Therefore the sentence-makers have thus expressed themselves:-- 'The Tao,
Categories: PART II.Books: THE TAO AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS
Therefore the sentence-makers have thus expressed themselves:--
'The Tao, when brightest seen, seems light to lack;
Who progress in it makes, seems drawing back;
Its even way is like a rugged track
Its highest virtue from the vale doth rise;
Its greatest beauty seems to offend the eyes;
And he has most whose lot the least supplies
Its firmest virtue seems but poor and low;
Its solid truth seems change to undergo;
Its largest square doth yet no corner show
A vessel great, it is the slowest made;
Loud is its sound, but never word it said;
A semblance great, the shadow of a shade'
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Therefore a sage has said,
'He who accepts his
Therefore a sage has said, 'He who accepts his state's reproach, Is hailed therefore its altars' lord; To him who bears men's direful woes They all the name of King accord' ... Therefore a sage has said, 'I will do nothing (of
Therefore a sage has said, 'I will do nothing (of purpose), and the people will be transformed of themselves; I will be fond of keeping still, and the people will of themselves become correct I will take no trouble about it, and the people will of the... Therefore a wise prince, marching the whole day, does not
Therefore a wise prince, marching the whole day, does not go far from his baggage waggons Although he may have brilliant prospects to look at, he quietly remains (in his proper place), indifferent to them How should the lord of a myriad chariots carr... Therefore all in the world delight to exalt him and
Therefore all in the world delight to exalt him and do not weary of him Because he does not strive, no one finds it possible to strive with him ... Therefore he who would administer the kingdom, honouring it as
Therefore he who would administer the kingdom, honouring it as he honours his own person, may be employed to govern it, and he who would administer it with the love which he bears to his own person may be entrusted with it ... Therefore the (ruling) sage acts without claiming the results as his;
Therefore the (ruling) sage acts without claiming the results as his; he achieves his merit and does not rest (arrogantly) in it:--he does not wish to display his superiority ... Therefore the man of skill is a master (to be
Therefore the man of skill is a master (to be looked up to) by him who has not the skill; and he who has not the skill is the helper of (the reputation of) him who has the skill If the one did not honour his master, and the other did not rejoice in hi... Therefore the place of what is firm and strong is
Therefore the place of what is firm and strong is below, and that of what is soft and weak is above ... Therefore the sage desires what (other men) do not desire,
Therefore the sage desires what (other men) do not desire, and does not prize things difficult to get; he learns what (other men) do not learn, and turns back to what the multitude of men have passed by Thus he helps the natural development of all thin... Therefore the sage holds in his embrace the one thing
Therefore the sage holds in his embrace the one thing (of humility), and manifests it to all the world He is free from self- display, and therefore he shines; from self-assertion, and therefore he is distinguished; from self-boasting, and therefore hi... Therefore the sage is (like) a square which cuts no
Therefore the sage is (like) a square which cuts no one (with its angles); (like) a corner which injures no one (with its sharpness) He is straightforward, but allows himself no license; he is bright, but does not dazzle ... Therefore the sage knows (these things) of himself, but does
Therefore the sage knows (these things) of himself, but does not parade (his knowledge); loves, but does not (appear to set a) value on, himself And thus he puts the latter alternative away and makes choice of the former ... Therefore the sage manages affairs without doing anything, and conveys his
Therefore the sage manages affairs without doing anything, and conveys his instructions without the use of speech ... Therefore the sage puts his own person last, and yet
Therefore the sage puts his own person last, and yet it is found in the foremost place; he treats his person as if it were foreign to him, and yet that person is preserved Is it not because he has no personal and private ends, that therefore such ends... Therefore the sage seeks to satisfy (the craving of) the
Therefore the sage seeks to satisfy (the craving of) the belly, and not the (insatiable longing of the) eyes He puts from him the latter, and prefers to seek the former ... Therefore the sage, in the exercise of his government, empties their
Therefore the sage, in the exercise of his government, empties their minds, fills their bellies, weakens their wills, and strengthens their bones ... Therefore the sages got their knowledge without travelling; gave their (right)
Therefore the sages got their knowledge without travelling; gave their (right) names to things without seeing them; and accomplished their ends without any purpose of doing so ... Therefore the sentence-makers have thus expressed themselves:-- 'The Tao,
Therefore the sentence-makers have thus expressed themselves:-- 'The Tao, when brightest seen, seems light to lack; Who progress in it makes, seems drawing back; Its even way is like a rugged track Its highest virtue from the vale doth ri... Therefore when one is making the Tao his business, those
Therefore when one is making the Tao his business, those who are also pursuing it, agree with him in it, and those who are making the manifestation of its course their object agree with him in that; while even those who are failing in both these things... Therefore when the sovereign occupies his place as the Son
Therefore when the sovereign occupies his place as the Son of Heaven, and he has appointed his three ducal ministers, though (a prince) were to send in a round symbol-of-rank large enough to fill both the hands, and that as the precursor of the team of... Therefore, one ought to follow the wise, the intelligent, the learned,
Therefore, one ought to follow the wise, the intelligent, the learned, the much enduring, the dutiful, the elect; one ought to follow a good and wise man, as the moon follows the path of the stars Pleasure ... These wise people, meditative, steady, always possessed of strong powers, attain
These wise people, meditative, steady, always possessed of strong powers, attain to Nirvana, the highest happiness ... They depart with their thoughts well-collected, they are not happy in
They depart with their thoughts well-collected, they are not happy in their abode; like swans who have left their lake, they leave their house and home ... They lead a tamed elephant to battle, the king mounts
They lead a tamed elephant to battle, the king mounts a tamed elephant; the tamed is the best among men, he who silently endures abuse ... They should think their (coarse) food sweet; their (plain) clothes beautiful;
They should think their (coarse) food sweet; their (plain) clothes beautiful; their (poor) dwellings places of rest; and their common (simple) ways sources of enjoyment ... They who are ashamed of what they ought not to
They who are ashamed of what they ought not to be ashamed of, and are not ashamed of what they ought to be ashamed of, such men, embracing false doctrines enter the evil path ... They who fear when they ought not to fear, and
They who fear when they ought not to fear, and fear not when they ought to fear, such men, embracing false doctrines, enter the evil path ... They who forbid when there is nothing to be forbidden,
They who forbid when there is nothing to be forbidden, and forbid not when there is something to be forbidden, such men, embracing false doctrines, enter the evil path ... They who imagine truth in untruth, and see untruth in
They who imagine truth in untruth, and see untruth in truth, never arrive at truth, but follow vain desires ... They who know me are few, and I am on
They who know me are few, and I am on that account (the more) to be prized It is thus that the sage wears (a poor garb of) hair cloth, while he carries his (signet of) jade in his bosom ... They who know truth in truth, and untruth in untruth,
They who know truth in truth, and untruth in untruth, arrive at truth, and follow true desires ... They who know what is forbidden as forbidden, and what
They who know what is forbidden as forbidden, and what is not forbidden as not forbidden, such men, embracing the true doctrine, enter the good path The Elephant ... They who preserve this method of the Tao do not
They who preserve this method of the Tao do not wish to be full (of themselves) It is through their not being full of themselves that they can afford to seem worn and not appear new and complete ... Thirst
The thirst of a thoughtless man grows like a creeper; he runs from life to life, like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest. Whomsoever this fierce poisonous thirst overcomes, in this world, his sufferings increase like the abounding Birana grass...