ChiDragon

If we follow the concept of Wu Wei, let Nature take its course without interference, then, Tao does care about the abortion. It is because abortion is interfering with the course of Nature which is the natural development of the fetus.

Yes, there are three ways to do this. 1 .Feet in parallel, 2. Feet pointed outwards, 3. Feet pointed toward the center which the goat stance, good for resisting a pulling force. BTW That is what a goat does to resist a pull. It is known as the Wing Chun style.

Doesn't any of your books tell you. All the masters had written books on the subject, and how come nobody knew anything about it or how to practice it. Is there anybody know what is the MCO at all. It seems to me everybody talks about it and sounds they are familiarized it. However, it seems like an irony if no body can explain it.

Solipsism doesn't apply to neither Taoism nor Buddhism.

It was not the skin of the color. It is the main difference in thinking. Here is the way I see it. Most westerners have to tendency to tell their teachers what they knew already. Therefore, the teacher has to tell them what they want to hear. Otherwise, the teachers are all wrong.

Did you mean 勝從險中求.....??? Perhaps: 險中求勝

Partial knowledge, does it mean not fully investigated into the whole story.....???

Stosh..... I have to say it again. You are an open-minded gentleman and a scholar......

How can these concepts in the TTC are beyond intellectual, rational and discriminating mind....??? These concepts came from an intellectual mind, wasn't it.....??? The latter is only one's opinion. The author did not want to point out how limited human mind is nor provokes the reader to use a different mode of mind to follow and understand. It was only in the mind of the reader. Lao Tze did expect the reader to understand exactly what he wrote but not to interpret it differently. Those who interpret it differently, only and only if, they did not understand perfectly.

I think the Chi Kung practitioners called the "Chi sensation". Your body is going through a transition. It will scan your body for illnesses, then it will repair it. However, you must continue with the practice. If the scanning didn't find anything wrong with you internally, it will enhance and fine tune the functions of the internal organs. If the tingling sensation had stopped, it means it had done its job and enhancing will continue as long as you continue with the practice.

In the earliest codex of the Tao Te Ching as mentioned above, the character 恒(heng) was changed to 常(chang) due the to taboo of using the name of a ruler in any document during the Han Dynasty(漢朝). There are six(6) characters of 常(chang) were originally used in four(4) chapters of the Tao Te Ching. The Chapters are 16, 51, 52, and 55. It seems that 常(chang) was, only, used as an adverb as a time element, in Line 8 in Chapter 51. All the rest of the Chapters, 16, 52, and 55, were used as a noun. Based on that, the character 恒(heng) was used in the same manner as 常(chang) for the closest replacement. Chapter 51, 常(chang) as an adverb.... 常(chang): always, forever, Example: 6. 道之尊， 7. 德之貴， 8. 夫莫之命而常自然。 6. Tao was dignified, 7. And Te was honored, 8. Because they do not interfere but always being natural.

I was using the Received Version. FYI I had indicated that, at the beginning of the OP, only Chapters 16, 51, 52, and 55 were originally used the "chang" character. Now I have a better understanding of these characters. "Heng" is like something that will last forever. And "chang" is like an event will repeatedly occur forever. However, if I want finalize Chapter One, I would use both characters in Chapter One in this manner. I would use "heng(恒)" for Lines 1 and 2; and "chang(常)" for Lines 5 and 6. Lines 5 and 6 do have an indication that Tao has two changing phases; at one time Tao is invisible and the other is visible.

Let's use Chapter 1 to look do a contextual test for 恆 or 恒(heng). We have established that Chapter 51 is used as an adverb: 常(chang). It is the closest meaning for 恒(heng). However, 恒(heng) is an adverb and 常(chang) is an adjective. Chapter 51 is used as an adverb: 常(chang) adj: everlasting; long lasting; constant; permanent; eternal 恒(heng) adv : always; forever; evermore; eternally. 恒(heng) is a character to express time. The MWD Version of Chapter One used 恒(heng): MWD: 1. 道可道，非恒道。 Possible translations: 1. Tao that can be spoken is not the always Tao. 2. Tao that can be spoken is not the forever Tao. 3. Tao that can be spoken is not the evermore Tao. 4. Tao that can be spoken is not the eternally Tao. The Received Version of Chapter One used 常(chang): RecV: 1. 道可道，非常道。 Possible translation: 1. Tao that can be spoken is not the everlasting Tao. 2. Tao that can be spoken is not the long lasting Tao. 3. Tao that can be spoken is not the constant Tao. 4. Tao that can be spoken is not the permanent Tao. 5. Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. As I working on the definitions, I have just noticed that the Received Version did not restore, 常(chang), back to the original character 恒(heng) which was used in the MWD versions. Therefore, I have to come to a conclusion that, 恒(heng) was use as an adjective to begin with; ever though 恒(heng) is an adverb. It seems to me the modern native scholars had discovered that; it's why the character 恒(heng) was not restored to its original place. Since the classic does not have any grammars, then the two characters are interchangeable. Especially, there was no other choice but to use 常(chang) for "heng". Hence, in the translation above, line 5 is the best translation. 5. Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. IMO This line is implicating that Lao Tze had an assumption that Tao is eternal to begin with. In modern Chinese, people are using the character 常(chang) to mean as "always"; and 恒(heng) as "eternal" as I had been saying in the above posts. Indeed, it is bit confusing. I guess people do make change in the thoughts as the time moves. As a matter of fact, from the local Cantonese radio station, I have noticed that the pronunciation of some characters have been changed. 5. 故常無，欲以觀其妙。 6. 常有，欲以觀其徼。 5. Hence, when Tao is always invisible, one would grok its quale. 6. When Tao is always visible, one would observe its boundary. Lines 5 1nd 6 has a good indication that 常(chang) was used to mean as "always"

Thank you for bring this up, I almost missed your post. 能反其所生，故未有形，謂之真人。 If one can return to pre-birth, and no form yet, it was called Zhanren(a real person). It sounds like a premature fetus to me. "余聞上古有真人者，提挈天地，把握陰陽，呼吸精氣，獨立守神，肌肉若一，故能壽敝天地，旡有終時，此其道生。" Here is the English: I heard those who were Zhanren in the prehistoric time, hold onto heaven and earth, grasp the concept of yin-yang, breathe the essential elements, stand alone guarding the soul, muscles are integrated as one. Therefore, one can out live heaven and earth(rather than to get the longevity of Heaven and Earth). There is no end. This is what is called life. Here is how I interpret it. 1. 獨立守神(stand alone guarding the soul) I think "stand alone guarding the soul" has given us the implication of celibacy. 2. 呼吸精氣(breathe the essential elements) Breathing may also implies absorb the essential foods as diet. 3. The is no such thing, IMO, as modern or ancient Chi Kung. Chi Kung is Chi Kung. I had convinced that all the demos of Chi Kung had mentioned breathe in and breathe out, inhale and exhale. Then, followed with the movements to gather the chi around us. Are we paying too much attention to the hand movements for gathering the universal chi to the low dan tian, while we are under the sublimation of breathing by the narrator....??? However, if we reverse our thoughts by putting the emphasis on the breathing while under the sublimation to concentrate on the body movements. Would that have had helped us to bring to a conclusion which breathing is really the function of Chi Kung rather than body movements. If one think about it, one can breathe without the body movements; but we cannot just do the movements without the breathing. So, which is more important...??? May we come to a conclusion that chi kung is the ultimate method of breathing. The classic writings are so esoteric and it's hard to grasp. Please correct me on my translation if I have made a mistake. Thanks.

I thank you for your inspiration....!!!

MWD-A MWD A & B Good luck with this....!!!

Bing

Summary for the usage of " 常, chang"..... Chapters 16 and 52 are used as a noun: 常(chang): routine Chapter 55 is used as a noun: 常(chang): developmental routine Chapter 51 is used as an adverb: 常(chang): always, forever 恆 or 恒(heng): eternal; constant; permanent, long lasting; It seems that the character 常(chang), which has the similar meaning as in Chapter 51, is the closest meaning for 恒(heng). Hence, we may come to the conclusion that the ancient scholars were forced to use 常(chang) for the substitution for 恒(heng). However, we'll do some contextual tests to see if that was a valid conclusion.

Chapter 55 11.知和曰常。 12.知常曰明。 11. Knowing it's in harmony was said to be in the normal development. 12. Knowing it's normal development was said to be profound. In this chapter, 常(chang) was used as a noun.

Chapter 52 15.無遺身殃。 16.是為習常。 15. To keep one out of trouble, 16. It was considered to be following the normal routine. In this chapter, 常(chang) is after a verb(習, practice), thus "chang" is used as a noun.

No "恒, hengs" yet. This is one of the chapters that "常, chang" was used originally. I need to go over the similar chapters to show how "chang" can be used to substitute for "heng". Eventually, "chang" will be used to have the meaning of "eternal". There are quite of few chapters will be involved.

Chapter 16 1. 致虛極 2. 守靜篤。 3. 萬物並作， 4. 吾以觀復。 5. 夫物芸芸 6. 各復歸其根。 7. 歸根曰靜， 8. 是曰復命； 9. 復命曰常， 10. 知常曰明。 11. 不知常， 12. 妄作凶。 13. 知常容， 14. 容乃公， 15. 公乃全， 16. 全乃天， 17. 天乃道， 18. 道乃久， 19. 沒身不殆。 Chapter 16 1. Reaching vacuousness to its extremity, 2. Maintaining stillness ultimately. 3. All things are being vitalized, 4. I observed that they are reciprocating. 5. Therefore, all things are flourishing, 6. Each returns to its root, 7. Returns to its root means stillness. 8. Stillness means returns to its essential. 9. Returns to essential is called the basic routine. 10. Knowing the routine is called comprehension. 11. Not knowing the basic routine, 12. Will act rashly become chaotic. 13. Knowing the basic routine is encompassing. 14. Encompassing will serve with justice. 15. Justice will be impartial. 16. Impartial will be natural. 17. Natural will be in accord with Tao. 18. Then, Tao will be eternal, 19. And the eternal Tao will be exempted from all danger. In this Chapter, the 常, chang, is used after a verb(call, know), thus it becomes a noun. 常(chang) was understood as a compound term..... 常規: frequent routine; normal routine; common routine In the Chinese language, it is customary to use first character to represent the thought of the compound term. However, the meaning has to be determined from context for the correct term. Another words, it is equivalent to the abbreviation in English.

oh! I see that's what you think. Actually, "heng" is to "live long" is not the philosophy of both Lao Tze and Chuang Tze. The character was just a regular character just like others. It was brought to our attention was because, sometimes, in history it has to substituted with another character to respect the ruler at the time. I didn't see any notions that Lao Tze or Chuang Tze had mentioned for humans to live "long". In the story about the death of Chuang Tze's wife, I think he was suggesting to "live short" and due away with the torment of life. In Lao Tze's thinking was keep the body in good health, so, one can take good care of others. I guess keeping good health will make one live longer but not eternal. PS.... A note to tech support, I cannot jump out the "quote window" to go below it. Would someone please rectify the situation. Thanks.

Yes, exactly. After all this years, I am used to reading the classic Tao Te Ching. You see why we are having a communication difficulty, it is because of the linguistic cultural difference. By reading the statement #1, that is exactly what Loa Tze said was understood in my mind("When Tao is always visible ..." because only the manifest is visible.) It is also something that the westerners are not familiar with the Chinese classic. There are lots of ideas were written metaphorically. The most common thing that the westerners do was trying to interpret the superficial meaning of the characters instead of their contextual meaning. The westerners like to say things precisely, as they appear to be, to avoid leaving anything out for consistency. Thus the statement #2 is exactly what it is as in statement #1 but more precise. Thus there was no mantle conversion which need to be done in the mind of the reader. PS..... I think you are doing a damn good job in communicating with me. Fortunately, I am glad that, at least, one person gives me less headache.......

Good, now, we have gone a long way. Finally, we have reached a conclusion that Tao is eternal, cannot be seen and it had no beginning or ending. A. The next question is can we observe the boundary of Tao...??? IMO Yes, sure, Tao has boundaries. We can, only, observe its boundary by the manifest aspects of all things again. All things are created by Tao from a beginning to the end, from birth to death. Tao let all living things to have a reproduction system, so, they can go through a recycle process for their offspring. Thus there is a beginning and ending in each cycle of regeneration. The eternal Tao has a limit in its creation which cannot make all things eternal like Tao itself. In Lines 5 and 6 of Chapter One, Lao Tze points out that Tao has boundaries(徼). 5. 故常無，欲以觀其妙。 6. 常有，欲以觀其徼。 5. Hence, when Tao is always invisible, one would grok its quale. 6. When Tao is always visible, one would observe its boundary. B. I cannot see Chi but I can feel Chi. C. Of course, I can see space. Otherwise, I will not see the clouds, in between me and the sky.