Verse 3 by Lao Zi: 不尚贤，使民不争；不贵难得之货，使民不为盗；不见可欲，使心不乱。是以圣人之治，虚其心，实其腹，弱其志，强其骨。常使民无知无欲。使夫知者不敢为也。为无为，则无不治。 “Do not exalt the worthy, so that the people will not compete.Do not value rare treasures, so that the people will not steal.Do not display what is desirable, so that the hearts of the people will not be disturbed. Therefore, in the governance of the sage:He empties their minds andContinueContinue reading “Harmony or Control? Examining the Authoritarian Implications of the Third Verse of the Dao De Jing”
Category Archives: Dao De Jing
The Harmony of Opposites: The Way of Balance
Verse 2 by Lao Zi: 天下皆知美之为美，斯恶已。皆知善之为善，斯不善已。故有无相生，难易相成，长短相较，高下相倾，音声相和，前后相随。是以圣人处无为之事，行不言之教；万物作焉而不辞，生而不有。为而不恃，功成而弗居。夫唯弗居，是以不去。 “When the world recognizes beauty as beauty, ugliness arises.When the world recognizes good as good, evil arises. Thus, being and non-being produce each other;Difficult and easy complete each other;Long and short contrast with each other;High and low lean on each other;Sound and silence harmonize with each other;Front and back followContinueContinue reading “The Harmony of Opposites: The Way of Balance”
The Ineffable Way: Essence and Manifestation
Related Post: Finding Order in the Timeless Flow of the Dao Verse 1 by Lao Zi: 道可道，非常道。名可名，非常名。无名天地之始；有名万物之母。故常无欲，以观其妙；常有欲，以观其徼。此两者，同出而异名，同谓之玄。玄之又玄，衆妙之门。 “The Dao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Dao;The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth;The named is the mother of all things. Therefore,ContinueContinue reading “The Ineffable Way: Essence and Manifestation”
Exploring Taoism
Years ago, I was gifted a truly stunning book—this translation of the Daodejing. It’s not just a translation; it’s an experience. The pages are filled with beautiful Chinese calligraphy, breathtaking photographs, and thoughtful English translations with commentary. Ever since, I’ve been itching to dive deep into the text and, if possible, try my hand atContinueContinue reading “Exploring Taoism”
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