Latest / The Philosophy Insights Collection / 06 - Tao Te Ching - Laozi
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- Chapters forty six through fifty four. Chapter forty six, Section one. When the Tao prevails in the world, they send back their swift horses to draw the dung carts. When the Tao is disregarded in the world, the war horses breed in the border lands. Chapter forty six, Section two. There is no guilt greater than to sanction ambition, no calamity greater than to be discontented with one's lot, no fault greater than the wish to be getting. Therefore, the sufficiency of contentment is an enduring and unchanging sufficiency Chapter forty seven, Section one. Without going outside his door, one understands all that takes place under the sky. Without looking out from his window, one sees the Tao of heaven. The farther that one goes out from himself, the less he knows. Chapter forty seven, Section two. Therefore, the sages got their knowledge without traveling, gave their right names to things without seeing them, and accomplished their ends without any purpose of doing so. Chapter forty eight, Section one. He who devotes himself to learning seeks from day to day to increase his knowledge. He who devotes himself to the Tao seeks from day to day to diminish his doing Chapter forty eight, Section two. He diminishes it, and again diminishes it till he arrives at doing nothing on purpose. Having arrived at this point of non action, there is nothing which he does not do. Chapter forty eight, Section three. He who gets as his own all under heaven, does so by giving himself no trouble with that end. If one take trouble with that end, he is not equal to getting as his own all under heaven. Chapter forty nine, Section one. The Sage has no invariable mind of his own. He makes the mind of the people his mind. Chapter forty nine, Section two. To those who are good to me, I am good, and to those who are not good to me, I am also good, and thus all get to be good. To those who are sincere with me, I am sincere, and to those who are not sincere with me, I am also sincere, and thus all get to be sincere. Chapter forty nine, Section three. The Sage has in the world world an appearance of indecision, and keeps his mind in a state of indifference to all the people. All keep their eyes and ears directed to him, and he deals with them all as his children. Chapter fifty Section one. Men come forth and live, they enter again and die. Chapter fifty Section two. Of every ten, three are ministers of life to themselves, and three are ministers of death. Chapter fifty section three. There are also three in every ten whose aim is to live, but whose movements tend to the land or place of death. And for what reason, because of their excessive endeavors to perpetuate life Chapter fifty section four. But I have heard that he who is skillful in managing the life entrusted to him for a time, travels on the land without having to shun rhinoceros or tiger, and enters a host without having to avoid buff coat or sharp weapon. The rhinoceros finds no place in him into which to thrust its horn, nor the tiger a place in which to fix its claws, nor the weapon a place to admit its point. And for what reason, because there is in him no place of death. Chapter fifty one, Section one. All things are produced by the Tao and nourished by its outflowing operation. They receive their forms according to the nature of each and are completed according to the circumstances of their condition. Therefore, all things, without exception honor the Tao and exalt its outflowing operation. Chapter fifty one, section two. This honoring of the Tao and exalting of its operation is not the result of any ordination, but always a spontaneous tribute. Chapter fifty one, section three. Thus it is that the Tao produces all things, nourishes them, brings them to their full growth, nurses them, completes them, matures them, maintains them, and overspreads them. Chapter fifty one, Section four. It produces them and makes no claim to the possession of them. It carries them through their processes and does not vaunt its ability in doing so. It brings them to maturity and exercises no control over them. This is called its mysterious operation. Chapter fifty two, Section one. The Tao, which originated all under the sky, is to be considered as the mother of them all Chapter fifty two, Section two. When the mother is found, we know what her children should be. When one knows that he is his mother's child and proceeds to guard the qualities of the mother that belong to him to the end of his life, he will be free from all peril. Chapter fifty two, Section three. Let him keep his mouth closed and shut up the portals of his nostrils, and all his life he will be exempt from laborious exertion. Let him keep his mouth open and spend his breath in the promotion of his affairs, and all his life there will be no safety for him. Chapter fifty two, Section four. The perception of what is small is the secret of clear sightedness. The guarding of what is soft and tender is the secret of strengthty x two. Section five. Who uses well his light, reverting to its source so bright, will from his body ward all blight, and hides the unchanging from men's sight. Chapter fifty three, Section one. If I were suddenly to become known and put into a position to conduct a government according to the Great Tao, what I should be most afraid of would be a boastful display. Chapter fifty three, Section two. The Great Tao or way is very level and easy, but people love the byways. Chapter fifty three, Section three. Their courtyards and buildings shall be well kept, but their fields shall be ill cultivated, and their granaries very empty. They shall wear elegant and ornamented robes, carry a sharp sword at their girdle, pamper themselves in eating and drinking, and have a superabundance of property and wealth. Such princes may be called robbers and boasters. This is contrary to the Tao. Surely Chapter fifty four, Section one. What Tao's skillful planter plants can never be uptorn, what his skillful arms enfold from him can ne'er be borne. Sons shall bring in lengthening line sacrifices to his shrine. Chapter fifty four, Section two. Tao, when nursed within one's self, his vigor will make true. And where the family it rules, what riches will accrue, the neighborhood, where it prevails in thriving will abound. And when tis seen throughout the state, good fortune will be found. Employ it the kingdom oer and men thrive all around Chapter fifty four, Section three. In this way, the effect will be seen in the person by the observation of different cases in the family, in the neighborhood, in the state, and in the kingdom. Chapter fifty four, Section four. How do I know that this effect is sure to hold thus all under the sky by this method of observation. End of chapter fifty four