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Daoism -> Zhuangzi -> Outer Chapters -> Heaven and Earth -> 3

The Master said,
'How still and deep is the place where the Dao resides!
How limpid is its purity!
Metal and stone without It would give forth no sound.
They have indeed the (power of) sound (in them),
but if they be not struck, they do not emit it.
Who can determine (the qualities that are in) all things?
'The man of kingly qualities
holds on his way unoccupied, and is ashamed to busy himself with (the conduct of) affairs.
He establishes himself in (what is) the root and source (of his capacity), and his wisdom grows to be spirit-like.
广 In this way his attributes become more and more great,
and when his mind goes forth,
whatever things come in his way, it lays hold of them (and deals with them).
Thus, if there were not the Dao, the bodily form would not have life,
and its life, without the attributes (of the Dao), would not be manifested.
Is not he who preserves the body and gives the fullest development to the life,
who establishes the attributes of the Dao and clearly displays It,
possessed of kingly qualities?
How majestic is he in his sudden issuings forth,
and in his unexpected movements,
when all things follow him!
This we call the man whose qualities fit him to rule.'
He sees where there is the deepest obscurity; he hears where there is no sound.
In the midst of the deepest obscurity,
he alone sees and can distinguish (various objects);
in the midst of a soundless (abyss),
he alone can hear a harmony (of notes).
Therefore where one deep is succeeded by a greater,
he can people all with things;
where one mysterious range is followed by another that is more so,
he can lay hold of the subtlest character of each.
In this way in his intercourse with all things,
while he is farthest from having anything, he can yet give to them what they seek;
宿while he is always hurrying forth, he yet returns to his resting-place;
。”now large, now small; now long, now short; now distant, now near.'


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