• Chapter 40, This little passage has a lot about the Way. It arises from nothing, weakness is the method of its workings. Do you guys think this is some way to say the weakest of men can become the strongest? A biblical reference I was thinking kinda like how in the Bible the sinner was more virtuous than some of the Jewish prophets, who were arrogant. Do you guys agree or no?—KW

• On p. 47 (ch. 44), the author asks, "Gain or loss, which is the greater calamity?" It struck me as odd that he would call gain a calamity. Do you guys think that personal gain can be turned into calamity in some way?—RS

• On page 57 (ch. 54), Laozi states "How do I know that the world is this way?/Through this!" What exactly is "this!"? The Way?—KM

• In chapter 55, Virtue is compared to the purity of a newborn child, and elaborates on how a child is virtuous. What specifically makes one virtuous, and are there qualities that make one person more virtuous than another?—PJI

• My question comes from chapter 66 (page 69). The analogy used explains that the rivers and oceans rule over valleys because they are placed in a lower position. This is about how important it is for a leader to place himself below the people he is leading. In what ways do our leaders do this? Do you think that things would run more smoothly in our country if our leaders followed this advice?—CD

• Chapter 68: Is this chapter just about peace or is it more of the non-action message?—JB

• In chapter 71, what is the meaning of "being alive to difficulty"?—JP

• Chapter 81. Does the statement, "Words that are beautiful are not worthy of trust" imply that the truth is never beautiful?—RA