topics: |  philosophy | china | zen

Its name comes from the opening words of its two sections: 道 dào "way,"
with 德 dé "virtue," (Chapter 1), plus 經 jīng "classic." (Chapter 38)

"The way of virtue".

Excerpts

2

When all the world recognizes beauty as beauty,
     this in itself is ugliness.
When all the world recognizes good as good,
     this in itself is evil.

Therefore, the Sage . . . does his work,
	   but sets no store by it.
He accomplishes his task, but does not dwell upon it.

And yet it is just because he does not dwell on it
That nobody can ever take it away from him.

11

Thirty spokes converge upin a single hub;
It is on the hole in the center that the use of the cart hinges.

We make a vessel from a lump of clay;
It is the empty space within that makes the vessel useful.

We make doors and windows in the walls
But it is these empty spaces that make the room livable.

Thus while the tangible has its advantages,
It is the intangible that makes it useful.

--
Only simple and quiet words will ripen of themselves.
For a whirlwind does not last a whole morning
Nor does a sudden shower lasta a whole day.
Who is their author?  Heaven-and-Earth!
Even Heaven-and-Earth cannot make such violent things last long;
How much truer is it of the rash endeavours of men?
    - from 23

26

Heaviness is the root of lightness.
Serenity is the master of restlessness.

Therefore, the Sage, travelling all day,
Does not part with the baggage-wagon.
Though there may be gorgeous sights to see,
He stays at ease in his own home.

To be light is to be separated from one's root.
To be restless is to lose one's self-mastery.

27

Good walking leaves no track behind it;
Good speech leaves no mark to be picked at;
Good calculation makes no use of counting slips;
Good shutting makes no use of bolt and bar,
And yet nobody can undo it;
Good tying makes no use of the rope and knot,
And yet nobody can untie it.

36

What is in the end to be shrunken,
Begins by first being stretched out.
What is in the end to be weakened,
Begins by first being made strong.

The soft and weak overcomes the hard and strong.

Just as the fish must not leave the deeps,
So the ruler must not display his weapons.

--

Truly, too much honour means no honour.
It is not wise to shine like a jade and resound like stone-chimes.
   - from 39 [CALLIGRAPHY?]

--
Truly, one may gain by losing
And one may lose by gaining
     - from 42

--

The further you go,
The less you know.
     - 47

--
Learning consists in daily accumulating;
The practice of Tao consists in daily diminishing.
    - 48

44

As for your name and your body, which is the dearer?
As for your body and your wealth, which is the more to be prized?
As for gain and loss, which is the more painful?

Thus an excessive love for anything will cost you dear in the end
The storing up of too much goods will entail a heavy loss
To know when you have enough is to be immune from disgrace
To know when to stop is to be preserved from perils.
Only thus can you endure long
--

How does the sea become the king of all streams
Because it lies lower than they
Hence it is the king of all streams

Therefore, the sage reigns over the people by
	humbling himself in speech
And leads the people by butting himself behind.  -66