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’).
(more…)Tag: modesty
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Dao De Jing – Chapter 61
Chapter 61 centers on the principle that “the greater must dwell below.” Through metaphors such as “a great nation, like a river or sea, positions itself humbly downstream” and “the feminine and yielding overcomes the masculine and forceful,” Laozi articulates a diplomatic philosophy rooted in humility and inclusivity. He argues that powerful nations should engage with smaller states through gentleness and modesty, resolving conflicts and building trust by “assuming a lower position.”
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