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Verse 204 of the Dhammapada, in a translation by Daw Mya Tin. Thank you and most likely the quote is a misquote, not even Daoist nor from Laozi. It is amazing how much is out there that is always difficult to trust even in respectable forums. Thanks for sharing

Does someone knows where this quote come from?: “Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. Non-being is the greatest joy.” Laozi I couldn't find the original in Chinese and don't even know if it is another made up quote??

Indeed, when the season is over, they don't invade inside of the house even though they are busy in the garden doing their thing, the slave workers while the queen is having a good time, who knows. The reason of my question is because I don't understand the logic of no killing either in Daoism or Buddhism, when sometimes is inevitable if you don't want to be invaded and become a prisoner of your beliefs. So far, I put some left overs in the trash can and immediately they are there so I was able to track their platoons and see where they are coming from. It seems they are well hidden under the basement.

Veggies aren't part of our cycle of transformation. I wouldn't call that killing. The lawn is like the hair, if I don't trim it, it will go crazy. I tried everything possible for the ants, and nothing worked because I haven't found the colony. It is during summer when they invade wherever possible to find food. We keep the kitchen clean and most of everything now is in the fridge and freezer. Still they send scouts from places I would have never imagined. Now, the invasion is less but one little thing left of food they are there immediately. Still holding for pest control and hopefully when the summer season is over back to normality. If I stop doing anything, they will invade every space. It is a guerrilla war. It seems killing is inevitable.

The problem I have now is that there are several terms for return fan, gui or fu. Fu as returning to the roots and found in the Yijing: Hexagram Fu. The light, symbolized by the first yang line on bottom of the hexagram is returning and begins its ascension up to the top of the hexagram, removing the yin, dark, lines

I was wondering about the term return either fan, gui or fu as in DDJ 18 Return is the movement of the Dao among other chapters in which this term is used and certainly in the Yijing too. Talking with someone who has tried mushrooms as Magic mushrooms that are wild or cultivated mushrooms that contain psilocybin, a naturally-occurring psychoactive and hallucinogenic compound. Where Psilocybin is considered one of the most well-known psychedelics, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations, mentioned me the point where you feel the return to yourself and being in contact with your inner self. I made me think about if this term is close to this kind of experience which probably shamans had lived testing different types of mushrooms. Any thoughts or clarification?

Quick search one can find the following: 十戒是：不杀生、不偷盗、不邪淫、不妄语、不饮酒、不涂饰、不歌舞及旁听、不坐高广大床、不非时食、不蓄金银财宝。 ten precepts: Do not kill but always be mindful of the host of living beings. Do not be lascivious or think depraved thoughts. Do not steal or receive unrighteous wealth. Do not cheat or misrepresent good and evil. Do not get intoxicated but always think of pure conduct. I will maintain harmony with my ancestors and family and never disregard my kin. When I see someone do a good deed, I will support him with joy and delight. When I see someone unfortunate, I will support him with dignity to recover good fortune. When someone comes to do me harm, I will not harbor thoughts of revenge. As long as all beings have not attained the Dao, I will not expect to do so myself.

I understand, although it seems that getting back to return is not an easy task unless you are under the effects of some kind of drug, as far as I understand. It seems also we are conditioned since early childhood or by the system where you live in. This is where I wonder if this is the same return Daoists talk about.

small and big ones all in between, it seems that wherever they go, they plant their eggs and more are coming to my end. I spend more than one hour patrolling all around the house especially the kitchen and keep it as clean as possible. So to kill or not to kill, that is the question?

I plucked every orifice possible and no matter which way they come back. I followed around the garden and nothing around the house so they are under the house somewhere. They send scouts to check in and if they find one tiny thing they send platoons and now everything is sealed or in the fridge or in the freezer. Pest control is my last resort but I am trying not to so I can understand their beliefs in not killing.

Both Daoist and Buddhism precepts is NOT to kill. So what do I do with those insects? If I don't get rid of them, they will come at you especially during summer. I know at some point when we leave this world, the corpse will be eaten by insects as the natural cycle.

It seems to me that your comments are based on an English translation and I am not sure if those readings are according to the Chinese world or the way is understood by the Chinese mind. Indeed, the humorist side of ZZ is universal but how it is interpreted in the Chinese mind. Just a remark to understand better what an English reader understands reading ZZ

And how that happens to get to where you need to be? Could you elaborate more or give examples? Is it the translation in English that gives you the answer or is it the commentary that is in accord to your own situation or is it your own imagination? I have always wondered about the fascination many people talk reading the DDJ, the esoteric meaning and the extrapolation or paraphrase they can tell on one or another chapter. Is this what the therapy book you are referring to?

I took the liberty to copy and paste this news: Bradford Hatcher Posted on June 19, 2020 by Hilary • 14 Comments I learned this morning that Bradford Hatcher has died. The Yijing world has lost a treasure, and many of us have lost a good friend. Brad was ridiculously generous with his knowledge. His epic, two-volume Yijing is available from his site, for free. (He’s made arrangements to ensure it’ll stay that way.) It’s a superb work – including a character-by-character translation to let non-Chinese scholars get a glimpse of the original, a poetic translation, an ‘introduction’ with more meat in it than most books, and unique, original commentary. That commentary comes with an acute awareness of Yi’s internal relationships (he coined the term fan yao) and, especially, of its native humour. It’s an extraordinary gift to us all. When visiting hermetica.info for the Yijing book, pause and look around to appreciate the breadth of its author’s intelligence, which was intimidating, and his experience, which meant he was one of the few Yijing scholars who could write his commentaries about wells, cows and goats on the basis of personal knowledge of wells, cows and goats. On a personal level, I know Brad was also generous with his time. A regular at Clarity’s I Ching Community for many years, he also helped me a great deal with my book in 2010, both with practical feedback on translation, commentary and nuance (as I emailed him each hexagram in turn), and with steady encouragement. We met once, thanks to LiSe, a few years ago in the Netherlands, where I discovered that he also gave very good hugs. When I heard this morning that he’d died, I looked at the books closest to me on my desk as I work:

And what's the conclusion or answer to your original question? It seems that all the three are interrelated both in vocabulary and concepts and had been blended with other Chinese Buddhism.

Does the term taiji come from Zhuxi? Isn't that concept form Neo-Confucian metaphysics that introduced the idea of a prime mover or "supreme ultimate" (tai-ji), which not only generated the cosmic forces of yin and yang but also served as the source (and sum) of the ideal forms or "principles" (li) around which material force (qi) coalesced to form all things. But by Ch'ing times and even earlier, interest in the notion of t 'ai-chi had waned considerably. Wing-Tsit Chan indicates, for example, that even among the followers of Chu Hsi, who made the "supreme ultimate" a central feature of his elaborate metaphysical system, many downplayed the subject or virtually ignored it. "The difference between the early Ming and Ch'ing Neo-Confucianists," writes Chan, "is that the earlier philosophers turned away from the Great Ultimate (t'ai-chi) to internal cultivation, whereas the Ch'ing Neo-Confucianists turned away from the Great Ultimate to everyday affairs."

Any opinions about this translation? Personally, I find it a little far from the original and the more I read other translations with explanations, the better I understand.

As I am learning how to read this short, I see that there is a combination of Daoist and Buddhist ideas. Many phrases, concepts and words can be found in several chapters of the DDJ and some are Buddhist interpretations (which movement or faith, I don't know) which can be very confusing for someone who's a newbie either Daoism or Buddhism ( among the ten schools in China). For those who have already read it or learned it, how important is the reading of this small canon and how do you interpret it or use it in practical life?

When I look up at the text I find 清靜經; Qīngjìng Jīng and found then this in Wikipedia: qingjing could interchangeably be written 清靜 or 清淨, for instance, the Daoist concept qingjing wuwei 清靜無為 or 清凈無為 "quiet and non-action; discard all desires and worries from one's mind". Chinese Buddhism used qingjing 清淨 to translate Sanskrit parishuddhi or Pali vishuddhi "complete purification; free from defilement" (cf. vishudda). So it seems there is confusion or misinterpretation regarding the word 淨 and 靜 which for some is purity and others is clarity. Or is there a better interpretation?

I finally got to read some stories from ZZ, first from Derek Lin, then Watson. After reading Watson, I really just read as stories and nothing else. Nothing else, nothing more without noticing a message or lesson. My question is how you as an educated reader how did you interpret the content of ZZ parables or short stories? It is until I read Derek's translations that it hit me immediately why those stories had a meaning and how is interpreted by the Chinese. Any thoughts or advice? Thanks.

It seems to be the human experience is different from place to place and cultures mold differently across the globe. I tend to think that classical Chinese by itself is not easy to understand or decipher, what all those texts rely on are the commentaries and the way they were understood. Popular culture or religions give better account on how those texts are understood, instead of trying to understand or translate word by word. As in modern Chinese mandarin most if of it is contextual. Aside the human experience there is more in the text that is recounted and explained in their modern language and tradition continues. If I rely on a translation word by word or a translation without the guidance of a master in understanding the text, the level of comprehension is null and all we have is imagery or new age verbiage.

Again, how ZZ readings are understood? Is it the way you read the English translation of ZZ or the way is explained by the native speakers in Mandarin Chinese?

As pretty and eloquent you write it shows, I still wonder why it does resonate and if the way you interpret it is the same ways is taught and understood by the native Chinese speaker?

Is there a reason why this text is not mentioned in the forum, or maybe I haven't found postings about the 清靜經: Qīngjìng Jīng yet? It seems that there are many English translations out there and this text is quite common reading or reciting text for religious movements. Any ideas why is it important aside clarity and purity and observation practice?

I diligently searched for this quote I found in the internet: “If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place.” ― Laozi Is it a real quote or is it a misquote, if it is real, where that quote came from or where one can find it in the DDJ?