chris hondros, friend and hero
In conflict
it is better to be receptive
than aggressive, better to retreat
a foot than advance an inch. This is called
moving ahead without advancing, capturing the enemy
without attacking him. There is no greater misfortune
than underestimating your opponent. To
underestimate your opponent is
to forsake your three
treasures.
When opposing
forces are engaged in
conflict, the one who fights
with sorrow will
triumph.
Heaven is in
everything: follow the light,
hide in the cloudiness and
begin in what is.
A sage said, “In learning, you increase daily; for the Way, you decrease daily.” This “decrease” means decreasing excess to attain centered balance, decreasing trivialities to return to basics, and reducing human desires to return to celestial design.
There may be a hundred human desires, but it is imperative to master oneself first. Mastering yourself is like overcoming an enemy; first you must know where the enemy is before you can send in your troops.
Self-government should be strict, like a farmer weeding, who must remove weeds by the roots before he can be free of concern that they will grow back.
Self-examination is like arresting a robber — you cannot relax at any time.
Self-government is like executing a rebel — you must cut through with one stroke of the sword. Attacking human desire must be like this before it can be successful.
Self-government is a matter of getting rid of what was originally not in us. We should realize this was originally not there by nature and does not become nonexistent only after being overcome.
Conscious development is a matter of preserving what is originally in us. We should realize it is originally there of necessity and does not come to be there by conscious development.
Arousal,
opinion, excitement,
anger — so easy to spark,
so impossible to govern. Prefer
instead to be impartial, unattached,
empty, silent, still. Staying right
at home, you can transcend
all phenomena and enjoy
complete peace.
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Express your knowledge in
your conduct rather than in your words.
Trust the wisdom of the Sage and allow
each person to come to his
own understanding.
sixth changing line
The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 31 Influence (Wooing)
ebooks & apps of the Tao the Ching, I Ching,
Hua hu Ching, Wei wu Wei Ching,
You
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