Taoist Philosophy - Chapter 107

[Marblehead]

Decreasing Day By Day

 

Those who work at their studies increase day after day;
Those who have heard the Tao decrease day after day.
They decrease and decrease,
Till they get to the point where they do nothing.
They do nothing and yet there’s nothing left undone.
By doing nothing everything is done.
He who conquers the world often does so
By doing nothing but rather by moral influence.
When one is compelled to do something
By ordering people about,
The world is already beyond his conquering.
When someone wants to take control of the world,
He must always be unconcerned with affairs.
For in a case where he’s concerned with affairs,
He’ll be unworthy of taking control of the world.


(The doctrine of inaction is usually difficult to understand. Interpreted in the light of science, it means making use of the natural forces to achieve one’s object with the greatest economy. The best saying to this effect is given in the form of an illustration. “For a fire man to feed the fire by adding one log to another by hand, there is a limit. But for the fire to spread by itself, the process is continuous.”)


On Doing Nothing

For three years he did not go out. He did the cooking for his wife and fed his pigs as respectfully as if they had been men. He took no part in affairs; he did away with his artificial ornaments and returned to natural simplicity. He became like a clod of earth; in the midst of distraction he remained concentrated, and so on until the end of his life.


On Giving Free Rein To The Mind

One disciple said to another, “Sit down and I’ll tell you what I learned from my master. Three years after I had begun to serve him, my mind no longer dared to distinguish between true and false, and my mouth no longer dared to speak about useful and harmful; then, for the first time, I got a look from my master. After five years, my mind again started distinguishing between true and false, and my mouth again started speaking about useful and harmful; then, for the first time, my master’s face brightened and he smiled. After seven years, I managed to free my thoughts of all notions of true and false; I managed to free my speech of useful and harmful. Then, for the first time, the master invited me to sit beside him on his mat. After nine years, I managed to give free rein to my mind and mouth; I was no longer aware of any truth or falsehood, any usefulness or harmfulness, that could concern myself or others, nor of having a master or of having a fellow disciple. Outside and inside were one, and my eyes were like my ears, my ears like my nose, my nose like my mouth, all my senses were alike. I felt as if my mind was solidifying, my body coming apart, and my bones and flesh dissolving. I no longer felt that my body leaned against something, nor that my feet touched the ground, but let myself be borne east and west by the wind, like a leaf or dry wood-shaving; and finally I could no longer tell whether I was carrying the wind along or whether the wind was carrying me.”

Edited March 2, 2013 by Marblehead

[devoid]

Hi Marblehead,

 

Thanks for posting.

 

I think many misinterpret the concept of doing nothing.

 

On a very rudimentary level - if we do nothing, we will die - we need to breathe, eat, etc. The same can be said for the mind: Surely being in a coma is not a desirable state for anybody (unless perhaps if invoked temporarily as a medical necessity).

 

Thus, what does doing with doing really mean? It means that we are able to do things without thinking about them. This includes our heartbeat, our breathing (unless we consciously regulate it) etc. It includes walking (again unless we consciously regulate it). That is why the concept of doing without doing is so central to gong fu - only if we can get to the point that we are able carry out chores without that preoccupying our intellectual minds can we use our minds for new endeavors. In other words, we must empty the mind (while continuing to function and perhaps even thrive) before being able to undertake the next challenge - i.e. learning new stuff or meditating on whatever we fancy.

 

Sorry if that got a bit long, but I think this is a very central concept which is too often talked about, but not properly understood and discussed.

 

Edit: Typo

Edited March 18, 2011 by devoid

[Marblehead]

Hi Devoid,

 

You are exactly correct. I blame this misunderstanding on the Beatles. (Long story. Please don't ask. Hehehe.)

 

I am always looking for a better way of expressing my understanding of this concept as, like you said, it is a very central concept of Taoism.

 

Sure would be nice if I could come up with just one sentence that says it all. (Yeah, right. Hehehe.)

[devoid]

Hi Devoid,

 

You are exactly correct. I blame this misunderstanding on the Beatles. (Long story. Please don't ask. Hehehe.)

 

I am always looking for a better way of expressing my understanding of this concept as, like you said, it is a very central concept of Taoism.

 

Sure would be nice if I could come up with just one sentence that says it all. (Yeah, right. Hehehe.)

 

The Beatles - surely, you don't think you can mention the Beatles without me beginning to cloud my mind with curiosity!?

 

On a side note, yesterday, I was listening to Wilson Pickett and asked myself why I hadn't mentioned him last time spoke of Otis Reading and the Rolling Stones on the high-jacking thread. There's probably little relevance to the subject in question, but I happened to listen to Wilson Pickett's cover version of Hey Jude (by the Beatles) when thinking about this. Long story to get Wilcon Pickett into the discussion as well, huh?

[Marblehead]

The Beatles - surely, you don't think you can mention the Beatles without me beginning to cloud my mind with curiosity!?

 

On a side note, yesterday, I was listening to Wilson Pickett and asked myself why I hadn't mentioned him last time spoke of Otis Reading and the Rolling Stones on the high-jacking thread. There's probably little relevance to the subject in question, but I happened to listen to Wilson Pickett's cover version of Hey Jude (by the Beatles) when thinking about this. Long story to get Wilcon Pickett into the discussion as well, huh?

 

Okay, I messed up and got us off topic but all is Tao, right?

 

I do have that Wilson Pickett song on my computer in .wav format (actually, the entire album but mixed in with music from Aretha). He does a pretty good job considering the prejudice that is formed in the mind after listening to the perfect presentation by the Beatles.

 

There were a number of early Soul artists (pre-Motown) who presented their interpretation of Beatles' songs.

[devoid]

Okay, I messed up and got us off topic but all is Tao, right?

 

Absolutely - all is Tao here!

 

BTW: IMO music often helps people be without being now that we're at those type of action/non-action sayings so commonly used in the scriptures.

[Marblehead]

Absolutely - all is Tao here!

 

BTW: IMO music often helps people be without being now that we're at those type of action/non-action sayings so commonly used in the scriptures.

 

Yeah, beside just flat enjoying music, I use music to alter my moods as well. No matter what mood I am in, if I want to change it I will play the sytle of music that will take me where I want to go; or maybe go to never-never land.

 

Right now I am listening to Robin Trower.

 

You wouldn't believe the places I can go when I am listening to this song:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwxMVV_EdTM&feature=related

 

The Kooper, Still, Bloomfield version is also excellent.