ripened, provided for, and protected.
To give life without being possessive, to act without exploiting,
and to encourage without dominating, is called:
揾aving a profound spirit.?br>
52
Source: If we understand the origin, we see the outcome
The world has a source which is the mother of the world.
When we know the mother, we will understand her children.
In understanding her children we will regain the protection of the mother, and until our death we will suffer no harm.
If we cease our idle chatter and close the door,
then we will have an easy life.
If we抮e engaged in endless chatter, and crave many things,
then we will have a difficult life.
Noticing the subtle signs is to have understanding.
Keeping our sensitivity is to have strength.
By developing our clarity, we find wisdom.
If we don抰 bring trouble into our lives,
we are able to practice equanimity.
53
Boasting: Straying from the Tao
If I know anything at all it is that I will walk the Way of the Tao;
and straying from it will be my only fear.
The Great Way is completely safe, but most people prefer side paths.
The royal court is extremely wasteful,
yet the fields are completely overgrown.
The storehouse is quite empty,
yet their clothing is rich and bright.
They carry sharp swords
and gorge themselves on food and drink.
They have more money and possessions
than they know what to do with.
These people are called swaggering bandits.
This is not the Tao!
54
Empathy: It takes a village
What is well established will not be uprooted.
What is well embraced will not be renounced.
Then generation after generation will offer thanks without cease.
Cultivate this in self and our spirit will be real.
Cultivate this in family and its spirit will be overflowing.
Cultivate this in our village and its spirit will endure.
Cultivate this in our nations and their spirits will be plentiful.
Cultivate this in our world and its spirit will be universal.
Therefore:
It takes a person to understand a person.
It takes a family to understand a family.
It takes a village to understand a village.
It takes a nation to understand a nation.
It takes a world to understand a world.
How do I know the nature of all things under Heaven?
It is because I use this method.
55
Baby Power: Spontaneity
Those who possess the mysterious inner power
are like the red bottomed baby
whom poisonous insects do not sting,
whom savage beasts do not seize,
whom birds of prey do not attack.
Their bones are weak, and their muscles soft,
but their grasp is firm.
Sex has not been experienced, yet they get sexually excited,
and are full of vital energy.
They can cry all day without getting hoarse,
because the vital energy is in perfect balance.
Having perfect balance is equanimity.
To have equanimity is to know the light.
To thrive in life is fortunate.
Those who use their mind to direct their energy are strong.
What flourishes must fade, and this is not the Tao,
for all things not with the Tao will meet with an early end.
56
Non-Attainment: Only entertainment
Those who know, don抰 speak about it.
Those who speak about it, don抰 know.
Cease the idle chatter. Close the doors.
Blunt what is sharp. Untie the knots.
Blend with the light. Be at one with the dusty world.
This is called Profound Unity.
We cannot attain this and think of it as something personal to us.
Nor can we attain this and think of it as something apart from us.
We cannot attain this and think we have gained anything.
Nor can we attain this and think we have lost anything.
We cannot attain this and think of it as valuable.
Nor can we attain this and think of it as worthless.
This is why the Tao is honored throughout the world.
57
Leave Well Enough Alone: Doing nothing
Use justice to rule the country.
Use surprise to deploy the army.
Use non-interference to deal with the world.
How do I know the nature of things?
I use these truths:
When there are many taboos and restrictions in the world,
people are poorer for it.
When people have many weapons,
the country will fall into chaos.
When people use tricks and deceit,
strange things happen.
When laws and regulations become the most important thing,
there will be more thieves and bandits around.
So wise people say:
I do nothing and people transform by themselves.
I am tranquil and people do right by themselves.
I do not meddle and people enrich themselves.
I want for nothing and people simplify their lives.
58
Great Expectations: No rules, no regulations
When government is restrained, people are pure and simple.
When government is meddlesome, people are found wanting.
Disaster arises from good fortune.
Good fortune hides within disaster.
Who can say how things will turn out in the end?
Life is just not fair.
Normal becomes abnormal. Good becomes evil.
People are as confused as the day is long.
This is why wise people
are straight with us, but do not put us down.
Are honest but not hurtful.
Are direct but not reckless.
Are bright but not flashy.
59
Exercising Restraint: Developing personal power
When governing people and serving Heaven
there is nothing like restraint.
Being restrained means being prepared.
Being prepared means the continuous
accumulation of personal power.
When we are constantly accumulating personal power
there is nothing we cannot do.
When there is nothing we cannot do,
then we will know no limits.
If we have no limitations, we can rule a country.
If we rule our country like a mother, we will last a long time.
It is said: Planting deep roots, makes for a strong trunk.
This is the Way of Long Life of Lasting Awareness.
60
Exorcising Demons: Rendering evil influences harmless
Ruling a large country is like cooking small fish.
When we use the Tao to deal with the world,
demons have no spiritual power.
It is not that demons have no spiritual power,
but that they have no effect on people.
Their spiritual power will do no harm,
just as the wise one does no harm.
When both of them are not causing harm,
their powers are restored in a harmonious union.
61
Balance of Power: Large and small countries
A large country, like a river estuary,
is the gathering place of the world:
It is the womb of the world.
The female principle uses gentleness
to overcome the male aggression.
Gentleness is low key.
So when a large country defers to a small country,
it gains influence in the small country.
And when a small country defers to a large country,
it gains influence in the large country.
So either accept a subordinate position and gain influence
or assume a subordinate position and gain influence.
A large country cannot ignore its wish to nurture
and nourish many people at the same time;
just as a small country cannot ignore its wish
to join in with other people.
Thus they both get what they want;
and so it is fitting for the larger country to act with humility.
62
Every Breath We Take: A grand display or a sincere gesture?
The Tao is the shelter and the refuge of all things.
It is the treasure of the good and the protector of the bad.
People get respect by being polite,
and correct behavior increases their status.
Why expect those we may not approve of to abandon such practices?
When the Son of Heaven is crowned
and the three chief ministers are appointed,
even though we present them with handfuls of jade amulets
and seals carried before a team of four horses,
it is not as good as kneeling down
and making this Tao our presentation.
Why did the ancient ones so value this Tao?
Did they not say:
The seeker finds, and the guilty are forgiven?
Therefore it is the most valued thing in the world.
63
In Easy Stages: How to handle a difficult task
Act without putting on an act.
Do things without getting entangled in them.
Taste that which has no flavor.
Whether big or small, many or few,
respond to hatred with understanding.
Take on the difficult by doing what is easy.
Take on the big by doing what is small.
In the world, difficult tasks should be done in easy stages.
In the world, big affairs should be broken down into their details.
That is why to the very end, wise people make no big deal of things; and that is how big things get done.
Promises lightly made are hardly trusted.
The easier it looks the more difficult it probably is.
This is why wise people treat everything as difficult,
and so in the end, nothing is difficult for them.
64
Getting Things Done: Beginning and ending things
What is at rest is easy to grasp.
What has not yet happened is easy to plan for.
What is fragile is easily broken.
What is minute is easily scattered.
Act before it happens.
Exert control before it gets out of hand.
A tree that takes both arms to embrace starts off as a tiny shoot.
A nine story terrace starts with a basket of earth.
A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
Those who force things to happen are defeated by them.
Those who cling to things lose them.
This is why wise people do not force issues and are not defeated.
They do not cling and they do not lose.
When people are engaged in enterprises;
it is always when they have nearly succeeded that they fail.
If we are as careful at the end as we were at the beginning,
then we will not fail in our ventures.
This is why wise people want not to want,
and do not value rare and expensive goods.
They learn what is not studied
and return to what others have ignored.
They assist all things in realizing their true nature,
yet they do not presume to interfere with them.
65
I Am Not a Crook: Being too clever for our own good
In olden times those who practiced the Tao
did not enlighten the people, but left them simple.
People are difficult to govern when they are too clever.
Those who use cleverness and cunning to govern a country
are the thieves of the country.
Those who do not use cleverness to govern a country
are the blessed of the country.
Knowing these two things shows us the method people use.
To always know what method is being used
is called Profound Understanding.
Profound Understanding is deep and far reaching;
it helps all things return to the Tao
and realize The Great Acceptance.
66
Unpretentious: Taking the low ground
The reason why rivers and oceans are kings of the one hundred valleys
is because they are good at taking the low ground.
Thus they can be the kings of a hundred valleys.
This is why:
If wise people want to be above others,
they must speak from a position below them.
If they want to be in front of others,
they must place themselves behind them.
This is why :
When wise people are in a high position, people are not burdened,
and when they lead them, people come to no harm.
This is why :
The whole world happily supports them and will never despise them.
Since they do not oppose anyone no one can oppose them.
67
The Three Treasures: Compassion, moderation and humility
Everyone in the world says my Tao is the greatest
and that it is unique.
It resembles nothing else.
It is great, because there is nothing like it.
If there were anything like it,
it would have become insignificant long ago.
I have three treasures that I always keep and protect:
The first I call compassion.
The second I call moderation.
The third I call humility.
With compassion we can be brave.
With moderation we can be generous.
With humility we can develop our talents.
Now if we abandon compassion and think we can be brave,
If we abandon moderation and think we can be generous,
If we abandon following and think we can be first,
then we will surely die.
If with compassion we engage in battle, we will win,
and our defenses will be secure.
When Heaven comes to our rescue,
it is with a protective circle of compassion.
68
The Warrior: The best ways to handle conflict
The best warrior is not war-like.
The best fighter is not angry.
The best at defeating the enemy do not engage them.
The best at handling people are low key.
This is called the virtue of non-aggression.
This is called being able to get people to give their best.
This is called uniting with the most ancient
and highest principle of Heaven.
69
The Way of Peace: A good defense is the best offense
Those who use weapons say:
I do not try to take the offensive but would rather take the defensive.
I do not try, to advance an inch but would rather retreat a foot.
This is called: making no moves, not spoiling for a fight;
challenging no opponent, nor wielding any weapon.
There is no greater disaster than taking the enemy lightly.
If I take the enemy lightly I am close to losing my treasures.
When opposing armies are evenly matched,
the one that feels pity will gain the victory.
70
Easy to Understand: Understanding and applying the Tao
My words are very easy to understand,
and very easy to apply.
Yet no one in the world can understand them,
and no one can apply them.
My words are from an ancient source,
my deeds are from a noble authority.
It is because people don抰 understand this,
that they don抰 understand me.
Those who understand me are rare,
