mystical virtue

In the old days, those who were well versed
in the practice of the Tao did not try to enlighten the people,
but rather to keep them in the state of simplicity.
For, why are the people hard to govern?
Because they are too clever!
Therefore, he who governs his state with cleverness is its malefactor;
but he who governs his state without resorting to cleverness is its benefactor.
To know these principles is to possess a rule and a measure.
To keep the rule and the measure constantly in your mind
is what we call Mystical Virtue.
Deep and far-reaching is Mystical Virtue!
It leads all things to return,
till they come back to Great Harmony!
-- John C. H. Wu, Chapter 65, Tao Te Ching

Lao Tzu was lying on his belly looking at something.

"What is he doing?" I asked Jesus.

Jesus said, "Let's go see."

We walked across the meadow.

Lao Tzu was staring at a little plant.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Giving this plant advice," he said.

Jesus and I looked at each other and shook our heads.

"What advice?" I asked.

"How to be a plant," he said.

"It already knows how," I said.

"Well, I am further up the Emergence Chain than it is so I know better," he said.

"It gets all the advice it needs from its rooting and its opening to the heavens," said Jesus.

"I thought I could help it be more clever," said Lao Tzu. "And get a jump on the other plants."

"You want to jump start a plant?" I said.

"Well, maybe it will work with you," he said.

He got up and stared into my eyes.

"Do better! Get with it!" he said.

I burst out laughing and whirled him round and round.

We fell in a heap on the ground.

"Careful," said Jesus. "You are disturbing the plants."