Quotes

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" Thirty spokes unite in one nave, and by that part which is non-existent (i.e. the hole in the centre of it) it is useful for a carriage wheel. Earth is moulded into vessels, and by their hollowness they are useful as vessels. Doors and windows are cut out in order to make a house, and by its hollowness it is useful as a house. So then existence may be said to correspond to gain, but non-existence to use. "

" In the highest antiquity people knew only of the existence of their superiors. In the next (age) they became attached to them, and flattered them. In the next they dreaded them. In the next they despised them. For where faith is insufficient, it is not met by faith. How cautious they (the ancient sages) were in weighing their words! When they had completed a meritorious work, and affairs were prosperous, the people all (unconscious) said, "We are just as we are naturally." "

" What you cannot see by looking at it, is called plainness. What you cannot hear by listening to it, is called rareness. What you cannot get by grasping it, is called minuteness. These three cannot be examined, and therefore they blend into Unity. Above it is not bright, below it is not obscure. Boundless in its operation, it cannot be named. Returning, it goes home into nothing. This I call the appearance of non-appearance, the form of nothing. This is what baffles investigation. Would you go before it, you cannot see its face. Would you go behind it, you cannot see its back. But to have such an apprehension of the Tau which was from of old as to regulate present things, and to know their beginning in the past; this I call having the clue of Tau. "

" Abandon learning, and have no more vexation. Not much difference, after all, is there between Aye and Yes. And how much difference do they make between good and evil? One must, of course, dread what others dread (i.e. evil). But, alas! they will never cease from their madness. All the people are full of ambitious desires, lusting as if for the stalled ox, or for sexual enjoyment. I am alone in my timidity, and show no sign (of ambition). I am as a child not yet matured. I am forlorn, as if I had no home to go to. All (other) men have (enough and) to spare; but I am, as it were, left behind. In mind how like I am to the fool! I am all in a maze. The common people are brightly intelligent: I alone seem to be in the dark. The common people are discriminative: I alone am without discrimination. I am tossed as the ocean; I roll as if never to stop. All (other) men have something that they can do: I alone am good for nothing, and despicable. I alone differ from other people, but I glory in my nursing Mother (Tau). "

" THE tau (reason) which can be tau-ed (reasoned) is not the Eternal Tau (Reason). The name which can be named is not the Eternal Name. Non-existence is named the Antecedent of heaven and earth; and Existence is named the Mother of all things. In eternal non-existence, therefore, man seeks to pierce the primordial mystery; and, in eternal existence, to behold the issues of the Universe. But these two are one and the same, and differ only in name. This sameness (of existence and non-existence) I call the abyss - the abyss of abysses - the gate of all mystery. "

" When in the world beauty is recognized to be beautiful, straightway there is ugliness. When in the world goodness is recognized to be good, straightway there is evil. And thus, in like manner, existence and non-existence mutually originate (or suggest) each other; so also difficulty and ease, long and short, high and low, treble and bass, before and after. The sage accordingly confines himself to what is without effort (not demonstrative). He carries on teaching without words; and everything works without hindrance. He produces without holding possession. He acts without presuming on the result. He completes his work and assumes no position for himself. And, since he assumes no position, he never loses any. "

" The skilful philosophers that were in the olden time had a mystic communication with the abysses. They were deep and cannot be known. And whereas they cannot be known, I strain my imagination to picture them. Timid were they, like one fording a stream in winter. Cautious were they, like one who dreads his neighbour. Circumspect were they, like a man from home. Vanishing were they, like ice that is about to melt. Simple were they, like unwrought wood. Vacant were they, like a valley. Dim were they, like muddy water. Who is there that can take the turbid water, and, by stillness, make it gradually clear? Who is there that can take what is at rest, and, by continuous motion, make it gradually alive? Those who keep this Tau desire not fulness. And whereas they are empty, they may wax old, and yet not stand in need of renewing. "

" The Spirit (like the perennial spring) of the valley never dies. This (Spirit) I call the Abyss-Mother. The passage of the Abyss-Mother I call the root of heaven and earth. Ceaselessly it seems to endure, and it is employed without effort. "

" The highest style of goodness is like water. Water is good to benefit all things; while it does not strive, but runs to the place which all men disdain. Therefore it is near to Tau. Where it abides, it is good for adaptability. In its heart, it is good for depth. In giving, it is good for benevolence. In speaking, it is good for fidelity. In correcting, it is good for government. In serving, it is good for ability. In acting, it is good for seasonableness. And inasmuch as it does not strive no one dislikes it. "

" Tau is empty; in operation exhaustless. In its depth it seems the father (first ancestor) of all things. It blunts sharp angles. It unravels disorder. It softens the glare. It shares the dust. In tranquillity it seems ever to remain. I know not whose son it is. It appears to have been before God. "

" Not exalting worth keeps the people from rivalry. Not prizing things hard to procure keeps the people from theft. Not looking on objects of lust keeps the heart from disorder. The government of the sage consists, accordingly, in emptying the heart (of desires) and filling the stomach; in weakening the will and strengthening the bones; in continually keeping the people from the knowledge and the desire (of evil); and in making those that have the knowledge not dare to act. He acts inaction, and so nothing is ungoverned. "

" When the Great Tau is missed, then men pass on to philanthropy and justice. It is after wisdom has conferred renown, that there are great shams. After discord has arisen in families, what are called filial duty and fatherly compassion begin. And it is not till a nation has got into a disordered state that there are patriots (faithful ministers). "

" The five colours will make a man's eyes blind. The five sounds will make a man's ears deaf. The five tastes will spoil a man's mouth. Riding and hunting will drive a man mad. Things hard to procure will make a man run into harm. Therefore the sage makes provision for the inner man, and not for the eyes. He puts aside the one, that he may take the other in hand. "

" It is better to desist than to go on grasping at fulness. Handling and sharpening cannot last long. When gold and gems fill the hall none can protect them. Wealth and honour with pride bring their own punishment. When a work of merit is done and reputation is coming, to get out of the way is the Tau of Heaven. "

" Heaven is long and earth is lasting. That by which heaven and earth are long and lasting, is their not aiming at life. This is the reason why they live long. Therefore the sage puts himself last, and yet is first; abandons himself, and yet is preserved. Is this not through his having no selfishness? Thereby he preserves self-interest intact. "

" Having once arrived at a state of absolute vacuity, keep yourself perfectly still. All things come into active operation together; but I observe whither they return. When things have luxuriated for a while, each returns home to its origin (the root). Going home to the origin is called stillness. It is said to be a reversion to destiny. This reversion to destiny is called eternity. He who knows (this) eternity is called bright. He who does not know (this) eternity wildly works his own misery. He who knows eternity is magnanimous. Being magnanimous, he is catholic. Being catholic, he is a king. Being a king, he is heaven. Being heaven, he is Tau. Being Tau, he is enduring. Though his body perish, he is in no danger. "

" (If some men would but1) abandon their sageness (holiness), and cast away their wisdom, the people would be more benefited a hundredfold. If they would abandon their philanthropy, and cast away their justice, the people would go back to filial duty and fatherly compassion. If they would abandon their skill and forego their gains, thieves would have no existence. Here are three things, the cultivation of which has been a failure. Therefore let them return to whence they came; and do you appear in your own unadorned simplicity, embracing realities, curbing selfishness, and curtailing ambitious desire. "

" Favour and disgrace are as one's fear. Dignity and disaster as one's person. What I mean to say of favour and disgrace is this: - Disgrace is the lower place, which he who wins and he who loses equally fear; so that (in the struggle for place) favour and disgrace are (only important) in proportion to one's fear (of failure). And what I mean by dignity and disaster being as one's person is this: - What renders me liable to great disaster is my person; so that if I had no person (body, personal importance), what disaster could I have? So then, if, for the sake of dignity, one seeks to make himself ruler of the world, he may be permitted, indeed, to rule it temporarily; but if, for love, one seeks to make himself ruler of the world, he may be entrusted with it (for ever, or he may trust himself to the world for ever). "

" Heaven and earth have no special love. They regard all existing beings as sacrificial grass-dogs (figures of grass made for a temporary purpose). The sage has no special love. He regards the people as grass-dogs. The space between heaven and earth may be compared to a bellows. Though empty, it never collapses, and the more it is exercised the more it brings forth. But the man of much talk is frequently reduced to silence (exhausted). There is nothing like keeping the inner man. "