Chapter 64 of the Daodejing continues the exploration of the concept of wuwei (無為), often translated as effortless action, non-action, or non-doing, that was begun in the previous chapter. …

The whole world says that my way is great, Because it resembles nothing. It is because it is great, That it resembles nothing. If it resembled something, It would long ago have become small. I have three treasures that I hold and cherish. The first is compassion. The second is frugality. The third is refusing to put yourself…

It is easy to manage a stable situation. It is easy to nip a problem in the bud. It is easy to shatter something that is brittle. It is easy to scatter something that is tiny. Act before something happens. Establish order before chaos emerges. A tree an arm’s span in girth, Grows from a tiny shoot. A…

Chapter 63 provides the most cogent description of the concept of wuwei (無為), often translated as effortless action, non-action, or non-doing, in the Daodejing. As the chapter illustrates, wuwei does not mean doing absolutely nothing at all. It entails becoming so immersed in the natural flow of the world that…

Act with effortless action. Manage without interfering. Taste without tasting. Treat the great as small and the many as few. Repay injury with inner power. Tackle the difficult when it is easy. Tackle the great when it is small. All difficult tasks in the world, Begin with the easy. All great tasks in the world, Begin with the…

Daodejing Chapter 62 asserts that the way is open to everyone, regardless of whether they are deemed to be “good” or “not good.” It neither judges anyone who wishes to embrace it, nor does it offer preferential access for the morally virtuous. …

The way is the sanctuary for the myriad things. It provides treasure for the good, Refuge for the not good. Fine words can win respect. Fine deeds can win admiration. Even if someone is not good, Why abandon them? When the son-of-heaven was enthroned, And the three dukes were installed, Instead of presenting them with jade…

When the Daodejing was written during the Spring and Autumn period, the crumbling Zhou empire comprised a patchwork quilt of feudal states of all shapes and sizes. The larger states like Qi, Jin, and Chu were constantly looking to expand their territories to boost their wealth and military might, while…

A large state lies downstream. It is where everything converges. It is the female of the world. The female invariably prevails over the male through stillness. In her stillness, she lies beneath. By lying beneath a small state, A large state wins over the small state. By lying beneath a large state, A small state wins…