Chapter 27

a> Good traveling leaves no wheel ruts; good talking makes no slips; good counting uses no counters. Good shutting uses no bolts, yet cannot be opened; good tying uses no cords, yet cannot be undone.

b> Therefore, the sage is always good at rescuing people, thus he never abandons any person; he is always good at rescuing affairs, thus he never abandons any affair.

This is called stretching enlightenment.

Thus the good person is the teacher of those who are not good, and those who are not good are grist to the good person.

Not to honor one’s teacher, not to cherish one’s grist – though one may be clever, this is to be lost adrift.

This is called the pivotal mystery.