Mig

could you give some examples in imitating the Dao?

Something to think about the monk comments. The westerner seems he was not able to ask questions, maybe linguistic barriers who knows

is he christian? I started reading his website and all of the sudden lots of references to the bible. Just wondering

It seems that is the normal in a human life time. I find amazing that very few people talk about. If it is a celebrity, then all is gold even though we know that All that glitters is not gold. As I read your posting, I was reading about this "karma" thing. In one of my postings I referred to Du yuesheng, a famous gang leader during the 20's who had a rough life in the beginning and got into the Chinese mafia helping foreigners and nationalist doing all kind of crimes. The guy ended up in good life in Hong Kong and died like a normal old guy. Did he think about his karma? Who knows but one for sure, considering those dramatic times, he had a better life than others by using crime as his tool to live like a king. Then reading the DDJ Ch 73 天网恢恢，疏而不失 The heavenly net is vast Loose, and yet does not let anything slip through When it will come back at you. IMO, I think that living in the past is another distraction we can choose to live it or ignore it or eliminate it. I have from time to time remembrances and bad episodes from choices that were imposed by my family. The good thing is that by different circumstances my life is in a different continent and far from all of them. Life keeps going and I attempt to live my life by the day, by the hour, by the hour, by the minute. Just remember that one day, you will say, there is no much more time left and that we can not ignore it. One day we think we are sleeping and then we are gone. Enjoy this moment, ignore the past and bring better actions for yourself to enjoy what you can.

Where is that note from? If love is not an emotion for a Daoist, so what "ai" is? What about 慈愛 ci ai: compassion and love to kids?

Good questions. If I look at history, or even recent history, those who were Daoists, during the Qing dynasty, after the republic and during the cultural revolution, suffered one way or another: destruction of temples, being banned, some may have been killed, etc. Today is a different story even though we live in a world where we know better, we are informed better with sensationalist, fact and fake news. And still we know that poverty exists, drugs, racism exist, segregation exist, money prevails, internal conflicts in countries in search of power and following other powerful countries interests, etc. Where is the Dao when injustices happen? What Daoist practitioners do if you are part of those situations or conflicts?

Wonder why nutrition is dismissed in most I read about this type of practice. I find that fortifying your vital organs and especially those that are weak since you're born is very helpful. Or did I read wrong?

Good examples and thank you, so far it seems common sense for most of humans I will assume. Then the problem I am having in understanding what's the position of Daoism more specifically the DDJ if it is in a chapter about make justice or fight injustice. To be specific, if we know there is fraud in a community election, some people won't do anything because they may not care, some others won't do anything because of politics, some others won't say anything in fear of retaliation and there are those who will fight and others will follow because they agree the election was rigged. Where does it stand a Daoist practitioner in this kind of situation? What part of the DDJ says to do or not to do?

But don't you live in a society where each of us has some responsibility. There is a fine line to draw where we can do something about it. Maybe you can give us examples of practical life both personal and social situations.

Haven't read all your review and still impressed the amount of books and what you have shared. Thanks a bunch. How do you manage for all reading and comprehension?

Interesting approach and it makes sense regarding "De". I keep reading that one of the observations is that Daoist won't interfere or fight to avoid contention or arguments. Indeed, there are times that as much as we criticize or fight for someone there is not much control as long as we have power. What makes me think that in Chinese history there had battles for power or survival and someone had to fight. Big eared Du, gangster boss from the crime syndicate in the 20's and 30's was accused of wiping thousand of communists to help Chiang Kai-shek. At the end there were those who fled, didn't do anything and those who fought and finally got rid of a ruthless mafia. This is where I have difficulties in understanding how a Daoist would say oh well it is not my business so I return to my den and enjoy what I have. As for xinxing I just found: To be a falun gong practitioner, you must upgrade your xin xing which means mind-nature or moral character. Is that what you are referring to? Or where does xinxing comes from?

Does someone knows the origin or the original text in Chinese of this story: Lao Tzu was traveling with his disciples and they came to a forest where hundreds of woodcutters were cutting the trees. The whole forest had been cut except for one big tree with thousands of branches. It was so big that 10,000 persons could sit in its shade. Lao Tzu asked his disciples to go and inquire why this tree had not been cut. They went and asked the woodcutter and they said, "This tree is absolutely useless. You cannot make anything out of it because every branch has so many knots in it - nothing is straight. You cannot use it as fuel because the smoke is dangerous to the eyes. This tree is absolutely useless, that's why we haven't cut it." The disciples came back and told Lao Tzu. He laughed said, "Be like this tree. If you are useful you will be cut and you will become furniture in somebody's house. If you are beautiful you will be sold in the market, you will become a commodity. Be like this tree, absolutely useless, and then you will grow big and vast and thousands of people will find shad under you."

Could you give examples of useless or useful like in this context or the story of the big tree? I understand the no use of the tree but the use of others as shade, I find that very general and not specific enough. So it is the same for many other things, I think of a banana tree, some don't produce bananas and they are only for decorations and can be used for another purpose. I can't see that dichotomy necessary as it is not all absolute and it is not all general. Living in society I have the impression we are in the hole to be used one way or another and will never stop. The typical answer is you have to work so you are not used but then we fall into the desires, the monies, the food, etc. to live and you have to work to get it what you need.

Thanks Rara, in the beginning the curiosity was about the translation of this story to see if it was close to the original then it was to understand the morality or the purpose of the story. The use of the word of use and useless can be quite misleading so I am trying to figure out a different way to interpret the story.

I don't think I said something about your comments or rendition. It's okay if you don't want though I don't understand the reason

So what's the moral of this story in plain or colloquial English?

I won’t, in this instance regarding the story I’m trying to make sense the moral of the story

would you work for nothing?

why did He tell you to get back to work. ?

And the reason why?

Awesome but where do I find that story? Is it in Zhuang zi? What chapter? Or the name of the story? I googled and can't find it.

Thank you and where in the Zhuang zi is this story?

I understand his postings were not appropriate back then but what about his video explanations on the DDJ?

I have the impression his explanation are based from popular religion to Daoist teachings that are common in Hong Kong popular culture

How interesting that I had similar idea asking especially the second video clip on DDJ. Even though it seems to me he's not a valid practitioner by intuition only, some of his opinions sound right regarding Chinese popular religion or DDJ interpretation. It is interesting his interpretation on DDJ Ch 5. Have someone noticed anything that makes sense in his presentation on DDJ?