Those three methods (of government)From Lao Tzu's point of view, what we do and how we relate to the world outwardly is but one part of the overall equation. Much of our change of perspective must begin inwardly.
Thought olden ways in elegance did fail
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~
These three are outward forms alone; they are not sufficient in themselves.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~
These three things are superficial and insufficient
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~
If that's not possible, go to Plan B:
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~
For me, another way we could express this thought is by stating, people should walk their talk. We can't very well lambaste the world if our own lives are mirror images of that which we criticize.
In other words, if we wish to help others, we should first help ourselves. This, of course, is the toughest battle we each face.
To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.
I like that post. It's so simple. Mean what you say. Otherwise the words have no effect. They are simply hollow. Like a false smile. A smile is not a smile if you only use your mouth. However, when the eyes come into play...
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