Cobie

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Hi @Michael Sternbach thanks for the like. Nice to see you.

That depends on what you’re interested in. If you want to learn about popular Western culture, then reading the translations will suffice If you want to learn what the Laozi said, then you must learn Chinese

There really is no “of course” to that. I think breathing techniques are at best a waste of time, most often counterproductive.

Hi Wondernaut. Welcome to the forum. “Those who know don’t speak” so best to take it all with a pinch of salt. Happy learning.

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I take this to imply the DDJ is easier to read for non-‘native speakers’ * , they are less likely to: - use the modern Chinese meanings for characters - impose the current Chinese cultural paradigm on the meaning ~~~ * There’s academic research into the meaning of the characters at the time of writing of texts, and also into the culture at that time. It often differs from the current use/opinion.

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Then there’s also ‘the Rape of Nanjing ’, sometimes called ‘the other holocaust of WWII’. Do you also blame this massacre on Shinto?

Very true. Just like imo one can never fully understand a religion unless one is born into it and lived it for a lifetime.

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出生入死 - (idiom) go through fire and water “The process of human beings from birth to death. The words come from Chapter 50 of "Laozi". Later, "birth and death" was used as a metaphor to take risks and commit dangers, and risk losing one's life at any time. △ Through fire and water “ https://dict-idioms-moe-edu-tw.translate.goog/idiomView.jsp?ID=-520&webMd=1&la=0&_x_tr_sl=zh-TW&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc 出 chu1 - to exit 生 sheng1 - life 入 ru4 - to enter 死 si3 - death

Yes, that’s typically what people bring up. E.g. thank you to @Sketch https://www.thedaobums.com/topic/54363-on-the-nature-and-utility-of-goal-posts-in-meditative-and-energetic-practice/?do=findComment&comment=999183 Thank you for the info. Then Buddhist meditation differs from Daoist meditation: Buddhist meditation - anapanasati - “we simply watch breath we don't control breath” Daoist meditation- 吐纳 tu3 na4 - intentionally adjusting the breathing. E.g. thank you to @ChiDragonhttps://www.thedaobums.com/topic/55424-the-ultiamte-method-of-breathing/?do=findComment&comment=1021736 As you said, they may ultimately lead to the same at the highest level. I also read you are interested in Taoist neidan (internal alchemy). I refer you to @Taoist Texts

Yes, but what does that mean to you? Where do you think you go to?

Typically, admirable good habits (morality, eating and qigong) will make a person much healthier in their 70ish. Enjoy. But unfortunately somewhere in your 80ish it stops making a difference and all of us rapidly decline towards death.

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Thank you very much for the info. I had formed the impression (from reading posts on this forum) that Buddhist meditation is all about controlling the breath. ? Confused.

與世無爭 - Keep aloof from the world Describes a person who is indifferent and has no disputes with the world . E.g. After Tao Yuanming * resigned from office, he lived in seclusion in the countryside and lived a life without competing with the world. 與 yǔ - to be on good terms with each other 世 shì - from generation to generation 無 wú - not 爭 zhēng - compete; struggle; dispute ~~~ * Tao Yuanming 陶淵明 Táo Yuānmíng (365–427), also known as Tao Qian, was a Chinese poet and politician who was one of the best-known poets during the Six Dynasties period.

Thank you to all the admods!

Cheers to @sean thanks for the forum.

The key for 2024: We don’t need no education cultivation … Philosophy is shown to be mostly bullshit, and so is practice ... we don't need any of it, we are already Perfect right this moment. (Sean)

I repeat:

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Happy New Year to all the bums!

Hi @Lairg hope you are well and that you will soon post again here.