Tao Te Ching, Chapter 5

Lao Tzu

Heaven and Earth are impartial; they treat all of creation as straw dogs. The sage is impartial; he treats everyone as straw dogs. The space between Heaven and Earth is like a bellows: Empty, yet never exhausted. The more it is worked, the more it produces. Much talk leads to exhaustion. Better to hold fast to the center.

Lao Tzu's vision of impartiality defies human notions of love and fairness. Heaven and Earth do not play favorites; their care is all-encompassing yet without attachment. Like a bellows, potential thrives in emptiness and quietude, offering infinite creativity. By demanding nothing, the sage mirrors this potential, suggesting that true influence comes not from force but from serene presence.

View full source