Best of Taoism – Small and Easy

Do without doing. Act without action. Taste without tasting any flavour. Treat the small as large, and the few as many.

When you are injured, respond with a kind deed. When you are insulted, respond with a kind word.

When life is easy, prepare for hard times. Solve problems that are small, before they grow large. Remember that even the greatest problems in the world were originally tiny problems.

Thus wise people, by never doing great things, get great things done.

It may be said that, if you only do small tasks, your work will be worthless. It may be said that, if you only do easy tasks, you show yourself to be feeble. But wise people know that by undertaking only small tasks, they achieve much; and that by only doing easy tasks, they show their strength.

Best of Taoism – The place of inaction

You do not need to leave your house in order to know what happens in the world. You do not need to look out of the window to see the path to heaven. The further you travel, the less you understand.

Wise people do not move about, yet they know; they do not look, but they see; they do not act, but they do what needs to be done.

If you study books and memorize facts, you learn more day by day. If you follow the way, you do less day by day. Eventually by following the way you arrive at the place of inaction; in that place nothing is done, and nothing is undone.

To manage an organization well, do not fuss over it. Anyone who fusses is unfit to manage anything.

Best of Taoism – The world is a sacred place

Some people want to win the world by changing it; they always come to grief. The world is a sacred object. Nothing should be done to change it; any attempt to change it is bound to damage it. To try and possess the world, and treat it as your own, is to lose it.

Under heaven some people lead, and some follow. Some are gentle, and some are hard. Some are hot with passion and some are cool. Some are strong, and some are weak. Some succeed in what they do, and some fail.

Wise people steer a middle course between extremes. They can lead or follow, as circumstances require. They can be gentle or hard, as circumstances require. They can be hot or cool, as circumstances require. They can be strong or weak, as circumstances require. And they make no distinction between success and failure.

Best of Taoism – Male and Female

The female should understand the male, yet not imitate him; she should be happy being a female. The male should understand the female, yet not imitate her; he should be happy being male. Nothing can be built on a female foundation alone; and nothing can be built on a male foundation alone. But when the female and the male are together and yet distinct, the whole world can be built on them.

Darkness should understand light, yet not imitate it; darkness should be happy being dark. Light should understand dark, yet not imitate it; light should be happy being light. Nothing can be revealed by darkness alone. But when darkness and light are together and yet distinct, the mystery of eternity and infinity is made plain.

Glory should understand modesty, yet not imitate it; glory should be happy being glorious. Modesty should understand glory, yet not imitate it. Nothing can be gained by glory alone; and nothing can be gained by modesty alone. But when glory and modesty are together and yet distinct, the world can be made as it should be.

Uncut wood is carved to make useful things; wise people can be shaped into great leaders. The best carving is done without cutting and joining.