----------------- 1----------------The way that is told is not the eternal way The name that is spoken is not the

eternal name Non-being is the source of the universe Being is the beginning of all things To experience its manifestations, understand your desire To witness its mystery, release your desire Both are from the same origin, but have different names That spring is a paradox, the beginning of understanding ----------------- 2 ---------------To see beauty is to create ugliness To see good is to create evil Being and non-being produce each other Difficult and easy complete each other Long and short define each other High and low depend on each other Before and after follow each other A master acts without doing teaches without a word has but does not own The world ebbs and flows and the master moves with it When their work is done they move on That is why it lasts ----------------- 3 ----------------Esteem some people and others become jealous Value possessions and people begin to steal Show off and people become envious The masters lead by emptying people's minds and filling their cores by weakening their ambition and strengthening their resolve The masters help free people of desire and forget what they know While confusing others

who think they understand Practice not-doing and everything will fall into place ------------------ 4 ----------------The way is a limitless vessel never emptied and never full Its depths are eternal and its possibilities endless It is the source of all things Hidden but always present Who can say where it came from It is older than creation ------------------ 5 ----------------The universe doesn't take sides it treats all things impartially The masters don't take sides they treat all things impartially The way is like a bellows empty but full of potential The more it is used the more it produces The more its discussed the less you understand Follow a mindful path ---------------- 6 -----------------The immortal mystery is an endless spring Its source is hidden, but always flowing It gives birth to infinite possibilities It's always present within you Its use is without effort ----------------- 7 -------------------The way is infinite and eternal It was never born and so it can not die It has no desires and so it can be present for all things The masters follow behind but find themselves in front

They step away from the world but find themselves united with it They abandon their desires and find themselves content ------------------ 8 ------------------True good is like water It benefits creation without effort It gathers in the low places that others disdain Thus it is like the way Dwell within nature Think with understanding Give impartially Govern with integrity Work within ability Act on opportunity When you are at peace with yourself the world will treat with you peacefully ------------------- 9 -------------------Fill a bowl to the brim and it is hard to carry Sharpen a knife too much and it will wear away Amass great wealth and it becomes difficult to protect Seek approval and become disappointed Do your work and move on The simple path to serenity ------------------ 10 -----------------Do you have the patience to accept your darkest nature? Can you relax until you become as supple as a new born? Do you have the discipline to clear your subconscious desires? Can you love and lead people without imposing your will? Do you have the heart to accept things as they come and go? Can you forget what you know to understand the world? The way gives birth to all things but does not control them It nurtures the entire universe but expects nothing in return This is its mysterious virtue ------------------- 11 --------------------

Spokes are joined to a wheel but its the center whole that makes it work Clay is moulded into a pot but its the emptiness that makes it useful Walls are shaped into a house but it's the inner space that makes it livable We work with being but its non-being that we use ----------------- 12 ---------------To much To much To much To much To much color will blind the eyes flavor will deaden the taste sound will deafen the ears thought will weaken the mind desire will tear the heart

The masters observe the world but trust to their intuition They experience being but concern themselves with non-being ----------------- 13 ----------------Success is as dangerous as failure Why? Success brings fear of loss Failure brings frustration and anger Both cause worry for the self When we don't regard the self as self what is there to worry about? See the world as yourself and trust to what is Love the world as yourself and learn to care for all things ----------------- 14 -----------------Look and it can't be found Listen and it can't be heard Grasp and it can't be felt Beyond description Mysterious unity Above it isn't clear Below its isn't dark

Endless and unnamable it returns to nothing Image without form Subtle beyond understanding Approach it and there is no beginning Follow it and there is no end Remember the ways of the past but attend to the present The essence of wisdom ----------------- 15 ---------------A master is profound and subtle There wisdom can't be understood Because they can't be understood They can only be poorly described Cautious as a person crossing a river Humble as a guest before their host Alert as a warrior in enemy territory Unrestricted like melting ice Simple as a block of wood Receptive like a valley Obscure as muddied waters Can you wait while the mud settles and renders the waters clear Can you sit patiently until the right action arrises A master does not seek fulfillment By not being full they are receptive and content to be present for all things ----------------- 16 ---------------Clear you mind of thoughts and embrace tranquility Watch the universe ebb and flow Contemplate its return to the source All things in the universe will eventually return to where they began That is the way of nature An eternal decay and renewal To accept this brings peace To ignore this brings grief

When one understands nature they understand the way When one understands the way they become at one with it and no longer fear death They know their body will decay but the way is eternal --------------- 17 -------------When the masters rule the people hardly know The next best ruler is one who is loved Afterwards, one who is feared The worst is one who is despised If you have no faith in people They will be unfaithful to you The masters choose their words carefully When their work is done the people say Look, we did it all by ourselves! ----------------- 18 ---------------When the way is left and forgotten Benevolence and righteousness appear When intellect and knowledge arise Hypocrisy shortly follows When there is no harmony in the family Piety and devotion begin When a nation falls into chaos Patriotism and loyalty are born ----------------- 19 ----------------Forget knowledge and wisdom and people would benefit a hundred fold Throw away morality and justice and people would do the right thing Abandon greed and profit and people would no longer steal If these three aren't enough Remember to hold to what will endure Act simply, be humble and release desire

---------------- 20 --------------Leave your knowledge and be free of anxiety Is there a difference between yes and no? From good and evil? Must we fear what other people fear? Or can we rid ourselves of our ignorance People act happy as if they're at a party But the masters remain tranquil and unconcerned Like a baby before it has learned to smile People have more than they will ever need But the masters appear to have nothing Like a simple man with a foolish heart People look bright but the master appears dim People act intelligent but the master appears confused People have a purpose but the master drifts like the sea Blowing as aimless as the wind The master is not an ordinary person They are fed by the way ------------------ 21 ----------------Serenity is found in following the way The way is abstract and intangible and yet it expresses all forms The way is dark and vague and yet it is full of energy Before there was time and space The way existed It is beyond is and is not How can one know this is true? Just look inside yourself and see -------------------- 22 -----------------The broken becomes whole The crooked becomes straight The empty becomes full The old becomes new Desire little and receive Desire much and grieve

The masters follow the way and so they become examples for the world Free of display they are clearly seen Free of boasting they are distinguished Free of pride they will endure The masters don't fight against the world and so the world doesn't fight with them It is said, To become whole you must first be broken. Only by accepting yourself will one find peace -------------------- 23 ------------------Nature uses few words High winds quickly dissipate Heavy rains swiftly end If natures words rarely last Why should those of man Those who accept the way reside in the way Those who accept insight are open to its wisdom Those who accept loss become lost Those who's faith has left them will receive little faith in return ------------------ 24 ---------------Stand on your tiptoes and you aren't steady Rush ahead and you don't get far Try to shine and you dim your light Justify yourself and you lose respect Define yourself and you loose who you are Promote yourself and you gain little merit These are all wasteful behaviors and should be discarded They are not at one with the way ------------------ 25 -----------------Before the universe was born there was a great mystery

Still and formless Solitary, infinite and empty It is the mother of the universe No one knows its name but some call it the way It is in constant flow Inside and outside all things Until it returns to the source The way is great The universe is great The earth is great All life is great These are the four great powers Life follows the earth The earth follows the universe The universe follows the way The way follows only itself ------------------ 26 ----------------Heavy is the origin of light Stillness is the source of movement The masters travel all day but always stay close to home Though the sights might be glorious they always remain calm How can one lose themselves? If you always act lightly you forget your origin If you are always moving you become distracted and can no longer feel the source ------------------ 27 --------------A good traveler leaves no trace behind A good speaker leaves no questions unanswered A good worker leaves no job unfinished Thus the masters help everyone and reject nothing They attend to every detail and act upon their convictions What is a good man but a bad man's teacher?

What is a bad man but a good man's work? If you can't understand this, no matter how intelligent you will become confused It is the secret to spirituality ------------------- 28 ----------------Know the masculine but keep to the feminine If you receive the world with love The way will never leave you Like a child in wonderment at the universe Know the bright but keep to the dark If in humility you are a model to the world The way will strengthen within you Until you return to the source Know your potential but remember your limitations If you are useful in the world The way will not fail you While you find simple contentment Radiating simplicity the masters are full of endless potential and are infinitely capable ------------------ 29 ----------------If you try to control the world through your own selfish desires you will fail The world follows the way It can not be lead by the self Try to change it and you ruin it Try to posses it and you loose it People are vastly different Some lead, others follow Some are cold, others are warm Some are strong, others are weak Some succeed , others fail The masters accept things as they come They practice moderation and avoid the extremes of excess, extravagance and indulgence ------------------- 30 ------------------

Those who govern and follow the way don't use force, for violence has a way of returning Thorns and weeds grow where an army fights and famines shortly follow The masters act with resolve and then stop they do not take by force Be resolute but not boastful haughty or arrogant Be resolute because you must but not to be violent Using force allows things to flourish but only for a brief time before they decay and are destroyed by their own violence ------------------- 31 ------------------Armies are the tools of violence They bring hate and destruction Weapons are the tools of fear Those who follow the way avoid them Except in the most dire need and only with great restraint For they find no beauty in them How can beauty be found in the slaughter of humanity? Your enemies are not demons but people like yourself Those who delight in victory will not contend themselves with peace So battles should be celebrated with mourning As though one were attending a funeral ----------------- 32 ----------------The way has no name Its simplicity seems insignificant and yet nothing can contain it If powerful people would follow the way Then everyone would follow them willingly Paradise would rain down on earth and the the world would be at peace

People would no longer need rulers because they themselves would be righteous The naming of things brings order but not all things can be sufficiently named When we recognize when to stop naming we can avoid the dangers it brings All things end in the way Like all the rivers that flow into the ocean ----------------- 33 -------------Knowing others is intelligence Knowing yourself is true wisdom Mastering others is strength Mastering yourself is true power Those who realize they have enough are truly wealthy Those who persist will reach their goal Remaining mindful of what is one will die, but not perishing will be immortal ---------------- 34 ----------------The way is everywhere and in everything at the same time The universe relies upon it and it never fails to give It does many great things and claims none of them for itself It nourishes everything with love and never seeks to control It is without desires and so it can be called humble Everything returns to it and it lays no hold of ownership Therefore the masters do not pose as great people and so show how great they truly are --------------- 35 --------------If you follow the way then all the world will help you

You may travel where you will but you'll never be in danger You'll only find peace, contentment and rest Music and good food will attract people but the words of the way seem boring and stale When you look for it there is nothing to see When you listen for it there is nothing to hear But when you put it to use it never runs out ---------------- 36 ----------------