ChiDragon

Chapter 2 Relativity

1. 天下皆知美之為美，

2. 斯惡已；

3. 皆知善之為善，

4. 斯不善已。

5. 故，

6. 有無相生，

7. 難易相成，

8. 長短相形，

9. 高下相盈，

10.音聲相和，

11.前後相隨。

12.恒也。

13.是以聖人處無為之事，

14.行不言之教。

15.萬物作焉而不辭。

16.生而不有，

17.為而不恃，

18.功成而弗居。

19.夫唯弗居，

20.是以不去。

In Terse English

1. Everyone, on earth, knows beauty as beauty,

2. Then, saw ugliness.

3. Everyone knows kindness as kindness,

4. Then, saw evil.

5. Therefore,

6. Solid and space coexisted;

7. Difficulty and easiness mutually succeeded;

8. Long and short mutually formed;

9. High and low mutually encompassed;

10.Melodies and songs mutually harmonized;

11.Front and back mutually trailed;

12.Always the same.

13.Sage handles matters in a natural manner.

14.Gives silent instructions.

15.Let things be with no interference;

16.Grow without possession.

17.Sustain without domination.

18.Success without dwelling.

19.Because of not dwelling alone,

20.Merits do not vanish.

If I were still working and had a reserved parking place and one day I went into work and someone else had parked in my place I would still have the benefit of the reserved spot but it would be totally useless to me.

 

I understand what you are saying ChiDragon. I was just relating the chapter to how it applies to 'my' life. That's what philosophy is all about, isn't it?

In that case, you go find another available parking space else where. Then, you still would have a useful space....

Please let me give it a try with few lines

First line...

欲修真，先去病，浑身无病方延命；若还有病不肯除，犹如瞎子跳坑井。

If you want to cultivate to the real genuine,

then you must get rid of all sicknesses,

Without any sickness, so one can live longer;

If you do not get rid of your sickness, it seems like a blind was trying to jump into a well.

Third line...

高傲心，最害事，有己无人自夸自；纵有明人在眼前，怎肯与尔露一字。

With an arrogant attitude, it ruins matters, smug with egoism;

There are some wise ones before you, who was afraid to share a word with you.

To be continued........

1. Heaven and Earth are not humane;

2. They regard the thousand things as straw dogs.

3. The Sage is not humane;

4. He regards the common people as straw dogs.

 

To me this is clearly stating that there is no intent.

1. Heaven and Earth has no mercy;

2. They regard all things as straw dogs.

3. The Sage has no mercy;

4. He regards the common people as straw dogs.

I believe that the intent here was being impartial. Heaven and Earth are being impartial to all things. When Nature strikes, it will destroy anything in its path. The sage(referred as a wise ruler) is impartial to his people so justice can be done.

It is strange to think that qi should be polished on high mountains or in deep caves, on the contrary , qi should be polished among the mass, in the society as a Chinese saying already tells us :" 小隐隐于野,大隐隐于市" ( "Real retreat is to hide among the crowd ,not in the wilderness" )

小隐隐于野,大隐隐于市

I believe the correct translation is:

Small retreat is in the wilderness, big retreat is in the city.

"If I were still working and had a reserved parking place and one day I went into work and someone else had parked in my place I would still have the benefit of the reserved spot but it would be totally useless to me."

Again, the philosophy here was the availability of space, it was not an issue that the space was available to whom. I'm speaking in a pure philosophical sense without any personal attachment. IMO In a conclusive discussion, it should be ended at a point without an infinite loop....

"it is the empty space that is of most value. If my coffe cup is full of tea I cannot put any coffee in it. That old story about a person's cup being full. If our mind is full of opinions there is no room for a new or better opinion."

The subject here is about the value of the space. In your scenario, you had the benefit of filling the cup with tea. In the first place, you want to have tea, why thinking about filling the sup with coffee. However, if you'd changed your mind, you can empty your cup and the space is available again. Why put yourself in such a dilemma to confuse the issue here...???

When we talk about intention within the definition of the Tao Te Ching, we must consider the definition of Wu Wei. The term "Wu Wei" is a patented term by LaoTze so to speak. If one taken literally, the translation is "do nothing" or "no action". However, philosophically with respect to the Tao Te Ching, by LaoTze's definition of Wu Wei: Let Nature take its course. It simply implies that do not take action interfering with Nature. Another word, if one took action against Nature, one has an intention to interrupt the course of Nature. Hence, one violates the concept of Wu Wei.

What is the course of Nature...??? Nature do not have a mind of its own. Whatever it does was considered natural. For example, when lightning strikes, it does randomly with no intention to hit a particular spot. During a flood, the water will run over anything in its path to reach the lowest point. Indeed, Nature has no intention to run over what or where but it just does naturally.

As far as the Tao Te Ching was concern, even though with an intention for a good cause but interfering the course of Nature. Thus it was considered not Wu Wei.

Chapter 11

1. 三十幅共一轂，

2. 當其無，

3. 有車之用。

4. 埏埴以為器，

5. 當其無，

6. 有器之用。

7. 鑿戶牖以為室，

8. 當其無，

9. 有室之用。

10.故有之以為利，

11.無之以為用。

LaoTze always use complementary therms Wu and You to illustrate his points.

His definitions of these term for this chapter are:

無(Wu): empty space; none

有(You): Solid body; exist

In this chapter LaoTze wants to emphasize the use of space.

1. Thirty spokes with one hub,

2. Where there is space,

3. It has the function as a carriage.

Interpretation for lines 1 to 3:

It is not the spokes are useful, but the the space between the hub and the wheel is.

4. Knead clay to make a utensil,

5. Where there is space,

6. It has the function as a utensil.

Interpretation for lines 4 to 6:

It is not the wall of the utensil is useful. but it is the space inside is.

7. Chisel a door and window,

8. Where there is space,

9. It has the function as a room.

Interpretation for lines 7 to 9:

It is not the door and window are useful, but it is the empty space that made the room useful.

10.Therefore, "solid" is its benefit;

11.Space is its function.

Interpretation for lines 10 to 11:

Therefore, something is really there is not useful, but it is really nothing there is.

Again, LaoTze's philosophy is always look at the negative side to understand the positive side. In this chapter, he emphasized the space that was useful instead of the object itself. This negative-positive or yin-yang pattern was found throughout the Tao Te Ching.

In the Tao Te Ching point of view, intention relating to Wu Wei is not to interfere with Nature or being unnatural. If I tried to change your thinking, then it would be unnatural on my part with an intention to influence your thoughts without the Principles of Tao. To build a dam on a river was considered interfering with Nature because it was interrupting the flow of the river steam and the living things on the river. However, from a Taoist point of view, the only intention allowed was intended to be Wu Wei. Wu Wei means let Nature take its course without interruption.

A good example for being interrupting Nature is the 100 meter long dam was built on the Yangtze River causing the worse drought, below the river, in 50 years. If LaoTze knew about this, he's probably crying in his grave.

I think the original line goes as:

 

窮神知化，德之盛也。

《易·繫辞下》：窮神知化，德之盛也。

http://www.zdic.net/cy/ch/ZdicE7ZdicA9ZdicB731429.htm

窮神知化：谓穷究事物之神妙，了解事物之变化。

It was said to be the research of the subtlety of all matters; and to understand the evolution of all matters.

德之盛也:乃是聖人德之盛極也

Therefore, it's the utmost virtue of a sage.

Action and reaction applies to the yin-yang concept. Action is yang and reaction is yin, however one wish to apply it. If there is a yin, there must be a yang and vice versa. One is never stand alone or separated from the other. In the case of breathing, inhale was considered yang and exhale was yin.

Is this meant to mean that the Super-person is able to continue meditating while he sleeps, rather than dream? Or does it mean that the Super-person has no desire, and therefore does not dream of those desires?

A Super-person has been reached to his ultimate. Therefore, he has no desire to be dreamed of.

It is good fortune for me to aks my indefinite questions about special terms in Daoism

Apologize me if those be from my rudimentary mind.

 

I have read about two different degrees of man states in Daoism, that is of "True Man" (pinyin: zhen ren) and "Transcendent Man" (jun ren).* I know the characters of the first is 真人; but i have not find any proper character for jun that means "Transcendent". May it be 君, I dont know; but whatever I search for it, there is no much results for 君人 in the texts like Laozi, Zhuangzi, Liezi, Taiping jing, Wenzi and so on, as be suitable for that highest degree of human states.

 

 

I am thankful much of you if liberate me from this unknowing by led to the Unknowing!

 

 

 

* I Read it here, Guenon, Rene, The Great Triad, Sophia Perennis.

"Transcendent Man" (jun ren)　尊人

Chapter 1

1. 道可道，非常道。

2. 名可名，非常名。

3. 無,名天地之始。

4. 有,名萬物之母。

5. 故常無,欲以觀其妙。

6. 常有,欲以觀其徼。

7. 此兩者同出而異名，

8. 同謂之玄。玄之又玄，

9. 眾妙之門。

1. Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao.

2. A name that can be named is not an eternal name.

3. Invisible was the name given to Tao at the origin of heaven and earth.

4. Visible was the name given to Tao as the mother of all things.

5. Hence, when Tao is always invisible, one would grok its quale.

6. When Tao is always visible, one would observe its boundary.

7. These two come from one origin but differ in name,

8. Both are regarded as fathomless; the most mysterious of the mysterious;

9. The gate of all changes.

Yes, that was how clunky the classic text was....

Chapter 10

1. 載營魄抱一，

2. 能無離乎﹖

3. 專氣致柔，

4. 能如嬰兒乎﹖

5. 滌除玄覽，

6. 能無疵乎﹖

7. 愛國治民，

8. 能無為乎﹖

9. 天門開闔，

10.能為雌乎﹖

11.明白四達，

12.能無知乎。

Note: Lines 13 through 17 are repeated from Chapter 51, they do not link with the logic flow in the chapter, therefore, they may be omitted.

13.生之，畜之，

14.生而不有；

15.為而不恃；

16.長而不宰，

17.是謂玄德。

1. Soul and body as one,

2. Can they not separate?

3. Concentrate "chi" to extreme softness,

4. Can it be like an infant?

5. Cleansing the deep reflector,

6. Can it be no flaws?

7. Patriotic and rule the people,

8. Can it be benevolent?

9. Opening and closing the heavenly gate,

10.Can it be feminized?

11.Understand four directions,

12.Can it be nothing known?

Chapter 25
1. 有物混成
2. 先天地生
3. 寂兮寥兮
4. 獨立而不改
5. 周行而不殆
6. 可以為天地母
7. 吾不知其名
8. 強字之曰"道"
9. 強為之名曰"大"
10. 大曰逝
11. 逝曰遠
12. 遠曰反
13. 故道大
14. 天大
15. 地大
16. 人亦大
17. 域中有四大
18. 而人居其一焉
19. 人法地
20. 地法天
21. 天法道
22. 道法自然


1. There was a thing formed by chaos;
2. Before the sky and earth were born;
3. Soundless and formless;
4. Independent but unchangeable;
5. Moving but never exhaust;
6. It may be the mother of the heaven and earth.
7. I don't know its name.
8. I'm reluctantly calling it "Tao".
9. I'm even more reluctant to have a name "Big" for it.
10.Big but dynamic;
11.Dynamic but far;
12.Far but reciprocating.
13.Therefore, Tao is great.
14.Sky is great.
15.Earth is great.
16.Human is great.
17.In space, there are four great's;
18.Thus human is one of them here.
19.Human follows Earth.
20.Earth follows Heaven .
21.Heaven follows Tao.
22.Tao follows its own nature.

弱者(weakness) is the direct translation for the classic text. It is because that was the way how the classic was written to express for the meaning of "softness" at the time or by LaoTze. It was confusing to the modern Chinese as well as to a westerner.

If you like to rephrase it, it is OK but it would loose its authenticity. That is why I had put the explanation in the notes for the reader to understand it better.

1. Reaction is Tao's action.

2. Softness is Tao's function.

3. All things of the world came from Visible.

4. Visible came from Invisible.

Chapter 38 The Virtuous De

1. 上德不德，(shang de bu de,)

2. 是以有德。(shi yi you de.)

3. 下德不失德，(xia de bu shi de,)

4. 是以無德。(shi yi wu de.)

5. 上德 [無為] 而無以為。(shang de [wu wei] er wu yi wei.)

6. 下德 [無為] 而有以為。(xia de [wu wei] er you yi wei.)

7. To be continued......

Sino-English

1. High virtue is not being boasted with virtue,

2. Thus one has virtue or virtuous.

3. Low virtue is tried not to loose virtue,

4. Thus one has no virtue or not virtuous.

5. High virtue with wu wei, thus had no intention.

6. Low virtue with wu wei, thus had intention.

Notes:

1. [無為]wu wei:let nature take its course with no interference; to be natural;

2. One who has an intention was considered not to be Wu Wei.

Chapter 40

40

1. 反者道之動。

2. 弱者道之用。

3. 天下萬物生於有，

4. 有生於無。

1. Reaction is Tao's action.

2. Weakness is Tao's function.

3. All things of the world came from Visible.

4. Visible came from Invisible.

Notes:

1. Weakness is softness.

2. Visible is Tao in the visible state.

3. Invisible is Tao in the invisible state.

Chapter 5
天地不仁，
以萬物為芻狗。
聖人不仁，
以百姓為芻狗。
天地之間，
其猶橐籥乎﹖
虛而不屈，
動而愈出。
多言數窮，
不如守中。

Chapter 5
01. Heaven and Earth have no mercy,
02. Treating all things as straw dogs.
03. Sages have no mercy,
04. Treating people as straw dogs.
05. In-between-Heaven-and-Earth
06. Is like a wind box,
07. Vacuous but inexhaustible,
08. Dynamic but invigorating.
09. Excessive words accelerate failure.
10. Prefer to stay with vacuous quietness.

Bendowa...

Your current practices include:

Soto Zen

AYP

Hatha Yoga

Yang style Tai Chi

Zhan Zhuang (Working from Master Lam Kam Chuen's "Way of Energy")

Diet (Whole foods, TCM, Ayurveda, Paleo/Traditional/WAPF)

Aneros "re-wiring" w/ MGX

Tibetan Buddhist style healing visualizations (working from Boundless Healing by Tulku Thondup)

You are practicing too many things. In the mean time, due to your present health condition, you are better off just do something simple to get rid of your indigestion problem first.

Bendowa.......

You may practice sitting Chi Kung by concentrate on your breathing. Breathe slowly, expend your abdomen during inhalation and suck it in during exhalation. This abdominal breathing will massage your digestion system to help indigestion and prevent constipation.

At the beginning, abdominal breathing is not easy. It is better to breathe progressively form shallow to deep breathing until the abdomen can be fully expanded. It may take a little time to accomplish this. In the long run, it will improve your health tremendously.

Reply to Bendowa...

"My primary objective is health. For the past half decade I've been struggling with a serious digestive condition, which has psychosomatic components, that I believe can be addressed via spiritual development of the nervous system. My progress has thus far been limited mainly be injuries (for example,currently rehabbing a knee injury that limits tai chi, standing and sitting), time (have a job/career that demands the majority of my waking hours and energy), and self-pacing to remain grounded -- I find pushing too hard in any of these directions tends to be counter-productive, so am working on finding a steady pace of gentle opening and integration.

So... who do I talk to about getting a practice journal? ;-) "

You may practice sitting Chi Kung by concentrate on your breathing. Breathe slowly, expend your abdomen during inhalation and suck it in during exhalation. This abdominal breathing will massage your digestion system to help indigestion and prevent constipation.

At the beginning, abdominal breathing is not easy. It is better to breathe progressively form shallow to deep breathing until the abdomen can be fully expanded. It may take a little time to accomplish this. In the long run, it will improve your health tremendously.