Tag: Sufi

Tao Te Ching – Verse 31

Weapons are the tools of violence;
all decent men detest them.

Weapons are the tools of fear;
a decent man will avoid them
except in the direst necessity
and, if compelled, will use them
only with the utmost restraint.

Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 31 – Weapons are the tools of violence; all decent men detest them.”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 30

Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men
doesn’t try to force issues
or defeat enemies by force of arms.
For every force there is a counterforce.
Violence, even well intentioned,
always rebounds upon oneself.

Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 30 – Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men doesn’t try to force issues or defeat enemies by force of arms”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 29

Do you want to improve the world?
I don’t think it can be done.

The world is sacred.
It can’t be improved.
If you tamper with it, you’ll ruin it.
If you treat it like an object, you’ll lose it. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 29 – Do you want to improve the world? I don’t think it can be done.”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 28

Know the male,
yet keep to the female:
receive the world in your arms.
If you receive the world,
the Tao will never leave you
and you will be like a little child.

Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 28 – Know the male, yet keep to the female”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 27

A good traveler has no fixed plans
and is not intent upon arriving.
A good artist lets his intuition
lead him wherever it wants.
A good scientist has freed himself of concepts
and keeps his mind open to what is.

Thus the Master is available to all people
and doesn’t reject anyone.
He is ready to use all situations
and doesn’t waste anything.
This is called embodying the light. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 27 – A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 26

The heavy is the root of the light.
The unmoved is the source of all movement.

Thus the Master travels all day
without leaving home.
However splendid the views,
she stays serenely in herself.
Why should the lord of the country
flit about like a fool?
If you let yourself be blown to and fro,
you lose touch with your root.
If you let restlessness move you,
you lose touch with who you are.
(translation by Stephen Mitchell, 1995)
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Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 26 – The heavy is the root of the light. The unmoved is the source of all movement.”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 25

There was something formless and perfect
before the universe was born.
It is serene. Empty.
Solitary. Unchanging.
Infinite. Eternally present.
It is the mother of the universe.
For lack of a better name,
I call it the Tao.
It flows through all things,
inside and outside, and returns
to the origin of all things. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 25 – There was something formless and perfect before the universe was born.”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 24

He who stands on tiptoe
doesn’t stand firm.
He who rushes ahead
doesn’t go far.
He who tries to shine
dims his own light.
He who defines himself
can’t know who he really is.

Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 24 – He who stands on tiptoe doesn’t stand firm”

Tao Te Ching – Verse 23

Express yourself completely,
then keep quiet.
Be like the forces of nature:
when it blows, there is only wind;
when it rains, there is only rain;
when the clouds pass, the sun shines through.

Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 23 – Express yourself completely, then keep quiet”