載營魄抱一，能無離乎？
專氣致柔，能嬰兒乎？
滌除玄覽，能無疵乎？
愛民治國，能無知乎？
天門開闔，能為雌乎？
明白四達，能無知乎？
生之、畜之，生而不有，為而不恃，長而不宰，是謂玄德。
In embracing the One with your soul,
Can you never forsake the Tao?
In controlling your vital force to achieve gentleness,
Can you become like the new-born child?
In cleansing and purifying your Mystic vision,
Can you strive after perfection?
In loving the people and governing the kingdom,
Can you rule without interference?
In opening and shutting the Gate of Heaven,
Can you play the part of the Female?
In comprehending all knowledge,
Can you renounce the mind?
(Translated by Yu Tang Lin)
Giving birth and nourishing,
having without possessing,
acting with no expectations,
leading and not trying to control:
this is the supreme virtue.
(From a translation by S. Mitchell)
Image is from https://kknews.cc/zh-mo/culture/46emkbv.html
Lao Tzu presented six concepts here to lead us to “Tao”-
Oneness – the body and soul are one and without separation.
Gentleness – gather chi (vital breath) to reach a gentle state, like a child.
Flawlessness – clear your thoughts and look deep within yourself to be flawless.
Fairness – rule the people with love but do not exempt yourself from the natural law.
Quietness – be peaceful and silent when opening and shutting the Gate of Heaven.
Clearness – see everything as they are without relying upon your knowledge.
What is “Tao”-
The “Tao” gives birth to all things and nourishes them;
it produces them and does not claim them as its own;
it does all, and yet does not boast of it;
it presides over all, and yet does not control them.
This is what is called ‘The Mysterious Quality of the Tao.”
To sum up to reach “Tao”-
Do nothing無為.
Hold nothing不恃.
Have nothing不有.
Control nothing不宰.
Note: Gate of Heaven-
There is life, and there is death; there is breath in, and there is breath out; there is no such thing as the appearance for the gate of heaven. The gate of heaven is nothingness, and all thing comes from nothingness.
