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 knowing. Thus she is truly whole. Tao Te Ching by Lao-tsu, trans. by Stephen Mitchell How much is taking…
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 world. How can you grasp their meaning? If you want to know me, look inside your heart. Tao Te…
69 The generals have a saying:“Rather than make the first moveit is better to wait and see.Rather than advance an inchit is better to retreat a yard.” This is calledgoing forward without advancing,pushing back without using weapons. There is no greater misfortunethan underestimating your enemy.Underestimating your enemymeans thinking that he is evil.Thus you destroy…
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. All of them embody the virtue of non-competition. Not that they don’t love to compete, but they do it…
67 Some saythat 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,this loftiness has roots that go deep. I have just three things to teach: simplicity, …
66 All streams flow to the seabecause 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 to lead the people,you must learn how to follow them. The Master is above the people,and no one feels oppressed.She goes ahead of…
65 The ancient Mastersdidn’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 know,people can find their own way. If you want to learn how to govern,avoid being clever or rich.The simplest pattern is the clearest.Content…
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 things in order before they exist. The giant pine tree grows from a tiny sprout.The journey of a thousand milesstarts from…
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 acts. The Master never reaches for the great; thus she achieves greatness. When she runs into a difficulty, she…
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 beyond all value,and no one can achieve it. Thus, when a new leader is chosen,don’t offer to help himwith your wealth or your…
