Chapter 63

SIXTY-THREE

A man's first duty is to practice wu-wei and make use of his quiet hours to gain enlightenment. One should early learn to find sweetness in tasteless things; to discover greatness in small things; to be satisfied with few things.

One should respond to hatred with kindness; he should treat little affairs as though they were important. All the world's difficulties arise from slight causes,

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and all the world's great affairs have risen from small beginnings.

Therefore, the perfect Sage never asserts his greatness and by so doing attains to true greatness. Rash promises are easily made, but the simpler a thing looks, the harder it is to accomplish. This is a common experience, therefore the perfect Sage considers everything difficult and so to the end has no difficulties.