The Nei-yeh, chapters 12 & 13

[manitou]

CHAPTER 12

 

The numinous (mind): no one knows its limit;

It intuitively knows the myriad things.

Hold it within you, do not let it waver.

To not disrupt your senses with external things,

To not disrupt your mind with your senses:

This is called 'grasping it within you'.

 

CHAPTER 13

 

There is a numinous (mind) naturally residing within;

One moment it goes, the next it comes.

And no one is able to conceive of it.

If you loose it you are inevitably disordered;

If you attain it you are inevitably well ordered.

Diligently clean out its lodging place

And its vital essence will naturally arrive.

Still your attempts to imagine and conceive of it.

Relax your efforts to reflect on and control it.

Be reverent and diligent

And its vital essence will naturally stabilize.

Grasp it and don't let go

Then the eyes and ears won't overflow

And the mind will have nothing else to seek.

When a properly aligned mind resides within you,

the myriad things will be seen in their proper perspective.

[manitou]

Re chapter 12 - the numinous mind intuitively knows the myriad things because it is the myriad things. When we see the essence because we've stopped the inner dialogue and can triangulate what we see, this we should not doubt; we should not be disrupted by things we see or hear which may show otherwise. In my experience, conventional wisdom is generally wrong.

 

Re chapter 13 - The dweller within likes a clean lodging place. It's our job to keep the dwelling clean - to keep our thoughts right where we want them, not merely swimming around in a menagerie of a thought circus. It's our job to clear out the unwanted old habits and impressions that rule our less than desirable behavior today. When this has been done, the essence can shine up through us.

 

It also seems to be warning us to Let it happen, rather than Make it happen. When it says "Still your attempts to imagine and conceive of it", it's as though it's talking to us directly! How often on this forum we try to imagine and conceive of it; although admittedly it's wonderful talking with others who are trying to imagine and conceive of it. But this goes back to not casting out so hard that we're scaring the fish away.

 

And the mind will have nothing else to seek: what a beautiful understanding. It seems that our happiness, our wellbeing, is integrally tied up with our capacity for gratitude. If we are constantly looking for Something Else, looking to move Somewhere Else, wishing we were living with Someone Else - then the piece of heart cannot be found. If we find a way to start right where we are, right now - and be grateful for that which is in front of us - what a wonderful place to start. It's the essence of Being Here Now, removing all the cogitation and projection. This is to tap into the Essence; it's our choice entirely.

[Marblehead]

I have no problem with either of these chapters.

 

Very consistent with what Chuang Tzu presented.

 

Great advice.

Edited March 27, 2011 by Marblehead