Seeking the Master but not Meeting
I asked the boy beneath the pines
He said: the Master’s gone alone
herb picking somewhere on the mount
cloud-hidden, whereabouts unknown.
-Jia Dao
– tr. Lin Yutang
#54. Treat Others as Yourself
The man that masters grounding
Cannot be uprooted.
When he knows how to find his center,
He cannot float away.
If you cultivate your inner spirit,
Your virtue will shine clearly.
If your virtue shines clearly,
Your family will flourish.
If your family flourishes,
Your village will prosper.
If your village prospers,
Then your nation will be abundant.
Thus, the sage sees others as if he were them.
He treats other families as if it were his family.
He deals with other villages as his village. And thus all nations are treated as his nation.
Follow the Tao, let it flow through you:
The best chance for peace on earth.