3 Treasures of the Sage

[manitou]

I've always found it interesting that the TTC makes mention of the 3 treasures of the sage (as Lin Yutang puts it), and yet the TTC never really tells us how he got to be that way. The Nei-Yeh seems to go a bit further into inner cultivation, but still doesn't seem to answer some fundamental questions about this.

 

I've noticed on this forum that there are several different opinions on the inner cultivation thing. There is a line of thought that the Sage becomes the Sage by actively cultivating his inner life and consciously attempting to develop the Te (virtue) of his condition; and there is another line of thought that feels that the best way is to act spontaneously and not actively attempt to change anything on the inside; that things are all natural, of the Tao, and will work out on their own. I think there's tremendous merit to both approaches, and it's a matter of choice. If one acts spontaneously, yet mindfully accepts and understands the lessons in life which are being served up to him, the spontaneous action will certainly lead to the One just as well as the man who intentionally develops his inner self.

 

I've only got one translation of chapter 67 (The Three Treasures) in front of me; it is Yutang's. For purposes of further discussion, if anyone cares to throw other interpretations in his, it might be really valuable for purposes of triangulating this issue; essentially picking the brains of the masters / interpreters (if that is indeed the case) and really looking at the personality qualities of the sage.

 

Lin Yutang - excerpt from Ch. 67:

 

I have Three Treasures;

Guard them and keep them safe:

The first is Love.

The second is, Never too much.

The third is, Never be the first in the world.

Through Love, one has no fear;

Through not doing too much, one has amplitude (of reserve power);

Through not presuming to be the first in the world,

One can develop one's talent and let it mature.

 

 

In my opinion, I would assume that this means the Sage is a non-judgmental being. In order to Love all things (seemingly good or seemingly bad) he would not make the judgment in his mind; every being would be worthy of Love, regardless of how vile. The challenge becomes how to love the seemingly vile. Or the argumentative. Or the unkind ones. To realize that he is, in essence, One with the vile ones too.

 

As to Never too much, this seems to go to our fears of lack. We have a fear of not thriving, of not having enough - this seems to be built into us. This explains our national personality, in my opinion, of the panic when the stock market takes a plunge. We're so fearful of not getting all our benefits, not having the 'great American dream'....and yet, we are perfectly content to see our Brother grovel in the sand on the other side of the world with unsanitary drinking water and no place to lay their heads other than a cardboard box. This characteristic of the Sage (Never too much) is a characteristic that we too can develop; but the fear that seems to be hardwired into us can be eliminated by gratitude for what we do have. And an understanding that the only sure thing in life is Change. At any given time, circumstances may change for us, and the Sage will remain in a mentally mobile state in order to receive it without fear.

 

When he says Never be the first in the World, I think the Sage has tempered his ego by this time. He has no more need to contend, he doesn't need to make the most money, be at the top of the corporate ladder; in fact, just the opposite. He may still be at the top of the corporate ladder, but not because he 'needs' to be because he's reacting to a fear of not being good enough inside.

 

I think the Three Treasures (or whatever they're referred to in other translations) is a real key to developing the Sage-like qualities that we seek. If we're not seeking these qualities, why waste the time of being here? Then it's all just words.

 

Any other interesting translations on Chapter 67 that will help triangulate this and flesh the Sage out fully?

[Harmonious Emptiness]

[Marblehead]

Hi Manitou,

 

This line:

 

The first is Love.

 

is footnoted as follows: Ts'e, tender love (associated with the mother).

 

I am not a mother even though I have been called one on numerous occasions.

 

But yes, the way Lin Yutang translated this chapter the best word for he could have used is love.

 

I rather prefer the word "compassion". One reason for this is that I have known many people in my lifetime who it would simply be impossible to love.

 

I think you can probably honestly say the same thing.

 

But then, even compassion goes only so far. There are some people on this planet who will take even your heart and soul if you offer them compassion.

 

Looks like I just bombed out on qualifying to be a Sage. Oh well.

[Marblehead]

Here's a Waley translation:

 

I don't do pity. Sorry.

[Otis]

Hi Manitou. Great subject and OP.

 

I have a couple thoughts with regard to the question: how do we achieve the three treasures?

 

One practice that I think is very worthwhile, is inspecting my own defensiveness. There IS a need to defend, when the physical body is under attack, but most of my defensiveness does not arise from that. It arises from having my opinion contradicted, or my idea criticized. Later, when I pay attention to what it is that I've been defensive about, I find no usefulness in my reaction. What good does it do me, to act like I'm under attack, when someone is just disagreeing with my thoughts?

 

Another is to pay attention to the tiny little stories I tell myself, about why others are lesser than I am. Not as cool, not as smart, not as humble, blah blah blah. When I look closely at these stories, they wriggle and try to escape. They are based on very little, and are clearly justifications for making me special. How can I possibly love the rest of humanity (or even fully accept them as real), when I am constantly spinning stories to convince myself that I'm better than them?

 

The flip side of my stories about being special are those about being lesser than. I think these stories are equal in their damage, and in reinforcing ego. Harsh stories about myself are still another way of making my self important. "Nobody loves me" is every bit as ego-enmeshed as "I'm so great!"

 

Another is to pay attention to what it is, in my brain, that circumvents my ability to listen. Why do I tune out, get annoyed, distracted, self-centered? The source of my irritation is not the other person (because it also comes up when I'm standing in line, idling in bad traffic, or on hold on the phone). It is a grasping, agitated drive to change the situation, to find simple rewards and pleasure. It's like low-level panic, and it reveals my inability to be where I'm at. The practice for this, of course, is to be in the middle of the irritation and awkwardness, and do nothing to change it, just let it be. What is revealed by that practice of patience, is that whatever I was subconsciously fearing, did not actually occur. I didn't have to be driven by that panic, because it was entirely a false positive. No threat to my well-being existed.

 

In general, I find it useful to doubt the stories I tell myself, particularly those about myself, and how I compare to others. Those stories are always intermeshed with my wishes and fears, are impossible to truly verify, and do little to help me find solutions. In fact, the stories, by being dualistic and definitive, actually block my view of solutions.

 

And at the heart of many of these grasping qualities of mine, is panic. Defensiveness, needing to be superior, irritation all arise from this agitation within me, that seems to fear being destroyed. One of the best practices for panic, as I mentioned above, is systematically arousing that panic, while staying calm and centered. Another is to practice being unhurried. When I slow down, I recognize that a great deal of the push to move fast, is more panic. So taking my time allows the panic habits to go extinct, through repeated exposure of the false positives. That panic is anticipating some horrible event, presumably my death, and so passing through the experience without being swept up by it, softens the connection between that situation, and my primal fear.

[Otis]

I am not a mother even though I have been called one on numerous occasions.

LOL!

[dawei]

It has always interested me that this was not in the Guodian version, the oldest manuscript. The first known commentary to the LZ text was Han Fei, a legalist. He commentates in a very humanistic way concerning the chapter without calling it "three treasures" per se. Heshang Gong's early commentary makes a reference to 'dao ren', which may be a nod towards more like a religious order [of Daoist].

 

In Qigong, there are many 3's but I have not seen it reference this chapter necessarily; neither in Medical Qigong.

 

I tend to view this the same way as what occurred to Yoga. Yoga was a practice which was supposed to be done AFTER many first levels were attained (ie: more spiritual); then the physical practice would make sense since it was connected to the spiritual. Instead, today, you can shortcut to Yoga and bypass years of spiritual practice.

 

I see the same thing as happening to the so-called "Three Treasures": that originally it was a byproduct of the spiritual practices that one would see on the physical level; now people just talk about these like humanitarian ethics. For that reason, I never pay attention to these and stick to the inner cultivation as was mentioned.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

I don't do pity. Sorry.

 

For discussion sake, where/how do you differentiate compassion from pity?

 

Personally, I see the difference between pity based on fear of it happening to myself, and true compassion which can also involve pity though not a fear based pity.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Harmonious Emptiness

[C T]

For discussion sake, where/how do you differentiate compassion from pity?

 

Personally, I see the difference between pity based on fear of it happening to myself, and true compassion which can also involve pity though not a fear based pity.

Pity is a sort of helpless association with another's plight. What arises from this could be dejection, aversion, anger and as you mentioned, fear. All powerful but nonetheless negative emotions.

 

Compassion in my view is love in action, or selfless response to the plight of others. Associated emotions would be the opposite to those stated above.

 

If pity, or personal gain enters the equation, this will, in due time, dilute the essence of one's compassionate motives. It may not be immediately apparent, but somewhere down the road, if compassionate deeds are done with some sort of expected return, then these actions will bear the respective fruits - this is especially true for those who cultivate any sort of spiritual path - doing so amplifies all of one's actions.

 

This is how i see it.

[ChiDragon]

Chapter 67 - The Three Treasures

 

1. I have three treasures.

2. I hold on to by safekeeping them.

3. First is mercy,

4. Second is humbleness,

5. Third is not dare to dwell before others.

6. Merciful, thus makes one brave.

7. Humbleness, thus makes one encompass.

8. Not dare to dwell before others,

9. Therefore, one can beome a patriarch.

 

1. 我有三寶

2. 持而保之：

3. 一曰慈，

4. 二曰儉，

5. 三曰不敢為天下先。

6. 慈故能勇，

7. 儉故能廣，

8. 不敢為天下先

9. 故能成器長。

[Marblehead]

For discussion sake, where/how do you differentiate compassion from pity?

 

Personally, I see the difference between pity based on fear of it happening to myself, and true compassion which can also involve pity though not a fear based pity.

 

Yes, there is a fine line. Pity is feeling sorry for a person and their condition. Okay, so you feel sorry for them. Can you help them? Will you if you can? Will your help actually serve the other a useful purpose?

 

To pity, in my opinion, is to place ourself above the person having the hard times. "I pity you, you poor fool!" Shame on us if we ever think that way.

 

Compassion, on the other hand, is feeling the pain of the other. And compassion would inspire offering help wherever help could be used. But then, I have little compassion for those who refuse to help themselves. Compassion is not always acts of kindness either. Sometimes people need a wake-up call.

[strawdog65]

Translated by Chad Hansen

From : Laozi Tao Te Ching on the art of harmony

Copyright 2009.

------------------------------------------------------------

 

-67-

 

 

The entire social world calls my way "great"- as if unfamiliar.

 

In general, simply in being great

 

It is , consequently, unfamiliar.

 

Had it been long - familiar

 

It would be trivial!

 

I have three treasures,

 

I cling to and preserve them.

 

Call the first "charity".

 

Call the second "frugality".

 

Call the third" not presuming to act as prior to the social world".

 

Charitable so one can be brave.

 

Frugal: so one can be magnanimous.

 

Not presuming to act as prior to the social world:

 

So one can become "elder".

 

Were I now to abandon charity and bravery,

 

To abandon frugality and liberality,

 

To abandon following and put myself in front-

 

Then already dead!

 

In general, charity:

 

Used in battle, implies victory.

 

Used in sustaining, implies stability.

 

Nature will save it.

 

Use charity to defend it.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

I know its a very different translation.

But...I thought it would bring something to the discussion...something new.

[phore]

3 Treasures of the sage

 

Heres the 3 I use personally.

Never be the first

Never too much

Love unconditionally.

 

I believe that meditating upon the 3 treasures will eventually give rise to spontaneous right action. The universe is set up like an interactive learning process. Generally if you seek to learn from the tao you will be provided with ample opportunities to put your new virtues into action. However this can be difficult at times if you are attached to material circumstances. We have been taught throughout our lives to cultivate material wealth. The goal of many in western society it to become so financially sucessful that they can live a life of lavish excess. The goal of those who follow the way is balance and harmony in all things. This naturally gives rise to 3 general guidelines. When applied to the interactive process of life through internal alignment with the wisdom of the way these guidelines will cultivate spiritual wealth (harmony and balance)

 

1. Never be the first. This is a simple rule it allows you to participate in shared experiences without seeking to exploit them. If you cook a meal and wait until your guests have served themselves then you will not be able to horde all of the rations to yourself. The focus will instead be upon sharing and giving. When people continually seek to be the first then their monkey mind tends to take over. They selfishly grasp at passing material pleasures and become possessive. This isnt a very sage like quality to cultivate in your inner garden.

Never being the first also allows you to assess a situation and react accordingly. The first to act at anything is sort of like an experiment. All subsequent actors have the benifit of being able to learn from the first persons triumphs and mistakes. The first in line (whether it is a spiritual revolutionary or a goverment leader) is generally the focus any assassination attempts before the second or fourth in line. In this way we can act with the wisdom of knowing where the first person made mistakes. This allows us to develop our talents fully.

2. Never too much. This is is a principle that allows a person to participate in shared experience without trying to exploit anything. Moderation can be practiced in all things. If my friends and i were sharing a pizza and i ate over half of the pizza for myself then my friends wouldnt have very much to share among themselves. I would also feel as if i had ate too much once i had settled down. If the cells in my body were acting this way i would have cancer.

If you have been around people who like to drink, then you will notice that young drinkers tend to over do it a lot more than experienced drinkers. At a party with young drinkers you will find many people in the back rooms throwing up and having meaningless sex. When drinker get a little older they get tired of this behavior and drink moderately. If they do not begin practicing moderation then their health and intelligence declines rapidly.

3. Love is the principle that gives rise to all creation. The abyss is vast nothingness that contains unlimited potential to manifest in any way. In the beginning of this universe a vast amount of energy exploded out of the middle of nowhere. Through the process of gravity this energy was shaped into the universe we know today. Gravity is simply the universe recognizing the singularity of existence and being attracted to its likeness in the rest of the universe. Gravity is the scientific explanation for what the we as humans express though love. We seem to be orbiting around our loved ones our entire lives. Just as the earth orbits the sun. Unconditional love is realizing that we are all children of the way. In the universe when this singularity becomes recognized we call it a black hole. A black hole is a gathering point for light and through a singularity it creates enough gravity to hold the universe together. If a being becomes one with the singularity inside and outside then we call that enlightenment.

Laotzu called this darkness within darkness the gateway to all understanding. It is the self aware singularity within the unconscious singularity that truely understands all. By observing that we are all individual points in a larger consciousness observing the manifest (life) and the unmanifest (imagination) we come to a recognition of singularity of experience. The natural conclusion is to love all as yourself because all is yourself.

You may say that many people are selfish and undeserving of love. If you really observe the process you realize that we can all choose to be selfish or we can all choose to be beacons of universal love. Most people act unconsciously and simply reflect their upbringing and social conditioning. Statistics show that people who were abused during childhood tend to abuse their children later in life. Living energy tends to reflect the intent directed towards it. As long as we as an earth are divided against each other violence and abuse will naturally arise.

This doesnt mean that we should show unnecessary compassion and let murderers and rapists run free to do as they please. Miyamoto Musashi (a Japanese illuminary) observed that killing was "lamentable but necessary." The shaolin monks spent years practicing kung fu to develop a way to defend themselves without having to injure someone unnecessarily.

Sometimes compassion or pity can be an unbalancing act. It is through compassion that many wrongs are left unjustified. Instead of compassion/pity i suggest adopting a concept called mercy. I will give an example to show the difference.

Once a sage was explaining the concept of mercy to myself and a friend over a cup of coffee. While he was talking a man walked up to our table and sat down. The man pitched a very sad story about having his truck impounded by raceist cops and needing 20$ for a bus ticket to his home town (which was about an hour and a half away. His story was full of holes and simple observation yeilded that this person was on hard drugs. Instead of giving him 20$ the sage pointed him down the street to the local homeless shelter and basically told him to sleep it off. Compassion might give the man 20 dollars and allow him to go feed his addiction. Instead mercy gave him some sound advice and sent him away. Mercy recognizes the true need of the universal spirit within everyone. The universal spirit within that man sought liberation from addiction and so the sage would not waste his rescources to feed his addiction for him. I came asking the same sage for wisdom and he bought me a cup of coffee and was very generous with his wisdom. True love gives all that is sincerely needed and has Mercy on the deviants. In this way unconditional love retains balance and harmony even in charity.

The eyes are called windows to the soul. Recognize the abyss within the center of the eyeball. Recgonize that abyss within yourself and all living beings on this planet. Recognize that abyss at the center of the universe. That abyss is the singularity of unconditional love. Unconditional love is the divine intelligence that guides us and the divine energy that animates us. This is where we all originate from and where we must all return to when we are ready to illuminate the darkness.

"When you stare into the abyss the abyss stares back into you"

Friedrich Nietzsche

"We dance around the circle and can only suppose

but the secret sets in the center and knows."

-Robert Frost

 

The three treasures allow the sage to embody the way of the universe. Observing the 3 treasures gives rise to an understanding of the abyss. An understanding of the abyss allows one to know the singularity. The singularity of unconditional love allows a being to act with virtue. By practicing virtue one may attain the way. That is spiritual illumination by my understanding.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Yes, there is a fine line. Pity is feeling sorry for a person and their condition. Okay, so you feel sorry for them. Can you help them? Will you if you can? Will your help actually serve the other a useful purpose?

 

To pity, in my opinion, is to place ourself above the person having the hard times. "I pity you, you poor fool!" Shame on us if we ever think that way.

 

Compassion, on the other hand, is feeling the pain of the other. And compassion would inspire offering help wherever help could be used. But then, I have little compassion for those who refuse to help themselves. Compassion is not always acts of kindness either. Sometimes people need a wake-up call.

 

I'm pretty sure we're saying the same thing but with different words. It's true that the word usually implies sort of a disgust with the person and their situation. I still find pity a useful word (as I understand it) in this case though because it should involves a deep feeling of sympathy/empathy.

 

Self pity is something else which has a lot of negative emotions involved. But there's also some use to it. Sometimes it takes that level of self-pity to say "Oh Shit! I need some help from a higher source, man, and I need it now!" bringing someone to seek divine guidance and change their life regardless of how bad it has to get before it gets better. Sometimes seeing oneselve's pitiful condition is a positive recognition of their relationship with heaven/earth/humanity, and humbles them enough to speak with the Heavenly Spirit.

 

In both of these cases bravery plays a role, there is a positive role and connotation to "pity" while, like elements of the Tao, negative emotions are always a potential.

[Marblehead]

3 Treasures of the sage

 

 

Hi Phore,

 

Very nice thoughts in there and well articulated.

 

(But I still don't hold 'unconditional love' as one of my traits. On Well.)

[Marblehead]

I'm pretty sure we're saying the same thing ...

 

Yeah, we use different words but I do understand what you are saying.

 

Just like the term "unconditional love" I just spoke to above, I just don't like to use the word "pity" because of the connotations.

[doc benway]

I have Three Treasures, which I hold and keep.

The first is benevolence;

The second is simplicity;

And the third is daring not to be ahead of all beneath Heaven.

From benevolence comes bravery;

From simplicity comes comprehensiveness;

And from daring not to be ahead of all beneath Heaven

Comes the ability of exhausting all infinitude.

- Hu Xuezhi

 

 

Benevolence, love, compassion - comes when the fundamental non-dual nature of being is experienced.

When I experience my eternal nature , how can there be fear?

 

Simplicity is emptiness and tranquility, the source of all.

When I am empty, I am full of everything; but when "I" am there, I am full only of myself.

 

To dare to not be ahead of all beneath Heaven; what need is there to get ahead of others? of nature? to make known my accomplishments? to be great? one who strives for greatness is never truly great.

To accept, to yield, to be comfortable with now and not strive to become...

All is well.

[manitou]

I think there comes a state of mind where unconditional love is possible. It's after all our inner knots are untangled - a lifelong process. To withhold our Love (or compassion) from anyone is to make judgments on who deserves Love and who does not. If we are all One, then we are the Lover. When we are in consciousness with this, it truly is possible to love all unconditionally, regardless of how vile, because we place no expectations on their behavior. We realize that we too ARE that person, and that that person is merely stuck behind their own entanglements. He too wants to be free, but hasn't a clue about how to get there. Most people think the answer is all in the Outer; but it's just the opposite, seems to me.

 

I hate to use myself as an example here, but one event does jump out at me. I walked in on a man and his two dogs burglarizing my house up in Big Bear, CA. This was after I'd retired as a cop, I had no gun. Something inside me told me to handle it differently. I pulled out my cop persona and demanded that he place everything in his pockets onto the floor. One of the things he pulled out was a frozen burrito from my freezer. When I saw that frozen burrito, my heart turned. I could feel it physically melt. I asked him if he was hungry; he was. I nuked the burrito for him and one for me, and we sat and talked. I told him he didn't have to live like that any more; I offered to take him to an NA meeting (he was a heroin addict). He didn't want to go to the meeting, and he ultimately left, and that was that. But a seed was planted in his heart that day. I didn't call the police, I honored my promise to him that I wouldn't, if he listened to what I had to say.

 

A seed was planted. Maybe one day it will grow.

Edited June 29, 2011 by manitou

[Ya Mu]

...

A seed was planted. Maybe one day it will grow.

Sometimes planting that seed, making a difference even if at the time it may seem to some as small in the overall scheme of things, can be one of the most awesomeness acts possible.

[doc benway]

Most people think the answer is all in the Outer; but it's just the opposite, seems to me.

No question about it...

Although old dead guys can give us some clues it seems.

 

 

I hate to use myself as an example here, but one event does jump out at me. I walked in on a man and his two dogs burglarizing my house up in Big Bear, CA. This was after I'd retired as a cop, I had no gun. Something inside me told me to handle it differently. I pulled out my cop persona and demanded that he place everything in his pockets onto the floor. One of the things he pulled out was a frozen burrito from my freezer. When I saw that frozen burrito, my heart turned. I could feel it physically melt. I asked him if he was hungry; he was. I nuked the burrito for him and one for me, and we sat and talked. I told him he didn't have to live like that any more; I offered to take him to an NA meeting (he was a heroin addict). He didn't want to go to the meeting, and he ultimately left, and that was that. But a seed was planted in his heart that day. I didn't call the police, I honored my promise to him that I wouldn't, if he listened to what I had to say.

 

A seed was planted. Maybe one day it will grow.

What a beautiful story.

[manitou]

No question about it...

Although old dead guys can give us some clues it seems.

 

 

 

 

 

Oh yes, the clues are there. But all the old dead guys can do is point to the moon. The journey TO the moon must be made within ourselves.

[Otis]

To dare to not be ahead of all beneath Heaven; what need is there to get ahead of others? of nature? to make known my accomplishments? to be great? one who strives for greatness is never truly great.

I'm sure the difference between us is a semantic one, but I wanted to address this.

 

I do think it is entirely in keeping with the path, to "strive for greatness". Not "greatness" as in social recognition, awards, etc. And certainly not "greater than..." But greatness, as in becoming the greatest human being I possibly can be.

 

To believe in my own greatness, is not very useful. But to strive for greatness is extremely useful.

[Otis]

I think there comes a state of mind where unconditional love is possible.

Great share about the frozen burrito + the heroin addict story, Manitou.

 

I very much like that your OP translation is about "love" rather than benevolence or compassion (or certainly pity!). I just don't think the other words do justice to what I think the chapter is trying to say.

 

I am not a person who lives in love (I wish I were), but I have tasted it. From my admittedly shallow depth, I experience love as a natural powerful flow, that aligns my entire organism, when I allow it. Within that flow, is the recognition that any judgment against others, is a contraction of the potential for my own life. If I want to be truly free, then I believe I have to allow love to take over me. As long as I hold back from love, then I remain a prisoner of my resentment and my fear.

 

Again, this is something I have tasted, and not lived; but when it is present, it's power and clarity is so overwhelming, that it seems to be lighting the path, ahead of me.

[manitou]

The story of the frozen burrito and heroin addict was a strange day in my life. Right after he left, my knees buckled and I crumbled onto the floor. My fear all kicked in at the same time and left me in a heap. But how the heck my fear didn't show when he was there...I'll never know. It was another being inside me....

[cheya]

I see the same thing as happening to the so-called "Three Treasures": that originally it was a byproduct of the spiritual practices that one would see on the physical level; now people just talk about these like humanitarian ethics. For that reason, I never pay attention to these and stick to the inner cultivation as was mentioned.

 

Dawei makes a great point, one that I think is really core to this conversation. Are the three treasures virtues/ethics that we should cultivate in order to attain sagedom? Or are they the byproduct of spiritual practices, observable confirmations of attainment? If the three treasures are markers of attainment, and not MEANS of attainment, then most of this discussion actually belongs in another current thread, the one about how to tell if someone is enlightened.