Tao Te Ching 3
If you over-esteem talented individuals, people will become overly competitive.
If you overvalue possessions, people will begin to steal.
Do not display your treasures or people will become envious.
The Master leads by emptying people's minds, filling their bellies, weakening their ambitions, and making them become strong.
Preferring simplicity and freedom from desires, avoiding the pitfalls of knowledge and wrong action.
For those who practice not-doing, everything will fall into place.
Lao Tzu
I feel a bit conflicted by this passage. I know that unhappiness and discontent is caused by wanting something that a person feels they can't have, so everyone would be happier if they wanted less. Materialism has gotten a bit out of control. But I also believe that everyone can have what they want if they are willing to do what needs to be done to get it. It worries me that some will take some of this as saying that someone else should take care of you, but what it's really saying is to simply do right, choose happiness, and "God", "Universe", or whatever will line things up so you have what you need. So stay relaxed. What do you think?
Mother Tory
No comments:
Post a Comment