Nothing wears away hard strong rocks,
as well as weak water.

From this anyone can see
that softness is harder than hardness,
and weakness is stronger than strength.
But no one lives accordingly.

That is why the ancients said:
"Embrace being a nobody,
and you are fit to be somebody."

(Lao Tzu)

Insights

Tao Te Ching is crammed full of insights. You just need to tease them out and consider their meaning and application.
Some are more obvious than others. Many cannot be easily articulated but make sense nonetheless.

Topics include:

1. The limitations of words and thoughts

2. Mutual arising

3. Nobody special

4. Inclusive

5. Detachment

6. Composure

7. Emptiness

8. Selfless

9. Goodness

10. Excess

11. Receptivity

12. Valuing space

13. Appearance

14. Substance

15. Success

16. Failure

17. Formless

18. Character

19. Awareness

20. Stillness

21. Equanimity

22. Leading from behind

23. Propriety

24. Conventions

25. Simplicity

26. Humility

27. Opinion

28. Perspective

29. Letting go

30. Trust

31. Being concise

32. Strain

33. Self-importance

34. Definitions and their limitations

35. Sincerity

36. Non-contention

37. Yielding

38. Control

39. Ownership

40. Not forcing

41. The folly of war

42. Beyond concepts

43. True nature

44. Wholeness

45. Subtlety

46. Reversal

47. Implicit

48. Inherent

49. Motive

50. Superficiality

51. Image

52. Not interfering

53. Honour

54. Perception

55. Loss

56. Gain

57. Creativity

58. Comprehension

59. Virtue

60. Gentleness

61. Softness

62. Opportunity

63. Silence

64. Being

65. Stillness

66. Context

67. Importance

68. Significance

69. Achievement

70. Means and ends

71. Tranquillity

72. Desire

73. Appreciation

74. Presence

75. Insight

76. Seeking

77. Unlearning

78. Allowing

79. Not struggling

80. Wisdom

81. Compassion

82. Conceit

83. Living

84. Dying

85. Balance

86. Accord

87. Relationship

88. Detail

89. Endurance

90. Cultivation

91. Innocence

92. Purity

93. Suppleness

94. Harmony

95. Being ordinary

96. Unobtrusive

97. Caution

98. Emulating water

99. Not knowing

100. Wonder

Many of the pages on this website are an exploration of themes found in Tao Te Ching, Chuang Tzu and I Ching.

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Page created 11 October 2002