The sages are stillnot because they possessthe aptitude of being still.Nothing can disturb their mind—that is why they are still. When water is still,it reflects the eyebrows and the beard.It is a perfect level and the craftsman takes his rule from it.If still water has this clarity, how much greater is that of the…
Great music does not move the villagers, but if they hear “The Breaking of the Willow” or “Bright Flowers” they will be rollicking with laughter. Noble words do not stay in the minds of the multitude, and consummate words are not comprehended because common words proliferate. Two clay instruments will overpower the sound of…
At the ultimate origin of all things, there was nothing; there was nothing that could be named. From this emerged the One, the first existence without form. Then different things were produced receiving what we regard as their attributes. What was formless was divided and then continued to be interconnected. The two processes led…
What is the Tao? There is the tao of heaven and there is the tao of man. Doing nothing and retaining all is the tao of heaven. Straining with action is the tao of man. The tao of heaven is the sovereign and the tao of man is the attendant. The tao of heaven…
Permeating heaven and earth, there is virtue.Operating in all things, there is the Tao. It is the duty of rulers to govern the people.Ability was developed into skill,which led to righteousness;righteousness rose from virtue, and virtue emerged from the Tao.The Tao was aligned with heaven. The ancients who sustained the worlddesired nothing and the…
What is long should not be regarded as too long, nor what is short too short. A ducks legs, for instance, are short, but if we try to lengthen them it would pine; A crane’s legs are long, but if we try to lop them off it would grieve. Where is a part is…
A ligament connecting the big toe with the other toes and an extra finger may be natural growths but they are extraneous. Swelling and tumors are growths from the body but they are unnatural additions. There are many instances of benevolence and righteousness and they are connected to the five organs. But this is…
The ruler of the South Seawas called Heedless,the ruler of the North Seawas called Sudden,and the ruler of the central regionwas called Chaos. Heedless and Sudden frequently metin the land of Chaos, who treated them well.Heedless and Sudden conferredhow they could reciprocate his kindness. “All men have seven openingsfor the purposes of seeing, hearing,…
Time moves on with its usual nihilism, mows us all down, jaw-droppingly insensate to our preference for living. Guns us down… We’re caught in a universe of collision and drift, the long slow ripples of the first Big Bang as the universe breaks apart; the closest galaxies smash together, then those that are left…
Master Yu and Master Sang were friends. Once when it rained continuously for ten days, Master Yu said, “Perhaps Master Sang is unwell.” He wrapped some rice and took it to his friend. When he arrived at Sang’s gate, he heard sounds of singing or wailing accompanied by a lute. “Father? mother? Heaven? Man?”…
