Tao Te Ching

by Lao Tzu

Not to desire material things is to know the freedom of spirituality; and to desire them is to suffer the limitations of matter.

The wise are not conspicuous in their actions or given to much talking. When troubles arise, they are not irritated. They produce, but do not hoard; They act, but expect no praise; They build, but do not dwell therein. And because they do not dwell therein, They never depart.

Value virtue over wealth, and the people’s hearts will be at rest. Wise rulers do not accumulate treasures, but seek to quiet the hearts of their people. They soothe the people’s appetites and strengthen their bones. They treasure innocence, and protect the simple from the schemes of the clever. When a ruler practices restraint, everything will be in peace.

The earth and the stars do not take sides— they are impartial. They regard all individuals as insignificant, as though they were playthings made of straw. The wise are also impartial; to them all people are equal and alike.

The wise humble themselves— and because of their humility, they are worthy of praise. They put others first, and so become great. They are not focused on outcomes or achievements; therefore they always succeed.

True goodness is like water; it nurtures everything and harms nothing. Like water, it ever seeks the lowest place, the place that all others avoid. This is the way of the Tao. For a dwelling it chooses the quiet meadow; for a heart the circling eddy. In generosity it is kind; in speech it is sincere; in power it is order; in action it is gentle; in movement it is rhythm. Because it is always peaceable, it soothes and refreshes.

Who can protect a house full of gold and jewels? Excessive fortune brings about its own misfortune.

Mo money, mo probelms—amiright fellas???

By patience, you can discipline your desires. By self-control, you can develop strong character. By practicing gentleness, you can become as a little child.

It’s interesting to see qualities I don’t associate with children (patience, self-control, gentleness) as a guide to becoming childlike. It also reminds me of Jesus saying, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:3, ESV)

They persuade with words, not weapons. This is their crowning virtue.

Everything that lives has a physical body, but the value of a life is measured by the soul.

The wise attend to the inner truth of things and are not fooled by outward appearances. They ignore matter and seek the spirit.

Flattery and disgrace are both to be feared, just as overeating and starvation are both harmful to the body. Flattery is fattening to the spirit; disgrace is emaciating. Over-concern is just as harmful as disregard. Treat yourself well, but don’t pamper yourself excessively.

No one knows where it came from, or where it is going. Yet, by holding fast to the ancient Tao, the wise may grasp the present, because they understand the past.

To clarify muddy waters, you must hold them still and let things settle. To glimpse the secret of the Tao, you must keep still and quiet your mind.

In returning to the root, we find tranquility; this leads to our destiny, which is eternity. To know eternity is enlightenment; to ignore eternity is to invite calamity. Knowing eternity means seeing the big picture; seeing the big-picture is broad-minded; breadth of vision brings nobility; nobility is close to divinity. The Tao is divine. The Tao is the Eternal. Death is not to be feared.

If a ruler lacks faith, so will the people. Unworthy rulers are despised. Common rulers are feared by their subjects. Good rulers win the affection and praise of their subjects. But when great rulers lead, the people are hardly aware of their existence.

Bender: Y'know, I was God once. "God": Yes, I saw. You were doing well until everyone died. Bender: It was awful. I tried helping them, I tried not helping them but in the end I couldn't do them any good. Do you think what I did was wrong? "God": Right and wrong are just words. What matters is what you do. Bender: Yeah I know, that's why I asked if what I did-- Forget it. "God": Bender, being God isn't easy. If you do too much, people get dependent on you. And if you do nothing, they lose hope. You have to use a light touch like a safecracker or a pickpocket. Bender: Or a guy who burns down the bar for the insurance money. "God": Yes, if you make it look like an electrical thing. When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all. — From Futurama Episode 52 (“Godfellas”) Written by Ken Keeler

The great Tao is ignored, yet we speak of goodness and righteousness. Relatives are unfriendly, yet we talk of familial love and respect. The state and the family are in confusion and chaos, yet we praise ourselves for loyalty and faithfulness. This is great hypocrisy.

Here are the four fundamentals of true spirituality: recognize simplicity, cherish purity, reduce your possessions, diminish your desires.

If you would be at peace, beware of great knowledge.

There is a vast difference between book learning and true knowledge of the Tao!

At that time, the broken will be made perfect; the bent will be made straight; the empty will be filled; the worn-out will be renewed; those having little will obtain much; and those having much will be overcome.

Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11

They who follow the Tao, the Tao will guide. They who pursue virtue, virtue will reward. They who live by violence, violence will soon destroy.

There is Being that encompasses all, and it existed before earth or the universe. Calm, indeed, and immaterial; it is singular and changeless. All creation flows from it and returns to it. It is the world’s mother. I cannot define it, but I will call it Tao. If forced to describe it, I will call it great.

The wise, trusting in goodness, see the potential in others, treating no one as an outcast. Trusting in goodness, they redeem all things— nothing is worthless to them. They recognize hidden value. The wise take the lost under their wings, and so the lost become newfound treasures of the wise. Each is valuable to the other. This is the significance of spirituality.

Those who know both their masculine and their feminine sides become fruitful like the valleys of earth. Being like the valleys of earth, their vitality will not desert them— they will remain energetic as children. Those who know both their strengths and their limits become models worth following.

People differ—some lead, others follow; some are passionate, others are reserved; some are strong, others weak; some succeed, others fail. The wise respect the roles of all, and seek moderation in all things.

Among all tools, weapons alone are cursed; all men come to despise them. Those who follow Tao do not need them. Weapons are not the tools of the wise; only as a last resort do the wise use them. Peace and tranquility are valued by wise rulers. Even when victorious in battle, they do not rejoice, for they never exalt over the killing of others.

It is paradoxical but true— the tender outlasts the rigid; the gentle defeats the strong. Persuasion is better than compulsion.

The way of the Tao is simple— stop striving, defeat desire. In the absence of striving, there is peace; in the absence of desire, there is satisfaction.

True virtue makes no show of virtue, and therefore it is really virtuous. False virtue never loses sight of itself, and therefore it is no longer virtue. True virtue does not assert itself, and therefore is unpretentious. False virtue is acting a part, and thereby is only pretense.

Tradition reduces loyalty and good faith to a shadow; it is the beginning of disorder. Tradition is the mere flower of the Tao— apart from its root it withers and dies. The truly great embody the spirit, not just the external appearance. They bear fruit—not just blossoms. They do not put on a show of virtue— they practice it.

Great rulers identify with orphans, inferiors, and the unworthy, because they recognize their roots in the lowest of their people. The wise do not desire to be set aside as precious gems, nor discarded as worthless stones.

The Tao seems nonexistent, but it is the basis of existence. The universe, the earth, and everything in it comes from existence, but existence comes from nonexistence.

Great students, when they hear of the Tao, earnestly practice it. Good students, when they hear of the Tao, sometimes follow it and sometimes lose it. Typical students, when they hear of the Tao, ridicule it. Were it not easily ridiculed, it would not be the true Tao. Those most illumined by the Tao are often the dimmest. Those most advanced in the Tao are often the furthest behind. Those best guided by Tao are the least self-assured.

The Tao produces unity; unity produces duality; duality produces trinity; trinity produces all things.

There are some things which it is a gain to lose, and a loss to gain.

The soft overcomes the hard; the flexible conquers the stiff; the ethereal penetrates the solid. This is why there is great advantage in stillness and silence over movement and speaking. But few ever obtain the advantage, for few practice stillness and silence.

Which is better, fame or integrity? Which is more valuable, riches or good character? Which is more dangerous, failure or success? Overindulgence creates waste. Hoarding invites loss. Those who are content with what they have are not in danger of loss. Those who know when to stop are free to go on.

Not extreme perfection, but purity and clarity are the targets at which we should aim.

There is no sin greater than desire. There is no misfortune greater than discontent. There is no calamity greater than greed. To know the Tao is to know contentment.

Wise rulers have boundless hearts; for in the hearts of the people, they find their own. The wise ruler treats the good with goodness; and treats the not-so-good with goodness, too— for goodness is its own reward. The wise ruler treats the faithful with good faith; and treats the unfaithful with good faith, too— for good faith is its own reward.

Life is a going forth; death is a returning home.

The Tao gives life freely, making no claim of ownership. Virtue forms them but does not force them, raises them but does not rule them. This is why virtue is profound.

Those who watch their mouths and guard their actions will be free from trouble to the end of life. Those who babble and meddle in other’s business cannot escape from trouble, even to the end of life. To recognize your insignificance is empowering. To show sympathy is strength. Those who follow the Tao’s light arrive at enlightenment.

The great Way is very plain, so the proud prefer the bypaths.

If you pass on the Tao to your children, your family’s virtue will endure.

Proverbs 22:6

As creatures grow and mature, they begin to decay. This is the opposite of the Tao— the Tao remains ever young.

Those who talk do not know; those who know do not talk. The wise shut their mouths and watch their actions.

When the labor of the many supports the happiness of the few, such “happiness” only conceals misery. Who can stop the cycle? It never ceases.

In ruling and in life, nothing surpasses moderation. One must form the habit early. Acquiring moderation results in accumulating virtue. By accumulating virtue, nothing is impossible. If nothing is impossible, one knows no limits.