Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It is easier to carry an empty cup
than one that is filled to the brim.

The sharper the knife
the easier it is to dull.
The more wealth you possess
the harder it is to protect.
Pride brings its own trouble.

When you have accomplished your goal
simply walk away.
This is the path way to Heaven.

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In the ancient political environments, there was something unstoppable about having power. Once you acquired power, you had to maintain it because letting your power slip away to the hands of others including your rivals meant death. In a case like this, one would not be able to “walk away” simply because he “accomplished” his goal. They could not walk away because their survival depended on maintaining power. Suppose however that they would not have had to deal with this concern in the first place if they had not set foot in the bloody arena of politics. In this case, it should be noted that in the old past it was the most innocent neutral ones that were sacrificed in the hands of bloody Machiavellian psychopaths. The hardest thing to do is stop wisely after having decided to entangle yourself with some mess that won’t let you go away easily.

Therefore, although I do not doubt the efficacy of being “light-loaded,” some may reasonably doubt for how long your tranquility can last. Think about the ancient nomads. They had no enduring settlements and wandered about aimlessly. Naturally, they could not have achieved any great civilization.