Tao Te Ching, Chapter 33

Lao Tzu

He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened. He who conquers others has physical strength; he who conquers himself is strong. He who is content is rich. He who acts with vigor has will. He who does not lose his place endures. He who dies but does not perish has longevity.

In the Confucian tradition, intelligence often implied mastery over external affairs, the ability to govern and lead others. Lao Tzu redirects this to the internal realm. True wisdom lies not in understanding the world around us, but in the much harder project of self-knowledge. It suggests that enlightenment is more about introspection than external conquest.

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