Taoist Philosophy - Chapter 91

[Marblehead]

The Three Treasures

 

Heaven and Earth are enduring,
And it is because they have no life
Intrinsic to themselves
That they are able to long endure.

Therefore the Holy Man,
By keeping to the rear,
Is always at the fore;
By expelling his self,
He remains present.

This is why
He is able to accomplish what serves his interests.

The whole world says the Sage is Great;
Great, yet unlike everyone else.
But it’s precisely because
The Sage is unlike everyone else,
That he is therefore able to be Great.
Were the Sage like everyone else,
For a long time now
He would have seemed insignificant and small.

The Sage constantly has three treasures;
Hold on to them and treasure them.
The first is compassion;
The second is frugality;
And the third is not presuming
To be at the forefront in the world.
Now, it’s because the Sage is compassionate
That he therefore can be courageous;
And it’s because he is frugal
That he therefore can be magnanimous;
And it’s because he doesn’t presume
To be at the forefront in the world
That he therefore can be
The head of those with complete talent.

Now,
If you abandon this compassion
And yet try to be courageous,
And if you abandon this frugality
And yet try to be magnanimous,
And if you abandon this staying behind
And yet go to the fore,
Then you will die.
If, with compassion, you attack, you’ll win;
If you defend, then you’ll stand firm.

Who is firmly set up cannot easily be pulled down;
Who is firmly established is not easily shaken.
Who has a firm grasp does not easily let go.

“All the world says
My teaching greatly resembles folly.
Because it is great it therefore resembles folly.
If it did not resemble folly,
It would have long ago become petty indeed!

I have Three Treasures;
Guard them and keep them safe.
The first is love.
The second is never too much.
The third is never be the first in the world.
Through love,
One has no fear;
Through not doing too much,
One has reserve power;
Through not presuming to be first in the world,
One can develop one’s talent and let it mature.

If one forsakes love and fearlessness,
Forsakes restraint and reserve power,
Forsakes following behind and rushes in front,
He is Doomed!
For love is victorious in attack,
And invulnerable in defense.
Heaven arms with love
Those it would not see destroyed.”

Edited March 5, 2013 by Marblehead

[Aaron]

"The third is never daring to be first in the world..." Beautifully put. Thanks for posting Marblehead.

 

Aaron

[Marblehead]

"The third is never daring to be first in the world..." Beautifully put. Thanks for posting Marblehead.

 

Aaron

 

Thanks.

 

I think there are excerpts from about five different translations in that chapter of mine. It just seemed to be an important concept when I was putting this thing together.

 

For some reason though I didn't support this with anything from Chuang Tzu. I don't know why. Maybe because I felt that what was presented by the various translations of Lao Tzu could stand on its own.