Forgetting Words

Chuang Tzu continued: ‘The fish trap exists because of the fish, once you’ve caught the fish, you can forget the trap. The rabbit snare exists because of the rabbit; once you’ve caught the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words exist because of their meaning; once you’ve grasped the meaning, you can forget the words. When I find people who have forgotten the words, I can have a word with them.’

Best of Taoism – Knowing yourself

If you know how other people behave, you are intelligent. If you know yourself, you are wise.

If you are able to overcome other people, you are strong. If you can overcome yourself, you are stronger.

If you are content with your circumstances, you are fortunate. If you are content with yourself, you are rich.

If you persevere in the face of adversity, you have determination. If you remain unmoved in the face of temptation or pressure, you have courage.

If you are happy to live until you die, then you will live as long as you want.

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.