He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm;
Books: THE TAO AND ITS CHARACTERISTICSHe who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches
his legs does not walk (easily) (So), he who displays himself does
not shine; he who asserts his own views is not distinguished; he who
vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowledged; he who is self-
conceited has no superiority allowed to him Such conditions, viewed
from the standpoint of the Tao, are like remnants of food, or a tumour
on the body, which all dislike Hence those who pursue (the course)
of the Tao do not adopt and allow them
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He who is thoughtful, blameless, settled, dutiful, without
passions, and who
He who is thoughtful, blameless, settled, dutiful, without passions, and who has attained the highest end, him I call indeed a Brahmana ... He who is without thirst and without affection, who understands the
He who is without thirst and without affection, who understands the words and their interpretation, who knows the order of letters (those which are before and which are after), he has received his last body, he is called the great sage, the great man ... He who knows (the Tao) does not (care to) speak
He who knows (the Tao) does not (care to) speak (about it); he who is (ever ready to) speak about it does not know it ... He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows
He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty He who is satisfied with his lot is rich; he who goes on acting with energy has a (firm) will ... He who knows that this body is like froth, and
He who knows that this body is like froth, and has learnt that it is as unsubstantial as a mirage, will break the flower-pointed arrow of Mara, and never see the king of death ... He who knows these two things finds in them also
He who knows these two things finds in them also his model and rule Ability to know this model and rule constitutes what we call the mysterious excellence (of a governor) Deep and far-reaching is such mysterious excellence, showing indeed its possess... He who lightly promises is sure to keep but little
He who lightly promises is sure to keep but little faith; he who is continually thinking things easy is sure to find them difficult Therefore the sage sees difficulty even in what seems easy, and so never has any difficulties ... He who lives looking for pleasures only, his senses uncontrolled, immoderate
He who lives looking for pleasures only, his senses uncontrolled, immoderate in his food, idle, and weak, Mara (the tempter) will certainly overthrow him, as the wind throws down a weak tree ... He who lives without looking for pleasures, his senses well controlled,
He who lives without looking for pleasures, his senses well controlled, moderate in his food, faithful and strong, him Mara will certainly not overthrow, any more than the wind throws down a rocky mountain ... He who never identifies himself with name and form, and
He who never identifies himself with name and form, and does not grieve over what is no more, he indeed is called a Bhikshu ... He who overcomes this fierce thirst, difficult to be conquered
He who overcomes this fierce thirst, difficult to be conquered in this world, sufferings fall off from him, like water-drops from a lotus leaf ... He who possesses the mother of the state may continue
He who possesses the mother of the state may continue long His case is like that (of the plant) of which we say that its roots are deep and its flower stalks firm:--this is the way to secure that its enduring life shall long be seen ... He who possesses virtue and intelligence, who is just, speaks
He who possesses virtue and intelligence, who is just, speaks the truth, and does what is his own business, him the world will hold dear ... He who says what is not, goes to hell; he
He who says what is not, goes to hell; he also who, having done a thing, says I have not done it After death both are equal, they are men with evil deeds in the next world ... He who seeking his own happiness does not punish or
He who seeking his own happiness does not punish or kill beings who also long for happiness, will find happiness after death ... He who seeking his own happiness punishes or kills beings
He who seeking his own happiness punishes or kills beings who also long for happiness, will not find happiness after death ... He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm;
He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches his legs does not walk (easily) (So), he who displays himself does not shine; he who asserts his own views is not distinguished; he who vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowled... He who takes refuge with Buddha, the Law, and the
He who takes refuge with Buddha, the Law, and the Church; he who, with clear understanding, sees the four holy truths:-- ... He who walks in the company of fools suffers a
He who walks in the company of fools suffers a long way; company with fools, as with an enemy, is always painful; company with the wise is pleasure, like meeting with kinsfolk ... He who wishes to put on the yellow dress without
He who wishes to put on the yellow dress without having cleansed himself from sin, who disregards temperance and truth, is unworthy of the yellow dress ... He who, by causing pain to others, wishes to obtain
He who, by causing pain to others, wishes to obtain pleasure for himself, he, entangled in the bonds of hatred, will never be free from hatred ... He who, even as a young Bhikshu, applies himself to
He who, even as a young Bhikshu, applies himself to the doctrine of Buddha, brightens up this world, like the moon when free from clouds The Brahmana (Arhat) ... He who, though dressed in fine apparel, exercises tranquillity, is quiet,
He who, though dressed in fine apparel, exercises tranquillity, is quiet, subdued, restrained, chaste, and has ceased to find fault with all other beings, he indeed is a Brahmana, an ascetic (sramana), a friar (bhikshu) ... He whom no desire with its snares and poisons can
He whom no desire with its snares and poisons can lead astray, by what track can you lead him, the Awakened, the Omniscient, the trackless? ... He whose appetites are stilled, who is not absorbed in
He whose appetites are stilled, who is not absorbed in enjoyment, who has perceived void and unconditioned freedom (Nirvana), his path is difficult to understand, like that of birds in the air ... He whose boldness appears in his daring (to do wrong,
He whose boldness appears in his daring (to do wrong, in defiance of the laws) is put to death; he whose boldness appears in his not daring (to do so) lives on Of these two cases the one appears to be advantageous, and the other to be injurious But ... He whose conquest is not conquered again, into whose conquest
He whose conquest is not conquered again, into whose conquest no one in this world enters, by what track can you lead him, the Awakened, the Omniscient, the trackless? ... He whose evil deeds are covered by good deeds, brightens
He whose evil deeds are covered by good deeds, brightens up this world, like the moon when freed from clouds ... He whose thirst running towards pleasure is exceeding strong in the
He whose thirst running towards pleasure is exceeding strong in the thirty-six channels, the waves will carry away that misguided man, viz his desires which are set on passion ... He whose wickedness is very great brings himself down to
He whose wickedness is very great brings himself down to that state where his enemy wishes him to be, as a creeper does with the tree which it surrounds ... He will have cruel suffering, loss, injury of the body,
He will have cruel suffering, loss, injury of the body, heavy affliction, or loss of mind, ... Health is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches; trust
Health is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches; trust is the best of relationships, Nirvana the highest happiness ...