7 - Selflessness Protects the Self

Heaven is long-enduring and the earth is of old-time.
Why heaven and earth can be long-enduring and of old-time,
is because they do not live for themselves,
for this reason they can live long.
Therefore sages put themselves behind, yet they are in front;
their [minds] are outside of themselves, yet they preserve themselves.
Is this not because he has no personal concerns?
Thus he can obtain his personal concerns.

天長地久。
天地所以能長且久者，
以其不自生，
故能長生。
是以聖人後其身而身先；
外其身而身存。
非以其無私耶？
故能成其私。

This chapter teaches an example of how focusing on something (helping others) leads to its opposite (helping self), which also is in tune with the Daoist objective of longevity. The idea is that by being concerned for others, one ultimately benefits oneself, including long life. Thus by being unselfish, one is "selfish" in a sense.

For cultivators, this also means that by helping others (e.g. teaching unreservedly), one also receives numerous benefits themselves, such as insights from teaching, teachings or other shows of gratitude from others, and of course the benefit of like-minded cultivators on the same path, which creates a kind of synergy that amplifies everyone's improvement.

Chapter 6 ← | → Chapter 8

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