Sutra of Pure and Calm

By Lao-Zi

Great respectable old master Lao-Zi says: the majestic Tao has no shape, but it gives birth to heaven and earth;

The majestic Tao has no desire, but it moves moon and stars;

The majestic Tao has no will, but it rises myriad of objects.

I don’t’ know its name, just give it a firm name Tao.

I say Tao: some pure and some turbid, some active and some calm;

Heaven is pure and earth is turbid, heaven is active and earth is calm;

Yang is pure and yin is turbid, yang is active and yin is calm.

It creates the principle, sets the appearance, and gives birth to myriad of objects.

Purity derives from the source of turbidness, active is the base of calmness.

If one can often be in the state of purity and calmness, all Chi from heaven and earth will retain inside his real nature.

The spirit of man wants to be pure, but the heart disturbs it;

The heart of man wants to be calm, but desire pulls it.

If one can continuously eliminating his desire, the heart will be calm by itself;

To settle his heart, the spirit will become pure by itself;

Naturally sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and feel, these six senses of desire will not arise,

Thus greed, anger, and infatuation, these three spiritual poisons will vanish.

For ones not able to reach this state, is because their hearts are not yet settled, and desires not yet eliminated.

For ones able to eliminate desires, when look into their hearts, there is no thought to arise;

when they see objects, there is no shape to describe;

When they view faraway environment, there is nothing to see;

Since these three exist no more, only true self to be seen.

If one sees emptiness without the thought of such emptiness, will take such emptiness to its extreme;

If extreme emptiness exist no more, the effort to take emptiness to extreme does not exist also;

Since such effort exist no more, the heart will always stay very quiet;

If one takes quietness to its extreme, then how can desire to be arise?

Whence desire would not arise, it reaches the state of real calmness.

Eternal truth copes with true value, eternal truth obtains virtuosity,

Often coping and often be calm, will often be in the state of purity and calmness.

With such state of purity and calmness, one will gradually obtain deeper true Tao;

Since one has entered true Tao, can say one has achieved the realm of Tao.

Although it seemed the realm of Tao has been achieved, actually nothing has gained;

Only for people concentrate in saving all souls, can say one has achieved the true realm of Tao;

For ones that understand this principle, can preach such sacred Tao.

Great respectable old master Lao-Zi said: high virtuous people have nothing to fight for, but low virtuous people like to fight;

Virtuous people do not care much about their virtuous actions, only low virtuous people care about their virtuous actions;

The ones that persist in their virtuosity do not understand the true meaning of Tao.

The reason for ones unable to reach the realm of true Tao, is because they have false fantasies;

With such false fantasies, the soul will be disturbed;

With disturbed soul, one only have worldly objects in mind;

With thoughts on worldly objects, greed arise;

With greed arise, there comes vexation;

Vexation and false fantasies agonize body and soul, thus will be degraded and aggrieved;

Wondering within the reincarnation cycle of birth and death,

Always floating on the ocean of bitterness, forever apart from the realm of true Tao.

Eternal truth is the principle of Tao,

The enlightened ones will eventually achieve it,

The enlightened ones that have achieve the realm of Tao,

Often in the state of purity and calmness.

Translated by Kenny Ho in May 14, 2007 (kennyho1969@gmail.com)