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How bland and insipid are the things of this world when one compares them with Tao！
One tastes； but the sweetness turns bitter
One sees； but the colours grow faint
One hears； but the sound fades into silence
One may look for fulfillment in this world but his longings will never be exhausted
The only thing he ever finds is that he himself is exhausted
36
Contraction pulls at that which extends too far
Weakness pulls at that which strengthens too much
Ruin pulls at that which rises too high
Loss pulls at life when you fill it with too much stuff
The lesson here is called 揟he wisdom of obscurity？？br》 The gentle outlast the strong
The obscure outlast the obvious
Hence； a fish that ventures from deep water is soon snagged by a net
A country that reveals its strength is soon conquered by an enemy
37
Tao does not act yet it is the root of all action
Tao does not move yet it is the source of all creation
If princes and kings could hold it everyone under them would naturally turn within
Should a doubt or old desire rise up
The Nameless Simplicity would push it down
The Nameless Simplicity frees the heart of desire and reveals its inner silence
When there is silence one finds peace
When there is silence one finds the anchor of the universe within himself
38
To give without seeking reward
To help without thinking it is virtuous ？therein lies the great virtue
To keep account of your action
To help with the hope of gaining merit ？therein lies no virtue
The highest virtue is to act without a sense of self
The highest kindness is to give without condition
The highest justice is to see without preference
When Tao is lost one must learn the rules of virtue
When virtue is lost； the rules of kindness
When kindness is lost； the rules of justice
When justice is lost； the rules of conduct
And when the high…blown rules of conduct are not followed people are seized by the arm and it is forced on them
The rules of conduct are just an outer show of devotion and loyalty ？quite confusing to the heart
And when men rely on these rules for guidance ？br》 Oh； what ignorance abounds！
The great master follows his own nature and not the trappings of life
It is said； 揌e stays with the fruit and not the fluff？揌e stays with the firm and not the
flimsy？揌e stays with the true and not the false？br》
39
From ancient times till now the One has been the source of all attainments
By realizing One Heaven becomes clear； Earth becomes still spirits gain power and hearts fill up with joy
By realizing the One kings and lords become instruments of peace and creatures live joyfully upon this earth
Without the One Heaven ahs no clarity and would crack Earth has no peace and would crumble spirits have no power and would lose their charm
Without the One hearts would dry up； empires would fall； all things would go lifelessly upon this earth
Long ago kings and lords called themselves 搊rphaned；？搇onely；？and 搖nworthy？br》 What honour can there be without humility？
What heights can be reached without being low？
The pieces of a chariot are useless unless they work in accordance with the whole
A man抯 life brings nothing unless he lives in accordance with the whole universe
Playing one抯 part in accordance with the universe is true humility
So whether you抮e a gem in the royal court or a stone on the common path
If you accept your part with humility the glory of the universe will be yours
40
The movement of Tao is to return
The way of Tao is to yield
Heaven； Earth； and all things are born of the existent world
The existent world is born of the nothingness of Tao
41
When the best seeker hears of Tao he strives with great effort to know it
When an average seeker hears of Tao he thinks of it now and again
When the poorest seeker hears of Tao he laughs out loud
Tao is always becoming what we have need for it to become
If it could not do this it would not be Tao
There is an old saying；
The clear way seems clouded
The straight way seems crooked
The sure way seems unsteady
The greatest power seems weak
The purest white seems tainted
The abundant seems empty
The stable seems shaky
The certain seems false
The Great Square has no corners
The Great Vessel is never filled
A beginner may be clumsy but after practice ？what talent！
A large drum may sit silently but when banged ？what noise！
Tao lies hidden yet it alone is the glorious light of this world
42
Tao gives life to the one
The one gives life to the two
The two gives life to the three
The three give life to ten thousand things
All beings support yin and embrace yang and the interplay of these two forces fills the universe
Yet only at the still…point； between the breathing in and the breathing out； can one capture these two in perfect harmony
People suffer at the thought of being without parents； without food； or without worth
Yet this is the very way that kings and lords once described themselves
Who knows what fate may bring ？one day your loss may be your fortune one day your fortune may be your loss
The age…old lesson that others teach； I also teach ？揂s you plant； so you reap？揂s you live； so you die？br》 Know this to be the foundation of my teachings
43
The most yielding thing in the world will overcome the most rigid
The most empty thing in the world will overcome the most full
From this comes a lesson ？br》 Stillness benefits more than action
Silence benefits more than words
Rare indeed are those who are still
Rare indeed are those who are silent
And so I say；
Rare indeed are those who obtain the bounty of this world
44
One抯 own reputation ？why the fuss？
One抯 own wealth ？why the concern？
I say； what you gain is more trouble than what you lose
Love is the fruit of sacrifice
Wealth is the fruit of generosity
Be content； rest in your own fullness ？br》 You will not suffer from loss
You抣l avoid the snare of this world
You抣l have long life and endless blessings
45
The Great Perfection seems imperfect yet this world it creates is never impaired
The Great Fullness seems empty yet this world it creates is never lacking
Great truth seems false
Great skill seems clumsy
Great eloquence seems like babble
Keep moving and you抣l miss the cold
Keep silent and you抣l beat the heat
Be tranquil like the rain of spring
Be pure like the sheen of silk
Then the Great Perfection will be perfect and the Great Fullness will be full
46
When Tao is present in the empire men follow their own nature and riding horses work the fields
When Tao is absent from the empire men go astray and war horses breed on sacred ground
There is no greater loss than losing Tao
No greater curse than desire
No greater tragedy tha