Infinity
Four infinities
number twenty-five
- There was something mysteriously formed out of chaos,
- That was born before Heaven and Earth.
- Quiet en still! Pure and deep!
- It stands alone on its own and does not change.
- It can be regarded as the mother of Heaven and Earth.
- I do not yet know its name.
- I style it "The Way".
- For lack of a better word, I call it great.
- Being great, it flows, it flows far away.
- Having gone far, it returns.
- Tao is great;
- Heaven is great;
- Earth is great;
- And the king is also great."
- ese are the four great powers
- And the king occupies one place among them.
- Man models himself to the Earth.
- Earth models itself on Heaven.
- Heaven models itself on the Tao.
- Tao models itself on what is natural.
Calm
Number twenty-six
- The heavy is the root of the light;
- Tranquility is the master of agitation.
- Therefore the gentleman, traveling all day,
- does not lose sight of his luggage carts,
- Though there are beautiful things to be seen.
- When he is safely inside a walled-in tavern
- Only then does he trancends all concern.
- How can the lord of ten thousand chariots
- Treat his own person more lightly than the whole land?
- If you regard the things too lightly
- Then you lose your roots.
- If you are restless, you lose your control.
Attention
number twenty-seven
- A good walker leaves no track behind;
- A good speaker makes no slips;
- A good reckoner needs no tally.
- A good closer of doors needs no bolt or lock,
- And yet no one can open it.
- Good binding of knots requires no rope or cord,
- Yet no one can loosen it.
- Therefore the sage is constantly good
- In taking care of all men
- And never rejects anyone;
- Constantly good in taking care of things;
- And never rejects useful goods;
- This is called "Doubly bright".
- Therefore the good man is the teacher of the good
- And the bad man is the raw material for the good.
- Do not value one's teacher
- And do not cherish the raw goods-
- Though one had great knowledge,
- He would still be greatly confused.
- This is called the essential of the sublime.
