SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Category: Dao De Jing

Tao Te Ching, Daode Jing, El Libro del Tao

  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 72

    When people persist in ignorance and fearlessness, great calamity approaches. Practice moderation in daily living; Preserve the life-sustaining environment. Thus we avoid bitter consequences and cosmic retribution.

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  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 71

    The Sage, while inwardly enlightened, outwardly embodies simplicity and humility, appearing more “ignorant” than others. Conversely, many who lack true knowledge pretentiously posture as erudite scholars, deluding themselves into believing they surpass others in wisdom.

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  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 70

    Chapter 70 addresses the paradox of the Dao’s simplicity and humanity’s failure to embody it. Laozi laments that while the Dao is profoundly accessible, people remain distracted by superficial desires and intellectual complexities.

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  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 69

    Chapter 69 employs military metaphors to unveil the Daoist philosophy of ‘retreating to advance’ and ‘softness overcoming hardness’. Lao Tzu first references ancient military wisdom: ‘I dare not take the initiative but prefer to respond; I dare not advance an inch but prefer to withdraw a foot’. This emphasizes avoiding provocation, resisting rash aggression, and instead retreating strategically to observe the situation, gather strength, and act with hidden intent. Actions remain concealed, leaving no trace for the enemy to follow—appearing as non-action, yet embodying the stratagem of ‘formlessness conquering form’ .

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  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 68

    Chapter 68 teaches that victory without battle is the highest art. By embodying the Tao’s rhythm—acting early, yielding strategically, and striking with precision—we transform conflict into harmony, achieving lasting success through effortless alignment.

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  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 67

    The Dao, due to its all-encompassing and formless nature, cannot be grasped through the perception of concrete forms. We learn to cultivate the Dao by emulating the sages. The sages’ treasures for realizing the Dao are ‌compassion‌, ‌frugality‌, and ‌humility‌ (‘daring not to put oneself ahead of the world’).

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  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 66

    Chapter 66 explores the paradox of leadership through the metaphor of rivers and oceans, emphasizing humility, selflessness, and the power of “remaining below”. Lao Tzu argues that true authority arises not from dominance or self-promotion but from serving others and embracing a lowly position. This chapter crystallizes the Taoist ideal of leading through non-contention and aligning with the natural flow of the Tao.

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  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 65

    Many readers misinterpret this chapter. By interpreting the text literally, they assume the Dao De Jing advocates a “policy of keeping people ignorant” to serve ruling powers and better control the populace.

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  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 64

    Chapter 64 emphasizes preventive action, alignment with natural cycles, and the wisdom of addressing problems before they arise.

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