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Marblehead

Taoist Philosophy

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Those who assist their rulers with the Tao

Don't recommend the use of armies

To commit violence in the world.

Such deeds easily rebound for

He who would use violence would be against the Tao

And he who is against the Tao loses his soul.

 

When the world lacks the Tao,

War horses are reared in the suburbs

And cavalry abounds in the countryside.

In places where armies are stationed,

Thorns and brambles will grow.

When the world lives in accord with Tao,

War horses are retired to fertile fields.

 

However,

When armed conflict cannot be avoided,

The good general achieves his result and that's all.

He does not use the occasion to seize strength from it.

He achieves his result but does not become arrogant.

He achieves his result but does not praise his deeds.

He achieves his result and does not brag.

He achieves his result and abides with the result.

This is called achieving one's result

Without using excessive force.

 

Therefore,

A good general effects his purpose and stops.

He effects his purpose as a regrettable necessity.

He effects his purpose but does not love violence.

He who leads men with the aid of the Tao

Takes good care not to wreak violence on the world

By use of excessive force.

 

Therefore,

What other men teach,

The Sage will also consider and then teach to others.

"The strong and violent do not come to a natural end."

The Sage takes this as the father of his studies.

 

 

The Smugs, The Snugs And The Humpback

 

Smugs are those people who, having heard what their teacher says, feel very satisfied and very pleased with themselves but do not realize that there was a time when no material Universe existed.

 

The snugs are like lice on the bodies of hogs. They choose their adobe in the long mane and hair of the hogs and believe themselves to be living in a grand palace with a big garden. They hide themselves in the corners, armpits, breasts and legs of the pig and think that they are living in security. They do not realize that one day the butcher will come and, rolling up his sleeves, begin to lay hay under it and set fire to singe the pig, and both themselves and the pig will be scorched to death. This is to live within the limitations of their own choice. These are the snugs.

 

The humpback was a leader of people. (Mutton does not crave for the ants but the ants crave for mutton because of its rank smell.) Because the humpback had a rank character which attracted the people, the people loved him. Therefore, after he changed his capital three times and had moved to the plains, there were over a hundred thousand people who followed him. The Emperor heard of the humpback's ability and put him in charge of a barren district, saying, "I hope that the people who follow him there will receive the benefit of his rule." When the humpback was put in charge of the barren district, he was already growing old, his eyesight and hearing were failing, but he was not allowed to retire. This is what I call a humpback.

 

 

The Danger Of Relying On An Army

 

The Sage is never sure of what others regard as sure; hence, he does not rely on an army. The common men are sure of what one cannot be sure about; hence, a big army. When an army is there, it is against human nature not to try to get what one wants, and when one relies on an army, one perishes.

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-_- there was another translation of this one recently, quite a poetic sentiment

 

Yeah, those first two are different translations of the same part of the TTC. When I put this thing together I included both of them because of their descriptive level.

 

And I agree, what Adept posted is working with the same concept.

 

Awesome, I can't remember reading a verse like this before ^_^

 

It's hard to comprehend.... draws you in. On 1st impression seems to be saying, if you have a superficial leader and the people flock to that controversy / smell. Then those people deserve what they get i.e. "the benefit of his rule."

 

Yet a bad leader could just be a leader pushed past his prime. No longer able to see or hear, yet forced onward(or even just allowed to continue)... what does that say about an Emperor who forces the humpback onwards, or didn't stop him and save the people?

 

Likely Lin Yutang's translation. Sounds like the words he would use.

 

I think it was speaking to two different concepts. The first being that the humpback's physical deformities were over-looked because of his inner essence that attracted followers. But then, because he was a natural leader he was denied retirement in order to satisfy the Emperor's goals.

 

If we shine brightly others are going to use us to light their own way.

 

Peace & Love!

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I think it was speaking to two different concepts. The first being that the humpback's physical deformities were over-looked because of his inner essence that attracted followers. But then, because he was a natural leader he was denied retirement in order to satisfy the Emperor's goals.

 

I was thinking more of a bad leader, an evil humpback, that still managed to attract the masses with his antics, despite not being good for them (i.e. modern politician) But someone so "pure" as to be able to lead people, despite a physical handicap, works too.

 

I think historically physical deformities were seen as signs of a bad person (?) hence my "humpback" + rank character = bad leader.

 

I love how these texts are like a rochard test to project your own feelings onto :) We have an election coming with a lot of bad humpbacks for the ants to follow <_<

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I love how these texts are like a rochard test to project your own feelings onto :)

 

Yeah, I even find that, depending on my mood when I read the stuff, I will gain a different understanding of the same passage. Yes, in your understanding there is a purpose for the statement: (Mutton does not crave for the ants but the ants crave for mutton because of its rank smell.) In mine there isn't so much.

 

We have an election coming with a lot of bad humpbacks for the ants to follow <_<

 

We have one coming up here as well. I don't alwways vote in the primaries but do in the general elections. I will vote in these primaries because I need vote against a bad humpback.

 

Peace & Love!

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