Part 18 (2/2)

Without going out the door, one can know the whole world.

Without looking out the window, one can see the Way of Heaven.

The further one goes, the less one knows.

This is why sages Know without going abroad, Name without having to see, Perfect through nonaction.

Chapter Forty-Eight.

In the pursuit of learning, one does more each day; In the pursuit of the Way, one does less each day; One does less and less until one does nothing;88 One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.89 Gaining the world always is accomplished by following no activity.90 As soon as one actively tries, one will fall short of gaining the world.

Chapter Forty-Nine.

Sages do not have constant hearts of their own; They take the people's hearts as their hearts.

I am good to those who are good; I also am good to those who are not good; This is to be good out of Virtue.91 I trust the trustworthy; I also trust the untrustworthy.

This is to trust out of Virtue.

Sages blend into the world and accord with the people's hearts.

The people all pay attention to their eyes and ears; The sages regard them as children.

Chapter Fifty.

Between life and death, Three out of ten are the disciples of life;92 Three out of ten are the disciples of death; Three out of ten create a place for death.93 Why is this?

Because of their profound desire to live.94 I have heard that those good at nurturing life, On land do not meet with rhinoceroses or tigers, And in battle do not encounter armored warriors.

Rhinoceroses find no place to thrust their horns; Tigers find no place to sink their claws; Soldiers find no place to drive in their blades.

Why is this?

Because such people have no place for death.

Chapter Fifty-One.

The Way produces them; Virtue rears them; Things shape them; Circ.u.mstances perfect them.

This is why the myriad creatures all revere the Way and honor Virtue.

The Way is revered and Virtue honored not because this is decreed, but because it is natural.

And so the Way produces them and Virtue rears them; Raises and nurtures them; Settles and confirms them; Nourishes and shelters them.

To produce without possessing;95 To act with no expectation of reward;96 To lead without lording over; Such is Enigmatic Virtue!97

Chapter Fifty-Two.

The world had a beginning; This can be considered the mother of the world.

Knowing the mother, return and know her children; Knowing her children, return and preserve their mother; And one will avoid danger to the end of one's days.98 Stop up the openings; Close the gates;99 To the end of one's life one will remain unperturbed.

Unstop the openings; Multiply your activities; And to the end of one's life one will be beyond salvation.

To discern the minute is called ”enlightenment.”

To preserve the weak is called ”strength.”

Use this light and return home to this enlightenment.

Do not bring disaster upon yourself.

This is called ”practicing the constant.”

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