Tao Te Ching · 44 of 81 · tr. James Legge

Chapter 44

Or fame or life, Which do you hold more dear? Or life or wealth, To which would you adhere? Keep life and lose those other things; Keep them and lose your life:--which brings Sorrow and pain more near? Thus we may see, Who cleaves to fame Rejects what is more great; Who loves large stores Gives up the richer state. Who is content Needs fear no shame. Who knows to stop Incurs no blame. From danger free Long live shall he.

Themes

◆Paradox As Teachingethics

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

The text uses rhetorical questions that reverse conventional values (fame vs. life) to challenge ordinary understanding of what is valuable.

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◆Self Examinationpraxis

Daily review of thought and action as spiritual practice.

The passage directly questions the reader's priorities ('Which do you hold more dear?'), prompting an internal review of attachments.

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◆Wu Weipraxis

Effortless action aligned with the spontaneous flow of the Dao; non-coercive, non-striving conduct that yields results without forcing — the sage acts without acting.

The instruction to 'know to stop' and avoid clinging to fame or wealth aligns with the Daoist principle of non-striving and effortless action.

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◇Renunciation Of Wealthethics

The spiritual danger of attachment to material possessions; wealth as a spiritual obstacle.

[auto] The passage explicitly contrasts life with wealth and fame, advising the reader to lose material stores to preserve the 'richer state' of life.

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