lness；　or　making　a　purchase　that　nourishes　our　life　and　accords　with　our　inner　being。　When　we　allow　the　Sage　and　the　other　presences　of　the　invisible　world　to　nurture　us　toward　clarity　through　regular　meditation；　our　speech　is　simple　and　accurate；　and　our　action　is　direct；　but　without　force　or　effort。
  48
  Pursuing　knowledge：　daily　accumulation。
  Following　Tao：　daily　unburdening。
  Decrease；　diminish；　deprogram：
  Continue　in　this　till　power　is　dead。
  For　when　action　lacks　force；
  Nothing　is　left　unaccomplished。
  Rely　upon　your　true　eternal　nature；
  And　you　will　never　have　to　strive　again。
  But　let　your　life　become
  A　game　of　inner　commerce；
  And　you　will　never　cease　with　making　deals；
  You　will　never　feel　fulfilled…
  In　this　or　any　other　world。
  Contrary　to　what　a　certain　well…known　American　historical　document　may　have　implied；　happiness　is　not　best　found　through　pursuit。　Lao　Tzu　would　like　us　to　ask　whether　it　makes　inner　sense　to　chase　down　happiness；　understanding；　or　knowledge；　as　if　they　were　external　objects。　Happiness　is　best　revealed　or　discovered；　and　so　is　knowledge。　Knowledge　that　is　accumulated　in　the　form　of　facts；　statistics；　and　quotations　from　the　〃Masters〃　is　every　bit　as　obstructive　as　the　accumulation　of　material　goods　with　which　many　people　seem　to　clutter　their　lives　and　homes。
  Lao　Tzu's　alternative　is　〃daily　unburdening：〃　the　regular　and　unrelenting　inner　deprogramming　of　the　trappings　of　ego梚ntellectual　clutter；　degrees　and　diplomas；　memorized　formulae　of　theory　and　law；　and　the　underlying　assumption　of　the　primacy　and　royalty　of　intellect　among　the　various　functions　of　the　psyche。　You　can　deprogram　these　errors　by　denying　them　their　false　claim　to　truth；　and　in　this；　the　process　of　discovering　the　living　wisdom　of　Tao　is　already　underway。
  The　benefits　of　this　process　are　synergistic：　as　your　understanding　of　your　natural　position　in　the　cosmic　order　broadens；　so　does　that　of　your　intellectual　function　within　your　own　psyche。　And　once　intellect　is　knocked　off　its　false　throne；　it　works　far　more　comfortably　and　efficiently；　because　it　is　no　longer　the　lonely　and　reluctant　tyrant　of　the　psyche。　For　now　the　intellect　is　a　fully　functioning　member　of　the　total　personality；　and　when　a　person　discovers　his　natural　wholeness；　nothing　is　wanting：　therefore；　the　〃game　of　inner　commerce〃　can　be　gratefully　abandoned。
  When　your　inner　treasure　is　complete；　there　is　nothing　to　gain；　and　the　bubble　of　pursuit　is　burst；　along　with　its　insatiable　thirst　for　the　fulfillment　that　is　always　just　beyond　its　reach。　Until　that　bubble　is　exploded；　we　cannot　escape　the　vicious　cycle　of　making　deals　on　the　superficial　plane梔eals　in　which　our　own　true　nature　is　turned　into　a　mere　commodity。
  49
  The　Sage　is　free　of　the　law　of　fixed　belief；
  It　reflects　the　heart　of　every　seeker。
  Where　sincerity　is　revealed；
  The　Sage　responds　in　kind。
  Where　one抯　true　self　is　repressed；
  The　Sage　remains　sincere。
  Loyally　approach　the　Sage；
  And　your　loyalty　will　be　returned。
  Doubtfully　approach　the　Sage；
  And　your　doubt　will　be　returned
  In　truthful　Modesty。
  The　nature　of　the　Sage　dwells　in　humility；
  In　humility　may　it　be　experienced。
  Humility　is　the　breath　of　the　Cosmos。
  Thus　do　people　in　their　deepest　hearts
  Call　out；　as　children　of　the　earth；
  To　their　Cosmic　Mother。
  Wherever　humility　exists；　the　Sage　approaches；　ready　to　help　and　to　teach；　for　〃humility　is　the　breath　of　the　Cosmos。〃　Humility　is　the　sincere　act　of　〃calling　out；〃　in　the　sense　of　simply　asking　the　Sage　for　help　in　understanding；　while　completely　suspending　both　belief　and　disbelief。　This　is　what　makes　true　learning　possible　in　the　Way。　Error　is　never　a　life　sentence；　but　is　itself　a　part　of　the　learning　process。　The　Sage　returns　a　doubting　approach　with　〃truthful　Modesty；〃　and　in　this　there　is　the　possibility　of　growth　and　a　return　to　sincerity　and　humility。　When　we　are　able　to　drop；　or　at　least　suspend；　the　attitude　of　fixed　belief；　we　are　then　approaching　the　Sage　with　the　necessary　sincerity　and　humility　for　it　to　respond。
  50
  Into　life　they　arise；
  Through　death　they　return。
  A　third　of　them　seem　bound　up　with　their　lives；
  A　third　of　them　seem　attached　to　death；
  Another　third　appear　ambivalent…
  Passively　shifting　their　allegiance
  From　each　to　each。
  Why　is　this　so？
  Perhaps　from　an　obsessive　attachment
  To　life抯　mere　appearance？
  But　I　have　heard　of　people
  Who　could　live　long　and　travel　far…
  Ever　free　of　harm　or　mortal　wound
  From　wild　beasts　or　deadly　weapons。
  A　rhinoceros　would　find　no　place　to　pierce　them；
  There　would　be　no　meat　for　a　tiger抯　claws；
  And　no　place　where　a　sword　could　enter。
  And　why　is　this　so？
  Because　they　have　shed　the　illusion
  That　marks　off　life
  From　the　realm　of　death。
  51
  Life：　the　gift　of　Tao。
  Growth：　the　gift　of　Te。
  Form　and　matter　merge；
  Beings　are　brought　to　maturity；
  Each　in　its　unique　nature。
  Everything　within　Nature
  Lives　for　Tao　and　loves　Te。
  It　is　a　love　of　attraction；
  And　not　of　constraint。
  Love　forever　free　of　expectation
  Is　the　love　that　has　always　been。
  For　life　is　the　gift　of　Tao；
  And　growth；　the　gift　of　Te。
  As　One；　they　nourish　and　nurture；
  They　bring　maturity　and　completion；
  They　protect；　provide；　and　teach
  The　numberless　forms　of　Being；
  And　then　bring　them　back　to　the　Source。
  To　give　life　without　claiming　possession；
  To　help　without　demanding　tribute；
  To　teach　without　power　or　pedantry：
  This　is　called　the　deepest　Te。
  I　was　guided　in　this　verse　to　let　the　words　Tao　and　Te　speak　for　themselves　without　translation；　if　only　to　allow　the　music　of　this　wonderful　lyric　play　as　freely　as　possible　in　this　setting。　As　one　would　expect；　it　reads　far　more　beautifully　in　the　original　Chinese；　with　its　plainsong　style　rhythm　and　alliteration；　particularly　in　the　iteration　of　the　character　chih　throughout　the　poem　（it　appears　fifteen　times；　and　is　a　possessive　or　nominative　pronoun；　which　could　mean　〃he/she/they〃　or　〃his/hers/their〃　or　〃him/her/them〃）。　Even　in　English；　this　poem　is　an　excellent　illustration　of　how　Lao　Tzu's　musical　voice　complements　his　teaching　voice。
  52
  The　world　as　we　know　it　has　an　origin；
  Which　may　be　called　Mother　Formless。
  Hold　the　Mother　to　your　deepest　heart；
  And　you　will　understand　the　Cosmic　Family。
  Hold　her　children　to　your　intuition；
  And　the　Mother　will　embrace　you；　too。
  Thus　will　your　life　flow　freely
  Through　all　of　your　days。
  Guard　the　openings　of　speech　and　outer　sensation；
  And　your　life　will　be　serene。
  But　if　your　life　is　spent
  In　expansive　oration
  And　the　compulsion　to　intervene；
  Your　heart　will　be　in　torment
  Unto　your　very　last　breath。
  Microscopic　discernment　within
  Is　the　path　of　clarity。
  The　tenderest　embrace　is　the　strongest。
  Let　your　own　true　radiance　guide　you；
  For　inner　clarity　is　return　to　the　Origin；
  Where　one抯　true　self　finds　protection。
  This　is　called；　entering　the　eternal。
  It　is　very　hard　to　hear　the　voice　of　the　Formless　presence　within　when　you　spend　your　life　in　constant　talk　and　impulsive　intervention　into　others'　affairs。　The　poet's　message　in　this　verse　is　especially　appropriate　to　family　relationships；　where　the　machinations　of　power　and　control　operate　both　openly　and　insidiously；　often　through　cultural　rules　of　loyalty；　fidelity；　and　hierarchy。　Thus；　Lao　Tzu　offers　a　teaching　on　opening　the　heart　to　the　family　of　the　universe；　a　reference　to　the　feeling　presences　of　the　invisible　world。　He　again　chooses　a　feminine　symbol；　〃Mother　Formless。〃　This　evokes　the　message　of　Hexagram　37　of　the　I　Ching；　called　〃The　Family；〃　which　also　draws　upon　feminine　metaphor　in　its　Judgment　text；　〃the　perseverance　of　the　woman　furthers。〃　When　we　connect　with　the　feeling　presence　of　the　Cosmic　Mother；　we　open　ourselves　in　turn　to　the　community　of　beings　within　Nature　that　are　her　children：　this　is　the　〃microscopic　discernment　within〃　that　fulfills　and　reveals　the　natural　life　of　the　human　family。　When　this　discernment；　this　clarity；　is　present；　the　feudal　structures　of　fealty　and　hierarchy　can　be　discarded；　and　we　discover　that　truly；　〃the　tenderest　embrace　is　the　strongest。〃　In　Nature；　the　home　is　not　a　castle；　the　family　is　not　a　hierarchical　ordering　of　roles　according　to　such　things　as　age　or　gender；　there　is　no　〃breadwinner〃　or　〃provider〃；　no　false　duties　of　honor　and　obedience；　and　no　titles　or　rules　of　ownership　among　the　family　members。　These；　indeed；　are　actually　the　bitter　constraints　that　create　division　and　breakdown　within　the　family；　and　which　lead　the　heart　into　torment；　as　the　poet　says。
  53
  If　ego　had　a　scrap　of　wisdom；
  It　would　seek　to　walk　the　path　of　Tao。
  But　the　problem　is　that　ego　tends　to　wander。
  The　Cosmic　Way　is　straight　and　easy；
  But　people　seem　compelled
  By　distraction　and　complexity。
  The　palace　in