Fifty-Ninth Chapter

Fifty-Ninth Chapter

Fifty-Ninth Chapter
Tao-te Ching

To rule people and to serve Nature there is nothing better than frugality.
Only by being frugal can one learn to restrain.
To restrain oneself means to accumulate virtue heavily.
By the heavy accumulation of virtue one can overcome everything.
If one can overcome everything, then there are no limits.
When a man knows no limits, he is fit to lead.

This is the way to be deeply rooted and firmly planted in the Tao–
The secret of long life and everlasting vision.
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As I Understand It:
When we cultivate virtues such as frugality, restraint and moderation there’s nothing impossible for us to do. The one who lives according to the Tao has a chockfull of such virtues. She exemplifies virtuous life and encourages others to make choices based on such high standards.

An individual with self-direction refuses to believe in anything being impossible. Nature knows no limits when the virtues are gathered. The virtuous escape unscathed out of great calamities because they are “deeply rooted and firmly planted” in the Tao.

The sage says, serve and give rather than accumulate. Be frugal, restrained under pressure and moderate your desires. This is the secret of “long life and everlasting existence.”
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Dyer, W. Wayne. Change Your Thought–Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao. Hay House, Inc. 2007.
The Way of Lao Tzu (Tao-te Ching), Translated, with introductory essays, comments, and notes by Chan, Wing-Tsit. The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc. 1963.