ChiDragon

學: learning 鳩: a little dove. 學鳩 is a little dove still learning how to fly. That was why it was called "learning dove."

比喻以詐術欺人，或心意不定、反覆無常。 A metaphor for describing a cunning person; indecisive person; changing constantly. Ref: 朝三暮四 朝三暮四 is located at the bottom.

Chinese proverb... 朝三暮四: One cannot make up his mind. In the morning was one thing(3) but in the evening it was changed to another(4).

Please do feel bad. ZZ's philosophy was teaching us to be "no self", "no merit", and "no ego". Just free from all with no attachment and depend on nothing. If you can ignore all the external influence like insults as well as compliments, then you'd won half the battle already in learning ZZ's philosophy....

Disagree in silence or in a subtle way. That's what was called the "scholastic dignity" or "scholastic arrogance." Either way, it will work....

shhhhhhh....... No way, Yin and Yang are united as one. PS... oops! I think I am in trouble now. I think it might be OK if I quote it from the YiJing.

Why should you be the one who is apologizing...??? I really don't understanding. PS... We are talking about philosophy, here, isn't it....???

Hey, that's not so funny............ :lol:

Yeah... That will separate the boys from the men.

We are in ZZ now not LZ. 1. A handyman can make a flute for himself. 2. How in the world is Earth going to make herself a flute...??? 3. How the hell is Heaven going to make a flute for himself...??? :P

FYI... Translation: The gate of death is coming.

oops....Attempted to edit above post but clicked "reply" by mistake.

How do you know he is not...??? If he was not serious, then he wouldn't have initiated this thread...

In the TTC term, Wu(nothing) means invisible. Actually, nothing is not nothing. "Nothing" is only invisible; but it has a great potential of creative power to engender all things. Actually, Tao has two appearance states. One state is invisible and the other is visible. "Wu" is Tao in the invisible state; and "You" is the visible state. LaoTze: "Nothing came from the Existed" or "The visible came from the invisible." He was simply saying that the invisible Tao become manifested.

The inner chapters, the first seven, were known to be written by ZZ himself.

Various sound is a better choice for the translation here. Please put your big hammer away. Sometimes tried to force things to fit the way you wanted, actually it doesn't work....

籟: sound; music 人籟: the sound of human 地籟: the sound on earth, e.g. such as the sound of the wind 天籟: the natural sounds which are the sounds of human and earth.

Yes, I did and you broke my heart........

It's not practical. Let's be more idealistic. There has to be some kind of law and order. The old king Yao picked Xu You to take over his throne was to assure that Xu You will take good care of his throne. Customary, a Chinese king always hand down the throne to his first born son. However, King Yao was wise enough to give it to someone which is more sagacious. Yao knew his son will not do a good job.

Everything... This is my translation. Does this make any difference in your think....???

1. Why do you think King Yao is guilty(of what)...??? 2. King Yao thought Xu You has the quality of a sage. King Yao trusted that Xu You will be a good ruler; but Xu You had never thought of being a ruler.

Original classic text: Brief translation in Chinese: Brief translation in English: King Yao(堯帝) wants to give the throne to Xu You(許由) and said: "The sun and the moon came forth, but the torch has not been extinguished. For it to give light for brightness, is not it would be very difficult...??? The seasonal rain has precipitated, why bother to irrigate the land? In regard to the irrigation, isn't it just doing some extra labor? However, you have come into this world; and the world is almost in the completion of my ruling. If I am continue to hold my position, I reckon that I will be lacking the ability and inefficient to rule the world. Today, I would to like give the world to you." Xu You said: "You ruled the world; and the world is already in order. For me to replace you, am I doing it for the fame? Fame is only a title outside of reality. Am I looking forward to this reality? A tailor-bird lives in the forest; it only needs a small branch to live is suffice. A mole only drinks from a river when thirsty and stop after his thirst was satisfied. Please go back! Even though the world is great, but it is useless to me. Though the one who was responsible to cook a meal but cannot cook some sacrificial offering dishes, even the worshiper cannot exceed his ability to do the cooking for him.

People... I think we should get ourselves educated about this by now. We have come this far after all the big discussion in the Tao Te Ching section, we should be able to distinguish Taoism between philosophy and religion. Please leave God out of the discussion in Taoism philosophy. Of course, only if it is not irresistible...

Welcome back! rene....