Tao te ching and the art of being a plaintiff trial lawyer
According to tradition, Tao Te Ching was written around the 6th century BC by a Taoist master. The true author and the actual date is not known. The philosophy is from the Taoist school and the writing has been translated into over 250 Western languages. Since it was written in classical Chinese and no pronunciation marks were used the translation is subject to interpretation. Some of the ideas in the Tao Te Ching seem to me to be worth reviewing by trial lawyers. Here is a passage about living:
In dwelling, live close to the ground
In thinking, keep to the simple
In conflict, be fair and generous
In governing, don’t try to control
In work, do what you enjoy
In family life, be completely present
The passage about knowing yourself is worth meditating about. It reads:
Knowing others is intelligence
Knowing yourself is true wisdom
Mastering others is strength
Mastering yourself is true power
The advice about dealing with problems seems simplistic, but on reflection is strong advice:
Act without doing
Work without effort
Think of the small as large
and the few as many
Confront the difficult
while it is still easy
accomplish the great task
by a series of small acts
The advice about simplicity, patience and compassion was written for trial lawyers. It says:
I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion
These three are your greatest treasurers
Simple in actions and in thoughts
you return to the source of being
Patient with both friends and enemies
you accord with the way things are
Compassionate towards yourself
you reconcile all beings in the world.
So there you have it. Chinese philosophy from six centuries before Christ that has meaning for plaintiff trial lawyers in 2008. Full translations of the Tao Te Ching are avaiable on the internet.