t　display　its　weapons　and　inner　workings　to　the　people；　a　sage　remains　deeply　immersed　in　the　Tao　and　does　not　utilize　his　or　her　insights　against　people　who　are　more　shallow。
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  The　Tao　is　constant　in　non…action
  Yet　there　is　nothing　it　does　not　do
  If　the　sovereign　can　hold　on　to　this
  All　things　shall　transform　themselves
  Transformed；　yet　wishing　to　achieve
  I　shall　restrain　them　with　the　simplicity　of　the　nameless
  The　simplicity　of　the　nameless
  They　shall　be　without　desire
  Without　desire；　using　stillness
  The　world　shall　steady　itself
  The　Tao　is　the　eternal；　unchanging　principle　of　effortless　achievements。　Within　the　workings　of　the　Tao　there　is　no　strife　and　no　struggle。
  The　Tao　is　both　eternally　devoid　of　action　and　the　ultimate　cause　of　all　actions。　The　Tao　makes　no　attempt　to　achieve；　and　yet　nothing　is　beyond　its　powers　to　achieve。　The　Tao　doesn't　try　to　do　anything；　it　simply　does　everything。
  If　a　ruler　（anything　from　the　leader　of　a　nation　to　the　master　of　one's　own　self）　is　able　to　hold　on　to　this　principle　and　embody　it；　then　everything　around　him　or　her　（people；　circumstances；　relationships）　will　naturally　transform　themselves　into　alignment　with　him　or　her。
  Once　transformed　in　this　manner　and　aligned　with　the　ruler；　the　people　may　want　to　move　ahead　with　action　which；　if　unchecked；　can　lead　to　chaos。　Similarly；　those　who　become　allies　in　our　cause　may　do　more　harm　than　good　out　of　zeal；　or　a　strong　desire　to　take　some　sort　of　action。　Our　own　thoughts　and　emotions；　once　aligned　with　a　personal　goal；　may　also　get　away　from　us　out　of　sheer　enthusiasm。
  In　these　situations；　we　can　restore　balance　by　applying　the　concept　of　p'u；　or　the　principle　of　plainness　and　simplicity。　The　fundamental　nature　of　the　nameless　Tao　is　plain　and　simple。　This　total　absence　of　contrivance　and　complexity；　if　understood；　can　lead　to　a　lessening　of　the　urge　to　overact。　This　moderating　effect　can　in　turn　lead　to　stillness。
  This　stillness；　quietness　and　tranquility　will　bring　everything　and　everyone　back　into　balance。　Thus　the　environment　becomes　naturally　settled　and　peaceful　…　in　tune　with　the　Tao。
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  High　virtue　is　not　virtuous
  Therefore　it　has　virtue
  Low　virtue　never　loses　virtue
  Therefore　it　has　no　virtue
  High　virtue　takes　no　contrived　action
  And　acts　without　agenda
  Low　virtue　takes　contrived　action
  And　acts　with　agenda
  High　benevolence　takes　contrived　action
  And　acts　without　agenda
  High　righteousness　takes　contrived　action
  And　acts　with　agenda
  High　etiquette　takes　contrived　action
  And　upon　encountering　no　response
  Uses　arms　to　pull　others
  Therefore；　the　Tao　is　lost；　and　then　virtue
  Virtue　is　lost；　and　then　benevolence
  Benevolence　is　lost；　and　then　righteousness
  Righteousness　is　lost；　and　then　etiquette
  Those　who　have　etiquette
  Are　a　thin　shell　of　loyalty　and　sincerity
  And　the　beginning　of　chaos
  Those　with　foreknowledge
  Are　the　flowers　of　the　Tao
  And　the　beginning　of　ignorance
  Therefore　the　great　person：
  Abides　in　substance；　and　does　not　dwell　on　the　thin　shell
  Abides　in　the　real；　and　does　not　dwell　on　the　flower
  Thus　they　discard　that　and　take　this
  Those　who　possess　the　higher　form　of　virtue　are　not　intentionally　virtuous。　Their　actions　are　natural　and　unforced。　This　is　why　we　say　they　have　true　virtue。
  There　are　also　those　who　possess　a　lower　kind　of　virtue。　They　never　lose　sight　of　virtue　because　they　have　to　constantly　remind　themselves　to　be　virtuous。　This　is　why　we　say　they　have　no　true　virtue。
  Those　who　possess　the　higher　form　of　virtue　do　not　act　with　contrivance。　Their　actions　are　without　ulterior　movies。　They　act　out　of　virtue　because　it　is　natural；　not　because　they　want　to　〃look　good〃　doing　it。
  Those　with　the　lower　form　of　virtue　are　the　opposite。　When　they　act　in　ways　that　seem　virtuous；　they　do　so　for　a　specific　personal　agenda　…　perhaps　improving　their　image；　assuaging　guilty　feelings；　etc。
  Those　who　possess　a　higher　form　of　benevolence　are　a　bit　different。　They　contrive　to　act　in　benevolent　ways；　but　because　they　do　so　out　of　love　and　compassion　for　others；　their　actions　are　free　of　personal　agenda。
  Those　who　possess　the　higher　form　righteousness　are　similar　to　those　who　possess　the　lower　form　of　virtue　in　that　they　also　take　contrived　actions。　They　do　so　out　of　a　powerful　sense　of　self…righteousness；　and　because　they　feel　so　strongly　justified　in　themselves；　their　actions　always　reflect　their　own　motives。
  Those　who　posses　the　higher　form　of　etiquette　are　yet　another　step　down。　They　act　with　contrived　politeness　and　propriety。　They　fall　back　on　protocol　and　rules　to　mask　their　true　intentions；　and　if　they　fail　to　elicit　from　others　the　response　they　are　looking　for；　they　will　use　physical　means　to　force　their　views　upon　others　aggressively。
  From　these　observations；　the　sages　conclude　that　when　people　lose　the　naturalness　of　the　Tao；　they　resort　to　virtue。　Virtuous　practices　allow　people　to　approximate　the　goodness　that　flow　naturally　from　the　Tao。
  If　people　lose　their　virtues；　then　the　next　best　thing　would　be　benevolence。　If　people　can　still　hold　on　to　the　mindset　of　love；　compassion　and　kindness；　then　they　can　at　least　treat　one　another　in　a　way　that　is　gentle　and　humane。
  What　if　people　lose　their　benevolence　too？　Then　they　will　have　no　choice　but　to　resort　to　righteousness。　Their　actions　can　no　longer　be　guided　by　love；　compassion　and　kindness。　Instead；　they　will　act；　choose　and　decide　based　on　correctness　or　a　sense　of　justice。　Everything　becomes　more　muddled　because　right　and　wrong　can　often　be　so　subjective。
  Finally；　what　if　people　can　no　longer　rely　on　righteousness？　Then　etiquette　is　all　that's　left。　Following　etiquette；　customs　and　propriety　may　or　may　not　be　right；　benevolent；　or　virtuous。。。　but　at　least　there　is　something　to　follow。
  This　sort　of　etiquette　is　artificial　and　disingenuous。　Those　who　practice　it　are　little　more　than　thin　shells　without　substance；　pretending　to　be　loyal　and　sincere　while　possessing　neither　quality。　Such　people　are　the　source　of　chaos；　discord　and　strife。
  In　a　similar　way；　people　who　possess　knowledge　without　righteousness；　benevolence　or　virtue　are　also　thin　shells　lacking　substance。　Like　flowers；　they　give　a　pleasing　appearance　but　possess　none　of　the　satisfying　goodness　of　fruits。　That's　what　we　mean　when　we　call　them　the　flowers　of　the　Tao。　Such　people　may　project　a　knowledgeable　appearance；　but　are　in　fact　ignorant　in　basic；　fundamental　ways。
  To　summarize；　the　truly　great　person　would　be　the　antithesis　of　the　above。　That　is；　they　focus　on　substance　instead　of　the　thin　veneer　of　superficiality。　Their　emphasis　is　on　the　real　inner　self；　and　not　on　the　facade　of　external　appearance。　They　discard　the　fakery　of　etiquette　and　knowledge；　and　reach　for　benevolence；　justice；　virtues。。。　and　finally　the　Tao。
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  Those　that　attained　oneness　since　ancient　times：
  The　sky　attained　oneness　and　thus　clarity
  The　earth　attained　oneness　and　thus　tranquility
  The　gods　attained　oneness　and　thus　divinity
  The　valley　attained　oneness　and　thus　abundance
  The　myriad　things　attained　oneness　and　thus　life
  The　rulers　attained　oneness　and　became　the　standard　for　the　world
  These　are　all　from　oneness
  The　sky；　lacking　clarity；　would　break　apart
  The　earth；　lacking　tranquility；　would　erupt
  The　gods；　lacking　divinity；　would　vanish
  The　valley；　lacking　abundance；　would　wither
  Myriad　things；　lacking　life；　would　be　extinct
  The　rulers；　lacking　standard；　would　be　toppled
  Therefore；　the　honored　uses　the　lowly　as　basis
  The　higher　uses　the　lower　as　foundation
  Thus　the　rulers　call　themselves　alone；　bereft；　and　unworthy
  Is　this　not　using　the　lowly　as　basis？　Is　it　not　so？
  Therefore；　the　ultimate　honor　is　no　honor
  Do　not　wish　to　be　shiny　like　jade
  Be　dull　like　rocks
  The　Tao　is　the　central　principle　at　the　core　of　everything　between　Heaven　and　Earth。　〃Oneness〃　is　where　the　Tao　resides；　it　can　also　be　a　synonym　for　the　Tao。　This　oneness　manifests　itself　in　many　different　ways：　clarity；　tranquility；　divinity；　life；　and　more。
  Oneness　manifests　clarity　in　Heaven；　tranquility　on　Earth；　divinity　in　gods；　and　abundant　life　in　all　living　things。　In　the　same　way；　when　we　connect　with　the　Tao　described　by　Lao　Tzu；　we　gain　clarity　in　the　mind；　tranquility　in　the　heart；　divine　power　in　spirituality；　and　abundant　energy　to　live　life　to　the　fullest。　Those　who　wish　to　lead　must　have　this　oneness　in　order　to　establish　the　standard　of　leadership。
  Conversely；　when　we　lack　that　connection；　our　experience　is　quite　the　opposite。　We　struggle　with　confusion　in　the　mind；　we　feel　unsettled　and　ill　at　ease；　the　spiritual　strength　we　enjoyed　before　has　become　an　empty　void；　we　are　tired；　listless；　and　unable　to　stir　ourselves　into　action。　Whatever　leadership　we　may　want　to　establish　collapses　with　nothing　to　hold　it　up。
  How　can　we　gain　this　oneness？　How　can　we　lead　with　the　Tao；　if　called　upon　to　lead？　The　clues　are　everywhere。　Nature　show