Tao Te Ching · 63 of 81 · tr. James Legge

Chapter 63

(It is the way of the Tao) to act without (thinking of) acting; to conduct affairs without (feeling the) trouble of them; to taste without discerning any flavour; to consider what is small as great, and a few as many; and to recompense injury with kindness. (The master of it) anticipates things that are difficult while they are easy, and does things that would become great while they are small. All difficult things in the world are sure to arise from a previous state in which they were easy, and all great things from one in which they were small. Therefore the sage, while he never does what is great, is able on that account to accomplish the greatest things. He who lightly promises is sure to keep but little faith; he who is continually thinking things easy is sure to find them difficult. Therefore the sage sees difficulty even in what seems easy, and so never has any difficulties.

Themes

◆Apophatic Theologytheology

Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.

The Tao is described through negation (without acting, without trouble, without flavor) rather than positive attributes.

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◆Detachment Gelassenheitpraxis

Eckhart's Abgeschiedenheit/Gelassenheit — radical letting-go of will, image, and grasping that opens the soul to God; distinct from inner_silence (quietness) and from material renunciation, and adjacent to Sufi tark and Buddhist non-grasping as a practice rather than a metaphysical claim.

The instruction to act without thinking or feeling trouble aligns with the practice of radical letting-go of will and grasping.

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◆Inner Silencepraxis

The practice of stilling the mind and speech to open receptivity to divine knowledge or presence.

Acting without thinking of acting implies a state of mental stillness and receptivity during conduct.

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◆Opposites Transcendedanthropology

The dissolution of binary oppositions (male/female, inner/outer, above/below) as a mark of spiritual completion.

The sage transcends binary oppositions by treating injury with kindness and viewing small beginnings as the source of great things.

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◆Rejection Of Hypocrisyethics

Critique of outward religious observance that lacks inner transformation; form without substance.

The warning that he who lightly promises keeps little faith critiques outward actions lacking inner substance.

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◇Paradox As Teachingethics

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

[auto] The text relies heavily on paradoxical statements such as acting without acting, considering small as great, and recompensing injury with kindness to convey wisdom.

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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.

[auto] The passage explicitly defines the way of the Tao as acting without thinking of acting and conducting affairs without feeling trouble, which is the precise definition of wu wei.

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Related passages · 3 parallels

◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part II (Gli Eroici Furori)|Fourth Dialoguef

“Sev. In a certain way no, and in a certain way yes. There is no difference, when the Divine mind through its providence comes to communicate itself without disposition of the subject; I mean to say when it communicates itself because it s…”

Both passages discuss the nature of divine or mystical understanding and the importance of seeking and preparing oneself for higher knowledge. They emphasize the idea that true insight comes from a disciplined and focused approach, rather than superficial or common beliefs.

◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXII (part 15)

“If it had this likeness, long ago would its smallness have been known. The sage attends to the inner and not to the outer; he puts away the objective and holds to the subjective. The sage occupies himself with inaction, and conveys instru…”

Both passages discuss the Taoist principles of inaction, naturalness, and the importance of subjective understanding over objective knowledge. They emphasize the idea of acting without acting and the value of simplicity and humility in achieving greatness.

◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi)|8. Warning To The Imprudentb

“The milder and calmer you are, the more effective will be your anger; the more energetic you are, the more valuable will be your forbearance; the more skilful you are, the better will you profit by your intelligence and even by your virtues…”

Both passages emphasize the importance of acting with wisdom and foresight, addressing difficulties before they become great, and the value of moderation and restraint in action. The Tao Te Ching advocates for humility and simplicity, while the second passage discusses the importance of balance and moderation in both moral and practical actions.