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The person known to have superior Te；
Has it as a result of natural instinct。
Possessing true virtue； acting naturally … never overtly；
Has no inner need to be regarded as virtuous。
The person known to have inferior Te；
Needs to make an overt display of virtue。 Being in truth without Te … acts with overt display；
So to appear virtuous to others。
The person known to have superior kindness and humanity；
Acts effortlessly； with natural instincts。
The person known to have a superior sense of strict justice and righteousness；
Needs to act with overt display of power。
The person known to favor strict adherence to rite； ritual and ceremony；
When taking action and failing to obtain a response；
Attempts to force adherence； using violence
Sequentially： If people stray from the Tao； They tend to emphasize Te。
If Te is lost； They will rely on kindness and humanity。
That being lost； Strict justice and righteousness appear。
That； being of no effect； Resort to rite； ritual and ceremony。
Rite； ritual and ceremony are the mere shell of true faith and loyalty …
The beginnings of disorder； chaos and confusion。
These human characteristics； being merely a superficial aspect of one's true essence；
Are a beginning of folly。
Thus the Sage：
Knowing what to accept and what to reject …
Dwells upon the substantial；
Not upon the superficial。
Upon the fruit； not the flower。
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THE UNIFIED WHOLE
From ancient times； there was an understanding of All Things as a unified whole；
Arising as from one。
Understanding and possessing this unity：
… Heaven attains purity and clarity。
… Earth attains stability and tranquility。
… Spirit attains life and essence。
… Valley attains fullness and fruitfulness。
… All Things attain creative life and growth。
… Leaders attain responsiveness。
All this … arising as from one； Is the true nature of things。。
Were it not for：
… Purity and clarity； the heavens would cease。
… Stability and tranquility； the earth would crumble。
… Fullness and fruitfulness； The valley would become a barren desert。
… Creative life and growth； All Things would become extinct。
… Responsiveness to leadership； The leader would fail and his subjects suffer。
The humble is the stem upon which the exalted grows。
The lowly is the foundation for the mighty。
Leaders of old； recognizing their dependence upon the lowly and humble for their success；
Called themselves orphaned； needy； worthless。
True understanding； as is the chariot；
Is not recognizable or useful as such； from its parts；
Its recognition and use coming from its assemblage into a unified whole。
A true Leader will not spoil the unity of his empire；
By putting himself far above his subjects。
He will not jingle rare jade bells in front of his subjects；
Who themselves possess mere common stone chimes。
40
THE NON…BEING
Returning to what was in the beginning；
Is the action of Tao。
Gentleness and yielding is the manner in which
Tao functions and employs itself。
All Things emanate from Being；
And being； most certainly emanates from
Non…Being。
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HOW IT MAY SEEM
A wise person； hearing of the Tao；
Lets it become a central focus of life。
A mediocre person； hearing of the Tao；
Keeps to it or not； as the occasion； may suggest。
An inferior person； hearing of the Tao； Laughs aloud at it。
Truly； being inferior； had he failed to laugh at it …
It most certainly would not be worthy to be called the Tao。
Hence it is said：
… The bright way may seem dimly lit。
… The way ahead may seem like a retreat。
… The straight way may seem to be wavy and crooked。
… The highest virtue may seem to be devoid of substance。
… The pure may seem to be tarnished。
… The greatest Te may seem inadequate。
… The sturdiest Te may appear to be flimsy。
… The natural way may appear contaminated。
… The great square may appear with rounded corners。
… The greatest talent may be slow to mature。
… The most elegant music may be that which is faint。
… The greatest images may be without shape。
The Tao； hidden and nameless；
Nourishing All Things；
Brings them to fulfillment。
42
ONE； TWO； THREE； MANY
One； an undifferentiated unity； Comes from the Tao。
One； differentiated； becomes two … Yin and Yang； I and Not I。
Thence； are three realized … Such are Te； Ch'i and Shen。
And from three； All Things arise。
Of All Things …
In carrying the Yin and embracing the Yang；
Through the blending of these energies； Harmony is achieved。
People disdain being orphaned； needy and worthless；
Yet leaders and rulers； to appear humble； have so named themselves。
By diminishing themselves； they often gain …
By overt attempts to gain； they often lose。
As the ancient spiritual teachers have said；
The person living by violence；
Shall surely die by violence。
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SOFTNESS AND YIELDING
As water will wear away stone；
So the softest and most yielding will overcome the hardest and most obstinate。
Being without substance； it penetrates the spaceless。
Hence the value of the silent action … The actionlessness of Wu…Wei。
Indeed； few understand … Teaching without words；
Work without doing。
44
ENDURING SAFELY
Does one's life and self character matter more than fame？
Is one's Life and self character treasured more than wealth？
Is loss of spiritual things more painful than gain of material things？
Hence：
Being attached to things while grudging expense；
One ultimately pays most dearly。
Hoarding most heavily；
One ultimately loses most heavily。
Being content；
One rarely suffers disappointment。
Knowing when to stop；
One is free from danger。
In this way； one is safe and can long endure。
45
TRANQUILITY
Rare is that perfection which is not to some degree incomplete；
Yet its utility is not impaired。
Rare is the abundance which is not to some degree empty；
Its fullness； tho'； is not exhausted。
Paradoxically：
Ultimate straightness often seems croaked。
Profound skillfulness and intelligence often appears clumsy and stupid。
Great eloquence often sounds as awkwardness and stammering。
Movement overcomes the cold； but calm subdues all heat。
The Sage； by his clarity； serenity and tranquility；
Becomes a model for All Things
under the heavens。
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CONTENTMENT
Of old …
When the land was in harmony with the Tao；
Horses were seen fertilizing and cultivating the land。
When the land was out of harmony with the Tao；
Horses were seen only on the battlefield。
Alas：
The paramount temptation is desire for the possessions of others。
The paramount predicament is self…destructive harboring of discontent。
T