48. Inaction
The follower of knowledge learns as much as he can every day;
The follower of the Way forgets as much as he can every day.
By attrition he reaches a state of inaction
Wherein he does nothing, but nothing remains undone.
To conquer the world, accomplish nothing;
If you must accomplish something,
The world remains beyond conquest.
The Dao di Jing was the first book of Chinese philosophy that ever read. It was the Wade Gilles translation. I was hooked. It was the finger that pointed to the moon. I have read the Dao de Jing many times in many versions. I have read parts of it in Chinese with the limited Chinese I possess. After 40 years, it still instructs me. I firmly believe that you cannot understand martial arts if you do not have at least a basic understanding of this book.
ReplyDeleteThe first version that I was exposed to was the beautiful edition by Gia Fu Feng and Jane English with the black and white photographs.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I go back to that well, there is something new.