WANG PI says, “These five tell us to refrain from acting and to govern things by relying on their nature rather than on their form.

HO-SHANG KUNG says, “Those who know, value deeds not words. A team of horses can’t overtake the tongue. More talk means more problems.

WANG P’ANG says, “The natural endowment of all beings is complete in itself. Poverty does not reduce it. Wealth does not enlarge it. But fools abandon this treasure to chase trash. Those who know contentment pay the world no heed. This is true wealth. Mencius said, ‘The ten thousand things are all within us’ (Mencius: 7A.4). How could we not be wea

YEN TSUN says, “They empty their mind and calm their breath. They concentrate their essence and strengthen their spirit.”

the wise aren’t learned the learned aren’t wise

The essence of the Tao consists in nothing other than taking care. If people took care to let each thought be detached and each action well considered, where else would they find the Tao? Hence, those who mastered the Tao in the past were so careful they waited until a river froze before crossing. They were so cautious, they waited until the wind d

CHIAO HUNG says, “The ways of the world become daily more artificial. Hence, we have names like wisdom and reason, kindness and justice, cleverness and profit. Those who understand the Tao see how artificial these are and how inappropriate they are in ruling the world. They aren’t as good as getting people to focus their attention on undyed cloth a

CHANG TAO-LING says, “Essence is like water: the body is its embankment, and Virtue is its source. If the heart is not virtuous, or if there is no embankment, water disappears. The immortals of the past treasured their essence and lived, while people today lose their essence and die.

the perfect officer wasn’t armed the perfect warrior wasn’t angry the perfect victor wasn’t hostile the perfect commander acted humble this is the virtue of nonaggression this is using the strength of others this is uniting with Heaven which was the ancient end