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Title: The Tao Te Ching
Author: Lao Tzu
Date: 2004
Language: en
Topics: Taoism, philosophy, political philosophy
Source: Retrieved on 19 October 2020 from http://beatrice.com/TAO.txt

Lao Tzu

The Tao Te Ching

The Tao Te Ching a modern interpretation of Lao Tzu perpetrated by Ron

Hogan copyright 2002, 2004

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons

Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial License. To view a copy of this

license, visit

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd-nc/1.0/

or send a letter to Creative Commons 559 Nathan Abbott Way Stanford, CA

94305 USA.

Basically, you can distribute this text all over the place, as long as

you always attribute it to me, you don't change a word, and you never

charge anybody anything to receive it. But read the license for the full

details.

---

FOREWORD "Ancient Chinese Secret, Huh?"

In the spring of 1994, I was handed a master's degree in film studies

and politely invited not to return to graduate school in the fall. So I

went to work at Dutton's, a fantastic indie bookstore in Brentwood, less

than a mile from the Simpson condo, but that's another story. Doug, the

owner, lets his employees borrow books from the inventory, on the

principle that you can sell books better if you know them better, and

that's how I discovered the Tao Te Ching (or TTC, as I'll abbreviate it

from now on).

Oh, I knew about the book beforehand. I knew it existed, anyway, and I

knew it was a classic of Eastern philosophy. But that's all I knew. Not

that there's that much to know after that, about all anybody can really

say about Lao Tzu is that according to legend, about six centuries

before Christ, he got fed up with the royal court's inability to take

his advice and decided to leave. Then, the story goes, he was stopped at

the Great Wall by a guard who begged him to write down some of his

teachings for posterity, and the result was this slim volume. Once I

actually started to read the thing, I was hooked. Here was a book that

managed to say with clarity what I'd been struggling to figure out about

spirituality for several years.

The TTC I found at Dutton's was written by Stephen Mitchell, a version

which remains popular nearly twenty years after its original

composition. Having read a couple dozen translations since, it's still

one of the most accessible versions I've seen, but even then, I found

his style a bit too refined, too full of a certain "wisdom of the

ancients" flavor. For example, here's how Mitchell starts the first

chapter:

"The Tao that can be named is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be

named is not the eternal Name."

At the time, I was newly infatuated with the writing of Quentin

Tarantino and David Mamet, so my dream version of a TTC reflected the

simplicity and grit of their dialogue:

"If you can talk about it, it ain't Tao. If it has a name, it's just

another thing."

Anyway, I grabbed a couple other translations and started looking at the

different ways they expressed the same sentiments--or, as I quickly

discovered, how much poetic license Mitchell and other translators were

willing to take with the original text. I don't think this necessarily

matters all that much; many current English- language versions are by

people who don't know Chinese well, if at all, and I can't read or speak

it myself. To that extent, then, we're all (unless we're fluent in

Chinese, that is) at the mercy of, at best, a secondhand understanding

of what Lao Tzu said.

Once I thought I had a rough idea what was behind the words, though, I

went about rephrasing the chapters in my own voice. My guiding principle

was to take out as much of the "poetry" as possible, to make the text

sound like dialogue, so the reader could imagine someone telling him or

her what Tao's all about. You can't take the "poetry" out completely,

because the TTC is always going to have those lines about Tao being an

"eternal mystery" and whatnot.

But the beauty of the book isn't in its language, at least not for

me--it's in the practical advice Lao Tzu offers us about how to live a

productive, meaningful life on a day to day basis. What I wanted to do

was to make that advice as clear to a modern American reader as it would

have been to the guard who first asked Lao Tzu to write it down.

I worked through the first twenty chapters, then put the rough draft up

on my website under a pseudonym I used online back in those days. A

bunch of fan mail came in, so I kept plugging away at the text, then my

hard drivecollapsed and all my files were completely erased. I was

freelancing pretty steadily then, and what little free time I had I

spent building my own website, so the TTC went on hold. I got an

occasional email asking about the other chapters, and I developed a

stock answer. When it was time for me to finish the job, I told people,

I would.

Years went by. I'd left LA for San Francisco, then moved up to Seattle,

chasing after big dotcom money. It was great for a while, but as Lao Tzu

says, "If you give things too much value, you're going to get ripped

off." In the middle of the worst of the frustration, I rediscovered the

Tao Te Ching, and realized I needed to finish what I started.

I dug out all my old copies of the TTC and went shopping for more

versions, some of which were even better than the ones I'd found the

first time. Brian Browne Walker's translation comes close to the modern

oral quality I was striving for, though his voice is still much more of

an "Eastern sage" voice than mine. David Hinton is somewhat more poetic,

but I think he does a wonderful job of capturing what Lao Tzu may have

actually sounded like to his contemporaries. And Ursula K. LeGuin

strikes a balance between the modern and classical voices that gave me a

new perspective on Tao; her commentaries on several chapters are

enlightening as well.

I wish I could say that I wrote the remaining sixty-one chapters in a

hurried creative frenzy, but things took a little longer than I thought.

I got distracted by the decision to move to New York City, and though I

did get some work done on the book, it was a little over a year later,

when (and, yes, I know how cliched this sounds) the planes crashed into

the World Trade Center and I realized I'd still been wasting too much of

my life on things that didn't pan out. Instead of talking about getting

serious about my life, it was time to actually do it. (Living through

the following two and a half years has also made me appreciate chapters

30 and 31 a lot more, for reasons that will become readily apparent.)

So here you are--with my own name attached, as thepseudonym has long

since fallen away. From a scholar's point of view, this TTC is

unfaithful to the original text on more than one occasion, if not in

every single line. Case in point: in chapter 20, Lao Tzu didn't exactly

say, "Don't spend too much time thinking about stupid shit." For all the

liberties I've taken with his words, however, I've made every attempt to

stay true to his message, and I hope you'll find something useful in my

efforts.

--Ron Hogan (tao@beatrice.com) January 2004

If you can talk about it, it ain't Tao. If it has a name, it's just

another thing.

Tao doesn't have a name. Names are for ordinary things.

Stop wanting stuff; it keeps you from seeing what's real. When you want

stuff, all you see are things.

Those two sentences mean the same thing. Figure them out, and you've got

it made.

If something looks beautiful to you, something else must be ugly. If

something seems good, something else must seem bad.

You can't have something without nothing. If no job is difficult, then

no job is easy. Some things are up high because other things are down

low. You know you're listening to music because it doesn't sound like

noise. All that came first, so this must be next.

The Masters get the job done without moving a muscle and get their point

across without saying a word.

When things around them fall apart, they stay cool. They don't own much,

but they use whatever's at hand. They do the work without expecting any

favors. When they're done, they move on to the next job. That's why

their work is so damn good.

If you toss compliments around freely, people will waste your time

trying to impress you. If you give things too much value, you're going

to get ripped off. If you try to please people, you'll just make them

pissed.

The Master leads by clearing the crap out of people's heads and opening

their hearts. He lowers their aspirations and makes them suck in their

guts.

He shows you how to forget what you know and what you want, so nobody

can push you around. If you think you've got the answers, he'll mess

with your head.

Stop doing stuff all the time, and watch what happens.

How much Tao is there? More than you'll ever need. Use all you want,

there's plenty more where that came from.

You can't see Tao, but it's there. Damned if I know where it came from.

It's just always been around.

Tao's neutral: it doesn't worry about good or evil. The Masters are

neutral: they treat everyone the same.

Lao Tzu said Tao is like a bellows: It's empty, but it could help set

the world on fire. If you keep using Tao, it works better. If you keep

talking about it, it won't make any sense.

Be cool.

Tao is an eternal mystery, and everything starts with Tao.

Everybody has Tao in them. They just have to use it.

Tao never stops. Why? Because it isn't trying to accomplish anything.

The Masters hang back. That's why they're ahead of the game.

They don't hang on to things. That's how they manage to keep them.

They don't worry about what they can't control. That's why they're

always satisfied.

"Doing the right thing" is like water. It's good for all living

things,and flows without thinking about where it's going

...just like Tao.

Keep your feet on the ground. Remember what's important. Be there when

people need you. Say what you mean. Be prepared for anything. Do

whatever you can, whenever it needs doing.

If you don't compare yourself to others, nobody can compare to you.

If you drink too much, you get drunk. The engine won't start if you're

always tinkering with it.

If you hoard wealth, you fall into its clutches. If you crave success,

hyou succumb to failure.

Do what you have to do, then walk away. Anything else will drive you

nuts.

Can you hold on to your ego and still stay focused on Tao?

Can you relax your mind and body and brace yourself for a new life?

Can you check yourself and see past what's in front of your eyes?

Can you be a leader and not try to prove you're in charge?

Can you deal with what's happening and let it happen?

Can you forget what you know and understand what's real?

Start a job and see it through. Have things without holding on to them.

Do the job without expectation of reward. Lead people without giving

orders. That's the way you do it.

A wheel has spokes, but it rotates around a hollow center.

A pot is made out of clay or glass, but you keep things in the space

inside.

A house is made of wood or brick, but you live between the walls.

We work with something, but we use nothing.

Sight obscures. Noise deafens.

Desire messes with your heart. The world messes with your mind.

A Master watches the world but keeps focused on what's real.

Winning can be just as bad as losing. Confidence can mess you up just as

much as fear.

What does "winning can be just as bad as losing" mean?

If you're down, you might be able to get up. But if you're up, you can

get knocked down real fast. Don't worry about the score, just do what

you have to do.

What does "confidence can mess you up just as much as fear" mean?

Fear can keep you from getting the job done, but confidence can get you

in over your head. Walk tall, but don't get cocky.

Know your limits, and nothing can ever hold you back. Deal with what you

can. The rest will follow.

You can't see Tao, no matter how hard you look. You can't hear Tao, no

matter how hard you listen. You can't hold on to Tao, no matter how hard

you grab.

But it's there.

It's in you, and it's all around you.

Remember that.

The ancient Masters were damn impressive. They were deep. Real deep.

Words can't even begin to describe how deep they were. You can only talk

about how they acted.

They were careful, like a man walking on thin ice. They were cautious,

like a soldier behind enemy lines. They were polite, like a guest at a

party. They moved quickly, like melting ice. They were as plain as a

block of wood. Their minds were as wide as a valley, and their hearts as

clear as spring water.

Can you wait for that kind of openness and clarity before you try to

understand the world?

Can you hold still until events have unfolded before you do the right

thing?

When you act without expectations, you can accomplish great things.

Keep your head clear. Stay calm. Watch as everything happens around you.

Everything reverts to its original state, which was nothing. And when

something becomes nothing, it gets right with Tao.

If you don't understand that, you're going to screw up somewhere down

the line. If you figure it out, you'll always know what to do.

If you get right with Tao, you won't be afraid to die, because you know

you will.

When a Master takes charge, hardly anybody notices. The next best leader

is obeyed out of love. After that, there's the leader obeyed out of

fear. The worst leader is one who is hated.

Trust and respect people. That's how you earn their trust and respect.

The Masters don't give orders; they work with everybody else. When the

job's done, people are amazed at what they accomplished.

When people lose touch with Tao, they start talking about

"righteousness" and "sanctity."

When people forget what's true, they start talking about "self-evident

truths."

When people have no respect for one another, they start talking about

"political correctness" and "family values."

When the nation is unstable, people start talking about "patriotism."

Get rid of sanctity. People will understand the truth and be happier.

Get rid of morality. People will respect each other and do what's right.

Get rid of value and profit. People will not steal if they do not

desire.

If that's not possible, go to Plan B: Be simple. Be real. Do your work

as best you can. Don't think about what you get for it. Stay focused.

Get rid of all your crap.

Don't spend too much time thinking about stupid shit. Why should you

care if people agree or disagree with you? Why should you care if others

find you attractive or not? Why should you care about things that worry

others? Call bullshit on all that.

Let other people get worked up and try to enjoy themselves. I'm not

going to give myself away. A baby doesn't know how to smile, but it's

still happy.

Let other people get excited about stuff. I'm not going to hang on to

anything. I'm not going to fill my mind with ideas. I'm not going to get

stuck in a rut, tied down to any one place.

Other people are clever; I guess I must be stupid. Other people have

goals; I guess I must be aimless. Like the wind. Or the waves.

I'm not like other people. I'm getting right with Tao.

A Master stays focused on Tao. Nothing else, just Tao.

But you can't pin Tao down-- you can't even see it! How are you supposed

to focus on something like that?

Just remember what Lao Tzu said: The universe began as a void. The void

fills with images. Images lead to the creation of objects. And every

object has Tao at its core.

That's the way it's been, ever since the world began. How can I be so

sure? I just know.

Learn how to stand still if you want to go places. Get on your knees if

you want to stand tall. If you want wisdom, empty your mind. If you want

the world, renounce your riches. Push yourself until you're exhausted,

and then you'll find your strength.

You can go far if you don't have anything to carry. The more you

acquire, the less you can really see.

A Master takes this to heart and sets an example for everybody else.

She doesn't show off so people take notice. She's not out to prove

anything so people take her at her word. She doesn't brag about herself

but people know what she's done. She hasn't got an agenda but people

know what she can do. She's not out to get anybody so nobody can get in

her way.

"Learn how to stand still if you want to go places." That's not as crazy

as it sounds. Get in touch with Tao, and you'll see what I mean.

When you have nothing to say, you may as well keep your mouth shut. The

wind and the rain don't go on forever. If nature knows enough to give it

a rest sometimes, so should you.

If you're ready for Tao, you can live with Tao. If you're ready to

succeed, you can live with success. If you're ready to fail, you can

live with failure.

Trust your instincts, and others will trust you.

Keep your feet firmly planted unless you want to fall on your face.

Learn how to pace yourself if you want to get anywhere. Don't call

attention to yourself if you want people to notice your work.

Nobody respects people who always have excuses. Nobody gives credit to

people who always take it. People who hype themselves have nothing else

to offer.

Think of being in touch with Tao like eating at a buffet: Take only what

you need. Save some for everybody else.

Something perfect has existed forever, even longer than the universe.

It's a vast, unchanging void. There's nothing else like it. It goes on

forever and never stops, and everything else came from it.

I don't know what else to call it so I'll call it Tao. What's it like? I

can tell you this much: it's great.

So great that it endures. Something that endures goes a long way. And

something that goes a long way always comes back to the beginning.

Tao's great. Heaven's great. Earth's great. And someone in touch with

Tao is great, too. Those are the four greatest things in the universe.

Someone who's in touch with Tao is in touch with the earth. The earth is

in touch with heaven. Heaven's in touch with Tao. Tao's in touch with

the way things are.

To be light on your feet, you need a steady mind. If your body is

active, your mind should be relaxed.

A Master can travel long distances and still see everything she owns.

She may be surrounded by beauty but she isn't caught up in it.

Why run around thoughtlessly? If you act lightly, you lose your

bearings. If you act recklessly, you lose your self-control.

With enough practice, you could come and go without a trace, speak

without stumbling over words, do complicated math problems in your head.

You could build a door with no lock that nobody could open. You could

tie something down with no knots, without even a rope, and nobody could

pry it loose.

Masters have time to help everybody, and ignore nobody. They use their

resources wisely, wasting nothing. Some people call this "following the

light."

Good people teach others because they have the potential to be good too.

Brains count for nothing if you fail to respect your teachers or to

honor the potential in others. That's one of the most important lessons

of Tao.

If you are strong, but remain sensitive, power will flow through you.

With that power, you'll always be right with Tao: It's like a whole new

life.

If you are idealistic, but stay rooted in reality, you are an example to

others. Set that example, and you'll always be right with Tao: There is

no limit to what you can do.

If you are honorable, but remain humble, you will see things as they

are. If you see things as they are, you'll always be right with Tao:

Your life will become simple, yet full of potential.

Let Tao show you how to get right with Tao, so your slightest gesture

can change the world.

Want to take over the world? Think again. The world's a holy place. You

can't just fuck around with it. Those who try to change it destroy it.

Those who try to possess it lose it.

With Tao, you push forward, or maybe you stay behind. Sometimes you push

yourself, other times you rest. Sometimes you're strong, sometimes

you're weak. Sometimes you're up, and sometimes you're down.

A Master lives simply, avoiding extravagance and excess.

Listen up: If you want to be a leader who's in touch with Tao, never use

violence to achieve your goals.

Every act of violence backfires. An army on the move leaves a trail of

tears, and a military victory always lies in ruins.

The Masters do what needs doing and that's all they do. Do what you have

to do without arrogance or pride. Get the job done and don't brag about

it afterwards. Do what you have to do, not for your own benefit, but

because it needs to be done. And don't do it the way you think it should

be done, do it the way it needs to be done.

The mighty will always lose their power and any connection they ever had

to Tao. They will not last long; if you're not right with Tao, you might

as well be dead.

Weapons are terrible things. If you want to get right with Tao, reject

weapons.

The Master, knowing all things came from Tao, recognizes what he has in

common with his enemies and always tries to avoid conflict.

But when there is no other choice, he uses force reluctantly. He does so

with great restraint, and never celebrates a victory; to do so would be

to rejoice in killing. A person who would rejoice in killing has

completely lost touch with Tao.

When you win a war, you preside over a funeral. Pay your respects to the

dead.

Tao is an eternal mystery, so small you can never take hold of it.

If a leader gets right with Tao, people will follow him on instinct. All

will be right with the world. People will do the right thing without

being told.

Everything that comes from Tao needs a name. But once everything has its

name, you should make no other distinction between things. This prevents

you from becoming trapped by them.

Everything in the universe is full of Tao and leads to Tao, just like

the water in rivers that flows into oceans.

Knowing things makes you smart, but knowing yourself makes you wise. To

rule others, you must be powerful, but to rule yourself, you must be

strong.

If you have only what you need, you have true wealth. If you never give

up, you will find a way. If you stay true to yourself, you will never be

lost. If you stay alive your whole life, you've really lived.

Tao flows in all directions. It's in everything, but nothing can contain

it. Everything needs Tao, so Tao provides, and never expects anything in

return.

Everything comes from Tao, but Tao doesn't call attention to itself. It

wants for nothing. Think nothing of it.

Everything leads to Tao, but Tao doesn't call attention to itself.

Pretty impressive, huh?

It doesn't strive for success. That's why it succeeds.

When you get right with Tao, everybody wants to be your friend. When

they're around you, they can relax and enjoy themselves.

People can be easily distracted by music or good food. When we try to

talk about Tao, it seems boring by comparison.

It doesn't look like much. It doesn't sound like much. But no matter how

much you use, there's still plenty left.

To make something smaller, you need to appreciate its size. To make

something weaker, you must recognize its strength. To get rid of

something, you need to hold it tight. To take something, you must give

it up entirely.

To put it another way: Sensitivity and weakness overcome unfeeling

strength.

Tao never does anything but nothing is left undone.

If our leaders could get in touch with Tao, the world would take care of

itself. Even if they wanted to impose their own ideas, they'd be drawn

back to Tao's nameless simplicity.

When our lives are that simple, we want for nothing. We can relax, and

the world becomes a better place.

People with integrity don't even think about it. That's how you can tell

they have integrity. Other people talk about how much integrity they

have, when they really don't have much. If any.

Truly powerful people don't do anything, but they get the job done.

Other people are always busy doing something, but nothing ever gets

done.

When kind people act, they do so without thinking about it. When the

just act, they're always sure they're doing the right thing. But when

the righteous act, and nobody reacts, they try to force everyone to do

things their way.

If you're not in touch with Tao, at least you can still have integrity.

If you don't have integrity, there's always kindness. If you don't have

kindness, there's always justice. If you don't have justice, all you

have left is righteousness.

Righteousness is an pale imitation of true faith and loyalty, and always

leads to trouble. If you've already made up your mind, you don't know

the first thing about Tao, and you never will.

The Masters pay attention to what's beneath the surface. They'll look at

a tree's leaves, but eat the fruit. They turn all that down, so they can

accept this.

Since time began, this is what it's meant to be in touch with Tao:

Tao made the heavens clear. Tao made the earth solid. Tao made our

spirits strong. Tao made the valleys fertile. Tao gave all living things

life. Tao gave rulers authority.

Without Tao, the heavens would collapse. Without Tao, the earth would

crumble. Without Tao, our spirits would fade away. Without Tao, the

valleys would dry up. Without Tao, all life would become extinct.

Without Tao, rulers would stumble and fall.

Humility gives us power. Our leaders should think of themselves as

insignificant, powerless, unworthy of their stature. Isn't that what

humility is all about?

Be strong, but pay no attention to hollow praise. Don't call attention

to yourself. Don't make a scene.

Tao is always heading back to where it came from. Tao advances by not

pressing forward.

Things exist because they are. They are because they once were not.

When a wise person hears about Tao, he gets right with it. When an

ordinary person hears about Tao, he tries to get right with it, but

eventually gives up. When a fool hears about Tao, he just laughs and

laughs. If he didn't laugh, it wouldn't be Tao.

Here's what they find so funny: The path to enlightenment seems covered

in shadows. The way forward feels like taking a step back. The easiest

path seems difficult. Those with the most virtue seem debased. Those who

are most pure seem to be grubby and soiled. The deepest thoughts appear

shallow. The greatest strength looks like weakness. What is most real

strikes us as imaginary. The largest space has no boundaries. The

greatest talent seems to produce nothing. The greatest voice is

unhearable. The greatest beauty is invisible.

Tao is hidden to us and it has no name. It is the source and the

strength of all things.

Chapter 42 starts out with some cosmic mumbo-jumbo about Tao making one,

one making two, two making three, and three making everything else.

I don't know what it means, and, frankly, I wouldn't worry about it too

much.

Let's get to the practical part: Men hate to be called powerless,

insignificant, or unworthy, but that's how Masters describe themselves.

Because when we lose, we've won. And when we succeed, we've failed.

Other people will tell you what I'm telling you now: "Live by the sword,

die by the sword." That's pretty much what Chapter 42 boils down to.

(See Chapter 46 for more details.)

The softest force in the universe can overcome the hardest of objects.

Something without substance can pass through the space between atoms.

That's how I know about the power of doing nothing.

The silent teachings and the power of doing nothing can only be

understood by a few people.

What's more important, fame or your well-being? What's worth more, your

money or your life? What is more dangerous, winning or losing?

If you are too attached to your possessions, they will bring you misery.

If you hang on to your riches, you will suffer substantial loss. If you

know when you have enough, you will never be disgraced. If you practice

moderation, you can stay out of trouble.

And that's the secret to lasting success.

The greatest achievements may look like mistakes, but you will always be

able to build upon them.

The fullest reserves may seem empty, but you will always be able to draw

upon them.

The straightest line looks crooked. The most skilled people come off as

clumsy. The most eloquent people are usually silent.

When it's cold, you can move around to stay warm. When it's hot, you

should keep still and stay cool. But whatever the weather, if you stay

calm, the world will sort itself out around you.

"When the world is right with Tao," Lao Tzu said, "horses haul

fertilizer to the fields. When the world loses touch with Tao, horses

are trained for cavalry."

Nothing is more insidious than possession. Nothing is more dangerous

than desire. Nothing is more disastrous than greed.

If you know when enough is enough, you will always have enough.

You don't have to leave your room to understand what's happening in the

world.

You don't have to look out the window to appreciate the beauty of

heaven.

The farther you wander, the less you know.

The Masters don't wander around They know. They don't just look. They

understand. They don't do anything, but the work gets done.

Usually, we try to learn something new every day.

But if we want to get right with Tao, we have to let go of something

every day.

We do less and less, until we end up doing nothing. And it's when we do

nothing that we get the job done.

Let events take their course, and everything will turn out in your

favor. If you act on your ambitions, they will never pan out.

The Masters don't make up their minds. They turn their thoughts to other

people.

They are good to good people, and they're good to bad people. This is

real goodness.

They have faith in the faithful, and they have faith in the unfaithful.

This is real faith.

A Master throws himself into the world completely, forgetting everything

he's been told. People pay attention to him because he lives a life of

child-like wonder.

People who look for the secret of long life wind up dead.

Their bodies are the focus of their lives and the source of their death,

because they think a healthy body is all there is to life.

Lao Tzu used to say a man who truly understood life could walk through

the jungle without fear or across a battlefield without armor, totally

unarmed. Wild animals and weapons couldn't kill him.

I know, I know: what the hell does that mean? "Well, he couldn't be

killed," Lao Tzu said, "because his body wasn't where he kept his

death."

Tao is the source of all living things, and they are nourished by Tao's

power. They are influenced by the other living things around them, and

they are shaped by their circumstances.

Everything respects Tao and honors its power. That's just the way it is.

Tao gives life to all things, and its power watches out for them, cares

for them, helps them grow, protects them, and comforts them.

Create something without holding on to it. Do the work without expecting

credit for it. Lead people without giving them orders. That's the secret

of the power of Tao.

Everything starts with Tao, the mother of all things. If you know the

mother, you know the children. If you know the children and remember the

mother, you have nothing to fear in your life.

Shut your mouth and keep still, and your life will be full of happiness.

If you talk all the time, always doing something, your life will be

hopeless.

It takes insight to see subtlety. It takes strength to yield gently to

force. Use that strength to hang on to your insight, and you will always

be at peace. That's how to get right with Tao.

If I had any sense, I'd be trying to get right with Tao, and the only

thing I'd worry about would be messing up. It's not that hard to get

right with Tao, but people are easily distracted.

"When the king's palace is full of treasure," Lao Tzu said, "ordinary

people's fields are smothered with weeds, and the food supplies run

out."

Today, you see sharply dressed people carrying flashy weapons and living

the high life.

They own more than they could ever use, let alone need.

They're nothing but gangsters and crooks. That's not what Tao's about.

Tao's power is so deeply entrenched it can never be uprooted. Tao's

power clings so tightly it can never slip away. It will endure for

generations.

If you get in touch with the power of Tao, it will become real. If your

family gets in touch with the power of Tao, the power will flourish.

If your community gets in touch with the power of Tao, the power will

grow even stronger. If your country gets in touch with the power of Tao,

the power will become abundant.

If the world gets in touch with the power of Tao, the power will be

everywhere.

How can I know this? I just do.

A person filled with the power of Tao is like a baby boy: bees can't

sting him, wild beasts can't attack him.

A baby has soft bones and weak muscles, but a firm grip. He hasn't had

sex, but he can get an erection. That's because he's got lots of energy.

He can cry all day and never lose his voice. That's because he's at one

with his world.

If you're at one with the world, you know constancy. And if you know

constancy, you've been enlightened.

It's not healthy to try to prolong your life. It's unnatural to impose

the mind's will upon the body. People waste time and energy trying to be

strong or beautiful, and their strength and beauty fade. They've lost

touch with Tao, and when you lose touch with Tao, you might as well be

dead.

Those who know, don't talk. Those who talk, don't know.

Shut your mouth. Be still. Relax. Let go of your worries. Stay out of

the spotlight. Be at one with the world and get right with Tao.

If you get right with Tao, you won't be worried about praise or scorn,

about winning or losing, about honor or disgrace. That's the way to be.

You can run a country by sticking to principles, and you can win a war

with strategy and tactics. But you can gain the entire world by doing

nothing at all.

How do I know this? I've seen it happen: The more restrictions a nation

imposes, the poorer its people become. When a nation hoards weapons,

troubles arise from within and from without. When its leaders try to be

cunning and clever, the situation spins further out of control. When

they try to fix things by passing more laws, they only increase the

number of outlaws.

A wise leader says to himself: "I do nothing, and people transform

themselves. I keep silent, and they do the right thing on their own. I

stay out of the way, and they prosper. I want for nothing, and they lead

simple lives."

When a nation is ruled with a light touch, people lead simple lives.

When a government is harsh and demanding, people will spend their time

trying to outsmart it.

Happiness is rooted in misery, and misery lurks beneath all joy. Who

knows what could happen tomorrow?

Everything is relative; what's considered proper today may become

improper. Correct appearances may hide dishonesty and sinfulness.

No wonder so many people get confused.

The Masters have sharp minds, not sharp tongues. They are austere, but

never judgmental. They are straightforward, but not provocative. They

are brilliant, but not flashy.

Leadership is based on moderation. Practice moderation, and you'll get

in touch with the power of Tao.

If you get right with Tao, nothing is impossible. If you get right with

Tao, there's no limit to what you can do. If you get right with Tao, you

can be a true leader.

Remember this advice if you want to be a leader: Plant deep roots in

firm soil. Get right with Tao, and you'll always see things clearly.

Being a leader is like cooking a small fish; get right with Tao, and

it's quick and easy.

When you're in touch with Tao, you don't need to worry about misfortune.

You can't make it go away, of course, but you can keep it from harming

other people.

Also, as a wise leader, you cause no harm to others, so people won't

have to worry about getting hurt, and they'll take the opportunity to do

the right thing.

Power flows down to every level of existence like a river to the ocean.

Victory comes from lying perfectly still and waiting for power to come

your way.

If you yield to someone less powerful than yourself, you will be in a

position to influence them.

If you submit to someone more powerful than yourself, you create an

opportunity to get your own way.

So if you want to get ahead, lay low and bide your time. That way,

everybody's happy.

Every living thing gets its strength from Tao. Good people respect the

value of Tao. The wicked and foolish don't, but Tao provides for them

anyway.

Some people gain power and prestige through fancy words, others through

great deeds. But Tao is available to everyone, not just the powerful. So

don't look down on anybody.

When people become powerful, and everybody lines up to kiss their ass,

sit still and stay right with Tao.

Why have the Masters always respected Tao? Because when you get right

with Tao, you can always find swhat you need to get by, and trouble can

never find you.

Keep still. Don't work so hard. Learn to appreciate everyday life. Pay

attention to details. Start small and work your way up. When people give

you trouble, let it slide.

Break everything down to its essentials. Get the job done before it

becomes a chore.

With the right preparation, difficult tasks can be completed with ease;

every major project consists of simple steps.

The Masters don't take on more than they can handle, which is why they

can do just about anything.

Don't promise more than you can deliver, and don't underestimate the

task: You'll only make things harder for yourself.

The Masters are always aware of the difficulties involved, which is why

they never have to deal with them.

It's easy to maintain balance. Trouble can be nipped in the bud. Fragile

things break easily, and small things are easy to lose.

Deal with the situation before it becomes a problem. Keep everything

straight so it can't get messed up.

Every tree was once a seed. Every skyscraper started out with a

shovelful of dirt. And--stop me if you've heard this one before-- a

journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

When you try too hard, you defeat your own purpose. Cling to stuff, and

you will suffer loss. The Masters make no effort, so they never fail.

They aren't attached to things, so they never feel loss.

People often screw up when the job's nearly done. Pay as much attention

to the finishing touches as you do to the initial steps, and you won't

screw up like that.

The Masters try to be free from desire. They don't collect precious

things. They don't cling to any beliefs. They pay attention to what

everybody else ignores. They help the world get right with Tao, but

don't try to change a thing.

In ancient times, leaders who were right with Tao didn't teach everybody

how to become enlightened. They kept people's lives simple.

People who know too much can't be taught anything. Leaders who try to be

clever always screw things up. Leaders who keep things simple always

make things right.

If you get that, you'll understand the mysterious power of Tao.

That kind of power is so deep, so extensive, it penetrates into every

level of existence.

An ocean is greater than the hundred rivers that flow into it, and all

it does is wait to receive what they bring.

If you want to teach people, don't talk down to them. If you want to

lead them, find out where they want to go.

People love leaders who make them feel safe without smothering them.

They'll always support a leader like that, and because he doesn't try to

compete with anybody, nobody is able to compete with him.

Everywhere I go, people tell me, "Tao is so powerful, so immense, it's

inconceivable!"

But it's only powerful because it's inconceivable. If we could wrap our

minds around it, Tao would be just another thing.

The three most important qualities in life are compassion, or showing

kindness and mercy to others, moderation, or knowing what a thing is

worth, and modesty, or knowing your place in the world.

Courage stems from showing kindness and mercy to others. Generosity

starts with knowing what a thing is worth. True leadership begins with

knowing your place in the world.

But these days, I see everyone trying to act courageous without any

trace of compassion. They try to be generous but they don't practice

moderation in their own lives. They act like leaders, but they have no

sense of modesty. No good can come of this.

If you want to get ahead, show people compassion. When other people

attack you, defend yourself with compassion. It's the most powerful

force in the universe.

A true warrior never uses force with an attitude of pride or anger. A

true victor does not pursue vengeance. A true leader shows humility.

This is the power of modesty. It's the best way to deal with people.

It's always been an excellent way to get right with Tao.

There's an old military saying: "I'd rather face an attack than have to

make one. I'd rather retreat a foot than try to advance an inch."

That's the secret to moving forward while staying put, preparing for

battle without revealing your strength.

When you defend yourself without any show of force, you give your

opponent nothing to fight.

Attacking an enemy you've underestimated is a costly mistake. When two

forces oppose each other, the winner is the one most reluctant to fight.

Lao Tzu's advice was easy to understand and easy to follow. But nobody

understood him or did what he suggested.

His words stemmed from ancient wisdom, and his actions were highly

disciplined. People didn't get that, which is why they didn't understand

him. And the less they understood him, the more meaningful his advice

became.

That's why the Masters live simply, hiding their wisdom deep within

themselves.

If you know what you don't know, you're doing great. If you don't know

what you don't know, you're sick.

The only way to get rid of that sickness is to be sick of it.

The Masters aren't sick, because they got sick of being sick.

When you show no fear at all, the universe gives you something to really

be afraid of.

Don't try to fence people in or grind them down. Just let them be, and

they'll always be on your side.

The Masters know themselves, but they don't reveal themselves. They love

themselves, but they know what their lives are worth. They let go of all

that to concentrate on this.

Those who dare to be bold die. Those who dare to be careful survive.

So--what do you want to do?

Why is life like that, you ask? I don't know.

This is how Tao works: It doesn't push itself, and it always succeeds.

It acts silently, and it always reacts. It can't be summoned; it comes

whenever it's ready. It can't be rushed; it's always on time.

"Heaven casts a wide net, with big holes," Lao Tzu used to say, "but

nothing ever gets by it."

If people's lives suck, and they look forward to death, what good does

it do to threaten to kill them?

If people are afraid to die, and the wicked are condemned to death, then

who would dare to commit evil?

But that doesn't mean you or I can just take life and death into our own

hands. That'd be like walking up to an industrial buzzsaw and trying to

use it without any training. We'd only end up hurting ourselves.

People starve because the government taxes them to death. People rebel

because the government tries to run their lives. People act like life is

meaningless because the government takes everything they have.

People who know how to enjoy life are wiser than people who value their

lives.

A baby's body is soft and gentle. A corpse is hard and stiff. Plants and

trees are tender and full of sap. Dead leaves are brittle and dry.

If you are rigid and unyielding, you might as well be dead. If you are

soft and flexible, you are truly alive.

Soldiers trained to fight to the death will die. A tree that cannot bend

with the wind will snap.

Here's a useful saying: The harder they come, the harder they fall.

Here's another: The meek shall inherit the earth.

Lao Tzu said using Tao was like pulling on a bowstring: The top bends

down, the bottom bends up, and all the energy is focused in the middle.

Tao takes energy from where it is, and sends it where it needs to be.

But most people take from those who don't have enough, so those who have

too much already can have more.

So who in this world is truly generous to others? People who are in

touch with Tao. They do their work without taking credit. They get the

job done and move on. They aren't interested in showing off.

Nothing is softer or more yielding than water. Yet, given time, it can

erode even the hardest stone. That's how the weak can defeat the strong,

and the supple can win out over the stiff.

Everybody knows it. So why don't we apply it to our own lives?

Lao Tzu used to say: "Take on people's problems, and you can be their

leader. Deal with the world's problems, and you'll be a Master."

Sometimes the truth makes no sense.

Sometimes, when an argument is settled, feelings of resentment still

remain on either side. What's the point of carrying a grudge?

The Masters care about what they owe other people, not what other people

owe them.

People who are in touch with Tao do their duty. People who aren't try to

force others into submission.

Tao doesn't play favorites. But if you do right by Tao, Tao will do

right by you.

Lao Tzu had a dream about a small country with very few people.

They didn't need machines to get their work done faster. They took their

lives seriously, and stayed close to home.

They may have owned boats and carriages, but they never went anywhere.

They may have owned weapons, but they kept those weapons locked up,

securely hidden. They had so few responsibilities, they never had to

make a To-Do list to remember what had to be done.

They enjoyed simple foods, dressed plainly, lived comfortably, and kept

their traditions alive.

And even though their neighbors were so close they could hear the dogs

barking at night, they had no interest in leaving their homes, where

they grew old peacefully and died.

The truth isn't flashy. Flashy words aren't true.

Educated people aren't always smart. Smart people don't always have an

education.

Good people don't argue. People who argue aren't good.

The Masters don't hang on to things. They're always doing something for

other people, so they always have more to give. They give away whatever

they have, so what they have is worth more.

If you want to get right with Tao, help other people, don't hurt them.

The Masters always work with people, never against them.

---

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