Because he (the Sage) demands no honor, he will never be dishonored.

Attain utmost emptiness. Abide in steadfast stillness.

A sound man is good at salvage, at seeing nothing is lost

A vessel is formed from a lump of clay with care, however, it is the empty space within the vessel that makes it useful.

If you overesteem great men, people become powerless. If you overvalue possessions, people begin to steal. The Master leads by emptying people's minds and filling their cores, by weakening their ambition and toughening their resolve. He helps people lose everything they know, everything they desire, and creates confusion in those who think that they know. Practice not-doing, and everything will fall into place.

Softness triumphs over hardness, feebleness over strength. What is more malleable is always superior over that which is immoveable. This is the principle of controlling things by going along with them, of mastery through adaptation.

Kindness in thinking creates profundity. Kindness in giving creates love.