The more it must be proclaimed, the less masterful it is
The virtuous act as the tao moves them, without forethought or reason
The good have an end in mind, but act from the heart
The righteous have an end and a means, and wave them like a flag
And when the righteous lose their faith in humanity
They roll up their sleeves and fight the good fight
And the thread of the way becomes tangled beyond recognition
Consider...
At best, we are like infants; we do nothing and everyone smiles
Failing that, we try to sense what makes those around us happy
When that fails, we turn to abstractions - rules of truth, of justice, of order
But such abstractions are merely the flower of the way
Beautiful and bitter, full of hope and anger and violence
Rigid and fragile as crystal
What can this bring to the world but disorder?
Thoughtless ideology can only lead to cynical indifference
Flowers bloom and fade and wither away, no matter what
So the taoist lets them be, and reaches for the fruit instead
Heaven attained oneness and became clear.
Earth attained oneness and became strong.
Spirits attained oneness and became full.
Beings attained oneness and became fertile.
Sages attained oneness and became whole.
All are what they are by virtue of oneness.
Heaven without clarity would fall.
Earth without peace would explode.
Spirits without strength would dissipate.
Valleys without fullness would dry up.
Beings without fertility would die off.
Sages without wholeness would stumble and fall.
Humility is the root of greatness.
Those in high positions do well to think of themselves
as powerless, small and unworthy.
Isn't this taking humility for the root?
Attain honour without being horoured.
Don't shine like jade or chime like bells.
Starting from a lower position is the eternal way to begin.
All things are produced by manifestation,
Manifestation comes from non-manifestation.
they recognize it.
When the ordinary hear of the Tao,
they are confused by it.
When the foolish hear of the Tao,
they laugh at it.
Without the laughter,
the Tao would not be the Tao.
Thus it is said:
Understanding the Tao
is like being confused;
Finding the Tao
is like being lost.
The easiest path
is the most difficult to follow;
The greatest power is unnoticed.
The purest is impure;
The best is flawed;
The perfect is imperfect;
The highest virtue is ordinary;
The finest sound is silence;
The largest shape is boundless;
The eternal form is formless.
Therefore,
The Tao cannot be named,
cannot be thought or found;
And yet because of it
all things are nourished,
And everything fulfills itself.
The One gave birth to the Two.
The Two gave birth to the Three.
And the Three gave birth to the ten thousand things.
The ten thousand things carry Yin on their backs and wrap their arms around Yang.
Through the blending of ch'i they arrive at a state of harmony.
The things that are hated by the whole world
Are to be orphaned, widowed, and have no grain.
Yet kings and dukes take these as their name.
Thus with all things - some are increased by taking away;
While some are diminished by adding on.
Therefore, what other men teach,
I will also consider and then teach to others.
Thus, "The strong and violent do not come to a natural end."
I will take this as the father of my studies.
overcomes the hardest thing.
That without substance can enter where there is no room.
Hence I know the value of Wu-Wei.
The benefits of teaching without words, of Wu-Wei,
are understood by very few.
Name or life?
Which means more
Life or wealth?
Which is worse
Gain or loss?
The stronger the attachments
the greater the cost.
The more that is hoarded
The deeper the loss.
Know what is enough;
Be without disgrace,
Know when to stop;
Be without danger.
In this way one lasts for a very long time.
is never completed,
So its use never runs out.
The greatest fullness
has always room for more,
So its use
goes on forever.
The greatest straightness
is curved.
The greatest skill
is effortless.
The greatest speaking
is slow.
Moving around
overcomes cold,
Calm
overcomes heat.
The peaceful and
calm
is the Normal
of the World.
Fast horses are used for their dung.
When the world does not practice Tao,
War horses give birth at the borders.
Among offenses, none is greater than having what is desirable.
Among calamities, none is greater than not knowing contentment.
Therefore the contentment that comes from knowing contentment
Is a long lasting contentment.
know the whole universe.
Without looking out the window, see the Way of heaven.
The further you go, the less you know.
Thus the sage knows by staying still,
fathoms without seeing,
achieves through non-action.
the Way is gained by daily loss,
loss upon loss until
at last comes rest.
by letting go, it all gets done;
the world is won by those who let it go!
but when you try and try,
the world is then beyond the winning.
But take as theirs the people's mind.
"Those minded to do good we take for good,
As we do those not so minded":
And this obligates their goodness.
"And the trusted I trust,
As I trust the not-to-trust":
And this obligates their trust.
In the world the wise man stands
All-enfolding, all-accepting -
No longer apart from the world, not above.
The people lend him their eyes and their ears;
The wise man cradles them like babies.
there are three out of ten who live long life,
there are three out of ten who die early,
there are three out of ten who may live long but die early.
Why so? Because [their]desire to feast [hard] on life.
[I] heard, in the old days, those who achieved longevity,
in travels would not meet rhinoceros or tigers,
in wars would not be wounded; [why?]
[because] rhinoceros have no place to thrust their horns,
tigers have no place to use their claws,
weapons have no place to pierce.
Why so?
Because [they] would not enter the death place [to endanger their life].
its truth sustains
its matter shapes
its energy is the spark of life.
There is not one thing that does not know the way
or is not influenced by it
even though there is no instruction to follow
or bill to pay.
It is just so naturally.
As the universe creates everything,
sustains it, shapes it, enlivens it,
you are called
to care for the world but not own it,
use it but not abuse it,
lead but do not control.
This is the way of the universe.
This may be called the Mother of the Ten Thousand Things.
Knowing the mother,
One may know the children.
Knowing the children,
One may keep to the mother,
And to the end of one's days, never meet with danger.
Whosoever closes the mouth
And shuts the doors
Will be free from trouble throughout his life.
But whosoever opens the mouth
And adds to his affairs,
To the end of his days, will be beyond hope.
To see the small is to be enlightened.
To keep to the weak is to be strong.
Use the light of your intellect,
But return to enlightenment,
And thus avoid misfortune.
This is called practising the constant.
Travelling on the Great Road
I would only fear the twisting bypaths.
The Great Road is so level and straight,
And yet the rulers are fond of the side roads.
Their court is utterly rank with corruption,
The fields are wholly overgrown with weeds,
And the granaries are completely empty.
Their clothing is ornate and embroidered
And on their belts hang sharp swords;
They are gorged with food and drink
And their riches and possessions far exceed their needs.
They are what are called the ringleaders of brigands -
They are certainly not on the Great Road!
Whatever is firmly grasped is not easily loosened.
Generation follows generation, continuing endlessly.
Accept Tao in yourself and Teh is yours.
Accept Tao in the family and Teh is abundant.
Accept Tao in the village and Teh multiplies.
Accept Tao in the nation and Teh flourishes.
Accept Tao in the world and Teh is universal.
Therefore, one can measure by Teh:
By your Teh gauge the family.
By the family's Teh gauge the village.
By the village's Teh gauge the nation.
By the nation's Teh gauge the world.
How do I know this is so? By seeing it so!
Venomous reptiles do not sting him, fierce beasts do not seize him. Birds of prey do not strike him. His bones are weak, his sinews tender, but his grasp is firm. He does not yet know the relation between male and female, but his virility is strong. Thus his metal grows to perfection. A whole day he might cry and sob without growing hoarse. This shows the perfection of his harmony.
To know the harmonious is called the eternal. To know the eternal is called enlightenment.
To increase life is called a blessing, and heart-directed vitality is called strength, but vigorous things are about to grow old and I call this un-Reason.
Un-Reason soon ceases!
Those who speak of this do not know of it.
Close the holes.
Block the doors.
Blend the light.
Merge with the dust.
Sever the bonds.
Untie the knots.
This is called "the Profound Merging."
Therefore you cannot get close to it
Nor can you be far from it.
You cannot benefit it
Nor can you harm it.
You cannot ennoble it
Nor can you debase it.
Therefore it is valued by all under the heavens.
Battles, on the other hand, can be won if rules are aptly broken. Operate the army and fight some battles by (unusual) tactics of surprise and attack.
Yet administer the kingdom by engaging in no activity. Win the world by doing next to nothing, for major adherence can only be won my letting well alone.
How do I know this will be so? By this:
The more prohibitions, ritual avoidances, and taboos there are, the poorer the people will end.
The more 'sharp weapons' there are, the more troubled and chaotic the state will be, and the more benighted the whole land will grow.
The more cunning craftsmen there are, the more skills of technique, the more vicious things will appear: the more pernicious contrivances will be invented.
The more laws are promulgated, the more thieves and bandits there will be.
So: The greater the number of statutes, the greater the number of thieves in the end.
So a wise man decreed:
So long as I "do nothing" the people get transformed of themselves.
So long as I love quietude, the people will of themselves go straight.
So long as I act only by proper inactivity the people will of themselves grow rich.
I have no desires, and the people of themselves become simple as the mythological raw block.
When the government conducts meticulous scrutiny, the common folk become devious and inscrutable.
It is on disaster that good fortune depends; it is in good fortune that disaster lurks. Who understands what the very best is?
It is to have no government at all!
Correctness turns into perversion.
Goodness turns into deviancy.
The people's confusion has certainly lasted a long time.
This is why the sage is square but does not cut,
He is pointed but does not stab.
He is straight but does not align.
He is bright but does not shine.
for teaching people or serving Heaven.
Those who use moderation
are already on the path to the Tao.
Those who follow the Tao early
will have an abundance of virtue.
When there is an abundance of virtue
there is nothing that can not be done.
When there is limitless ability,
then the kingdom is within your grasp.
When you know the Mother of the kingdom,
then you will be long enduring.
This is spoken of as the deep root and the firm trunk,
the Way to a long life and great spiritual vision.
Let the spirit of the Tao govern the land, and evil spirits will have no power.
Not that the evil spirits will depart, but the effects they have on the people will be insignificant,
and the effects of the Sage on the people will also not be burdensome.
Since the spirits and the Sage do not cause harm,
all will be in balance.
a place where everything comes together, the female of all.
The female overcomes the male with tranquility.
Tranquility is underneath.
A large country wins over a small country
by placing itself below the small country.
A small country wins over a large country
by placing itself below the large country.
Thus some win by placing themselves below,
and others win by being below.
A large country wants to protect people,
and a small country wants to join and serve.
Thus both get what they want.
It is best for the large country to place itself below.
It's a good person's treasure
and an evil person's refuge.
Its beautiful words are bought and sold
and its noble deeds are gifts enriching people.
It never abandons even the evil among us.
When the Son of Heaven is enthroned
and the three dukes installed,
parades with jade discs and stately horses
can't compare to sitting still in Way's company.
Isn't it said that
the ancients exalted this Way because
in it whatever we seek we find,
and whatever seeks us we escape?
No wonder it's exalted throughout all beneath heaven.
Work but do not work for gain;
Taste but do not taste for the taste.
Never mind if it is big, small, many, or few,
Just repay injury with benevolence.
To do the difficult we start with the easy.
To do the great thing we start with the small.
All the difficult tasks under heaven must
begin with the easy parts.
All the great achievements under heaven must
begin with the small steps.
The Sage never sets out to do great things.
That way he accomplishes great results.
Those who make easy promises will not be trusted.
Those who say everything is easy
will often have difficulty accomplishing their tasks,
The Sage, on the other hand, takes on the easy tasks as
he takes on the difficult.
So in the end no difficulty will hold him up.
Trouble is easily overcome before it starts.
The brittle is easily shattered;
The small is easily scattered.
Deal with it before it happens.
Set things in order before there is confusion.
A tree as great as a man's embrace springs
up from a small shoot;
A terrace nine stories high begins
with a pile of earth;
A journey of a thousand miles
starts under one's feet.
He who acts defeats his own purpose
He who grasps loses.
The sage does not act,
and so is not defeated.
He does not grasp
and therefore does not lose.
People usually fail when they are
on the verge of success.
So give as much care to the end
as to the beginning;
Then there will be no failure.
Therefore the sage seeks freedom from desire.
He does not collect precious things.
He learns not to hold on to ideas.
He brings men back to what they have lost.
He helps the ten thousand things
find their own nature,
But refrains from action.
Refrained from schooling others in intellectual enlightenment.
Calculative thinking and strict intellectual processes were discouraged,
For people were argumentative and difficult to lead when so schooled.
Leading -
Through intellect alone - harmful to all,
Through encouraging the simple and natural intuitive part of mankind - a blessing to all.
Understanding the difference between these,
A test and a standard exists.
Being able to apply this test and standard,
Is a profoundly mysterious virtue.
This Te,
Being deep, penetrating and far reaching -
All Things return to their natural state,
Bringing the original complete harmony to all.
simpleton.
Being largely the way of a simpleton is what makes it
worth while.
If it were not the way of a simpleton
It would long ago have been worthless,
These possessions of a simpleton being the three I
choose
And cherish:
To care,
To be fair,
To be humble.
When a man cares he is unafraid,
When he is fair he leaves enough for others,
When he is humble he can grow
Whereas if, like men of today, he be bold without
caring,
Self-indulgent without sharing,
Self-important without shame,
He is dead.
The invincible shield
Of caring
Is a weapon from the sky
Against being dead.
The fiercest fighter doesn't bluster.
The big winner isn't competing.
The best boss takes a low footing.
This is the power of noncompetition.
This is the right use of ability.
To follow heaven's lead
has always been the best way.
"I dare not act as host
but would rather be a guest
I dare not advance an inch
but would rather retreat a foot"
So advance but do not use your feet
Seize but do not use your arms
Cut but do not use your sword
Fight but do not use your own power
There is no greater misfortune than feeling
"I have an enemy"
For when "I" and "enemy" exist together
there is no room left for my treasure
Thus, when two opponents meet
the one without an enemy
will surely triumph
My words derive from a creative and universal Principle, in accord with the One Law. Men, not knowing these, understand me not.
Few are they that understand me; therefore am I the more to be valued.
The Wise Man weareth sack-cloth, but guardeth his jewel in his bosom.
Not to know but to think one knows is harmful.
It is by being aware of harm that one avoids it.
The wise person does not come to harm.
It is because the wise are aware of harm
That they avoid coming to harm.
Something truly awful will come to them.
Do not constrain their homes or villages.
Do not oppress their lives.
Because you do not oppress them, you will not be oppressed.
This is why sages know themselves but do not make a display
of themselves;
They care for themselves but do not revere themselves.
And so they cast off the one and take up the other.
If you are courageous in not-daring you will live.
Among these two, one is beneficial and the other is harmful.
Who understands the reason why Heaven dislikes what it dislikes?
Even the sage has difficulty in knowing this.
The Way of Heaven is to win easily without struggle.
To respond well without words,
To naturally come without special invitation,
To plan well without anxiety.
Heaven's net is vast.
It is loose.
Yet nothing slips through.
Because you crush them with your taxes:
That is why they have nothing.
Why are the people angry?
Because you endlessly impose your laws:
That is why they can't take any more.
And why aren't they scared of death?
Because you are voracious and you want everything.
So what have they got left to lose?
Those who only have a little
really know how to value life.
they are soft and supple
when they perish
they are hard and stiff
when plants shoot forth
they are soft and tender
when they die
they are withered and dry
thus it is said
the hard and strong are followers of death
the soft and weak are followers of life
when an army becomes strong it suffers defeat
when a plant becomes hard it snaps
the hard and strong dwell below
the soft and weak dwell above
That is Tao of heaven; it depletes those who abound, and completes those who lack.
The human way is not so. Men take from those who lack to give to those who already abound. Where is the man who by his abundance can best serve the world?
The wise man makes but claims not, he accomplishes merit, yet is not attached to it, neither does he display his excellence. Is it not so?
yielding
than water.
Yet nothing can equal it in cutting the inflexible
and eroding the hard.
The weak can subdue the strong
and the flexible outlasts the rigid.
This is common knowledge,
yet only a very few can practice it.
Therefore, the sages say;
She who is at one with the
disgrace of a nation
is worthy to be queen.
He who is at one with the
misfortunes of nations
is worthy to be king of kings.
The truth frequently seems paradoxical.
if resentment still survives?
A wise man thus accepts a debt,
and never claims what's due.
The person of integrity
minds what he owes others,
while one without integrity
minds what's due by others.
Judging is not the Way,
yet justice ever wins the day.
Though there are various vessels I will not have them put in use.
I will make the people regard death as a grave matter and not go far away.
Though they have boats and carriages they will not travel in them;
Though they have armour and weapons they will not show them.
I will let them restore the use of knotted cords (for keeping records).
They will be satisfied with their food.
Delighted in their dress;
Comfortable in their homes;
Happy with their customs.
Though the neighboring states are within sight,
And their cocks' crowing and dogs' barking within hearing,
The people (of the small state) will not go there their whole lives.
Competence does not persuade, persuasion is not competent.
The sage is not learned,
The learned man is not wise.
The Man of Calling does not heap up possessions.
The more he does for others, the more he possesses.
The more he gives to others,
The more he has.
The Tao of Heaven is 'furthering without causing harm' -
The Tao of the Man of Calling is to be effective without quarreling.
(Verses 1-37)
(Zhuangzi)
