“Every season has its beginning and end;every age has its changes and transformations.Happiness and despair follow one another continuously.Sometimes our views are underminedbut the result may win our consent. Other times we persist in our erroneous viewsand seek to correct the views of others. This is comparable to a great marsh where all variety…
The four seasons have distinct weather, but as heaven has no partiality the year completes the cycle. The five offices of the government have distinct duties, but as rulers have no partiality the state is governed. Peace and war have distinct characteristics, but as a great man does not oppose one against the other…
Bai Ju was studying under Lao Dan.One day he said, “I would like to receiveyour permission to wander alone in the world.” Lao Dan replied,“Leave off.Everywhere it isjust as it is here.” But Bai Ju asked again and Lao Dan said,“Where would you go first?” “I will begin with Qi.” When he reached the…
The border guard at Changwu said to Zilao,“The ruler must not leave clods unbroken in governingand not pull up new growth in regulating the people. Previously in ploughing my fields, I left the clods unbrokenand the result was a poor crop. In weeding I pulled up good plants andthe result was a scanty harvest….
Lord Hui of Wei agreed on a treaty with Marquis Wei of Qi. When Marquis of Wei violated it, Lord Hui was enraged and was planning to send a man to assassinate him. When Gongsun Yan, the Minister of War, heard of this he regarded it as a shame and said, “you are the…
The sage understands the connections between himself and others and how all things constitute one body. He does not know how this is brought about: it is due to his nature. whether he is acted upon or is acting, he follows the direction of heaven; Therefore people refer to him as a sage. If…
There are peoplewho are complacent and conceited,indolent and impatient,and ambitious and distorted. The complacent and conceited acquire the words of one master and in their privateself-satisfaction think that they know all that is necessary to know, when in realitythey have not yet begun to understand a single thing.That is what makes them complacent and…
“〈Tom〉 and 〈Jerry〉 follow the way that cannot be traversed” … Therefore when virtue is encompassed in the unity of the tao and words end where knowledge can go no further, there is completion. The unity of the tao transcends virtue, and what is beyond knowledge cannot be explained by reasoning. To proliferate names…
Laozi said, “The way to guard life consists in the following: Can you encompass the unity of body and spirit? Can you sustain it? Can you know the fortunate and the unfortunate without relying on the divination of the tortoise shell or the yarrow sticks? Can you rest where you ought to rest? Can…
Nanrong Chu said, “If I lack knowledge, people will say that I am obtuse. If I have knowledge, it brings me distress.If I am not benevolent, then I might harm others; If I am benevolent, I distress myself.If I am not righteous, I might injure others; If I am righteous, I…
