In the twenty-third year of the reign of Zhao, Lao Tsu realized that the war would end up destroying the place where he lived. As he had spent years meditating on the meaning of life, he was quite aware that at certain moments one has to be practical. He decided to make the simplest decision: move home.
He gathered his few possessions and set out for Han Keou. At the gates of the city he came upon a guard.
- Where can such an important wise be going? - asked the guard.
- Far from the war.
- You can’t leave just like that. I would very much like to know what you learned in so many years of meditation. I will only let you leave the city if you share with me what you know.
When he was free of the guard, Lao Tsu wrote a small book there and then and handed the only copy to the man. Then he went on his journey and never heard of him again.
Lao Tsu’s text was copied and recopied, crossed centuries and millennia and has reached our times. It is called “Tao Te King” and is available in Portuguese from several publishing houses. The book is a must.
Here are some extracts:
He who knows others is wise.
He who knows himself is illuminated.
He who defeats others is strong.
He who defeats himself is powerful.
He who knows happiness is rich.
He who keeps his path is wilful.
Be humble and you will become whole.
Bend and you will become straight.
Empty yourself and you will become full.
Wear yourself out and you will become new.
The wise man does not show off, and so he shines.
He does not make himself known, and so he is noticed.
He does not praise himself, and so he has merit.
And because he does not compete,
none in the world can compete with him.
A Japanese legend tells of a certain monk who was so enraptured by the beauty of the Chinese book “Tao Te King” that he decided to raise money to have those verses translated and published into his language. It took him ten years to raise enough funds.
However, a pest swept through the country and the monk decided to use the money to relieve the suffering of the sick. But as soon as the situation became normal, once more he started to gather the amount necessary to publish the Tao.
Another ten years passed by, and when at last he was ready to print the book a seaquake left hundreds of people homeless.
Once more the monk spent all the money on rebuilding the houses of those who had lost everything. Another ten years passed by, he gathered the money again and finally the people of Japan were able to read the “Tao Te King.”
The wise men say that this monk actually made three editions of the Tao: two are invisible and one is in print. He kept his faith in his objective without ever failing to care for his neighbour.
by Paulo Coelho
May 22nd, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Hi… world …Hola……mundo
Just a little note that l want to share with you beautiful people. Have a wonderful day. Blessings !!!!
The fear according to a Being of Light who fought for the PEACE with the PEACE.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frighten us. We ask ourselves: who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people around you won’t feel insecure. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us: it is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
El miedo según un Ser de Luz que luchó por la PAZ con la PAZ
Nuestro miedo más profundo no es que seamos inadecuados. Nuestro miedo más profundo es que somos poderosos más allá de cualquier medida. Es nuestra luz, no nuestro lado oscuro lo que más nos da miedo. Nos preguntamos a nosotros mismos: ¿quién soy yo para ser brillante, bello, con talento y fabuloso? En realidad, ¿Quién eres tú para no serlo? Eres un hijo de Dios. El hecho de que juegues a ser insignificante no le sirve de nada al mundo. No hay nada de iluminado en encogerse para que la gente a tu alrededor no se sienta insegura. Se supone que todos tenemos que brillar, tal como lo hacen los niños. Hemos nacido para manifestar la gloria del Dios que tenemos dentro. Y no, esto no está sólo en algunos de nosotros: está en todos. Y así cuando dejamos a nuestra luz brillar, inconscientemente estamos dando permiso a otros para hacer lo mismo. Y así cuando nos liberamos de nuestro miedo, nuestra presencia automáticamente libera a otros.
Nelson Mandela