23

The Dude does not get hung up on things,

Therefore he does not lose his cool for long.

Just like Nature—

Eventually she gets sick of her little games,

And, you know, wanders back.

Tumbling tumbleweeds.

Even if we wanted to fuck this up, we couldn’t.

Nothing is fucked here.

Therefore, for those who are deeply casual,

Life goes on.

But those that contravene league bylaws

Have to be worried about that shit.

As for man, his days are like grass.

Therefore he who abides in them,

Helps fertilize the world,

And brings a bright flowering from the muck.

Of course, you do get the good with the bad—

He who uses the world as a toilet and moves on

Never gets a day of rest.

Oh man, what’s that smell?

Tao Te Ching: 23

Nature doesn’t dwell on things,

Therefore its violence doesn’t perpetuate itself—

Its cyclones peter out,

Its rainstorms lash and then depart.

Even if we wanted to exacerbate Nature’s tumult, we could not.

Therefore one who comports himself in a natural way,

Will spontaneously adopt the quiet virtue of nature,

Just as one who opposes naturalness,

Will find himself ever buffeted by turmoil.

Man is an extension of nature,

Therefore he who lives in accordance with it

Helps to extend its patterns onto the world.

In so doing, he acts as an agent for Tao.

This works both ways:

One who behaves unnaturally

Acts as an impediment to Tao

And hinders its unfolding.