Lowliness and Humility

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter four of the Sayings of l'autsu by Lautsu, translated
by Lionel Giles. This LibriVox recording is in the public
domain recording by Numa. Lowliness and humility. All things in
nature work silently. They come into being and possess nothing.

(00:24):
They fulfill their functions and make no claim when merit
has been achieved. Do not take it to yourself, for
if you do not take it to yourself, it shall
never be taken from you. Follow diligently the way in
your own heart, but make no display of it to
the world. Keep behind, and you shall be put in front.

(00:47):
Keep out, and you shall be kept in. Goodness strives not,
and therefore it is not rebuked. He that humbles himself
shall be preserved entire. He that bends shall be made straight.
He that is empty shall be filled, He that is
worn out shall be renewed. He who is little shall succeed,

(01:12):
He who is much shall go astray. Therefore the sage
embraces unity and is a model for all under heaven.
He is free from self display. Therefore he shines forth
from self assertion. Therefore he is distinguished from self glorification.

(01:33):
Therefore he has merit from self exultation. Therefore he rises
superior to all. Inasmuch he does not strive, there is
no one in the world who can strive with him.
He who, conscious of being strong, is content to be weak.
He shall be a channel for the waters of the world,

(01:56):
and virtue will never desert him. He returns to the
state of a little child. He who, conscious of his
own light, is content to be obscure. He shall be
the whole world's model. Being the whole world's model, his
virtue will never fail. He reverts to the absolute. He who,

(02:19):
conscious of dessert, is content to suffer disgrace. He shall
be the cinisure of mankind. Being the sinisure of mankind.
His virtue then is full. He returns to primal simplicity.
He who is great must make humility his base. He
who is high must make lowliness his foundation. Thus princes

(02:44):
and kings, in speaking of themselves, use the terms lonely,
friendless of small. Account is not this making humility their base.
Thus it is that some things are increased by being diminished,
others are diminished by being increased. What others have taught

(03:06):
I also teach the violent come to untimely ends. I
will make this the root of my teaching. What makes
a kingdom great is its being like a downflowing river,
the central point towards which all the smaller streams under
Heaven converge, or like the female throughout the world, who

(03:29):
by quiescence always overcomes the male. And quiescence is a
form of humility. Therefore, if a great kingdom humbles itself
before a small kingdom, it shall make the small kingdom
its prize. And if a small kingdom humbles itself before
a great kingdom, it shall win over that great kingdom.

(03:51):
Thus the one humbles itself in order to attain, the
other attains because it is humble. If the great kingdom
has no further desire than to bring men together and
to nourish them, the small kingdom will have no further
desire than to enter the service of the other. But
in order that both may have their desire, the great

(04:14):
one must learn humility. The reason why rivers and seas
are able to be lords over a hundred mountain streams
is that they know how to keep below them. That
is why they are able to reign over all the
mountain streams. Therefore, the Sage, wishing to be above the people,

(04:35):
must buy his words put himself below them. Wishing to
be before the people, he must put himself behind them.
And this way, though he has his place above them,
the people do not feel his weight. Though he has
his place before them, they do not feel as an injury.
Therefore all mankind delight to exalt him and weary of him.

(04:58):
Not Age expects no recognition for what he does. He
achieves merit, but does not take it to himself. He
does not wish to display his worth. I have three
precious things which I hold fast in prize. The first
is gentleness, The second is frugality. The third is humility,

(05:22):
which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle
and you can be bold. Be frugal and you can
be liberal. Avoid putting yourself before others, and you can
become a leader among men. But in the present day
men cast off gentleness and are all for being bold.

(05:43):
They spurn frugality and retain only extravagance. They discard humility
and aim only at being first. Therefore they shall surely perish.
Gentleness brings victory to him who attacks, and safety to
him who defends. Those whom Heaven would save it fences

(06:06):
round with gentleness. The best soldiers are not warlike. The
best fighters do not lose their temper. The greatest conquerors
are those who overcome their enemies without strife. The greatest
directors of men are those who yield place to others.
This is called the virtue of not striving the capacity

(06:28):
for directing mankind. This is being the compeer of Heaven.
It was the highest goal of the ancients, and of
lowliness and humility.