek and you find. And when you make a mistake you are forgiven. That is why everybody loves it.
63.
Act without doing, work without effort. Think of the small as large. Think of the few as many. Confront the difficult while it is still easy. Accomplish the great task by a series of small acts. The Master never reaches for the Great, thus she achieves greatness. When she runs into a difficult situation she stops and gives herself to it. She doesn't cling to their own comfort thus problems are not problem to her.
64.
What is rooted is easy to nourish. What is recent is easy to correct. What is brittle is easy to break. What is small is easy to scatter. Prevent trouble before it arrives. Put things in order before they exist. The giant pine tree grows from a tiny sprout. The journey of a thousand miles starts from beneath your feet. Rushing into action you fail. Trying to grasp things you lose them. Forcing a project to completion, you ruin what is almost ripe. Therefore the Master takes action by letting things take their course. He remains as calm at the end as in the beginning. He has nothing thus he has nothing to lose. What desires is non desire? What he learns is to unlearn. He simply reminds people of who they have always been. He cares about nothing but the Tao. Thus he can care for all things.
65.
The ancient Masters didn't try to educate the people but kindly taught them to not know. When they thing they know the answers they are difficult to guide. When they know they don't know, people can find their way. If you want to learn how to govern avoid being clever or rich. The simplest pattern is the clearest. Content with the ordinary life you can show all people the way back to their won truenature.
66.
All streams flow to the sea. Because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it its power. If you want to govern your people you must place yourself below them. If you want to lead people you must learn how to follow them. The Master is above the people and no one feels oppressed. She goes ahead of the people and no one feels manipulated. The whole world is grateful to her. Because she competes with no one. No one can compete with her.
67.
Some say my teaching is nonsense. Other call it lofty and impractical. But to those who have looked inside themselves this nonsense makes perfect sense. And to those who put it into practice this loftiness has roots that grow deep. I have just three things to teach. Simplicity, patience and compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and in thoughts, you return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies yet accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself and you reconcile all beings in the world.
68.
The best athlete wants his opponent at his best. The best general enters the mind of his enemy. The best businessman serves the communal good. The best leader follows the will of the people. All of them involve the virtue of non-competition. Not that they don't love to compete but they do it in the spirit of play. In this they are like children and in harmony with the Tao.
69.
The generals have a saying, rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see rather than advance an inch- it is better to retreat a yard. This is called going forward without advancing. Pushing back without using weapons. There is no greater misfortune than under estimating the enemy. Under estimating your enemy is thinking that he is evil. Thus you destroy your three treasures and become an enemy yourself. When two great forces oppose each other, the victory will go to the one that knows how to yield.
70.
My teachings are easy to understand and easy to put into practice. Yet your intellect will never grasp them and if you try to practice them you will fail. My teachings are older than the world. How can you grasp their meaning? If you want to know me look inside your heart.
71.
Not knowing is true knowledge. Presuming to know is disease. First realize you are sick then you can move toward health. The Master is her own physician. She has healed herself of all knowing. Thus she is truly whole.
72.
When they lose their sense of awe, people turn to religion. When they no longer trust themselves they begin to depend on authority. Therefore the Master steps back so people won't be confused. He teaches without teaching so people will have nothing to learn.
73.
The Tao is always at ease. Overcomes without competing, answers without speaking a word, arrives without being summoned, accomplishes without a plan. Its net covers the whole universe and though its meshes are wide it doesn't let a thing slip through.
74.
If you realize all things change you'll realize there is nothing to hold onto. If you aren't afraid of dying there is nothing you can't achieve. Trying to control the future is like trying to take the Master carpenter's place. When you handle the Master carpenter's tools, chances are you will cut your hand.
75.
When taxes are too high, people go hungry. When the government is too intrusive people lose their spirit. Act for the peoples benefit. Trust them. Leave them alone.
76.
Men are born soft and supple. Dead they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant. Dead they are brittle and die. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail.
77.
As it acts in the world, the Tao is life the bending bow. The top is bent downward, the bottom is bent up. It adjusts excess and deficiencies, so there is perfect balance. It takes from what is too much and gives to what isn't enough. Those who try to control, who use force to protect their power go against the direction of the Tao. They take from those who don't have enough and give go those who have too much. The Master can keep giving because there is no end to her wealth. She acts without expectation. Succeeds without taking credit and doesn't thing she is better than anyone else.
78.
Nothing in the world is as soft and yielding as water. The hard and inflexible, nothing can surpass it. The soft overcomes the hard. The gentle overcomes the rigid. Everyone knows this is true but few can put it into practice. Therefore the Master remains serene in the midst of sorrow. Evil cannot enter his heart. Because he has given up helping. He is the peoples greatest help. True words seem paradoxical.
79.
Failure is an opportunity. If you blame someone else there is no end to the blame. Therefore the Master fulfills her own obligations and corrects her own mistakes. She does what she needs to do and demands nothing from others.
80.
If a country is governed wisely, its inhabitants will be content. They enjoy the labor of their hands and don't waste time inventing labor saving machines. Since they dearly love thier homes they aren't interested in travel. There may be a few wagons and boats but these go no where. There may be an arsenal of weapons but nobody ever uses them. People enjoy their food, take pleasure in being with their families, spend weekends working in the their gardens. Delight in the doing of their neighborhood. Even though the next country is so close where people can hear its roosters crowing and its dogs barking. They are content to die of old age without even having goneto see it.
81.
True words aren't eloquent. Eloquent words aren't true. Wise men don't need to prove their point. Men who need to prove their point are not wise. The Master has not possessions. The more he does for others the happier he is. The more he gives to others the happier he is. The Tao nourishes by not forcing. By not dominating, the Master leads.
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