He who devotes himself to learning (seeks) from day to day to increase (his knowledge); he who devotes himself to the Dao (seeks) from day to day to diminish (his doing).
He diminishes it and again diminishes it, till he arrives at doing nothing (on purpose). Having arrived at this point of non-action, there is nothing which he does not do.
He who gets as his own all under heaven does so by giving himself no trouble (with that end). If one take trouble (with that end), he is not equal to getting as his own all under heaven.
Note
Chapter 48 from Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) presents a radical philosophy: To attain true wisdom and effectiveness, one must simplify rather than accumulate. By shedding attachments and embracing wu wei or non-action, individuals align with the Dao’s effortless power, transforming struggle into harmony. This chapter challenges modern values of productivity and control, offering a timeless reminder that “less is more.”
Laozi believes that true power lies not in domination but in harmonizing with natural patterns. By emptying the mind and acting without selfish intent, one becomes a conduit for the Tao’s creative force.
Note that Laozi does not mean the ultimate goal or direction is to win the world, conquer or control others, but rather shatter ego-attachment and rigid adherence to rules, dissolve oneself into the world, transcend dualistic thinking, and merging into unity.
The means to achieve this can be adaptable and diverse, yet they must consistently adhere to the principle of wu wei or non-action.
Further Reading
Chapter Forty-Seven proposes, “Without going out the door, one knows the world; without looking out the window, one perceives the way of heaven. The farther one goes, the less one knows.” This emphasizes that the intuitive inner comprehension of the Tao surpasses sensory experience. Chapter Forty-Eight, from the perspective of the “increase and decrease of knowledge,” elaborates on the opposition between pursuing knowledge and pursuing the Tao, as in the statement “In pursuing knowledge, one increases day by day; in pursuing the Tao, one decreases day by day.” Together, they point to the Taoist dialectical understanding of “knowledge.”
Chapter Sixty-Three states, “Act with non-action, handle affairs without meddling, savor the flavorless. Whether large or small, many or few, repay resentment with virtue,” emphasizing the attitude of handling matters through non-action. Chapter Forty-Eight proposes the practical wisdom of “In pursuing the Tao, one decreases day by day, decreasing again and again until one reaches non-action.” Together, they point to the complete methodology of Taoism: “governing through non-action.”
Chapter Forty-Four raises the questions: “Which is dearer, fame or life? Which is greater, life or wealth? Which is more harmful, gain or loss? Excessive love inevitably leads to great expense; hoarding inevitably leads to heavy loss.” This critiques the harm caused by the excessive pursuit of fame and wealth to life. Chapter Forty-Eight points out, “In pursuing the Tao, one decreases day by day.” Together, they construct a complete logical chain for “restraining desires.”
為學日益，為道日損。損之又損，以至於無為。無為而無不為。取天下常以無事，及其有事，不足以取天下。
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