"What Does the Tao Te Ching Say" Chapter 28: Constant Virtue is Enough

Original text:

Knowing the male and guarding the female is the stream of the world (xī). For the world's stream, everlasting virtue will never leave, and return to the baby. Know its whiteness and guard its blackness, this is the way of the world. It is the style of the world, and it is always virtuous and returns to the infinite. Knowing its glory and guarding its disgrace will make it the valley of the world. For the valley of the world, constant virtue is enough, and return to simplicity. The simple powder is used as a weapon, and the sage uses it as an official, so the great system cannot be cut off.

Translation:

The stronger you are, the more you have to keep your femininity and quietness, just like the low stream in the mountains, like the stream, the law The virtue of nature will not be lost, just like the virtue of a baby restored. The more light and faith you have in your heart, the more you will be able to care less about others criticizing you or yourself. This is the fulcrum that can lead the world. With this guidance, the highest moral character will not have deviations or mistakes, and will return to infinite wisdom. . The more you understand your honor, the more you can defend it when you are humiliated, just like a valley that is good at handling situations. Like a valley, the constant virtue will be more abundant, just like returning to nature. Like logs scattered into various utensils, using various utensils, it becomes the leader of hundreds of officials. People who understand large-scale production will not divide raw materials into fine pieces, so the best political system is unified, not fragmented.

Thoughts:

The more knowledgeable a person is, the more humble he is and the more he knows how to retreat.

In "Ip Man", the apprentice played by Huang Xiaoming asked Donnie Yen: "The enemy is coming, what should we do?"

Donnie Yen said: "Run!"

It’s strange, why do we run when we can win in minutes?

Donnie Yen’s strategy is not to let you know my situation.

Isn’t it the same in life? If you argue with an unreasonable person, what's the point of reasoning? If you can argue with such a person, will you be led astray by him?

Know the male, guard the female, know the white, guard the black, know the glory, guard the disgrace.