Thursday, June 29, 2006

Dao De Jing: chapter 15


In addition to being one of the foundational documents of Daoism, the Dao De Jing is also considered one of the world's classics. If you click on the title of this post, you'll be directed to an online version of the text.

15. Enlightenment

The enlightened possess understanding
So profound they can not be understood.
Because they cannot be understood
I can only describe their appearance:

Cautious as one crossing thin ice,
Undecided as one surrounded by danger,
Modest as one who is a guest,
Unbounded as melting ice,
Genuine as unshaped wood,
Broad as a valley,
Seamless as muddy water.

Who stills the water that the mud may settle,
Who seeks to stop that he may travel on,
Who desires less than may transpire,
Decays, but will not renew.

No comments:

Post a Comment