Shruti - Smriti

Waley
He who stands on tip-toe, does not stand firm; He who takes the longest strides, does not walk the fastest. He who does his own looking sees little, He who defines himself is not therefore distinct. He who boasts of what he will do succeeds in nothing; He who is proud of his work, achieves nothing that endures. Of these, from the standpoint of the Way, it is said: Pass round superfluous dishes to those that have already had enough, And no creature but will reject them in disgust. (…)

Waley
To be always talks is against nature.
For the same reason a hurricane never lasts a whole morning, Nor a rainstorm all day. Who is it that makes the wind and rain? It is Heaven and Earth.
And if even Heaven and Earth cannot blow or pour for long, How much less in his utterance should man?
Truly, if one uses the Way as one’s instrument, The results will be like the Way; If one uses the “power” as instrument, The results will be like the “power”. If one uses what is the reverse (…)

Ser humano es estar relacionado. Como seres humanos, vivimos en relación con los elementos, el sol, la luna, las piedras de la tierra y todos los seres vivos. Pero, ¿qué significa “estar relacionado”, “vivir en relación con”? Cuando utilizamos esta palabra, queremos decir por lo general un vínculo de alguna clase entre entidades individuales, objeto con objeto o sujeto con objeto. La palabra relación presupone aquí un estar separado, un unir unas fracciones con otras. Esta visión fraccional (…)

Waley
“To remain whole, be twisted!” To become straight, let yourself be bent. To become full, be hollow. Be tattered, that you may be renewed. Those that have little, may get more, Those that have much, are but perplexed. Therefore the Sage Clasps the Primal Unity, Testing by it everything under heaven. He does not show himself; therefore he seen everywhere. He does not define himself, therefore he is distinct. He does not boast of what he will do, therefore he succeeds. He is not proud (…)

Waley
Such the scope of the All-pervading Power. That it alone can act through the Way. For the Way is a thing impalpable, incommensurable. Incommensurable, impalpable. Yet latent in it are forms; Impalpable, incommensurable Yet within it are entities. Shadowy it is and dim; Yet within it there is a force, Is none the less efficacious. From the times of old till now Its charge has not departed But cheers onward the many warriors. How do I know that the many warriors are so? Through this. (…)

Waley
Between wei and o What after all is the difference? Can it be compared to the difference between good and bad? The saying “what others avoid I too must avoid” How false and superficial it is? All men, indeed, are wreathed in smiles, As though feasting after the Great Sacrifice, As though going up to the Spring Carnival. I alone am inert, like a child that has not yet given sign; Like an infant that has not yet smiled. I droop and drift, as though I belonged nowhere. All men have (…)

Waley
Banish wisdom, discard knowledge, And the people will be benefited a hundredfold.
Banish human kindness, discard morality, And the people will be dutiful and compassionate.
Banish skill, discard profit, And thieves and robbers will disappear.
If when these three things are done they find life too plain and unadorned, Then let them have accessories; Give them Simplicity to look at, the Uncarved Black to hold, Give them selflessness and fewness of desires.
Banish learning, and (…)

Waley
It was when the Great Way declined That human kindness and morality arose;
It was when intelligence and knowledge appeared That the Great Artifice began.
It was when the six near ones were no longer at peace That there was talk of “dutiful sons”;
Nor till fatherland was dark with strife Did we hear of “loyal slaves”.
Wieger
A. Quand l’action conforme au Principe dépérit (quand les hommes cessèrent d’agir spontanément avec bonté et équité), ou inventa les principes (…)

Waley
Of the highest the people merely know that such a one exists; The next they draw near to and praise. The next they shrink from, intimidated; but revile. Truly, “It is by not believing people that you turn them into liars”. But from the Sage it is so hard at any price to get a single word That when his task is accomplished, his work done, Throughout the country every one says: “It happened of its own accord”.
Wieger
A. Dans les premiers temps (quand, dans les choses humaines, (…)

Waley
Push far enough towards the Void, Hold fast enough to Quietness, And of the ten thousand things none but can be worked on by you. I have beheld them, whither they go back. See, all things howsoever they flourish Return to the root from which they grew. This return to the root is called Quietness; Quietness is called submission to Fate; What has submitted to Fate has become part of the always so. To know the always-so is to be Illumined; Not to know it, means to go blindly to (…)