This is what is called 'the Mystic Essential.'
28
Know ANKH, the Masculine, but remain with-IN, the Great Mother;
be a Womb for all under Heaven.?By being such a Womb,
Super-Ego will never desert you.?If Super-Ego never deserts you,
you will remain forever Libidinally-newborn.
Know that you are Innocent;?remain steadfast if insulted;
be a welcoming valley for all under Heaven.
By being a welcoming valley for all under Heaven, Divinity alone willsuffice.
If Divinity alone suffices for you, you will remain a simple un-hewnlog.
Know whiteness but remain in the dark, and be a model for all underHeaven.
By being a model for all under Heaven, Divinity cannot miss it's mark.
If Divinity does not miss it's mark, you will remain with the Infinite.
When an un-hewn log is cut apart, it is made into tools;
when Sages are put to use, they become the chief of officials..
for-
GREAT SCULPTING CUTS-AWAY NOTHING.
29
Of the many who wish to grab the universe and 'use' it,
Ego has never had even one success.
Now, the universe is a Divine Alembic, not something to 'use.'
Who strives to 'use' it will be defeated;?who grasps it willfail.
Of Creatures;?some march forward, others follow behind;
牋牋牋牋牋牋牋some tremble in silence, others are puffed-up;
牋牋牋牋牋牋牋some are agressive, others are meek;
牋牋牋牋牋牋牋some build things up, others collapse them.
For these reasons, Sages avoid extremism;
牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋avoid excesses;
牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋avoid being grandiose.
30
One who guides a human ruler with THOU does not use force upon theuniverse.
Such a course is likely to rebound upon it's source.
Where armies have been stationed, briars and brambles tend to grow.
A good General attains the defense, and THAT IS ALL.
They attain the defense, but not 'proudly.'
They attain the defense, but do not boast.
They attain the defense only because THAT IS WHAT MUST BE DONE.
If something grows old while still in it's prime,
that is called 'Not being in accord with THOU.'
Not being in accord with THOU leads to untimely ends.
31
Now, weapons are instruments of ill omen;?Divinity abhors them.
Therefore, one who abides in THOU does not abide weapons.
The Superior Person, at home, honors the more powerful Left-side;
牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋on the battlefield, the more gentle Right-side;
they put Peace above all else,
and refuse to glorify weapons.
If one glorifies weapons, this propagates killing.
One who delights in killing people has no influence with Heaven.
On occasions of celebration, one honors the Left-side;
on occasions of grief, the Right-side is honored more.
A Deputy General stands on the Left side;
their Commander stands at the Right..
in other words, they stand in the order of their gravity of offense.
The killing of masses of people we ought bewail with sorrow and grief.
Victory in battle we ought commemorate with mournful rites.
32
THOU art eternally nameless.
Because the un-hewn log is small, none care to subjugate it.
If Kings and rulers had it, the masses would gladly serve them.
Heaven and Earth unite to bring-forth sweet dew.
Without 'governing' the people, natural equality ensues.
As soon as one carves-up Nature, 'labels' arise.
Once there are labels, one should know that it is time to STOP.
Knowing when to stop, one may avoid peril.
In Totemic terms, the relationship of the universe to THOU
is 'Valley Streams flowing back into the River and the Sea.'
33
Understanding others is Knowledge.
Understanding oneself is Enlightenment.
Conquering others is Power.
Conquering oneself is Strength.
Contentment is Wealth.
Forceful conduct is Reckless.
Not losing one's rightful nature is Immortality.
To 'die' but not the perish
is to be eternally present.
34
Rippling art THOU, to the left and the right!
All tasks completed, all affairs finished,
still it does not claim them for itself.
The myriad creatures return to it,
but it does not act as their ruler.
Eternally without 'personal motivations'
it may be named among the small;
the myriad creatures return to it
though it does not 'order' them to.
It may thus be named among the Great.
In this way, Sages can achieve 'greatness;'
by not acting 'great:'?therefore they may be named among theGreat.
35
Hold fast to the Great Imagery, and all under Heaven will come;
they will come and not be harmed by contact with your Libido;
they will rest in safety and peace;
music and fine food will make the passerby halt.
Therefore, when THOU art expressed in mere words,
people say 'how bland and tasteless it is!'
"We look for it, but there is not enough to be seen!"
'We listen for it, but there is not enough to be heard.'
Yet, when put to use, it is inexhaustible!
36
When you wish to contract something, you must first briefly expandit.
To weaken something, you must first briefly make it stronger.
To reject something, you must first momentarily join with it.
When you wish to seize something, you must first NOT be grasping it.
This is a 'subtle' insight!
The soft and the weak conquer the strong.
Fish cannot be removed alive from their watery depths;
the profit-making instruments of State cannot be shown to the masses.
37
THOU art eternally nameless.
If rulers and Kings preserved it, the masses would transform.
After transformation, should they wish to rise-up,
I could restrain them with the nameless unhewn log.
Should I so restrain them, they would not feel disgraced;
they would be still, whereupon Heaven and Earth would right themselves.
38
A 'Virtuoso' does not claim virtuosity..
and therefore, has it.
An aspiring 'virtuoso' can think of nothing else!..
and therefore, is not there, quite yet.
A true Virtuoso Does Nothing Much Personal..
for they have no egoic motives toward their skill.
A true Humanitarian takes action..
but not for any egoic reasons.
A truly 'Righteous' person takes action
only for 'good causes.'
A 'Civilized' person takes action,
but if others do not respond accordingly,
they roll up their sleeves and convince them!
Therefore, when DEI is lost, afterwards comes 'Virtuosity' rediscovered;
When Virtuosity has not yet been rediscovered, there comes 'Humanitarianism;'
when Humanitarianism has been lost, afterwards comes 'Righteousness;'
when Righteousness has been lost there comes 'Civilization' in it'splace.
Now, Civilization is the refined product of Trust..
the Karma of Trust is the chaos of trusting the untrustworthy.
Foreknowledge is but the blossoming of DEI,
and not it's final 'proof.'
Therefore, a person like DEI resides in original Wholeness,
not in 'refined products.'
They reside in fruitful 'proof,'
not it's first blossoming promise.
They 'suspect' the one and adopt the other.
39
Originally, these attained Wholeness;
Heaven attained Wholeness, and became 'pure.'
Earth attained Wholeness, and became 'solid.'
The Spirits attained Wholeness, and became 'divine.'
The Cave Of Impressions attained Wholeness, and began to fill.
The Hierarchy attained Wholeness, and all was put 'right.'
Yet, Karma recoiling upon itself, it implies that;
Once Heaven was 'pure' it would be torn asunder;
once Earth was 'solid' it would begin to quake;
once Spirits were 'divine' they would begin to bicker;
once the Cave Of Impressions filled-up, it would run dry;
once the Hierarchy was 'right' and exalted, it would 'fall.'
Because of Karma, it is necessary to be Humbly-Noble;
it is necessary to be Modestly-Exalted.
For this reason, Hierarchs style themselves as
'orphaned and destitute and hapless.'
Is this not because they have learned true humility?
Therefore, since striving for great praise deprives one of it,
consequently do not desire to tinkle like jade
or to ring like the True Stone.
40
When a 'superior' person hears of DEI,
they are scarcely able to put it into practice.
When a 'middling' person hears of DEI,
they appear to now perservere, now lose it.
When a 'common' person hears of DEI,
they laugh out loud.
If they did not laugh, it could not be DEI!
There is a series of old sayings, that go;
"The bright Path seems dim.
The forward Path seems backwards.
The level Path seems bumpy.
Virtuosity seems like a depression.
Great whiteness seems grimy.
Ample skill seems insufficient.
Full DEI seems apathetic.
Plain truth seems sullied.
The great square has no corners.
The great vessel is never completed.
The great note sounds muted.
The great Image is formless.
The Path is hidden, and nameless."
Indeed, this Path alone is good at it's beginning and at it's end.
41
Reversals are the way of this Path, and weakness is it's strength.
All creatures are born of Being;?Being is born from Nonbeing.
42
THOU gave birth to Unity;
Unity gave birth to Duality;
Duality gave birth to Trinity;
Trinity gave birth to the myriad creatures.
The myriad creatures bear IN on their backs,
and embrace ANKH to their bosoms;
they unify these subtleties, and thus achieve harmony.
That which everyone in the world hates most
is to be orphaned, destitute and hapless..
yet Hierarchs call themselves thus!
Things may be diminished by being increased,
or increased by being diminished.
Therefore, that which people teach,
after some reflection, I also teach people.
They say, "A tyrant does not die a natural death."
I take that as my Guide.
43
The subtlest thing under Heaven
gallops triumphantly over the most 'solid.'
The 'dead' have gone to nowhere 'solid.'
Thus I know the advantage of Doing Nothing Much Personal.
The Discourse Beyond Personalities-
The advantages of Doing Nothing Much Personal-
few indeed can grasp these!
44
Name or Person;
which is nearer?!
Person or Flesh;
which is dearer?!
Gain or Loss;
which is drearier?..
Many loves entail great costs;
Many riches ential heavy losses.
Know contentment and you will not be disgraced.
Know satisfaction and you will not be endangered;
then may you long endure.
45
Great perfection appears 'defective,'
but it's usefulness is not diminished.
Great fullness appears 'empty,'
but it's usefulness is not impaired.
Great straightness seems crooked.
Great skill seems clumsy.
Great attainment seems bashful.
Bustling-about vanquishes cold;
standing still vanquishes heat.
Pure and still, one can straighten-out the Universe.
46
When DEI-ty prevails under heaven,
swift horses are prized for their fertilizing of fields;
but when DEI-ty has been forgotten under heaven,
war-horses are bred even in the suburbs!
No guilt is greater than Egoic motivations;
no disaster is greater than Egoic discontent;
no crime is greater than the Egoic desire for gain.
Therefore, Contentment that derives from knowing when to be Content
is Eternal Contentment.
47
Without going out of doors,
one may know all under heaven.
Without peering into windows,
one may know the secrets of the Universe.
The farther one goes,
the less one knows!
For this reason,
the Sage knows without needing to journey;
understands without needing to look;
and accomplishes without needing to act.
48
The pursuit of learning results in daily increase.
Hearing DEI-ty results in daily decrease!
Decrease and more Decrease,
until you reach Doing Nothing Much Personal.
Through this, no action is left undone.
Should one aspire to attain the Cosmos,
one should remain ever free of Ego-involvements;
For,
just as surely as one becomes Ego-involved,
one becomes unfit to attain the Cosmos.
49
Sages never have a mind of their own;
they consider the minds of the common people to be their mind.
Treat well those who are 'good.'
Also treat well those who are 'not good.'
This is Goodness ATTAINED.
Be sincere to the sincere.
Also be sincere to the insincere.
This is Sincerity ATTAINED.
Sages are self-effacing in their dealings with all under heaven,
and bemuddle their own minds for the sake of others.
The common people all rivet their eyes and ears upon them,
and Sages make them giggle like children!
50
A person comes forth into Life and passes into Death.
Three out of ten are partners of Life;
Three out of ten are partners of Death;
And those whose every act leads them to Death
because they cling desperately to Life are also three in ten.
Now, what is the Reason for this?!
It is because all of these CLING.
Indeed, I have heard it said that those who can save life
do not avoid tigers or rhinoceroses
when out walking in the hills;
nor do they put on armor and take up weapons
when they approach a battlefield.
The rhinoceros has no place to jab it's horn,
the tiger has no place to fasten it's claws,
and weapons have no place to put their blades.
