Tao Te Ching 46
When the world follows the Tao, horses run free to fertilize the fields.
When the world does not follow the Tao, war horses are bred outside the cities.
There is no greater transgression than condoning people's selfish desires, no greater disaster than being discontent, and no greater retribution than for greed.
Whoever knows contentment will be at peace forever.
Lao Tzu
Tao Te Ching 45
The greatest accomplishments seem imperfect, yet their usefulness is not diminished.
The greatest fullness seems empty, yet it will be inexhaustible.
The greatest straightness seems crooked.
The most valued skill seems like clumsiness.
The greatest speech seems full of stammers.
Movement overcomes the cold, and stillness overcomes the heat.
That which is pure and still is the universal ideal.
Lao Tzu
Tao Te Ching 44
Which is more important, your honour or your life?
Which is more valuable, your possessions or your person?
Which is more destructive, success or failure?
Because of this, great love extracts a great cost and true wealth requires greater loss.
Knowing when you have enough avoids dishonour, and knowing when to stop will keep you from danger and bring you a long, happy life.
Lao Tzu
Exactly. Know when to be satisfied, happy, and grateful for what you have.
Much love,
MotherTory
Tao Te Ching 43
That which offers no resistance, overcomes the hardest substances.
That which offers no resistance, can enter where there is no space.
Few in the world can comprehend the teaching without words, or understand the value of non-action.
Lao Tzu
Tao Te Ching 42
The Tao gave birth to One.
The One gave birth to Two.
The Two gave birth to Three.
The Three gave birth to all of creation.
All things carry Yin yet embrace Yang.
They blend their life breaths in order to produce harmony.
People despise being orphaned, widowed and poor.
But the noble ones take these as their titles.
In losing, much is gained, and, in gaining, much is lost.
What others teach I, too, will teach: 'The strong and violent will not die a natural death.'
Lao Tzu
Tao Te Ching 41
When a superior person hears of the Tao, she diligently puts it into practice.
When an average person hears of the Tao, he believes half of it, and doubts the other half.
When a foolish person hears of the Tao, he laughs out loud at the very idea.
If he didn't laugh, it wouldn't be the Tao.
Thus it is said: The brightness of the Tao seems like darkness, the advancement of the Tao seems like retreat, the level path seems rough, the superior path seems empty, the pure seems to be tarnished, and true virtue doesn't seem to be enough.
The virtue of caution seems like cowardice, the pure seems to be polluted, the true square seems to have no corners, the best vessels take the most time to finish, the greatest sounds cannot be heard,and the greatest image has no form.
The Tao hides in the unnamed, yet it alone nourishes and completes all things.
Lao Tzu
Tao Te Ching 40
All movement returns to the Tao.
Weakness is how the Tao works.
All of creation is born from substance.
Substance is born of nothingness.
Lao Tzu
