Tao Te Ching - Chapter Forty-Eight In pursuing knowledge, one learns with intellect and desires. Therefore one's knowledge is accumulated day after day. In pursuing Tao, one is enlightened with the true nature and thus diminishes daily one's worldly desires and knowledge. The continuous depletion of one's desires persists until one acts accordingly to the natural Way. By acting without personal intention enables one to accomplish all things. Therefore, to rule over the world, One must act naturally without personal desires. If one pursues with extreme effort, one shall fail to rule the world.