The attachment to the self denote subjective obsession with an illusory ego. Liberation arises solely through relinquishing egoic attachment.
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Dao De Jing – Chapter 12
There exists an maxim: “Humanity’s greatest adversary resides within oneself”. External temptations—sensory desires and transient pleasures—ensnare us effortlessly, eroding our primordial essence. As Laozi warns: “The five hues blind human vision; the five tones deafen human hearing; the five flavors numb human discernment” .
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Dao De Jing – Chapter 8
From the very first chapter of the Dao De Jing, Laozi establishes the ineffability of the Dao: “The Dao that can be named is not the eternal Dao.” To facilitate understanding, Chapter 8 employs the metaphor of water, whose virtuous behavior embodies the paradigm of the Daoist cultivator.
“Water benefits all the beings without contention, residing in places disdained by humans.” Its fluid nature manifests dual wisdom: absence of rivalry and freedom from resentment.
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Dao De Jing – Chapter 6
The Dao resembles a primordial valley: it nourishes all existence without discrimination. It operates without fatigue or interruption, revealing a subtle dynamics that flows with cosmic persistence.
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Dao De Jing – Chapter 5
Chapter 5 of the Dao De Jing embodies Laozi’s philosophy on the operation of the Dao, the cosmic harmony between heaven and humanity, and the fundamental equality of all phenomena.
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Dao De Jing – Chapter 4
Chapter 4 of the Dao De Jing describes the ontological nature and functioning of the Dao.
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Dao De Jing – Chapter 1
The ‘Dao’ (or ‘Tao’) is the core of the Dao De Jing (or Tao Te Ching). The entire text, composed of roughly five thousand Chinese characters, is dedicated to explaining this ‘Dao.’ Yet, Laozi laments from the very beginning that the ‘Dao’ cannot be clearly defined. It is akin to truth or reality—no definitive conclusion can ever be drawn about them. No matter how earnestly we strive, we only approach them incrementally, never fully grasping eternal truth or reality. Thus, Laozi chose to speak of the Dao by describing what it is not.
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What you should know before reading the Dao De Jing?
For new readers of the Dao De Jing, there are two essential points to understand beforehand.
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