tao te king chapter 11

What do you see in a pot?

Its body contour, its lid …

Although these are what you see in a pot, and probably also what you would think of when a pot is mentioned, these are not what the pot is built for.

A pot is useful not for its clay, but for its emptiness.

Just imagine if the pot is made up of clay and clay alone without the empty space, where will the water go? If a pot is unable to hold water, what then is the use of a pot?

A car is useful not for its powerful engine, but the thrill of driving.

A person is not useful for his skills, but the contribution he makes with the use of the skills.

A failure is not a failure, but a seed for success.

Seeing the difference is important, as it takes you to the core of existence.

“We mold clay into a pot,

but it is the emptiness in it,

that makes the pot useful.”

 

“We work with being,

but non-being is what we use.”

 

Tao Te Ching Verse 11

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