Quotes Compiled - Tao Te Ching50


50.
People who look
for the secret of long life
wind up dead.

Their bodies are the focus of their lives
and the source of their death,
because they think a healthy body
is all there is to life.

Lao Tzu used to say
a man who truly understood life
could walk through the jungle
without fear
or across a battlefield
without armor, totally unarmed.
Wild animals and weapons couldn't kill him.

I know, I know:
what the hell does that mean?
"Well, he couldn't be killed,"
Lao Tzu said,
"because his body
wasn't where he kept his death."



51.
Tao is the source of all living things,
and they are nourished
by Tao's power.
They are influenced
by the other living things around them,
and they are shaped
by their circumstances.

Everything respects Tao
and honors its power.
That's just the way it is.

Tao gives life to all things,
and its power watches out for them,
cares for them, helps them grow,
protects them, and comforts them.

Create something
without holding on to it.
Do the work
without expecting credit for it.
Lead people
without giving them orders.
That's the secret of the power of Tao.



52.
Everything starts with Tao,
the mother of all things.
If you know the mother,
you know the children.
If you know the children
and remember the mother,
you have nothing to fear in your life.

Shut your mouth and keep still,
and your life will be full of happiness.
If you talk all the time,
always doing something,
your life will be hopeless.

It takes insight to see subtlety.
It takes strength
to yield gently to force.
Use that strength
to hang on to your insight,
and you will always be at peace.
That's how to get right with Tao.



53.
If I had any sense,
I'd be trying to get right with Tao,
and the only thing I'd worry about
would be messing up.
It's not that hard to get right with Tao,
but people are easily distracted.

"When the king's palace is full of treasure,"
Lao Tzu said,
"ordinary people's fields
are smothered with weeds,
and the food supplies run out."

Today, you see sharply dressed people
carrying flashy weapons
and living the high life.

They own more
than they could ever use,
let alone need.

They're nothing
but gangsters and crooks.
That's not what Tao's about.



54.
Tao's power is so deeply entrenched
it can never be uprooted.
Tao's power clings so tightly
it can never slip away.
It will endure for generations.

If you get in touch
with the power of Tao,
it will become real.
If your family gets in touch
with the power of Tao,
the power will flourish.

If your community gets in touch
with the power of Tao,
the power will grow even stronger.
If your country gets in touch
with the power of Tao,
the power will become abundant.

If the world gets in touch
with the power of Tao,
the power will be everywhere.

How can I know this?
I just do.



55.
A person filled with the power of Tao
is like a baby boy:
bees can't sting him,
wild beasts can't attack him.

A baby has soft bones
and weak muscles,
but a firm grip.
He hasn't had sex,
but he can get an erection.
That's because he's got lots of energy.
He can cry all day
and never lose his voice.
That's because he's at one with his world.

If you're at one with the world,
you know constancy.
And if you know constancy,
you've been enlightened.

It's not healthy
to try to prolong your life.
It's unnatural to impose the mind's will
upon the body.
People waste time and energy
trying to be strong or beautiful,
and their strength and beauty fade.
They've lost touch with Tao,
and when you lose touch with Tao,
you might as well be dead.



56.
Those who know, don't talk.
Those who talk, don't know.

Shut your mouth.
Be still. Relax.
Let go of your worries.
Stay out of the spotlight.
Be at one with the world
and get right with Tao.

If you get right with Tao,
you won't be worried
about praise or scorn,
about winning or losing,
about honor or disgrace.
That's the way to be.



57.
You can run a country
by sticking to principles,
and you can win a war
with strategy and tactics.
But you can gain the entire world
by doing nothing at all.

How do I know this?
I've seen it happen:
The more restrictions
a nation imposes,
the poorer its people become.
When a nation hoards weapons,
troubles arise from within
and from without.
When its leaders try
to be cunning and clever,
the situation spins
further out of control.
When they try to fix things
by passing more laws,
they only increase the number of outlaws.

A wise leader says to himself:
"I do nothing,
and people transform themselves.
I keep silent,
and they do the right thing
on their own.
I stay out of the way,
and they prosper.
I want for nothing,
and they lead simple lives."



58.
When a nation is ruled
with a light touch,
people lead simple lives.
When a government
is harsh and demanding,
people will spend their time
trying to outsmart it.

Happiness is rooted in misery,
and misery lurks beneath all joy.
Who knows what could happen tomorrow?

Everything is relative;
what's considered proper today
may become improper.
Correct appearances
may hide dishonesty and sinfulness.

No wonder so many people get confused.
The Masters have sharp minds,
not sharp tongues.
They are austere,
but never judgmental.
They are straightforward,
but not provocative.
They are brilliant,
but not flashy.



59.
Leadership is based on moderation.
Practice moderation,
and you'll get in touch
with the power of Tao.

If you get right with Tao,
nothing is impossible.
If you get right with Tao,
there's no limit to what you can do.
If you get right with Tao,
you can be a true leader.

Remember this advice
if you want to be a leader:
Plant deep roots in firm soil.
Get right with Tao,
and you'll always see things clearly.