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THE CONTEMPORARY
TAO
OF PEACE AND HARMONY
AS INTERPRETED by John WorldPeace
Copyright 1998 by John WorldPeace Houston, Texas USA
All rights reserved.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Ancient and Contemporary Message of the Tao
Preface
Chapters 1 to 10
Chapters 11 to 20
Chapters 21 to 30
Chapters 31 to 40
Chapters 41 to 50
Chapters 51 to 60
Chapters 61 to 70
Chapters 71 to 81
THE
ANCIENT AND CONTEMPORARY MESSAGE OF THE TAO
Infinity (The Way) is the essence of all things
tangible and
intangible.
It has no beginning or end.
It is the potential of all things; manifests all
things;
disintegrates all things; is at one with
all things.
Change is Its constant.
Oneness is the essence of peace and harmony.
Distinctions divide the oneness of Infinity into
extremes.
They are the source of confusion.
Confusion is the source of judgment.
Judgment the source of conflict and war.
Therefore, flow in peace and harmony by remembering
the oneness of all things.
PREFACE
_________________________
The Tao te Ching was allegedly written by Lao
Tzu about 2,500 years ago. It is not known if he
simply wrote down oral traditions or whether he
had some unique insights. It is not even known if
the Tao was written by Lao Tzu or compiled by
several others after his death.
We also do not know how many manipulations
the text has endured over the last 2,500 years.
We cannot even be sure that the traditional Tao is
the original Tao.
What we do know is that this body of ideas
has survived for 2,500 years. Therefore, we must
acknowledge that these ideas have validity when
applied to humanity.
The Tao has been translated by many
competent scholars into English. However, the
words used in the various translations are rather
diverse.
A translation compares one language to
another. Translating Chinese into English is
tricky because one is translating abstract
pictographs into a linear language. Words can
never fully translate a pictograph. This probably
accounts for the wide variation in words used in
the various translations.
I am not a scholar. I did not translate even
one pictograph. What I did was to look for the
consensus among the various translations.
Therefore, the result is more an interpretation
than a translation.
In addition, I tried to relate all the ideas to
an underlying theme of peace and harmony. "How
does a particular passage relate to the
manifestation of peace and harmony?", is the
question I asked about every idea. I tried to
relate every word to a peace and harmony theme
because I believe that this was the original intent
of the Tao.
Further, I tried, where appropriate, to
replace some of the abstract concepts with
something more concrete. I believe this allows
more of a consensus of what is being communicated
and makes it easier to determine whether or not
what is being communicated fosters peace and
harmony.
In essence, I have simply done what many
others have done over the last 2,500 years. I
have tried to relate the Tao in contemporary
language with the hope that the level of peace and
harmony in the world will increase.
My objective has been peace and harmony and
not a literal translation. The following is simply
my personal perspective of peace and harmony as
seen through the Tao te Ching.
CHAPTERS
1 TO 10
1
The infinity that can be conceived is not the
everlasting Infinity.
The infinity that can be described is not the
perpetual Infinity.
The inconceivable indescribable is the essence
of the all encompassing Infinite.
Conceiving and describing applies only to the
manifestations of Infinity.
Free from distinctions, experience the oneness of
Infinity.
Focus on distinctions and see only the
manifestations
of Infinity.
Yet distinction and non-distinction are one within
Infinity.
Potential within potential is
the essence of Infinity.
2
Only when one distinguishes beauty
does one create the unattractive.
Only when one distinguishes good
does one create evil.
Also by distinction,
Tangible and intangible create each other,
Difficult and easy define each other,
Long and short measure each other,
High and low determine each other,
Sound and silence echo each other,
Beginning and end follow each other.
Therefore, the sage goes about living in the
oneness of
all things,
teaching without speaking,
accepting and dismissing all things with
indifference,
creating without attachment,
working without credit.
Acts and deeds are completed and forgotten.
Because the sage is at one with Infinity,
she is immortal.
3
Exalting people creates the desire in others
to be exalted and therefore creates tension.
Overvaluing goods creates the desire for
ownership
and therefore creates the temptation to
steal.
When people do not distinguish things as valuable,
they remain focused on the oneness of all
things
and do not become confused in the material
world.
Therefore, harmonious leaders empty the people's
minds
but nourish their bodies.
They undermine desires
and improve endurance.
They keep the people focused on their oneness with
Infinity
and free them from attachments to material
things.
They redirect the energies of those
who would manipulate others.
If you remember your oneness with Infinity,
and flow with life by refusing to distinguish
good and bad,
you will flow in the peace and harmony
that is the essence of Infinity.
4
Infinity is an empty vessel enveloping all
manifestations,
yet it can never be filled.
It is the potential of all things tangible and
intangible.
It blunts the sharp and hones the blunt,
unravels knots and binds all things,
dulls the glare and shines the mundane,
manifests the dust and clears the air.
It is the essence of all things.
No one can comprehend its origin.
It is older than the concept of God.
5
Heaven and earth are indifferent.
All creatures are considered straw dogs;
not distinguished, not judged.
The sage is indifferent.
All people are one;
not distinguished, not judged.
Infinity is like a bellows,
empty yet encompassing the potential
of all things.
In time all potentials manifest.
Words are straw in the wind.
The more one talks, the less one says.
Keep focused on Infinity.
Remain centered in the oneness of
all things.
6
The manifestations of Infinity never cease
manifesting.
Infinity is the primal creator, the oneness of male
and female.
Infinity is the gate though which heaven
and earth manifested.
It is invisible to the senses,
yet totally permeates all things.
It is inexhaustible and eternally available
for any purpose.
7
Heaven and earth will pass away
but Infinity endures forever.
It had no beginning and so It can never end.
It is the inexhaustible essence of all things.
Because the sage remains behind
in her oneness with all things,
she anticipates all manifestations.
Being at one with Infinity,
she is indifferent.
Because she does not distinguish herself from
other beings,
she is completely fulfilled.
8
Water is like Infinity,
it gives itself to all things
without distinction or judgment
and settles into the lowest places
without deliberation.
In dwelling, live in harmony with the land.
In meditation, remember your oneness with the
Infinite.
In dealing with others, do not judge.
In communicating, relate the truth.
In governing, be fair.
In daily life, be in harmony with all things
and at peace with all people.
In action, be mindful that there is a time
and a season for all things.
Avoid judging and its legacy contention
and flow in the peace and harmony
of the oneness of humanity.
9
Fill anything to the brim and the contents will spill
out.
Hone a sharpened blade and it will become blunt.
Accumulate great wealth, but be aware that you
cannot keep it.
When a task is complete, move on.
Change is the harmony of Infinity.
10
Manifesting body, mind and spirit,
can you stay centered in the oneness of
Infinity?
Fully manifesting and remaining flexible,
can you experience all manifestations
as a newborn baby?
Can you maintain the Infinite vision of oneness
by ignoring distinctions.
Remaining centered in oneness and leading others,
can you avoid manifesting arrogance?
Entering and exiting the gates of manifestations,
can you harmonize with Infinity?
Realizing your oneness with Infinity,
can you flow in harmony with It
by indifferently allowing things to come and
go?
Can you create and sustain things,
and yet remain unattached to them?
Can you work in harmony with all things,
without desiring acknowledgment for your
deeds?
Exemplifying oneness,
flowing in peace and harmony,
not distinguishing, not judging,
is the nature of Infinity.
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CHAPTERS
11 TO 20
11
Thirty spokes converge on the wheel's hub.
But the center hole which receives the axle
makes it useful.
Clay is shaped into a pot.
But the inner space which receives whatever
one puts into it makes it useful.
Wood is cut and joined to build a house.
But the windows and doors which allow
things to enter and leave make it
useful.
The potential utility resides in the tangible.
But true usefulness is a manifestation of
the intangible.
12
The oneness of the five colors blind the eyes.
The oneness of the five tones deafens the ears.
The oneness of the five flavors dull the tongue.
Racing ahead of change
and pursuing the illusion of reality
promotes confusion.
Therefore, the sage is in harmony with what she is
and does not distinguish what she sees.
She chooses oneness and distinguishes nothing.
13
Accept disgrace indifferently.
Acknowledge misfortune as one of the human
conditions.
What does it mean to "accept disgrace
indifferently"?
Honor and disgrace are one in the Infinite.
Only by making distinctions does one
manifest disgrace.
Refusing to make distinctions
merges honor and disgrace into the
oneness of circumstances
which creates harmony.
What is meant by "acknowledging misfortune
as one of the human conditions"?
The body is a manifestation of Infinity
and the body is subject to being
affected by the other manifestations
of Infinity.
Misfortune is one of those other
manifestations.
However, as with disgrace,
refusing to distinguish misfortune and
fortune
creates indifference which keeps one
focused
on the oneness of Infinity
and creates peace in the self.
Stay centered in
your oneness with Infinity
and you can be entrusted with leadership.
See the world as yourself
and you will care for all things.
14
Look and see the manifestations of the Infinite
but not its essence.
Listen and hear the manifestations of the Infinite
but not its essence.
Reach out and touch the manifestations of the
Infinite
but not its essence.
These three are one in their inability to relate
the essence of Infinity.
Above it is not light.
Below it is not dark.
It is neither light nor dark.
Infinity is the potential manifestation of all
things
and the essence into which all
manifestations
disintegrate.
Yet it is inconceivable and indescribable;
intangible but the essence of all
manifestations.
You cannot confront what has no head
and you cannot follow what has no tail.
Remember your oneness,
flow in the peace and harmony of Infinity,
live in the now, changing and flowing with
change.
There was no beginning.
This is the mystery of Infinity.
15
Those who live in oneness manifest the Infinite
in simple ways.
Their awareness is the awareness of Infinity.
Their knowing cannot be described but only
experienced.
All that can be described is their acts and their
appearance and the perception of them.
They are;
alert when crossing unfamiliar space,
cautious in hostile lands,
humble as a guest,
indifferently transforming as melting ice,
possessing the infinite potential of
an unremarkable piece of uncarved
wood,
mysterious as an unexplored valley,
perplexing as muddy water.
Can you see the calm in turbulent waters;
the clarity in murky water?
Can you allow the tides of Infinite change
to move you from stillness to motion
and action to inaction;
experiencing but not contemplating the
change?
Those who live in oneness do not seek
fullness because at every moment they
are aware of their infinite fullness and
the infinite pregnancy of all things.
They are aware of their infinite potential
within which the limitations of fullness
resides.
16
Contemplate Infinity and become peaceful as the
mind becomes lost.
The self perceives the never ending
manifestations of
the potential of Infinity as well as the
disintegration
of all those manifestations.
Within Infinity all things manifest
and disintegrate.
Disintegration is a returning to the Infinite
potential.
Disintegration is the destiny of all
manifestations.
Manifesting is the nature of Infinity.
Change is the Infinite constant.
Acknowledging change is the key to understanding
the harmony of never ending change.
Acknowledging change within the Infinite potential
of which every creature is a manifestation,
unique, yet bound to all things in
disintegration,
gives one a perspective regarding life.
Possessing perspective, one becomes impartial,
openhearted, tolerant, compassionate
and indifferent to judging others.
These are foundations of harmony.
The manifestation of the body disintegrates
but Infinity can never disintegrate into
itself.
There is nothing to fear.
17
The best leaders are in harmony with their
followers.
The next best are those who are respected.
Then comes those who are feared.
The worst are those who are despised.
If one perceives others as untrustworthy,
then that will be the experience that
one acknowledges.
The selective acknowledgment of
untrustworthiness
verifies one's perception of the
untrustworthiness
of others.
When the leaders are in harmony with their
followers,
few laws are necessary
and all tasks are accomplished with ease.
The followers, not perceiving the
administration
of leadership, marvel at the
manifestations
of harmony and experience a sense of
self worth.
18
When the oneness of Infinity is forgotten,
judgment appears and people are
distinguished as good and righteous.
When the illusion of knowledge and understanding
appear,
the physical reality has been confused with
Infinity.
When there is no peace and harmony within the
family,
a facade of devotion and obedience is
perceived.
When a nation manifests great change,
patriots step forward
to attempt to resurrect the past.
19
Quit distinguishing the wise and their wisdom,
the saints and their holiness,
and the people will be a hundred times better
off.
Quit distinguishing morality, righteousness and
benevolence
and humanity will stay centered in its
oneness.
Abandon the pursuit of commercial profit
and the number of thieves and robbers will be
greatly reduced.
These are just three impediments to peace and
harmony
and abandoning them is not enough.
Peace and harmony reside in the simplicity
of an uncarved piece of wood.
Quit distinguishing the self and reside in oneness.
Curb your desires and aspirations
and experience the peace and harmony of
simplicity.
20
Give up the pursuit of knowledge and live in peace
and harmony.
Without knowledge there is no difference
between good and evil.
Is it necessary to learn to fear what others
perceive should be feared? Nonsense!
Other people are excited, joyous and festive
as if enjoying a holiday.
I alone am indifferent, without emotion
or expression; like a baby
before it has learned to smile.
Others have things they feel they need.
I alone own nothing.
I am like a fool unfettered by knowledge.
Other people are intelligent. I alone am ignorant.
Others are shrewd and cunning.
I alone am untouched and moronic.
I aimlessly drift on the great tides of the endless
seas
at the mercy of the indifferent winds.
Others have direction, goals and purposes.
I alone flow within the harmony of Infinity.
I am different from others.
I reside in the peace and harmony of
the Infinite oneness of all things.
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CHAPTERS
21 TO 30
21
To attain peace and harmony,
stay focused on the oneness of Infinity.
Infinity is the intangible potential of all things;
intangible yet manifesting all images,
intangible yet manifesting all substance.
Within the Infinite void resides the
Infinite potential of all things.
All tangible things are a manifestation of the
Infinite essence.
From the present, forever into the past,
forever into the future,
Infinity is the homogenous essence.
The potential of all things forever manifest
and forever disintegrate within the Infinite.
How can I know the manifestations of Infinity?
Because I am at one with Infinity.
22
If you accept all things by refusing to distinguish
good and bad,
you overcome the confusion of the physical
reality
and live in harmony with the Infinite
manifestations.
If you bend as you are impacted by manifestations,
your path of peace and harmony
will remain straight and true.
If you empty your mind of knowledge,
you will fill with the experience
of oneness with the Infinite.
All manifestations constantly disintegrate and
remanifest.
As your body wears out, your spirit is
reborn.
Possess little in goods and thoughts and
maintain your vision of oneness with
Infinity.
Possess much and become lost in the confusion
that the physical reality is the true reality.
Therefore, remain focused on the oneness of
Infinity
and become a beacon for all beings.
Do not distinguish the self
and manifest the oneness of Infinity for all
to see.
Do not assert the self and others will follow.
Do not bolster the self and other will give their
respect.
Do not allow the self to brag
and others will bestow their praise.
Do not allow the self to be quarrelsome
and experience peace with all beings.
Is not it true that if you accept all things
by refusing to distinguish good and bad,
you overcome the confusion of the physical
reality and live in harmony with
the Infinite manifestations?
Flow with the peace and harmony of the oneness
of Infinity and experience immortality.
23
To seldom speak is the essence of simplicity.
The winds do not last all morning.
The rain does not last all day.
The earth that manifests the winds and the rain
is itself a manifestation of change.
All things change, nothing is eternal but change.
All the manifestations of humanity are fleeting
as is the entire physical universe.
Keep your focus on the oneness of Infinity,
manifesting the potential of all things
and disintegrating all the manifestations.
Flow in the peace and harmony of eternal
change.
Focus on goodness and virtue and you lose
sight of the oneness of all people.
Focus on failure and your life becomes failure.
Focus on peace and harmony, the essence of
Infinity, and experience peace and harmony.
Embrace change and live in peace.
Embrace the experience of the moment,
refuse to distinguish good and bad,
happy and sad, difficult and easy.
What you distinguish comes to you for a time.
When it comes embrace it
and when it leaves let it go.
This is living within the oneness of the Infinite.
This is the key to peace and harmony.
24
Stand on your toes and you will not maintain your
balance.
Run and you will have to rest.
Keep a harmonious pace
and you can circumnavigate the earth.
Draw attention to yourself and others may
consider you a fool.
Become self-righteous and others will avoid you.
Boasting impresses no one.
Brag and you may be put to the test.
Within the oneness of Infinity,
all these are delusions of the physical
world.
They do not bring peace and harmony.
Be at one with Infinity and keep these in
perspective.
They are transient excesses in a transient
universe.
25
Before the physical universe existed,
the potential of all things
permeated time and space.
It was silent and empty, loud and pregnant.
Solitary in its oneness, crowded in its potential,
static and dynamic, hot and cold, light and
dark.
The potential of all things,
for lack of another name,
I call it Infinity.
It permeates all things and non-things.
It manifests realities and disintegrates those
realities.
All things are birthed from it
and all things return to it.
Infinity is marvelous.
The physical universe is marvelous.
The earth is marvelous.
Human beings are marvelous.
These are the four realities.
Human beings are a manifestation of the
earth;
the earth, a manifestation of the physical
universe;
the physical universe, a manifestation of
Infinity;
Infinity, the potential of all things.
26
Infinity is the source of all physical
manifestations.
The Infinite stillness is the creator of the
churning
universe.
The sage travels all day over the land and sea
but does not lose sight of Infinity.
Though the manifestations of the earth are
wondrous and beautiful,
she remains indifferent because she remains
centered
in the Infinite oneness.
The leader of multitudes cannot afford to
lose her perspective.
Indulging in the physical manifestations
results in a loss of focus on the
Infinite.
To be caught up in distinguishing things,
narrows the leader's perspective
to that of her followers.
27
A proficient traveler leaves no evidence of his
journey.
A proficient speaker is impeccable in his
presentation.
A proficient accountant needs no tally sheet.
A functional door has no lock
but can only opened by the owner.
A perfect binding has no knots
yet only the binder can loosen it.
The sage is the light of all human beings
and rejects no one.
She efficiently uses all things
and discards nothing.
This is called manifesting Infinity.
What is a sage but a guide to peace and harmony?
What is a materialistic traveler but the
sage's focus?
For the student not to value the teacher
or the teacher not to love the student
or for the followers not to acknowledge the
leader
or the leader not to care for the
followers,
is the cause of great confusion.
This is a key to peace and harmony,
teachers and leaders remind others of who
they are
and their oneness with Infinity.
28
Integrate the male and the female
and travel the peaceful path of oneness.
Be at one with Infinity.
Being at one with Infinity,
do not become confused
in distinctions of male and female.
Experience the oneness
as an undistinguishing child.
See the white and the black as one.
Be a guiding light to the world.
As a guiding light to the world,
standing firm in the truth of oneness,
mirror Infinity for all to see.
Remember that honor and humility are one.
Be a vessel of Infinity.
As a vessel of Infinity,
be a resource to all beings.
Become as a piece of uncarved wood;
available for any purpose.
When a piece of wood is carved, it becomes useful.
When the sage flows in oneness, he becomes useful
as king.
Therefore, the sage is careful in using what he
needs
but avoiding kingship.
29
Do you think you can control the world?
I do not believe it can be done.
The world is a manifestation of change
and cannot be controlled.
If you try to control it, you will end up deceiving
yourself.
If you treat it like an object, it will overwhelm
you.
The world is a manifestation of change;
sometimes ahead, sometimes behind,
sometimes dynamic, sometimes static,
sometimes vigorous, sometimes feeble,
sometimes manifesting, sometimes
disintegrating.
Therefore, refuse to distinguish excesses and
extremes.
See only oneness.
Flow with Infinity
and exist in peace and harmony.
30
Whenever you have an opportunity to advise a
leader
regarding Infinity, advise her not to use
force
to try to gain control of the world.
Why?
Because force attracts resistance
and the greater the force
the greater the resistance.
Briars grow where armies have been
and hard times are the legacy of a great war.
Conclude hostilities as soon as possible
and do not continue to use excessive force
after victory.
Fulfill your purpose but never glory in inhumane
acts.
Fulfill your purpose but never boast of
bloodletting.
Fulfill your purpose but never take pride in
killing.
Fulfill your purpose but avoid violence.
Fulfill your purpose by flowing within
the oneness of Infinity.
The use of force dissipates life.
Force is not the way of peace and harmony.
That which goes against peace and harmony
is short lived.
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CHAPTERS 31 TO 40
31
Weapons of war are instruments of death.
All people fear them.
Therefore, all men of peace avoid them.
The sage prefers Infinity.
The man of war prefers the earth.
Weapons are instruments of death
and the tools of a warrior.
The sage avoids them at all cost;
and sometimes prefers death rather
than touching them.
Peace and harmony are the sage's reality.
She considers victory to be the bastard
child of war.
If you revel in victory,
then you sanction war and the killing of
human beings.
If you accept killing,
you have forgotten your oneness with all
beings.
In time of celebration the left is the dominant
position;
In times of grief the right.
During wartime the general always stands on the
left
and the king on the right.
If even one person is killed in war,
it is cause for great grief and mourning.
Victory is simply the maker of widows and orphans.
32
Infinity can never be defined in words.
Smaller than an atom, greater than forever,
it can never be comprehended.
If kings would stay centered in the Infinite,
they would not try to control the
uncontrollable;
Heaven and earth would be seen as a manifestation
of the oneness of Infinity,
as harmonious as dew accumulating on the
ground.
The people would recognize Infinity manifesting
in their king and all things would be
in harmony.
When the whole is distinguished into parts,
and parts into more parts
and more parts into even more parts
a myriad names are required.
There are already too many distinctions and
names.
The naming of things focuses on the manifestations
of Infinity
and too much distinguishing can result in one
becoming confused in the manifestations and
oblivious to
the oneness of all things.
Refuse to distinguish the components of the whole.
See the oneness of Infinity,
and see the earth as a manifestation
disintegrating back into Infinity.
33
Knowing others is impossible.
Knowing one's self requires only a remembering
of one's unity with all things.
Conquering others requires force.
Conquering one's self requires letting go.
He who understands his oneness with Infinity
resides in peace.
Living one day at a time is the essence of harmony.
One who lives in harmony endures.
Passing through death's door is immortality.
34
Infinity permeates everything in every direction;
to the left as well as to the right.
It is the potential of all things,
and the manifestation of all things.
Its total essence resides in all things.
It has no purpose.
It is complete in its indifference.
It manifests and disintegrates all things forever.
It sustains all things,
yet it is the god of no thing.
It has no purpose.
It is Infinitely insignificant.
All manifestations after a time disintegrate back
into It,
yet It is the god of no thing.
It permeates everything
and so there is nothing outside its realm.
It cannot appear great
because it is at one with everything.
35
All beings are drawn to those who stay centered
in their oneness with Infinity
because they flow in peace and
harmony.
The manifestations of music and delicious food
catch the attention of those passing by.
But the essence of Infinity goes unnoticed.
It makes no sound and has no flavor
and yet It is the inexhaustible source
of the manifestations of all sounds
and all flavors.
36
All manifestations that expand will eventually
shrink.
All manifestations that strengthen will eventually
weaken.
All manifestations that are lifted up will
eventually be
cast down.
Nothing can be received unless it is given.
This is called distinguishing the oneness of
Infinity.
Soft and weak forever disintegrate the hard and
strong.
Hard and strong forever disintegrate the soft and
weak.
This is called the nature of Infinity.
Fish are at one with water;
undistinguished by Infinity.
A nation and its weapons
cannot be distinguished.
37
Infinity is the essence of all things.
Without intention, It manifests all things.
If leaders and kings
remain focused on the oneness of Infinity,
nations will flow in peace and harmony.
If leaders and kings are compelled to act,
they should focus on Infinity
and refuse to manifest desire.
If there is no desire for action,
the world would flow in the peace and harmony
of the oneness of Infinity.
38
A good person is not focused on her goodness
because she is centered in oneness.
A confused person is focused on goodness
and consequently has difficulty obtaining it.
A person centered in oneness
flows with life and appears to do nothing;
yet because she is in harmony
with the oneness of Infinity
she leaves nothing undone.
A confused person is focused on achievements
and consequently never truly achieves
anything.
A caring person is caring all the time
and therefore leaves nothing unnurtured.
When the righteous person does something,
he leaves things in turmoil.
When a person of great discipline does something
and others do not follow,
he attempts to force them to conform to his
perception of reality.
When the oneness of humanity is forgotten,
a distinction is made between good and evil.
Focusing on goodness leads one down the
path of self-righteousness which
separates a person from others.
Self-righteousness leads to justice
and since justice is as arbitrary as
goodness
and righteousness, it degenerates into
a facade of justice or ritual.
Ritual is the backbone of religion
and religion is the harbinger of
judgment
and judgment is the backbone of
conflict.
Therefore, a centered person dwells upon the
oneness of Infinity and not on
distinguishing which leads to confusion;
on the plant and not on the flower.
A centered person embraces oneness
and rejects distinctions.
39
All things are at one with Infinity.
When humanity is centered in this oneness:
the sky remains clear and beautiful,
the earth remains pure and sustains life,
the spirit of humanity is in harmony,
the valley is the source of abundance,
all creatures reproduce, regenerate and
replenish the earth,
leaders and kings are in harmony
and nations are at peace.
When humanity focuses on the manifestations of
Infinity,
distinguishes and judges all things
and thereby forgets the oneness of Infinity:
the sky becomes cloudy with pollution,
the earth becomes a cesspool
unable to easily neutralize the many
poisons,
the spirit of humanity becomes confused
and accepts conflict as the nature of
humanity,
the valley no longer produces abundance
and what it does produce is tainted.
Leaders and kings take their nations to war
in order to control the untainted
lands,
creatures no longer reproduce, species die
out
and parts of the earth, unattended by
the myriad creatures, no longer
regenerate or replenish themselves,
the people of all nations live in conflict,
fear, hunger and depression.
Therefore, never forget that oneness is the
essence of harmony; the simple is the way of
peace.
Leaders and kings consider themselves, alone,
ridiculed
and misunderstood when they forget their
oneness with Infinity.
In confusion, they inevitably lead their nations to
war.
In order to maintain peace and harmony in the land,
they must flow in the peace and harmony
of the oneness of all things.
Too much success is a sign that one has
begun to focus on manifestations and
not on Infinity, the essence of all
manifestations.
Do not distinguish precious jade.
Remain centered in the peace and harmony
of the oneness of all things.
40
Manifesting and disintegrating is the
activity of Infinity.
Yielding to manifestations, yielding to
disintegration
is the nature of peace and harmony.
Things are manifested from the tangible.
The tangible is manifested from the intangible.
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CHAPTERS
41 TO 50
41
When a person seeking peace and harmony
discovers the oneness of Infinity,
she embraces it completely.
When the average person
remembers the oneness of Infinity,
he has a hard time maintaining it.
When a confused person is
confronted with the oneness of Infinity,
he laughs loudly.
If he did not laugh, his confusion would
not be so obvious.
The oneness of Infinity is beyond distinctions
and is always present.
That is why things seem confusing to those who
acknowledge distinctions.
The light merges into darkness.
Forward looks similar to backward.
The easy path manifests difficulty.
Virtue seems hollow.
Purity becomes an illusion.
The static is dynamic.
Strength degenerates into weakness.
Truth has no foundation.
The great square has no corners.
A circle is a series of points.
Great music seems like the wind.
Images have no shape.
The oneness of Infinity permeates all things
and merges them together.
Infinity manifests all things to completion
and disintegrates all manifestations
forever.
42
Infinity is oneness.
Infinity is the potential of all things.
All things are one with Infinity.
Distinguishing creates the two.
All things can be distinguished as yin and yang.
The harmony of oneness is achieved by not
distinguishing.
Human beings hate being alone, ridiculed, and
misunderstood.
Yet this is how leaders and kings perceive
themselves
when they forget their oneness with Infinity.
One achieves peace by ignoring distinctions
and becomes confused by endless judgments
and distinctions.
Others teach;
"A violent man will reap a violent death."
I teach;
"All men will die."
This is the simplicity of Infinity.
43
The softest manifestation in the Infinite
overcomes the hardest manifestation in the
Infinite.
The intangible permeates the tangible.
Non-action incorporates action.
Teaching by living, working without laboring
is comprehended by only a few.
44
Your name or your self: which is more important?
Your self or your possessions: which are more
valuable?
Gain or loss: which is more destructive to
peace and harmony?
He who values his name separates from the
oneness of humanity and experiences
suffering.
Accumulating always creates confusion.
A man in harmony does not distinguish gain or loss.
A man who refuses to judge or make distinctions
will never become lost or confused.
He will experience peace and harmony within
the oneness of Infinity.
45
Great accomplishments seem incomplete
yet their legacy is long lived.
Great abundance seems insignificant
but it is inexhaustible.
A beam of light is just a wave.
Great skill seems easy.
Great eloquence seems boring.
Motion generates heat.
Stillness manifests the cold.
Peace and harmony are the nature of Infinity.
46
When the world remembers its oneness,
horses plow the fields.
When the world focuses on the manifestations of
Infinity,
distinctions, judgment and war replace peace
and harmony.
There is no greater confusion than desire;
no greater burden than discontent.
Nothing is as unfortunate as seeing one's self
as separate from others.
Peace and harmony come from the realization
that what one has is enough.
47
Because you are at one with Infinity,
you can experience the world without
leaving your home.
Without looking out the window
you can see the manifestations of Infinity.
The further you carry your distinctions
and your judgments,
the more confused and lost you become.
Thus the sage experiences all things
without traveling;
without looking she sees Infinity.
She works without laboring.
48
In the pursuit of knowledge,
at every moment something is distinguished.
In the pursuit of peace and harmony,
at every moment something is merged.
Less and less is desired
until one is flowing in peace and harmony.
When one is flowing in peace and harmony
all things are accomplished.
The world flows in peace and harmony
when all things are allowed to
manifest and to disintegrate.
Peace and harmony are sacrificed
by manipulation.
49
The sage has no mind of her own.
She is at one with all of humanity.
Give to those who are considered good.
Give to those who are considered bad.
This is true oneness.
Trust those who are trustworthy.
Trust those who are not trustworthy.
This is also true oneness.
The sage is peaceful and harmonious;
but to the world she seems indifferent.
The world pays attention to her and listens to her
even though she resembles a child.
50
From birth to death;
Three in ten are manifesting life,
Three in ten are disintegrating into death,
and three in ten are between,
manifesting life and disintegrating
into death.
Why?
Because the vast majority of humanity
distinguishes life and death.
The person who is at one with all things
can go anywhere without fear of
vicious animals or dangerous persons.
Why?
Because she is at one with the wild animals,
they perceive her as themselves.
Because she is at one with dangerous
persons,
they fear her.
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CHAPTERS
51 TO 60
51
The potential of Infinity manifests all things.
Manifestations are nourished by oneness,
created with matter,
affected by events.
Therefore, those who maintain peace and harmony
acknowledge Infinity and remember their
oneness,
not because it is demanded,
but because it is the essence of
all things.
Infinity manifests all things,
rears them,
nurtures them,
clothes them,
feeds them,
protects them,
and comforts them.
Infinity manifests all things without possessing
them;
shows them the way without interfering,
assists them without taking credit.
This is the nature of Infinity.
52
Infinity is the mother of all things.
Remembering Infinity, one knows
the nature of children.
Knowing the nature of the children
keeps one focused on the oneness of
Infinity.
Remembering your oneness with Infinity
and the immortality of Infinity
overcomes the fear of death.
Contemplate Infinity,
accept all things without distinctions and
judgments,
and life will be peaceful and
harmonious.
Think about reality,
distinguish and judge all things,
and life degenerates into confusion.
Seeing differences is called distinguishing.
Remaining indifferent manifests peace and
harmony.
Understanding the nature of oneness
focuses one on Infinity
and away from the confusion of
misfortune.
This is called abiding in the constant.
53
If I possess just a bit of insight,
I will remember my oneness with Infinity,
and I will only be concerned that I may
become confused with distinctions and
judgment.
The path of Infinity is easy and peaceful.
But the majority of people cannot
help becoming confused in the manifestations
of the Infinite.
When rulers and leaders are confused
in pomp and circumstance,
the fields are overgrown with weeds
and the granaries are empty.
When leaders and rulers
wear extravagant clothing and manipulate the
law
while attending endless banquets
and accumulating wealth for
the sake of wealth,
they are confused and behave like
bandits and thieves.
This is not the path of peace and harmony.
54
The essence of Infinity can be ignored but never
uprooted.
If it is acknowledged, it cannot be lost
and it will manifest peace and harmony
from parents to children forever.
Acknowledge it in yourself
and peace and harmony will become real.
Acknowledge it in your family
and peace and harmony will grow.
Acknowledge it in your town
and peace and harmony will influence your
teachers.
Acknowledge it in your nation
and peace and harmony will displace war.
Acknowledge it in the universe
and peace and harmony will be everywhere.
Therefore,
see others as yourself,
see other families as your family,
see other towns as your town,
see other nations as your nation,
see the universe as a manifestation
of the Infinite.
How do I know this is the way things are?
Because I am at one with Infinity.
55
A person who flows in peace and harmony
is like a newborn baby.
Poisonous insects and reptiles do not sting or
bite it.
Wild animals do not stalk it.
Raptors do not attack it.
Its bones are soft and it muscles are weak
yet its grip is secure.
It is not aware of male and female
yet its genitals are aroused.
Its oneness is perfect.
It screams all day without becoming hoarse.
This is the perfection of harmony.
Knowing harmony is acknowledging
the oneness of Infinity.
Knowing the oneness of Infinity is the
experience of peace.
Manipulating one's life force results in confusion.
Controlling the breath interrupts the harmony of
the body.
Increasing the natural pace of life creates
exhaustion
and is therefore not the path of harmony.
Anything that remains out of harmony is short
lived.
56
Those who know have no need to speak.
Those who speak are searching for peace and
harmony.
Do not speak.
Ignore your senses.
Blunt your sharpness.
Unravel your knots.
Dim your light.
Become one with all things.
This is the primal essence.
Those who flow in the peace and harmony of Infinity
make no distinctions.
They are therefore indifferent to friend and foe,
to good and bad, to honor and infamy.
This is the natural state of human beings.
57
Govern a nation with fairness.
In war do the unexpected.
Lead the nation by becoming one with it.
Why do I say this?
Because:
The more rules and regulations,
the more oppressed the citizens.
The more energy used to develop weapons,
the more tension in the land.
The more clever and manipulative the leaders
become,
the more agitated and unpredictable
the population.
The more religious morals and restrictions,
the more depression and self-hatred
manifests.
Therefore,
when the ruler is at one with the population
she says:
I take no action and the citizens
govern themselves.
I flow in peace and harmony
and the people follow in my footsteps.
I refuse to manipulate and control
and the population becomes predictable.
I ignore religion
and tolerance replaces judgment.
58
When the country is ruled with indifference,
the people flow in peace and harmony.
When the country is ruled with purpose,
the people become tense and circumvent the
law.
When distinctions are made,
good fortune is the harbinger of disaster
and adversity is the foundation of
prosperity.
The only known is change and the limits of
change are unpredictable.
Because everything changes, nothing seems real.
The reliable becomes questionable
and the questionable becomes familiar.
The confusion created by distinctions
is ever present.
Therefore the sage is:
upright but not judgmental,
to the point but not arrogant,
straightforward but not offensive,
is a light but not blinding.
59
In leading people and manifesting Infinity,
there is nothing as essential as
indifference.
Refusing to distinguish the self is the crucial
requirement
of indifference.
Indifference is the product of maintaining one's
focus
on the oneness of all things.
If you are at one with Infinity and the potential
of all things,
then you have no limitations.
If one has no limitations,
she is qualified to rule the world.
If she is at one with the world,
and consequently indifferent,
she will endure.
This is the manifestation of deep roots and a firm
foundation,
a oneness with Infinity,
immortality and perfect vision.
60
Ruling a country is like cooking a small fish.
If you forget your oneness with the fish,
you become confused in what you are
doing.
See the world as one with Infinity
and evil will be impotent.
Not that evil does not exist,
but because it is not distinguished
people harmonize with it.
If all of humanity is in harmony with the
oneness of Infinity,
not only will evil not confuse the people,
the sage himself will not confuse the people.
They will not confuse each other
and the oneness in each will harmonize
both.
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CHAPTERS 61 TO 70
61
The great nation is like the ocean,
at one with Infinity,
it receives all waters in peace and harmony.
The female integrates the male
by residing in peace and harmony.
Therefore, if the great nation does not
distinguish
the small nation as separate from itself,
it will integrate the smaller nation
into its oneness.
If a small nation does not distinguish itself as
different from
from the great nation,
it will incorporate the peace and
harmony
of the great nation.
A great nation conquers by being a reservoir of
peace and harmony.
A small nation conquers by becoming one with the
great nation.
The great state is a reservoir
of peace and harmony for smaller states.
Small states seek the peace and harmony
of the great state.
Both get what they want; oneness.
It is natural for the great nation to
be receptive to the smaller nation.
62
Infinity is the potential of all things;
the source of all manifestations.
It is the treasure of peaceful people
and the hiding place of the bad.
Flattery can purchase advancement.
Good deeds can obtain admiration.
If a man is bad,
do not distinguish his badness.
See his oneness with humanity.
Therefore, when the king is crowned
and the state officials are sworn in,
do not send them gifts of jade dishes
or a team of four horses.
Instead flow in peace and harmony
and remind them of their oneness
with humanity.
Why does everyone flow in peace and harmony
when they acknowledge the oneness of
Infinity?
Because their needs are met
and their mistakes are not distinguished.
This is the gift of Infinity.
63
Practice flowing in peace and harmony.
Work without laboring.
Savor the tasteless.
Enlarge the small.
Multiply the few.
Mitigate bitterness with kindness.
Accomplish difficult endeavors by a series
of easy tasks.
Accomplish great deeds by persisting
in mundane acts.
When one flows in peace and harmony and
perceives the oneness in all things:
difficulties are easily overcome and
great accomplishments are
seen as a compilation of a lifetime
of insignificant days.
The sage never tries to achieve greatness.
She flows in peace and harmony and
at the end of her days comprehends her
legacy.
Cursory promises are generally unreliable.
Neglecting basics fosters difficulties.
The sage considers the potential difficulty in all
things
and circumvents them by flowing in peace and
harmony.
64
Peace and harmony are easy to perpetuate.
Situations are easy to deal with before
they manifest.
The brittle is easily cracked.
The small is easy to broadcast.
Flow in peace and harmony and problems do
not manifest.
Focus on the oneness of all things
and avoid confusion.
The greatest tree manifests from an
unremarkable shoot.
A multilevel building begins with
the laying of a single brick.
A journey of a thousand miles begins
with a single step.
He who attempts to control his life becomes
confused.
Attempt to grasp a thing and it disappears.
The sage flows in peace and harmony
and so is not confused.
She attaches herself to nothing and
consequently her vision remains clear.
Confused people usually quit just short of
success.
Therefore, see experiences as
the oneness of life from beginning to end
and it will be impossible to fail.
The sage is indifferent to desire:
she does not accumulate possessions,
she is unemotional regarding ideas,
she focuses people on their oneness,
she, by example, illuminates
the path to peace and harmony
but does not impose her will
or foist her views on
others.
65
From time immemorial the sage has not
tried to teach oneness
but has embedded peace and harmony
in the openness of a simple life.
Why is it so hard to rule?
Because people are at one with their
leaders.
Leaders who use cleverness
are confronted with more cleverness.
Cleverness only manifests confusion.
Those who flow in the peace and harmony of
oneness
lead without attempting cleverness
and are a blessing to everyone.
These too are distinctions,
cleverness and non-action.
Realizing these two are distinctions
focuses one on the oneness of Infinity
and away from confusion.
Staying centered in the oneness that permeates
Infinity
manifests peace and harmony.
66
Why are the great oceans the rulers of all rivers?
Because they occupy a lower space.
Therefore, their humility lifts them up.
If the sage is to manifest peace
she must be humble in her speech.
If she is to lead others
she must follow them in harmony.
When the sage leads,
the people do not feel enslaved.
When she stands above them,
they feel at one with her.
Because she is in harmony with others,
they support her and never
consider her a burden.
She is not confused.
Therefore, she does not contend with others
and they do not contend with her.
67
Everyone says that Infinity is great
but beyond comprehension because it is
intangible.
Since it is intangible, it seems non-existent.
However, if it were not intangible it would
have disintegrated before the world was
born.
Three things create peace and harmony.
The first is a lack of distinctions.
The second is simplicity.
The third is oneness.
With a lack of distinction, I can accept all things.
With simplicity, I do not become confused with
desire.
With oneness, I can be at peace and in harmony
with all things.
In the world people always
make distinctions between good and bad
and become confused in judgment;
desire possessions
and become confused in wealth;
forget their oneness
and live in tension and conflict.
Refuse to make distinctions and refuse to pass
judgment
and war and defense succumb to peace and
harmony.
68
A warrior in harmony is not contemptuous of life.
A prize fighter in harmony is not angry.
A winner in harmony understands the
oneness of winning and losing.
An employer in harmony is at one with
his employees.
This is called non-distinction and indifference.
It is known as being at peace and in harmony
with others.
It is the manifestation of the ultimate peace
and harmony of Infinity.
69
There is a saying among generals,
It is better not to begin the battle
but to wait for the other side to begin.
It is better to retreat a foot
rather than advance an inch.
This is called advancing
while appearing to retreat,
preparing to fight
by concealing your power,
winning the battle
without engaging the enemy,
and brandishing non-existent weapons.
There is nothing worse than distinguishing others
as enemies.
By distinguishing others as enemies,
I lose sight of my oneness
and become confused in conflict and
war.
So when war seems imminent,
the victor refuses to embrace killing.
70
My words are easy to understand
and easy to put into practice,
but unfortunately few people understand
them or try to live by them.
My thoughts have always existed,
but since people are confused,
they do not embrace them.
Because people do not understand me,
they are confused in conflict and war
rather than living in peace and harmony.
Those that acknowledge their
oneness with Infinity are few.
Those that call me crazy
are applauded by others that are
confused.
Therefore, the sage is modest in her apparel,
but carries the priceless jewel
of peace and harmony in
her heart.
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CHAPTERS
71 TO 81
71
Acknowledging oneness manifests peace.
Acknowledging distinctions manifests confusion.
If one is in harmony with disharmony,
then one is at peace.
The sage is at peace because she is
not confused with the distinctions of
harmony and disharmony.
The sage is at one with Infinity.
72
When people are not in awe of the Infinite,
they are overwhelmed by confusion.
Do not violate another's space.
Do not interfere with another's livelihood.
If you do not violate their space
or interfere with their livelihood,
they will not separate
themselves
from you.
The sage acknowledges herself but
does not distinguish herself
from others.
She lives her reality
but does not try to foist it on others.
She makes her choices
but is indifferent and unattached
and therefore lives in peace and
harmony.
73
A distinguishing man in his righteousness
is prepared to kill or be killed in
the name of righteousness.
A non-distinguishing woman is indifferent
and refuses to even consider killing.
Both types of people occupy the world forever.
They are one
and undistinguished by Infinity.
Infinity does not contend
but through oneness overcomes all things.
It does not speak but is the
answer to all questions.
It does not summons
but all things are attracted to it.
It makes no plans and has no goals
but all things are manifested by it.
The net of Infinity is all encompassing.
The mesh is large
yet nothing slips through.
74
When people are at one with Infinity,
they have no fear of death
and so they are indifferent to threats.
When people are confused
with the distinction of life and death,
they fear death.
If death is the penalty for breaking the law,
the vast majority will be law abiding.
There are always official executioners
and they are at one with killing.
If you try to take their place,
it is the same as trying to cut wood
in place of the master carpenter.
If you try to take the master carpenter's place,
you will only succeed in cutting
your hands.
75
When the people of a nation are starving
and without the basic necessities,
it is because taxes are excessive.
When the people of a nation are rebellious,
it is because the laws are out of
harmony with the population.
When the leaders of a nation are oppressive
in their confusion,
the people remember their oneness
and become indifferent to death.
Those who remember the oneness of Infinity
are indifferent to life and death
and consequently live in peace
and harmony.
76
The human body is born soft and supple;
after death it is hard and stiff.
Plants and trees are pliant and limber
when they sprout,
after death they are inflexible and
rigid.
Therefore, hard and inflexible
are characteristics of death.
Pliant and flexible
are characteristics of life.
Thus, an army that is inflexible will be conquered
and a tree that does not yield to
the wind will snap.
The hard and inflexible will succumb.
The pliant and flexible will endure.
77
The harmony of Infinity functions like
a bow and its string.
The upper part bends down,
the lower part raises up.
If the string is too long, it is made shorter;
too short and it is lengthened.
The nature of Infinity is balance,
excess gravitates to what is lacking.
The tendency of people is toward confusion
because those who have much
take from those who have little.
Those who are at one with Infinity and
live in peace and harmony
are not confused.
They do not accumulate what
they do not need
and are like a reservoir to those
who
are impoverished.
The sage lives in harmony
giving without expecting,
completing her tasks with indifference,
and maintaining a oneness with all things.
78
Nothing in the world is more submissive and
yielding
than water.
Yet nothing can equal it in cutting the inflexible
and eroding the hard.
The weak can subdue the strong
and the flexible outlasts the rigid.
This is common knowledge,
yet only a very few can practice it.
Therefore, the sages say;
She who is at one with the
disgrace of a nation
is worthy to be queen.
He who is at one with the
misfortunes of nations
is worthy to be king of kings.
The truth frequently seems paradoxical.
79
Conflict almost always leaves some resentment
regardless of the nature of a peaceful
resolution.
How does one achieve peace and harmony?
The sage fulfills her commitments
but does not demand others to fulfill theirs.
Those who are confused
demand others to fulfill their commitments
but are unconcerned with fulfilling
their own.
Infinity is indifferent.
It is at one with all people.
80
A peaceful nation has few people and
flows in harmony and oneness.
They have weapons of war but they have no
inclination to use them.
They are indifferent to death and indifferent
to living elsewhere.
They have boats and carriages
but seldom use them.
They have weapons of war but
no one displays them.
They live a simple life:
their food is nourishing,
their clothes are adequate,
their dwellings are secure.
They are at peace and in harmony
with all things.
Even though they live within sight
of a neighboring nation
and hear the sounds of dogs and
children,
they grow old and perish
without ever desiring to go there.
81
Truthful words are seldom passionate.
Passionate words are seldom truthful.
Peaceful men do not quarrel.
Those who quarrel are confused.
He who is at one with all things
knows Infinity.
He who has knowledge
is always confused.
The sage is never confused by accumulating.
The more he does for others,
the more he flows in harmony.
The more he gives to others,
the more he experiences peace.
Infinity manifests, nourishes and disintegrates
forever.
The sage flows in the peace and harmony
of oneness with all things.
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