The ancient masters were profound and subtle. Their wisdom was unfathomable. There is no way to describe it. One can only describe them vaguely by their appearance. Watchful, like men crossing a winter stream. Alert, like men aware of danger. Simple as uncarved wood. Hollow like caves. Yielding, like ice about to melt. Amorphous, like muddy water. But the muddiest water clears as it is stilled. And out of that stillness life arises. He who keeps the Tao does not want to be full. But precisely because he is never full, he can remain like a hidden sprout and does not rush to early ripening.
