Chapter 54

Index
One who embodies virtue deeply is comparable to a newborn infant.
Wasps and scorpions do not sting, venomous snakes do not bite, fierce beasts do not attack, and birds of prey do not strike.
Bones soft and sinews supple, yet the grip is firm.
Not yet knowing the union of female and male, yet the vital organ stirs to fullness - this is the culmination of essence.
Crying all day yet never becoming hoarse - this is the culmination of harmony.
Knowing harmony is called constancy; knowing constancy is called illumination; forcing life's increase is called ominous.
When the mind forces the breath, this is called rigidity.
When beings reach their prime, they begin to age. This is called 'not the Way.' What is not the Way comes to an early end.