The universe had a beginning
Called the Mother of All Things.
Once you have found the Mother
You can know her children.
Having known the children,
Hold tightly to the Mother.
Your whole life will be preserved from peril.
Open up the openings,
Multiply your affairs,
Your whole life will become a burden.
Those who see the small are called clear-headed;
Those who hold to gentleness are called strong.
Use the light.
Come home to your true nature.
Don’t cause yourself injury:
This is known as seizing truth.
Lao Tzu (c. 604-531 BCE) was a legendary Chinese sage whose collection of verses, the Tao Te Ching, is the basis of Taoism. This passage is published in Easwaran’s spiritual anthologies, “God Makes the Rivers to Flow” and “Timeless Wisdom.” The audio recording is by Eknath Easwaran, who reads earlier translations of two passages by Lao Tzu: “Mother of All Things” and “Finding Unity.”