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Daoism -> Zhuangzi -> Miscellaneous Chapters -> Tian Xia -> 5.3

老聃Lao Dan says,
'He knows his masculine power,
but maintains his female weakness,
天下谿-- becoming the channel into which all streams flow.
He knows his white purity,
but keeps his disgrace,
天下。」 becoming the valley of the world.
Men all prefer to be first;
he alone chooses to be last,
saying,
天下。」 "I will receive the offscourings of the world."
Men all choose fulness;
he alone chooses emptiness.
He does not store, and therefore he has a superabundance;
he looks solitary, but has a multitude around him.
In his conducting of himself
he is easy and leisurely and wastes nothing.
He does nothing, and laughs at the clever and ingenious.
:「。」Men all seek for happiness, but he feels complete in his imperfect condition, and says, "Let me only escape blame."
He regards what is deepest as his root,
and what is most restrictive as his rule;
and says,
"The strong is broken;
。」 the sharp and pointed is blunted."
He is always generous and forbearing with others,
and does not encroach on any man
- this may be pronounced the height (of perfection).'
關尹老聃0 Guan Yin, and Lao Dan,
ye were among the greatest men of antiquity; True men indeed!


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