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The master* who acts from above strains to listen to the Tao, and becomes exhausted.
The master* who acts from the middle hears the Tao very faintly, and then loses it.
The master* who acts from below hears the Tao and laughs greatly.
Those who are unable to laugh will not have enough of a reason to practice the Tao.
Thus we can say:
The luminous Tao seems dark.
The advancing Tao seems to retreat.
The smooth Tao appears flawed.
The highest action of the soul seems empty.
Great purity appears degraded.
Abundant action of the soul appears to not be enough.
Stable action of the soul appears to be unsteady.
Simple truth seems fickle.
It is the great square that has no corners.
It is the great vessel that is not complete.
It is the great music that has no sound.
It is the great elephant that has no form.
The Tao is hidden without a name.
Yet for these exact reasons the Tao is good and completes. |
