taken　it　attribute　it　to　Confucius。　So　now　you　know　something　they　do　not。
  Another　interesting　thing　to　note　is　that　the　popular　expression　is　in　fact　a　mistranslation。　The　original　contains　no　character　for　〃one〃　or　〃step。〃　Nor　does　it　imply　the　taking　of　that　first　step。　What　it　says　is　that　the　little　piece　of　ground　beneath　your　feet　is　the　starting　point　of　even　the　longest　journeys。　That's　all　it　says。　The　taking　of　that　first　step　is　certainly　a　legitimate　interpretation　and　amplification　of　this　passage；　but　it　definitely　does　not　qualify　as　a　translation。
  65
  Those　of　ancient　times　who　were　adept　at　the　Tao
  Used　it　not　to　make　people　brighter
  But　to　keep　them　simple
  The　difficulty　in　governing　people
  Is　due　their　excessive　cleverness
  Therefore；　using　cleverness　to　govern　the　state
  Is　being　a　thief　of　the　state
  Not　using　cleverness　to　govern　the　state
  Is　being　a　blessing　of　the　state
  Know　that　these　two　are　both　standards
  Always　knowing　these　standards
  Is　called　Mystic　Virtue
  Mystic　Virtue　is　so　profound；　so　far…reaching
  It　goes　opposite　to　material　things
  Then　it　reaches　great　congruence
  The　sage　kings　of　ancient　China　were　masterful　in　applying　the　Tao。　They　did　not　use　it　to　make　people　more　clever　and　more　knowledgeable。　Instead；　they　used　it　to　guide　people　toward　simplicity。
  These　sages　understood　very　well　that　cleverness　and　knowledge　would　bring　with　them　greater　desires；　deceit；　and　devious　tricks。　This　would　lead　to　complexities　and　chaos；　thus　making　things　difficult　not　only　for　them；　but　also　for　the　people。
  They　came　to　the　conclusion　long　ago　that　using　guile；　manipulation；　and　contrivance　to　govern　would　do　great　harm　to　the　country　…　really　not　so　different　than　stealing　from　it　like　a　thief。　On　the　other　hand；　not　using　these　tricks　and　guiding　the　people　toward　simplicity　would　lead　to　benefits　for　all；　and　would　therefore　be　a　great　blessing　to　the　country　as　a　whole。
  Both　of　these　approaches　…　shrewd　cunning　versus　straightforward　plainness　…　are　standards；　and　it　is　important　to　know　both。　The　ancient　masters　made　it　a　point　to　understand　Machiavellian　methods　thoroughly；　while　embracing　upright；　honest　simplicity　in　actual　practice。　This　mindset　of　never　losing　sight　of　both　is　known　as　Mystic　Virtue。
  The　power　of　Mystic　Virtue　is　beyond　measure。　It　is　both　profound　in　its　implications　and　far…reaching　in　its　effects。　It　runs　counter　to　the　tendency　to　pursue　material　things；　and　opposite　the　typical　person's　desire　for　short…term　gains。　We　see　it　as　achieving　a　state　of　great　congruence；　because　Mystic　Virtue　follows　nature　and　is　therefore　perfectly　congruent　with　the　Tao。
  Notes
  Your　life　is　a　sovereign　state　in　its　own　right；　and　you　are　the　ruler　of　this　state。　If；　like　many　people；　you　run　your　life　with　a　measure　of　clever　duplicity　and　contrived　craftiness；　you　will　also　make　everything　more　complex　and　difficult　to　manage。　A　complicated　life　filled　with　tension　and　stress　is　one　where　the　joy　has　been　taken　away　…　by　yourself。　You　would　then　be　the　thief　who　robs　your　own　life　of　happiness。
  Lao　Tzu　advises　you　to　cultivate　Mystic　Virtue　instead。　That　is；　be　fully　aware　of　all　the　deceptive　tricks　and　meddlesome　cunning　that　can　manifest　in　your　life；　but　at　the　same　time　hold　on　to　P'u；　the　ultimate　principle　of　simplicity　and　plainness。　This　will　be　a　great　blessing　in　your　life；　and　as　you　continue　living　this　way　…　in　total　congruence　with　the　Tao　…　you　will　feel　profound　and　far…reaching　effects　of　Mystic　Virtue　in　every　aspect　of　living；　resulting　in　a　life　filled　with　joy　and　peace　of　mind。
  66
  Rivers　and　oceans　can　be　the　kings　of　a　hundred　valleys
  Because　of　their　goodness　in　staying　low
  So　they　can　be　the　kings　of　a　hundred　valleys
  Thus　if　sages　wish　to　be　over　people
  They　must　speak　humbly　to　them
  If　they　wish　to　be　in　front　of　people
  They　must　place　themselves　behind　them
  Thus　the　sages　are　positioned　above
  But　the　people　do　not　feel　burdened
  They　are　positioned　in　front
  But　the　people　do　not　feel　harmed
  Thus　the　world　is　glad　to　push　them　forward　without　resentment
  Because　they　do　not　contend
  So　the　world　cannot　contend　with　them
  Rivers　and　oceans　receive　everything　from　the　streams　and　rivulets　of　a　hundred　valleys。　It　is　as　if　they　are　the　rulers　of　all　these　valleys；　receiving　their　tributes　and　offerings　into　the　royal　treasury。
  The　reason　that　rivers　and　oceans　have　dominion　over　the　valleys　is　simple：　It　is　their　nature　to　occupy　the　lowest　position。　All　the　streams　and　rivulets　of　the　valleys　naturally　flow　into　them。
  Tao　sages　emulate　nature。　So　when　they　observe　the　above；　they　realize　that　the　principle　applies　equally　well　to　human　beings。　If　they　wish　to　have　influence　over　other　people；　they　must　occupy　the　lowest　position　like　rivers　and　oceans。　In　other　words；　they　must　possess　true　humility　and　speak　humbly　to　everyone。
  Similarly；　if　the　sages　wish　to　lead　people　and　be　in　front　of　them；　they　must　place　themselves　behind　them　out　of　the　same　sense　of　humility。　Because　the　sages　are　self…effacing　and　wish　only　to　serve　the　greater　good；　people　thrust　them　forward　into　positions　of　leadership。
  As　leaders；　sages　utilize　the　Tao　rather　than　force　or　domination。　People　serve　and　assist　them　voluntarily；　without　coercion　or　pressure。　Therefore；　although　the　position　of　a　sage　ends　up　being　above　the　followers；　people　do　not　feel　burdened　or　oppressed。　Although　the　sage　is　ahead　of　the　masses；　people　do　not　feel　threatened　or　harmed。
  This　Tao　leadership　builds　relationships　and　promotes　harmony；　so　people　are　happy　to　follow　the　sage　to　the　ends　of　the　earth。　They　do　not　resent　the　power　wielded　by　the　sages。　In　fact；　they　push　the　sages　forward　and　urge　that　they　accept　the　the　mantle　of　power。
  This　is　a　very　different　concept　from　the　conventional　〃might　makes　right〃　paradigm；　where　one　seizes　power　by　force　and　bullies　others　with　it。　The　sages　are　the　exact　opposite。　They　have　no　need　to　seize　anything　or　fight　against　anyone。　Because　of　this；　no　one　fights　with　them。　Instead；　the　people　support　Tao　leadership　from　the　heart；　and　of　their　own　free　will！
  67
  Everyone　in　the　world　calls　my　Tao　great
  As　if　it　is　beyond　compare
  It　is　only　because　of　its　greatness
  That　it　seems　beyond　compare
  If　it　can　be　compared
  It　would　already　be　insignificant　long　ago
  I　have　three　treasures
  I　hold　on　to　them　and　protect　them
  The　first　is　called　compassion
  The　second　is　called　conservation
  The　third　is　called　not　daring　to　be　ahead　in　the　world
  Compassionate；　thus　able　to　have　courage
  Conserving；　thus　able　to　reach　widely
  Not　daring　to　be　ahead　in　the　world
  Thus　able　to　assume　leadership
  Now　if　one　has　courage　but　discards　compassion
  Reaches　widely　but　discards　conservation
  Goes　ahead　but　discards　being　behind
  Then　death！
  If　one　fights　with　compassion；　then　victory
  With　defense；　then　security
  Heaven　shall　save　them
  And　with　compassion　guard　them
  The　reason　people　call　the　Tao　great　is　because　there　is　nothing　quite　like　it。　The　Tao　is　an　infinite　concept　that　has　no　form；　shape；　substance；　limit　or　boundaries。　If　it　were　finite；　then　no　matter　how　big　it　is；　there　will　always　be　something　far　bigger　that　dwarfs　it　into　insignificance。
  Tao　cultivators　have　three　treasures　that　they　cherish。　The　first　is　compassion　…　a　love　and　kindness　toward　all　things。　The　second　is　conservation　…　knowing　when　and　how　to　avoid　wasting　one's　time　and　energy；　and　direct　them　in　a　meaningful　way；　in　accordance　with　one's　purpose　in　life。　The　third　is　humility　…　the　awareness　that　seeing　oneself　as　being　above　or　ahead　of　other　people　can　only　lead　to　failure。
  By　having　compassion；　one　gains　courage。　True　courage　doesn't　come　from　macho　posturing　or　false　bravado。　Rather；　it　comes　from　love　and　commitment　to　something　greater　than　oneself。
  By　having　the　mindset　of　conservation；　one　understands　how　to　allocate　and　direct　one's　efforts　to　best　effect；　and　therefore　reach　the　most　people　and　have　the　widest　impact。
  By　having　humility；　one　can　connect　with　the　Tao　of　leadership。　Leaders　who　lead　best　do　not　focus　on　themselves。　They　have　no　wish　to　be　the　center　of　attention　and　prefer　to　let　others　shine。　They　direct　their　attention　to　what　needs　to　be　done；　and　do　not　need　to　take　credit　or　remind　others　of　their　accomplishments。
  All　three　treasures　are　important　and　must　work　together。　Courage　without　compassion　would　be　nothing　more　than　brutality。　To　reach　widely　without　conserving　one's　resources　will　quickly　lead　to　exhaustion。　Forgetting　the　lesson　of　humility；　becoming　arrogant；　and　letting　the　ego　run　wild　are　the　beginning　stage　of　self…delusion。　These　negative　consequences　can　only　lead　to　failure　and　doom。
  Those　who　hold　on　to　the　three　treasures　can　achieve　extraordinary　feats。　Warriors　who　fight　with　compassion　in　their　hearts　achieve　victory；　because　love　gives　them　the　strength　they　need。　If　they　fight　to　defen