Tao Te Ching – Verse 76
Men are born soft and supple;
dead, they are stiff and hard.
Plants are born tender and pliant;
dead, they are brittle and dry.
Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible
is a disciple of … Read the rest
Category: Wisdom
Tao Te Ching – Verse 75 – When taxes are too high, people go hungry. When the government is too intrusive, people lose their spirit
Tao Te Ching – Verse 75
When taxes are too high,
people go hungry.
When the government is too intrusive,
people lose their spirit.
Act for the people’s benefit.
Trust them; leave them alone.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 74 – If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 74
If you realize that all things change,
there is nothing you will try to hold on to.
If you aren’t afraid of dying,
there is nothing you can’t achieve.
Trying to control the future… Read the rest
Tao Te Ching – Verse 73 – The Tao is always at ease.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 73
The Tao is always at ease.
It overcomes without competing,
answers without speaking a word,
arrives without being summoned,
accomplishes without a plan.
Its net covers the whole universe.
And though its meshes are … Read the rest
Tao Te Ching – Verse 72 – When they lose their sense of awe, people turn to religion. When they no longer trust themselves, they begin to depend upon authority.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 72
When they lose their sense of awe,
people turn to religion.
When they no longer trust themselves,
they begin to depend upon authority.
Therefore the Master steps back
so that people won’t be confused.… Read the rest
Tao Te Ching – Verse 71 – Not-knowing is true knowledge. Presuming to know is a disease.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 71
Not-knowing is true knowledge.
Presuming to know is a disease.
First realize that you are sick;
then you can move toward health.
The Master is her own physician.
She has healed herself of all … Read the rest
Tao Te Ching – Verse 70 – My teachings are easy to understand and easy to put into practice.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 70
My teachings are easy to understand
and easy to put into practice.
Yet your intellect will never grasp them,
and if you try to practice them, you’ll fail.
My teachings are older than the … Read the rest
Tao Te Ching – Verse 69 – Rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 69
The generals have a saying:
“Rather than make the first move
it is better to wait and see.
Rather than advance an inch
it is better to retreat a yard.”
This is called
going … Read the rest
Tao Te Ching – Verse 68 – The best athlete wants his opponent at his best. The best general enters the mind of his enemy. The best businessman serves the communal good. The best leader follows the will of the people.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 68
The best athlete
wants his opponent at his best.
The best general
enters the mind of his enemy.
The best businessman
serves the communal good.
The best leader
follows the will of the people.… Read the rest
Tao Te Ching – Verse 67 – Some say that my teaching is nonsense.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 67
Some say that my teaching is nonsense.
Others call it lofty but impractical.
But to those who have looked inside themselves,
this nonsense makes perfect sense.
And to those who put it into practice,… Read the rest
Tao Te Ching – Verse 66 – If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 66
All streams flow to the sea
because it is lower than they are.
Humility gives it its power.
If you want to govern the people,
you must place yourself below them.
If you want … Read the rest
Tao Te Ching – Verse 65 – The ancient Masters didn’t try to educate the people, but kindly taught them to not-know.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 65
The ancient Masters
didn’t try to educate the people,
but kindly taught them to not-know.
When they think that they know the answers,
people are difficult to guide.
When they know that they don’t … Read the rest
Tao Te Ching – Verse 64 – Prevent trouble before it arises. Put things in order before they exist.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 64
What is rooted is easy to nourish.
What is recent is easy to correct.
What is brittle is easy to break.
What is small is easy to scatter.
Prevent trouble before it arises.
Put … Read the rest
Tao Te Ching – Verse 63 – Act without doing; work without effort
Tao Te Ching – Verse 63
Act without doing;
work without effort.
Think of the small as large
and the few as many.
Confront the difficult
while it is still easy;
accomplish the great task
by a series of small … Read the rest
Tao Te Ching – Verse 62 – The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man’s treasure, the bad man’s refuge.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 62
The Tao is the center of the universe,
the good man’s treasure,
the bad man’s refuge.
Honors can be bought with fine words,
respect can be won with good deeds;
but the Tao is … Read the rest
Tao Te Ching – Verse 61 – When a country obtains great power, it becomes like the sea: all streams run downward into it.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 61
When a country obtains great power,
it becomes like the sea:
all streams run downward into it.
The more powerful it grows,
the greater the need for humility.
Humility means trusting the Tao,
thus … Read the rest