Chapter 63 of the Tao Te Ching

A single expression suffices to convey the idea of 'practicing non-action.' It is only to lend more substance to his style that Lao-tseu expands his thought by adding the words 事无事 shì wú shì 'to make one's occupation consist in the absence of all occupation'; 味无味 wèi wú wèi, 'to savor that which is without flavor (the Tao),' which also pertain to the idea of non-action.

I have already explained previously, says E, that the expression 无为 wú wéi has the meaning of 非为 fēi wéi, 'not to act,' non agere.

Why does Lao-tseu say 为无为 wéi wú wéi, literally to act at non-acting? It is because Lao-tseu thinks that men of future centuries will lose their natural purity by eagerly engaging in action. To prevent this, he seeks to inculcate non-action. The word 为 wéi (commonly 'to act'), which he uses, precisely expresses the idea of 'practicing this non-action.' (There is a mistake in E's text, where one should read 正 zhèng 'precisely, justly,' instead of 政 zhèng 'administration.') Once man 'practices non-action,' could one find in his conduct an atom (literally 'a hair') of activity, that is, of that activity which, according to Lao-tseu, is the cause of all disorders? He who follows the Tao must certainly not cling to action and forget non-action. Indeed, the more the heart acts, the more it becomes troubled; the more a prince acts, the more his kingdom is in disorder; the more virtue acts, the more it loses its purity; the more one acts in the Tao, the further one moves away from the Tao. Thus, the evils caused by action or activity burst out everywhere. But if one replaces activity with non-action, then the principles of the things enumerated above (of administration, of Virtue, of the Tao) will each return to their natural state, and one will be able to find them with the utmost ease (literally 'while remaining seated'). The commentator Yen-kiun-ping once said: It is like the ten thousand things of the world, which rest upon the ruler; like our spirit, which resides in our body; like the water of a well, which is in the courtyard of a house. The water must not be stirred up (literally 'engage in action,' 有为 yǒu wéi); then it will be pure; our spirit must not engage in thoughts and worries; then it will be calm. These are sublime words, adds E, but one must know the Tao to be able to understand them.

I have supplied the words placed in parentheses according to Sse-ma-wen-kong, who agrees with most commentators: he views small things with the same eye as great things, rare things with the same eye as numerous things. If one attacks him, he does not fight back (E).

Sou-tseu-yeou: Among men of this age, there is not one who does not fear great things and despise small ones; who does not view numerous things as difficult, rare things (that is, not numerous) as easy. It is only when things have become difficult that they plan them, when they have become great that they occupy themselves with them, and they constantly fail. The Sage places great and small things, numerous or rare ones, on the same level; he fears them all equally; he finds them all equally difficult. How could he not succeed?

B: The Sage knows neither kindness nor injuries; he has neither vengeance nor gratitude to exercise; he thinks only of virtue. He does good to all, even to those who have done him harm. This is how he repays his injuries with kindness.

No thing becomes difficult suddenly; it arises from easy things, and, by their imperceptible accumulation, it becomes difficult. This is why one who plans difficult things must begin with what is easy. Do not despise occupying yourself with easy things, for fear that later you may not be able to manage a difficult enterprise.

Great things do not become so suddenly; they begin as small, and, by gradual progress and growth, they become great. This is why one who wants to do a great thing must begin with what is smallest. Do not despise a thing because it is small, for fear of not being able to accomplish great and lasting works one day.

Lao-tseu never seeks to do (suddenly) great things; he is content to accumulate little by little small things; this is why he imperceptibly arrives at doing great things.

Lao-tseu cites this fact to show that one who finds many things easy necessarily encounters many difficulties.