Explanation Of The Tao Te Ching Part Eighty “A small country has fewer people. Though there are machines that can work ten to a hundred times faster than man, they are not needed. The people take death seriously and do not travel far. Though they have boats and carriages, no one uses them. Though they have armor and weapons, no one displays them. Men return to the knotting of rope in place of writing. Their food is plain and good, their clothes fine but simple, their homes secure; They are happy in their ways. Though they live within sight of their neighbors, And crowing cocks and barking dogs are … Continue reading A Small Country

Explanation Of The Tao Te Ching Part Seventy Nine  “After a bitter quarrel, some resentment must remain. What can one do about it? Therefore the sage keeps his half of the bargain But does not exact his due. A man of Virtue performs his part, But a man without Virtue requires others to fulfill their obligations. The Tao of heaven is impartial. It stays with good men all the time.” This is about learning to be the better person. The Buddha said that holding on to anger is ‘like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die’. Fulfilling our part of a resolution is important but … Continue reading A Bitter Quarrel

Explanation Of The Tao Te Ching Part Seventy Eight  “Under heaven nothing is more soft and yielding than water. Yet for attacking the solid and strong, nothing is better; It has no equal. The weak can overcome the strong; The supple can overcome the stiff. Under heaven everyone knows this, Yet no one puts it into practice. Therefore the sage says: He who takes upon himself the humiliation of the people is fit to rule them. He who takes upon himself the country’s disasters deserves to be king of the universe. The truth often sounds paradoxical.” Here the author is saying that ‘under heaven everyone knows this’ but 2500 years … Continue reading Water Has No Equal

Explanation Of The Tao Te Ching Part Seventy Seven  “The Tao of heaven is like the bending of a bow. The high is lowered, and the low is raised. If the string is too long, it is shortened; If there is not enough, it is made longer.  The Tao of heaven is to take from those who have too much and give to those who do not have enough. Man’s way is different. He takes from those who do not have enough and give to those who already have too much. What man has more than enough and gives it to the world? Only the man of … Continue reading Only The Man Of Tao

Explanation Of The Tao Te Ching Part Seventy Six  “A man is born gentle and weak. At his death he is hard and stiff. Green plants are tender and filled with sap. At their death they are withered and dry.  Therefore the stiff and unbending is the disciple of death. The gentle and yielding is the disciple of life.  Thus an army without flexibility never wins a battle. A tree that is unbending is easily broken.  The hard and strong will fall. The soft and weak will overcome.” This is about the power of softness and yielding and how it overcomes the hard and unyielding. It … Continue reading Soft v Hard

Explanation Of The Tao Te Ching Part Seventy Five “Why are the people starving? Because the rulers eat up the money in taxes.Therefore the people are starving.  Why are the people rebellious? Because the rulers interfere too much. Therefore they are rebellious.  Why do the people think so little of death? Because the rulers demand too much of life. Therefore the people take death lightly.  Having little to live on, one knows better than to value life too much.” In the current world where we are subject to an oligarchy, this is very relevant. The global elite have funnelled the wealth into their coffers to … Continue reading Why Are The People Starving?

Explanation Of The Tao Te Ching Part Seventy Four  “If men are not afraid to die, It is no avail to threaten them with death.  If men live in constant fear of dying, And if breaking the law means that a man will be killed, Who will dare to break the law?  There is always an official executioner. If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood. If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.” This about fear of death and government. Politicians can only push people so … Continue reading If Men Are Not Afraid To Die

Explanation Of The Tao Te Ching Part Seventy Three  “A brave and passionate man will kill or be killed. A brave and calm man will always preserve life. Of these two which is good and which is harmful? Some things are not favored by heaven. Who knows why? Even the sage is unsure of this.  The Tao of heaven does not strive, and yet it overcomes. It does not speak, and yet is answered. It does not ask, yet is supplied with all its needs. It seems to have no aim and yet its purpose is fulfilled.  Heaven’s net casts wide. Though its meshes are course, nothing slips … Continue reading Heaven’s Net Casts Wide