Tao Te Ching – Verse 48 – In pursuit of knowledge, every day something is added. In the practice of the Tao, every day something is dropped.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 48

In pursuit of knowledge,
every day something is added.
In the practice of the Tao,
every day something is dropped.
Less and less do you need to force things,
until finally you arrive at non-action.
When nothing is done,
nothing is left undone.
True mastery can be gained
by letting things go their own way.
It can’t be gained by interfering. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 48 – In pursuit of knowledge, every day something is added. In the practice of the Tao, every day something is dropped.”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 47 – Without opening your door, you can open your heart to the world

Tao Te Ching – Verse 47

Without opening your door,
you can open your heart to the world.
Without looking out your window,
you can see the essence of the Tao.
The more you know,
the less you understand.
The Master arrives without leaving,
sees the light without looking,
achieves without doing a thing. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 47 – Without opening your door, you can open your heart to the world”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 46 – When the world has the Tao Fast horses are retired to till the soil. When the world lacks the Tao Warhorses give birth on the battlefield

Tao Te Ching – Verse 46

When the world has the Tao
Fast horses are retired to till the soil
When the world lacks the Tao
Warhorses give birth on the battlefield

There is no crime greater than greed
No disaster greater than discontentment
No fault greater than avarice
Thus the satisfaction of contentment
is the lasting satisfaction

(translation by Derek Lin, 2006)
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When a country is in harmony with the Tao,
the factories make trucks and tractors.
When a country goes counter to the Tao,
warheads are stockpiled outside the cities.
There is no greater illusion than fear,
no greater wrong than preparing to defend yourself, no greater misfortune than having an enemy.
Whoever can see through all fear
will always be safe.

(translation by Stephen Mitchell, 1995)

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Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 46 – When the world has the Tao Fast horses are retired to till the soil. When the world lacks the Tao Warhorses give birth on the battlefield”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 45 – True perfection seems imperfect, yet it is perfectly itself

Tao Te Ching – Verse 45

True perfection seems imperfect,
yet it is perfectly itself.
True fullness seems empty,
yet it is fully present.

True straightness seems crooked.
True wisdom seems foolish.
True art seems artless.

The Master allows things to happen.
She shapes events as they come.
She steps out of the way
and lets the Tao speak for itself. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 45 – True perfection seems imperfect, yet it is perfectly itself”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 44 – Fame or integrity: which is more important?

Tao Te Ching – Verse 44

Fame or integrity: which is more important?
Money or happiness: which is more valuable?
Success or failure: which is more destructive?

If you look to others for fulfillment,
you will never truly be fulfilled.
If your happiness depends on money,
you will never be happy with yourself. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 44 – Fame or integrity: which is more important?”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 43 – The gentlest thing in the world overcomes the hardest thing in the world.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 43

The gentlest thing in the world
overcomes the hardest thing in the world.
That which has no substance
enters where there is no space.
This shows the value of non-action.
Teaching without words,
performing without actions:
that is the Master’s way. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 43 – The gentlest thing in the world overcomes the hardest thing in the world.”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 42 – The Tao gives birth to One

Tao Te Ching – Verse 42

The Tao gives birth to One.
One gives birth to Two.
Two gives birth to Three.
Three gives birth to all things.
All things have their backs to the female
and stand facing the male.
When male and female combine,
all things achieve harmony.
Ordinary men hate solitude.
But the Master makes use of it,
embracing his aloneness, realizing
he is one with the whole universe. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 42 – The Tao gives birth to One”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 41 – When a superior man hears of the Tao, he immediately begins to embody it

Tao Te Ching – Verse 41

When a superior man hears of the Tao,
he immediately begins to embody it.
When an average man hears of the Tao,
he half believes it, half doubts it.
When a foolish man hears of the Tao,
he laughs out loud.
If he didn’t laugh,
it wouldn’t be the Tao.

Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 41 – When a superior man hears of the Tao, he immediately begins to embody it”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 40 – Return is the movement of the Tao. Yielding is the way of the Tao.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 40

Return is the movement of the Tao.
Yielding is the way of the Tao.

All things are born of being.
Being is born of non-being.

Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 40 – Return is the movement of the Tao. Yielding is the way of the Tao.”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 39 – In harmony with the Tao, the sky is clear and spacious

Tao Te Ching – Verse 39

In harmony with the Tao,
the sky is clear and spacious,
the earth is solid and full,
all creatures flourish together,
content with the way they are,
endlessly repeating themselves,
endlessly renewed.
When man interferes with the Tao,
the sky becomes filthy,
the earth becomes depleted,
the equilibrium crumbles,
creatures become extinct.

Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 39 – In harmony with the Tao, the sky is clear and spacious”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 38 – The Master doesn’t try to be powerful; thus he is truly powerful.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 38

The Master doesn’t try to be powerful;
thus he is truly powerful.
The ordinary man keeps reaching for power;
thus he never has enough.

The Master does nothing,
yet he leaves nothing undone.
The ordinary man is always doing things,
yet many more are left to be done.

Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 38 – The Master doesn’t try to be powerful; thus he is truly powerful.”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 37 – The Tao never does anything, yet through it all things are done

Tao Te Ching – Verse 37

The Tao never does anything,
yet through it all things are done.
If powerful men and women
could center themselves in it,
the whole world would be transformed
by itself, in its natural rhythms.
People would be content
with their simple, everyday lives,
in harmony, and free of desire.
When there is no desire,
all things are at peace. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 37 – The Tao never does anything, yet through it all things are done”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 36 – If you want to shrink something, you must first allow it to expand

Tao Te Ching – Verse 36

If you want to shrink something,
you must first allow it to expand.
If you want to get rid of something,
you must first allow it to flourish.
If you want to take something,
you must first allow it to be given.
This is called the subtle perception
of the way things are.
The soft overcomes the hard.
The slow overcomes the fast.
Let your workings remain a mystery.
Just show people the results. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 36 – If you want to shrink something, you must first allow it to expand”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 35 – She who is centered in the Tao can go where she wishes, without danger.

Verse 35 – She who is centered in the Tao can go where she wishes, without danger.

She who is centered in the Tao
can go where she wishes, without danger.
She perceives the universal harmony,
even amid great pain,
because she has found peace in her heart.
Music or the smell of good cooking
may make people stop and enjoy.
But words that point to the Tao
seem monotonous and without flavor.
When you look for it, there is nothing to see.
When you listen for it, there is nothing to hear.
When you use it, it is inexhaustible.

Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 35 – She who is centered in the Tao can go where she wishes, without danger.”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 34 – The great Tao flows everywhere

Verse 34 – The great Tao flows everywhere

The great Tao flows everywhere.
All things are born from it,
yet it doesn’t create them.
It pours itself into its work,
yet it makes no claim.
It nourishes infinite worlds,
yet it doesn’t hold on to them.
Since it is merged with all things
and hidden in their hearts,
it can be called humble.
Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 34 – The great Tao flows everywhere”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 33 – Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 33

Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
mastering yourself is true power.

If you realize that you have enough,
you are truly rich.
If you stay in the center
and embrace death with your whole heart,
you will endure forever.

Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 33 – Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.”