SirPalomides
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Everything posted by SirPalomides
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Thanks, but that doesn't make any sense in English or in the context of the passage.
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Sure. Interestingly 厚薄 "thick and thin" has the same connotation in English. "主一" is a favorite term used by Cheng Yi, literally meaning something like "oneness of ruler"- for him it means having a unified mind. Then there is "屋漏" from the Book of Odes, which I had some trouble figuring out. It literally means "house leak," for where light comes into the house from above. It refers to an inner courtyard of the house, so when someone is told to "be unashamed in the wulou it means to act righteously even in secret.
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Another day, another obscure Chinese text I'm trying to decipher. This one comes from the Confucian philosopher Yang Guishan, AKA Yang Shi, and his commentary on a passage from the Yi Jing, on the junzi's qualities of being "straight" and "square". Here is What Yang Shi says: 尽其诚心而无伪焉，所谓直也。若施之于事，则厚薄隆杀一定而不可易为有方矣。所主者敬而义，则自此出 焉，故有风外之辨。 My tentative rendering: "To be thoroughly sincere of heart and therefore without affectation, this is what is called straight. In given affairs, to be certain and unwavering, through thick and thin, prosperity or disgrace- this is from being square. Being ruled by reverence and righteousness, one henceforth goes out with discernment impervious to the winds." How'd I do?
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I’ll start a Daoism in popular culture thread later
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My mom (who was overseas Chinese) when I said I was interested in Daoism said, “Daoism is so morbid. All they do is exorcisms and funerals.” Obviously this isn’t what Daoism is all about but it does say something about how the magic stuff is perceived as part of what defines Daoism. You can also see this in popular films like A Chinese Ghost Story and Mr Vampire where Daoist priests appear as wizards and exorcists.
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I don’t want to get into a “who really is a Daoist” debate- all I want to say is that, historically, in Daoism, magic, spirit invocation, etc is not marginal and was in fact central for some very important Daoist movements.
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Nope. "Dao" is not Daoism, otherwise Confucians, Legalists, Buddhists, and others are all Daoists too.
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Well, okay, but then the I Ching is mighty magical!
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Laozi and Zhuangzi are important figures in Daoism but Daoism did not exist until centuries after they wrote. Daoism begins with groups like the Tianshi, Shangqing, and Lingbao movements.
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The thing is, in Daoism historically, the “occult” and ceremonial magic stuff isn’t fringe, it’s front and center. There was a time when things like qigong would be considered superfluous or even heterodox by Daoists who believed you could maintain your health by knowing how to summon and command the right spirits.
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Thanks, though it doesn't clarify 路上逢人半里難 to me.
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For what it's worth, while my knowledge of these practices is pretty rudimentary, they interest me greatly and I've started a few discussions related to them. Generally I'm a fan of liturgy and devotional practices; the martial arts stuff, while definitely cool, is not my particular interest. So by all means don't be shy about discussing what interests you. In Daoism there is "jing shi" 淨室 or "qing shi" 清室, "Quiet Chamber" or "Pure Chamber." This can be a room for meditation but also for rituals and incantations. Typical Daoist rituals will begin with a series of purifying and exorcistic spells. The scripture I translated here tells devotees to worship Taiyi Jiuku in the jing shi on the third and ninth of every month. In early Tianshi and Lingbao Daoism every Daoist household was supposed to have such a room.
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Eating Meat Will Increase Lust Which Will Inhibit Celibacy Cultivation
SirPalomides replied to Heartbreak's topic in General Discussion
For what it's worth, it is commonly held in the Eastern Orthodox monastic tradition that eating meat encourages lust and other base passions- hence most monastics maintain a vegetarian diet (except fish on feast days). -
Minus the actual help part, this reminds me of a funny anecdote I read in Terry Kleeman's introduction to A God's Own Tale, about some students trying to summon Lu Dongbin: A group of students had gathered at a phoenix [spirit writing] altar to ask their fortunes. The phoenix wrote, "Drunkard Zhao has arrived." They all cursed him, saying, "We invited Transcendent Lu. HOw dare a savage ghost interfere! We are going to request that the great transcendent's sword behead you!" The phoenix halted, then began again, writing, "The Daoist Dongbin happened to be passing by. What do you want to ask?" The students solemnly bowed twice, then asked about their fates in the examination. The phoenix wrote, "Rub more ink." Thereupon each person prepared ink on his inkstone and in a moment they had filled a bowl. Kneeling, they asked how they should use it. The phoenix said, "You students divide it up and drink it, then hear my pronouncement." They all divided the ink and drank it. When they had finished, the phoenix wrote in large characters, "Normally you do not study; now you drink ink at the last moment. I am not Patriarch Lu; I am still Drunkard Zhao!" The students were mortified and destroyed the altar.
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What counts as Idolatry to you?
SirPalomides replied to JustARandomPanda's topic in General Discussion
No, not those. -
Love Shys, Involuntary Celibates, True Forced Loneliness, etc.
SirPalomides replied to Immortal4life's topic in The Rabbit Hole
It’s old fashioned snobbery of the “Sinosphere”. If you don’t use Chinese characters and adopt some kind of Confucianism you must be a barbarian. Of course it’s true that many loudmouth Asian-Americans know very little about the culture they brag about. It’s a lot like Irish Americans who equate Irishness with wearing tacky green shit and getting stupid drunk but can’t name a single Yeats poem or even a decent drinking song. -
Love Shys, Involuntary Celibates, True Forced Loneliness, etc.
SirPalomides replied to Immortal4life's topic in The Rabbit Hole
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Love Shys, Involuntary Celibates, True Forced Loneliness, etc.
SirPalomides replied to Immortal4life's topic in The Rabbit Hole
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Love Shys, Involuntary Celibates, True Forced Loneliness, etc.
SirPalomides replied to Immortal4life's topic in The Rabbit Hole
As a bookish Asian nerd, hear hear. -
If you know Aliens run your world governments, wouldn't that change your perspective on life?
SirPalomides replied to Heartbreak's topic in General Discussion
It is the common assumption of so many myths around the world, so there must be something to it. It’s a basic human intuition- “we should be better than this.” On the other hand no argument- mythic or philosophic- that I have seen really satisfactorily explains why this corruption is. If we say aliens or demons that still begs the question of how they got corrupted. -
If you know Aliens run your world governments, wouldn't that change your perspective on life?
SirPalomides replied to Heartbreak's topic in General Discussion
If so, they definitely didn’t send their best and brightest. -
Life at a Daoist Temple, Wudang mountains, China
SirPalomides replied to Geof Nanto's topic in Systems and Teachers of
The closest such monastery is some three-four hours’ drive and family obligations make an extended stay not feasible. A few years ago I really wanted to be a monk but I think it’s definitely for the best I didn’t take that path (I think I would be a very melancholy and unstable monk) -
Life at a Daoist Temple, Wudang mountains, China
SirPalomides replied to Geof Nanto's topic in Systems and Teachers of
I would love to have such an opportunity but it is not within reach. I have spent occasional weekends at Orthodox Christian monasteries and found the time refreshing but it’s hard to find the time. Regarding Daoism specifically, my understanding is that government strictures have made it increasingly difficult for foreigners to stay at monasteries for long periods. -
Naturally the MoPai guy’s ears perk up when there’s a chance to make another thread center around his bullshit.
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Love Shys, Involuntary Celibates, True Forced Loneliness, etc.
SirPalomides replied to Immortal4life's topic in The Rabbit Hole
White people being racist has what to do with this incel stuff? Are white women some top prize in the hierarchy of women? Anyway I’m an Asian dude who married a white lady so whatever.
