TAO-CHINESE CLASSICAL TEXTS
Heaviness is the basis of lightness.
Stillness is the standard of activity.
Thus the Master travels all day without ever leaving her wagon.
Even though she has much to see, is she at peace in her indifference.
Why should the lord of a thousand chariots be amused at the foolishness of the world?
If you abandon yourself to foolishness, you lose touch with your beginnings.
If you let yourself become distracted, you will lose the basis of your power.
Know the masculine, but keep to the feminine: and become a watershed to the world.
If you embrace the world, the Tao will never leave you and you become as a little child.
Know the white, yet keep to the black: be a model for the world.
If you are a model for the world, the Tao inside you will strengthen and you will return whole to your eternal beginning.
Know the honorable, but do not shun the disgraced: embracing the world as it is.
If you embrace the world with compassion, then your virtue will return you to the uncarved block.
The block of wood is carved into utensils by carving void into the wood.
The Master uses the utensils, yet prefers to keep to the block because of its limitless possibilities.
Great works do not involve discarding substance.
Those who know others are intelligent;
Those who know themselves are truly wise.
Those who master others are strong;
Those who master themselves have true power.
Those who know they have enough are truly wealthy.
Those who persist will reach their goal.
Those who keep their course have a strong will.
Those who embrace death will not perish, but have life everlasting.
When people see things as beautiful, ugliness is created.
When people see things as good, evil is created.
Being and non-being produce each other.
Difficult and easy complement each other.
Long and short define each other.
High and low oppose each other.
Fore and after follow each other.
If you want something to return to the source,
You must first allow it to spread out.
If you want something to weaken,
You must first allow it to become strong.
If you want something to be removed,
You must first allow it to flourish.
If you want to possess something,
You must first give it away.
This is called the subtle understanding of how things are meant to be.
The soft and pliable overcomes the hard and inflexible.
Just as fish remain hidden in deep waters, it is best to keep weapons out of sight. Which is more important, your honor or your life?
Which is more valuable, your possessions or your person?
Which is more destructive, success or failure?
Because of this, great love extracts a great cost and true wealth requires greater loss.
Knowing when you have enough avoids dishonor, and knowing when to stop will keep you from danger and bring you a long, happy life. One who seeks knowledge learns something new every day.
One who seeks the Tao unlearns something new every day.
Less and less remains until you arrive at non-action.
When you arrive at non-action, nothing will be left undone.
Mastery of the world is achieved by letting things take their natural course.
You cannot master the world by changing the natural way…
…..TO BE CONTINUED.
~Wondergirl
Manenoz 