The Three Methods of Tao

Everyone in the world says my Tao is very great, and yet it seems like nothing in particular. It is exactly because it is great that it seems like nothing in particular. If it resembled some particular thing, it would have become small long ago. I have three treasures. I hold them and keep them safe. The first is compassion. The second is frugality. The third is not daring to put myself ahead of everyone in the world. Because I have compassion, I can be brave. Because I am frugal, I can be generous. Because I do not dare put myself ahead of others, I can become the leader of all things. But if you give up compassion and still seek bravery, give up frugality and still seek abundance, give up yielding and still seek to be first, then you are heading toward death. With compassion, you win in battle and stand firm in defense. When Heaven wants to save someone, it protects that person with compassion.