Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy Part 20

Why was this Way so honored in ancient times?

Did they not say that through it, "One could get what one seeks and escape punishment for one's crimes?"

And so, this is why it is honored by the whole world.123

Chapter Sixty-Three.

Act, but through nonaction.

Be active, but have no activities.124 Taste, but have no tastes.125 No matter how great or small, many or few, Repay resentment with Virtue.126 Plan for what is difficult while it is easy.

Work at what is great while it is small.

The difficult undertakings in the world all start with what is easy.

The great undertakings in the world all begin with what is small.

This is why sages never work at great things and are able to achieve greatness.

Those who easily enter into promises always prove unworthy of trust.

Those who often think that things are easy regularly encounter difficulties.

And so sages consider things difficult and in the end are without difficulties.

Chapter Sixty-Four.

What is at peace is easy to secure.

What has yet to begin is easy to plan for.

What is brittle is easy to scatter.

What is faint is easy to disperse.

Work at things before they come to be; Regulate things before they become disordered.

A tree whose girth fills one's embrace sprang from a downy sprout; A terrace nine stories high arose from a layer of dirt; A journey of a thousand leagues began with a single step.

Those who use it ruin it.

Those who grab hold of it lose it.127 This is why sages practice nonaction and so do not ruin; They do not lay hold and so do not lose.

People often ruin things just when they are on the verge of success.

Be as careful at the end as you are at the beginning and you will not ruin things.

This is why sages desire to be without desires and show no regard for precious goods.128 They study what is not studied and return to what the mult.i.tude pa.s.s by.129 They work to support the myriad creatures in their natural condition and never dare to act.

Chapter Sixty-Five.

In ancient times, those good at practicing the Way did not use it to enlighten the people, but rather to keep them in the dark.130 The people are hard to govern because they know too much.

And so to rule a state with knowledge is to be a detriment to the state.

Not to rule a state through knowledge is to be a blessing to the state.

Know that these two provide the standard.

Always to know this standard is called Enigmatic Virtue.131 How profound and far-reaching is Enigmatic Virtue!

It turns back with things; And only then is there the Great Compliance.132

Chapter Sixty-Six.

The rivers and ocean are able to rule over a hundred valleys, because they are good at placing themselves in the lower position.133 And so they are able to rule over a hundred valleys.

This is why if you want to be above the people you must proclaim that you are below them.

If you want to lead the people, you must put yourself behind them.

This is how sages are able to reside above the people without being considered a burden, How they are able to be out in front of the people without being regarded as a harm.

This is why the whole world delights in supporting them and never wearies.

Because they do not contend, no one in the world can contend with them.134

Chapter Sixty-Seven.

The whole world agrees in saying that my Way is great but appears unworthy.

It is only because it is great that it appears to be unworthy.

If it appeared worthy, it would have become small long ago.

Isn't that so!

I have three treasures that I hold on to and preserve: The first I call loving kindness; The second I call frugality; The third I call never daring to put oneself first in the world.

The kind can be courageous; The frugal can be generous; Those who never dare to put themselves first in the world can become leaders of the various officials.

Now to be courageous without loving kindness, To be generous without frugality, To put oneself first without putting oneself behind others, These will lead to death.135 If one has loving kindness, in attack one will be victorious, In defense one will be secure.

For Heaven will save you and protect you with loving kindness.

Chapter Sixty-Eight.

Those good at fighting are never warlike.136 Those good at attack are never enraged.

Those good at conquering their enemies never confront them.

Those good at using others put themselves in a lower position.

This is called the Virtue of noncontention; This is called the power of using others; This is called matching up with Heaven, the highest achievement of the ancients.

Chapter Sixty-Nine.

Military strategists have a saying, "I never dare to play host but prefer to play guest.137 I never dare to advance an inch but retreat a foot."

This is called a formation without form, Rolling up one's sleeve but having no arm, Forcing the issue but lacking an enemy.138 Who can avoid misfortune in war?

But there is none greater than underestimating the enemy!

Underestimating the enemy almost cost me my three treasures.139 And so when swords are crossed and troops clash, the side that grieves shall be victorious.

Chapter Seventy.

My teachings are easy to understand and easy to implement; But no one in the whole world has been able to understand or implement them.

My teachings have an ancestor and my activities have a lord; But people fail to understand these and so I am not understood.

Those who understand me are rare;140 Those who take me as a model are honored.

This is why sages wear coa.r.s.e cloth while cheris.h.i.+ng precious jade.141

Chapter Seventy-One.

To know that one does not know is best; Not to know but to believe that one knows is a disease.142 Only by seeing this disease as a disease can one be free of it.

Sages are free of this disease; Because they see this disease as a disease, they are free of it.

Chapter Seventy-Two.

When the people do not fear what warrants awe, Something truly awful will come to them.

Do not constrain their homes or villages.

Do not oppress their lives.