erload；　the　anxiety　and　misery　disappear　as　quickly　as　the　mental　clutter。
  People　tend　to　place　too　much　importance　and　attachment　to　value　judgments　like　good；　evil；　respect　and　scorn。　In　reality　these　are　relative　variables　that　change　according　to　perspective。　How　much　do　they　actually　differ；　when　there　are　no　absolute　standards　to　measure　against？
  Of　course；　I　always　proceed　cautiously　as　a　Tao　cultivator。　Whatever　the　people　fear；　I　must　approach　with　a　healthy　dose　of　caution。　If　they　consider　something　to　be　bad；　there　is　probably　a　reason。　I　will　handle　it　with　care；　even　though　I　understand　the　relative　nature　of　value　judgments。　In　this　respect；　I　am　not　that　different　from　them。
  Still；　the　great　Tao　is　so　vast；　seemingly　without　limits。　The　gap　between　the　Tao　and　ordinary　people　is　huge　indeed。　For　the　most　part；　what　they　do　and　how　they　behave　are　quite　different　from　my　way　of　being。
  For　instance；　see　how　easily　they　become　happy　and　excited；　as　if　enjoying　a　great　feast；　or　hiking　up　to　a　scenic　spot　where　they　can　take　in　the　panoramic　view。　I；　on　the　other　hand；　maintain　my　quietness；　tranquility；　and　the　purity　of　my　original　nature；　like　a　newborn　baby　that　has　not　yet　learned　to　smile。　My　demeanor　is　not　jittery　and　excitable。　Instead；　it　is　slow　and　low…key；　as　if　I　am　a　weary　traveler　without　a　home　to　return　to；　and　is　therefore　in　no　rush。
  I　notice　how　the　people　have　too　much；　while　I　alone　seem　to　have　too　little。　Their　lives　are　filled　with　things　they　do　not　need；　while　I　carry　no　excess　baggage。　My　way　is　minimalist。　I　possess　the　bare　necessities　of　life　and　and　the　freedom　that　comes　with　having　few　burdens。
  It　would　certainly　appear　that　I　have　the　heart　and　mind　of　a　fool。　I　seem　so　simple　and　ignorant　compared　to　the　shrewdness　of　ordinary　people。　They　seem　so　brilliant　and　logical。　They　handle　everything　in　a　calculating　way；　while　I　react　slowly　and　cannot　account　for　every　little　thing。　They　scrutinize　every　detail　in　everything　with　a　sharp　eye；　while　I　am　happy　enough　with　a　general　idea　and　fuzzy　approximations。
  My　mind　is　tranquil　and　still；　like　the　depths　of　the　ocean。　At　the　same　time；　it　is　also　moving　dynamically；　like　the　wind　high　in　the　sky。　This　is　something　that　most　people　are　not　likely　to　understand。
  I　see　them　frantically　pursuing　various　goals　in　the　world；　displaying　their　many　talents　and　abilities；　trying　to　get　ahead　in　the　rat　race。　Meanwhile；　I　appear　to　be　stubbornly　persisting　in　my　lowly　ways。　Why　am　I　so　different？　It　is　only　because　I　hold　on　to　the　basis　of　life；　the　nurturing　mother　of　all　things　…　the　Great　Tao　itself！
  Notes
  When　Lao　Tzu　talks　about　not　being　overly　calculating　and　scrutinizing；　he　is　specifically　referring　to　our　conduct　in　interpersonal　relationships。　Most　people　keep　track　of　〃scores〃　…　slights；　cold　shoulders；　back　stabs；　and　so　on　…　with　great　clarity　and　precision；　so　that　when　the　time　is　right　they　can　dole　out　vengeance　and　〃even　the　score。〃
  Tao　cultivators　do　not　do　that。　They　take　action　to　protect　themselves；　or　distance　themselves　from　malicious　people；　but　otherwise　let　go　of　personal　affronts　without　needing　to　retaliate　in　kind。
  People　who　do　not　understand　think　cultivators　must　be　obtuse　to　let　others　take　advantage　of　them　like　that。　They　fail　to　see　that；　as　Gandhi　once　pointed　out；　if　we　all　practice　〃an　eye　for　an　eye；〃　pretty　soon　the　whole　world　will　be　blind。
  In　the　game　of　life；　those　who　shrewdly　〃win〃　at　the　expense　of　others　will　end　up　losing　big　sooner　or　later。　Tao　cultivators；　in　following　Lao　Tzu's　wisdom；　seem　to　〃lose〃　in　the　short　term；　only　to　end　up；　inexplicably；　as　the　ultimate　winners　in　the　long　run。
  21
  The　appearance　of　great　virtue
  Follows　only　the　Tao
  The　Tao；　as　a　thing
  Seems　indistinct；　seems　unclear
  So　unclear；　so　indistinct
  Within　it　there　is　image
  So　indistinct；　so　unclear
  Within　it　there　is　substance
  So　deep；　so　profound
  Within　it　there　is　essence
  Its　essence　is　supremely　real
  Within　it　there　is　faith
  From　ancient　times　to　the　present
  Its　name　never　departs
  To　observe　the　source　of　all　things
  How　do　I　know　the　nature　of　the　source？
  With　this
  The　Tao　is　the　infinite　field　of　limitless　potential。　Therefore；　the　manifestation　of　inherent　power　and　great　virtue　of　all　things　can　only　follow　the　Tao　and　come　from　the　Tao。
  If　we　were　to　regard　the　Tao　as　a　〃thing；〃　it　would　be　indistinct　and　unclear。　The　Tao　embodies　the　mystery　and　the　unknown。　No　matter　how　close　we　get　to　it；　it　will　remain　forever　beyond　complete　comprehension。　It　will　always　be　one　step　beyond　total　clarity。
  Within　this　indistinct　and　unclear　Tao；　there　is　the　image　of　the　universe。　The　stars；　the　galaxies　…　the　cosmos　are　contained　within　the　Tao。
  The　Tao　is　the　ultimate　source　of　everything。　Although　it　will　always　be　vague　and　elusive；　it　embodies　all　the　potentialities　of　the　physical　world。　Material　things　come　out　of　this　void；　seemingly　out　of　nowhere。
  The　Tao　has　unlimited　depth；　and　it　is　within　this　depth　that　we　find　the　essence　of　life。　The　principle　and　driving　force　of　this　essence　are　undeniable。　When　we　examine　this　essence；　we　have　no　choice　but　to　believe　that　the　Tao　exists　and　is　quite　real。
  This　is　why　the　Name　…　the　Tao；　the　great　virtue；　and　power　inherent　inherent　in　all　things　…　have　never　gone　away　from　antiquity　to　modern　times。　It　is　not　a　passing　fad　or　temporary　fixation；　it　is　the　enduring　and　eternal　truth。
  We　can　use　this　truth　to　observe　and　understand　the　universal　source　of　all　Creation。　So　if　people　were　to　ask　me　how　I　can　know　anything　about　the　nature　of　this　mystical　source；　I　would　simply　let　them　know　this　is　it。
  We　may　never　be　able　to　see　it　with　perfect　clarity；　we　may　never　have　complete　comprehension　of　it。　Nevertheless；　its　existence；　function　and　power　are　absolutely；　positively　beyond　doubt。　It　is　the　Tao。
  Notes
  Life；　as　we　know　it；　is　all　based　on　DNA。　In　fact；　one　can　even　say　that　it　is　the　genes　that　perpetuate　themselves　generation　after　generation。　They　surround　themselves　with　sophisticated　and　complex　cellular　mechanisms　in　order　to　enable　this　perpetuation。
  But；　as　science　writer　Bill　Bryson　points　out；　DNA　is　not　in　itself　alive。　So　at　the　very　core　of　the　phenomenon　known　as　life；　we　come　up　against　this　interesting　puzzle；　a　profound　paradox：　the　fundamental　basis　of　life　is　not　itself　a　living　thing。　How　can　this　be？　How　can　it　work？
  Study　this　issue　long　and　hard　enough；　and　one　may　come　to　a　startling　realization。　We　are　in　fact　not　biological　machines　that　have　learned　how　to　think。　Instead；　we　are　pure　consciousness　that　has　learned　how　to　manifest　in　the　physical　universe　through　the　workings　of　life。　There　is　something　about　this　metaphysical　consciousness　that　simply　wants　to　be；　and　it　drives　the　process　of　life；　transforming　the　inorganic　to　organic　in　order　to　enable　its　manifestations。
  This　is　genesis。　It　is　not　completely　understood　and　perhaps　it　never　will　be。　It　is　indistinct　and　unclear；　and　yet　within　it　is　the　seed　of　infinite　life。　Our　very　existence　is　proof　positive　of　its　function　and　power。　It　is　the　Tao。
  22
  Yield　and　remain　whole
  Bend　and　remain　straight
  Be　low　and　become　filled
  Be　worn　out　and　become　renewed
  Have　little　and　receive
  Have　much　and　be　confused
  Therefore　the　sage　holds　to　the　one　as　an　example　for　the　world
  Without　flaunting　oneself　…　and　so　is　seen　clearly
  Without　presuming　oneself　…　and　so　is　distinguished
  Without　praising　oneself　…　and　so　has　merit
  Without　boasting　about　oneself　…　and　so　is　lasting
  Because　he　does　not　contend；　the　world　cannot　contend　with　him
  What　the　ancients　called　〃the　one　who　yields　and　remains　whole〃
  Were　they　speaking　empty　words？
  Sincerity　becoming　whole；　and　returning　to　oneself
  To　yield；　when　the　situation　requires　yielding；　is　to　remain　whole。　To　bend；　like　flexible　bamboo　in　the　wind；　is　to　remain　straight。
  To　be　low　is　to　be　filled　…　just　as　lowly　places　tend　to　be　filled　with　water。　To　be　worn　out　is　to　be　renewed。
  If　you　don't　have　much；　you　are　in　a　position　to　receive　or　obtain　more；　if　you　have　a　lot；　you　are　more　likely　to　experience　confusion。
  Therefore；　the　sage　embraces　the　unity　of　the　one　true　Tao；　to　set　a　standard　and　serve　as　an　example　for　everyone。
  The　sage　does　not　flaunt；　show　off；　or　make　himself　or　herself　highly　visible　in　anyway。　Ironically；　this　makes　the　sage　unique；　and　therefore　conspicuous。
  The　sage　does　not　presume　upon　his　or　her　own　correctness。　This　distinguishes　him　or　her　in　a　world　with　so　many　presumptuous　blowhards。
  The　sage　does　not　praise　his　or　her　own　efforts。　Despite　this；　or　perhaps　because　of　it；　the　sage　ends　up　with　the　credit　he　or　she　deserves。
  The　sage　does　not　brag　or　boast　about　his　or　her　own　prowess。　There　is　no　need　to　when　he　or　she　possesses　true　staying　power。
  Because　the　sage　does　not　contend　or　get　defensive；　others　cannot　contend　with　him　or　her　…　there　is　nothing　to　attack。
  The　sage　is　what　the