Intro The ancient sages knew that words could never fully express what the Tao is. To know the Tao, you also need to be aware of the words that are not written and spoken. In this book, I've tried to remove the artifices of language, and provide a clear and simple path for the reader to get closer to the Tao. 1 That which is called the Tao is not the Tao The name that is given is not the eternal name The beginning of heaven and earth is nameless Names began with the birth of myriad things Free of desires, one sees the wonders Filled with desires, one sees the manifestations Both originated together, but were named differently Both are part of the eternal mystery 2 Beauty exists in the world only because ugliness exists Good exists in the world only because evil exists Existence requires nonexistence Difficult and easy are relative Long and short contrast each other High and low support each other Front and back follow each other Silence and sound produce each other The sage achieves work without action Teaches without words Creates but does not take possession Succeeds but does not take credit Therefore the work lasts forever 3 Glorify success and people will become adversaries Treasure goods and people will become thieves Build desire and people will become discontent Thus the sage governs by emptying hearts and filling stomachs Weakening ambitions and strengthening bones Innocent of knowledge, free of desire The sage governs without contrivance And thus order prevails 4 The Tao is emptiness It is abundance It is formless and invisible It is the source of all things The Tao has always been Its origin is unknowable 5 Heaven and earth are impartial They regard everything as one The sage is impartial And regards all people as one The space between heaven and earth is like a bellows It is empty but never exhausted More words lead to confusion More silence leads to understanding