ChiDragon

OldGreen, it seems to me your are asking for a lifestyle of a Taoist not a sage. To be practical, it can be done when you are retired. Unless, you have a rich family that can help you with your financial needs. If you are still young, you have do work something out to help you to get there. Fortunately, it can be done. You know what, with all the lucks in the world, I'm there right now....

Hi, Path. Yi(意) is the intent of the mind. Yi Gong(意功) is a method to utilize the intent of the mind to control all the movements or the muscle cells of the body. Before you make a move, Yi Gong will let you know exactly where and how you move to get there.

I like that too and I would like to borrow his words and revise my translation for line 15. 15. Hasten grown then is hasten senescent; 16. It was said to be not in accord with Tao. 17. Not in accord with Tao will perish prematurely. 15.物壯則老。 16.謂之不道， 17.不道早已。

Thank you. This is the best of my understand and it was nicely putted into English. Again, LaoTze uses the term "weakness" in reverse negative logic. The compound characters "弱者" means somebody or something is weak which implies that one is soft. Thus a soft person is very receptive. Since, 1. 反者道之動 2. 弱者道之用 1. Reaction is Tao's action. 2. Weakness is Tao's function. Hence, softness is the function of Tao, that implies Tao's reaction is receptive.

Now, I remember. My original translation for line 15 was: 15. The things that are too strong will become senescent; 16. It was said to be not in accord with Tao. 17. Those who are not in accord with Tao will perish prematurely. It seems to me without the word "too" in line 15 would throw lines 16 and 17 out of context. By saying "too strong" would indicate something that was over developed which shows abnormality. Hence, it will bring lines 16 and 17 into context.

Ah.... Yes, a shadow cast on a surface.

John Wu: To be overgrown is to decay. All this is against Tao, And whatever is against Tao soon ceases to be. English/Feng: If too much energy is used, exhaustion follows. This is not the way of Tao. Whatever is contrary to Tao will not last long. Robert Henricks: When things reach their prime they get old; This is called "not the Way." What is not the Way will come to an early end. ChiDragon: 15. The things that are too strong will become senescent; 16. It was said to be not in accord with Tao. 17. Those who are not in accord with Tao will perish prematurely. Are these four translations make any sense and logical....??? IMO I think line 15 need to be reconsidered in the translation...!!!

命門, Mingmen, is just an accupoint on the back of the body. 命門(Mingmen) Please click your mouse to the fifth point on the second column at the left.

There are two Chinese terms 道學(Tao Xue2) and 道教(Tao Jiao4). 1. 道學(Tao Xue2): The study of the principles of Tao. Taology, if there was such a word, I would like to use it...??? 2. 道教(Tao Jiao4): The Tao cult. This is a Tao religious cult, in China, which has two groups interpreting the Tao Te Ching in favor for the purpose of their believes. a. There is an ascetic group that the members were not married and stay in the Taoist Temple at all times to practice the Taoist religion. b. There is another group, each member does have a family; and goes to the temple eight hours a day for the practice just like a full time job. Then, they go home in the evening to their families. In the west, there is only one general term "Taoism" including both terms 道學(Tao Xue2) and 道教(Tao Jiao4) which was causing some ambiguity and confusion. IMO I would consider looking into matters more closely if I'm studying one culture from another. I will listen to what the other side has to say instead of making false assumptions and believe in some fairy tales to build up stories as I go along. Another word, find out the truth before anything else. Because of the ambiguous term "Taoism", it would make the answer to be yes and no.

The "darkness of the night" is not the "shadow of mother earth". Rather, it is only the dark side of the world. You will never see the shadow of the mother earth even you are flowing in space. The shadow has to strike on a surface in order to see it. It you are in space, there is no surface for the shadow to strike on. At least, you don't see the shadow with your naked eyes anyway.

"You Wei" vs "Wu Wei" would be valid for the Yang/Yin concept, but it is not a cycle. Normally, LaoTze would only preferred one way. You're only "You Wei" once for the intent to be "Wu Wei", then the rest of the time that you are Wu Wei. @Marblehead: "Hehehe. Did I state the obvious once again?" Perhaps, you were not...!!!

If that was your conclusion, I think you haven't learn the distinction between the two religions yet...

is 亡(wang) which is interchangeable with 無(wu2). PS... This was mentioned once before.

Oh, my goodness...!!!

Yes, there are plenty more to come.....

Chapter 55 1. To encompass the deep virtue of Tao, 2. Is comparable to a new born infant. 3. Not stung by poisonous insects, 4. Not clawed by wild animals, 5. Not grabbed by big birds, 6. Weak bones and soft muscles but with tight fists, 7. Not knowing the copulation of male and female but self erected. 8. Because of the tremendous energy, 9. The infant cries all day and the voice doesn't become hoarse, 10. It was the sign of harmony. 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. 13. Craving to cling onto life was said to be inauspicious. 14. Wishing to force harmony upon someone was said to be an act of bravado. 15. The things that are too strong will become senescent; 16. It was said to be not in accord with Tao. 17. Those who are not in accord with Tao will perish prematurely. 1. 含德之厚, 2. 比於赤子。 3. 毒蟲不螫， 4. 猛獸不據， 5. 攫鳥不摶。 6. 骨弱筋柔而握固。 7. 未知牝牡之合而全作， 8. 精之至也。 9. 終日號而不嗄， 10.和之至也。 11.知和曰常。 12.知常曰明。 13.益生曰祥。 14.心使氣曰強。 15.物壯則老。 16.謂之不道， 17.不道早已。

wuyi 巫醫: Witch doctor.

Okay, I thinking I am learning how the Westerns think as oppose to Easterners. Let me try again. Since a person has established a good foundation in Engineering, he is capable of answering any question by a challenger. Metaphorically or philosophically, it can be said that he is indestructible, no...??? However, if he cannot answer any question, then it can be said that he is destructible because people can step all over him. The reason that "WHO" was included in the translation was because of the character "者" is in the phrase. It must be included in the context.

leinshan... I know what you had done here, but you are a bit confused with the sentence structure here. Line 1 is about a builder is good at building a foundation. A good foundation cannot be uprooted. It was not talking about a "founder of goodness". Anyway, what is a "founder of goodness"...???

I see what you are asking now. However, it is obvious that LaoTze was not talking a human body that is indestructible. It was not logical anyway. "Establishing a good foundation" was a metaphor implicating that someone had made a preparation to be good at something. e.g. If one went to school to earn a degree in Engineering, it was said to be that one has established a good foundation for his/her education. Thus something one had learned is unforgettable(indestructible).

1. 善建者不拔 1. One who can establish a good foundation will be indestructible. I guess the word "establish" was left out, purposely, to twist the original meaning again.

6. 強行者有志。 A more direct translation would be: 6. The one who forces oneself to do something has volition. Annotation: "Diligence" is a form of discipline which one has to be forced upon oneself by will. What is so religious about it....???

More! More! Give me more! Is that what she said to you? That would be fun too!

It was not what it seems to be, but that is the actual translation.

Really....???