lao tzu’s poetic, philosophical treatise tao te...

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Adaptation – of Volume 3 (chapters 13 - 18)

Lao Tzu’s Poetic, Philosophical Treatise

Tao Te Ching Volume 3 of 14 (Chapters 13-18)

Translated by Stephen Mitchell,

adapted and annotated

by Terton Lama: Jigme Gyatso, Rime Rinpoche

2019-a01-27b

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Contents

Chapter 13……………………………………………....pg. 3

Chapter 14……………………………………………....pg. 13

Chapter 15……………………………………………....pg. 21

Chapter 16……………………………………………....pg. 31

Chapter 17……………………………………………....pg. 39

Chapter 18……………………………………………....pg. 46

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Tao Te Ching

chapter Thirteen

Success

is as dangerous

as failure.

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Hope

is as hollow

as fear.

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What does it mean

that success

is as dangerous

as failure?

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Whether you

go up the ladder

or down it…

your position

is shaky.

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When you stand

with your two feet

on the ground…

you

will always keep

your balance.

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What does it mean

that hope

is as hollow as fear?

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Hope and fear

are both phantoms

that arise

from thinking

of the self.

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When we do NOT see

the self as Self,

what do we have

to fear?

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See the world

as your Self.

Have faith in the way

things are.

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Love the world

as your Self;

then you can care

for all things.

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Tao Te Ching

chapter Fourteen

Look,

and it can NOT be seen.

Listen,

and it can NOT be heard.

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Reach,

and it can NOT be grasped.

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Above,

it is NOT bright.

Below,

it is NOT dark.

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Seamless,

unnamable,

it returns

to the realm of nothing.

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Form

that includes all forms,

image

without an image…

subtle,

beyond all conception.

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Approach it

and there is NO beginning;

follow it

and there is NO end.

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You can NOT know it,

but you can be it,

at ease

in your own life.

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Just realize

where you come from:

this

is the essence of wisdom.

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Tao Te Ching

chapter Fifteen

The ancient Masters

were profound and subtle.

Their wisdom

was unfathomable.

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There is NO way

to describe it;

all we can describe

is their appearance.

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They were careful

as someone crossing

an iced-over stream.

Alert as a warrior

in enemy territory.

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Courteous

as a guest.

Fluid

as melting Ice.

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Shapeable

as a block of wood.

Receptive

as a valley.

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Clear

as a glass of water.

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Do you have the patience

to wait

until your mud settles

and the water is clear?

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Can you remain

unmoving

until the right action

arises by itself?

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The sage

does NOT seek

fulfillment.

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NOT seeking,

NOT expecting,

she is present,

and can welcome

ALL things.

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Tao Te Ching

chapter Sixteen

Empty your mind

of all thoughts.

Let your heart

be at peace.

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Watch

the turmoil

of beings…

but contemplate

their return.

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Each separate being

in the universe

returns

to the common source.

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Returning

to the source

is serenity.

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If you do NOT realize

the source,

you stumble

in confusion

and sorrow.

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When you realize

where you come from,

you naturally become

tolerant, disinterested, amused…

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kindhearted

as a grandmother,

dignified

as a king.

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Immersed

in the wonder of the Tao,

you can deal

with whatever life brings you…

and when death comes,

you are ready.

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Tao Te Ching

chapter Seventeen

When the sage

governs…

the people

are hardly aware

that he exists.

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Next best

is a leader

who is loved.

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Next,

one

who is feared.

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The worst

is one

who is despised.

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If you do NOT

trust the people,

you make them

untrustworthy.

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The sage

does NOT talk,

he acts.

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When his work

is done

the people say:

“Amazing:

we did it,

all by ourselves!”

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Tao Te Ching

chapter Eighteen

When the great Tao

is forgotten,

goodness and piety

appear.

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When the body’s

intelligence

declines…

cleverness

and knowledge

step forth.

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When

there is NO peace

in the family…

filial piety

begins.

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When the county

falls into chaos,

patriotism

is born.

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