SPACE, AVOID, PEOPLE

59 excerpts from “Lao-tzu’s Taoteching” Redpine translation
Verse 11
“thirty spokes converge on a hub
but it’s the emptiness
that makes a wheel work
pots are fashioned from clay
but it’s the hollow
that makes a pot work
windows and doors are carved for a house
but it’s the spaces
that make a house work
existence makes something useful
but nonexistance makes it work” pg 22

verse 29
“trying to govern the world with force
I see this is not succeeding
The world is a spiritual thing
It cant be forced
To force it is to harm it
To control it is to lose it
Sometimes things lead
Sometimes they follow
Sometimes blow hot
Sometimes blows cold
Sometimes expand
Sometimes collapse
Therefore the sage avoids extremes
Avoids extravagance
Avoids excess.” Pg 58


Verse 49
“the sage has no mind of his own
his mind is the mind of the people
to the good he is good
to the bad he is good
until they become good
to the true he is true
to the false he is true
until they become true
in the world the sage withdraws
with others he merges his mind
people open their ears and eyes
the sage covers them up.” Pg 98

“empty your body and mind. No one can fight against nothing.”
Kumarajiva


Confucius asked Tzu-kung, “do yo think I learn in order to increase my knowledge? Tzu-kung answered, “well don’t you” Confucius said, “no, I seek one thing that ties everything together” lunyu:15.2

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