The Three Treasures

[manitou]

I thought it might be interesting to compare the various translations of the three treasures of the Sage, contained in the TTC, chapter 67. It seems to me that a triangulation of several translations might well get to the Essence, more than any one translation; rather like a study of comparative religions ultimately leads to the Oneness of all as a common overlay.

 

I would like to comment on Lin Yutang's translation, along wih the translation of Stephen Mitchell.

 

It's my opinion that the 3 treasures are attributes which the sage develops within himself; I don't think he's magically born with them. My view is that it takes desire, it takes work, it takes impeccability, it takes uncovering one's true self to get to the point of possession of the 3 treasures. It is here for any of us, if the desire is sufficient.

 

In Lin Yutang's version, a section of chapter 67 reads:

 

I have Three Treasures;

Guard them and keep them safe:

The first is Love (Yutang footnote - tender love, associated with the mother)

The second is, Never too much. (footnote: "frugality", "be sparing")

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.

 

...........For love is victorious in attack,

and invulnerable in defense.

Heaven arms with love

those it would not see destroyed.

 

Discussing these 3 treasures, Love is possible once one sees all life as One. There is no separation between selves; to look into the eyes of another, be it human, animal, or insect, is to look at the black void in the center of their eyes. It is all the same void. We are all the same entity; to smile at another is to smile at one's self. To hate another is to hate one's self. When one remains in the awareness of Love and Oneness, this seems to ensure that things flow as they are intended to flow. a weapon, yes.

 

The second of Yutang's treasures, 'Never too much' involves not only frugality, but frugality as an end result of one's own character efforts. This involves the ability to put one's self second; to let the other be first, take the largest share. It involves losing the competitive nature. How did the sage gain this attribute? Not by following the selfish instincts most of us learn in our young life. It takes subjugating the ego so that we are not prisoners to our own well-being first and foremost.

 

The same is true of the third treasure, Never be the first in the world. I, for one, was brought up to be the first in the class; to win any race I was entered in. To seek promotion above all, within my career. the ironic thing is that if we are impeccable in our thoughts and actions, the elevation will come to us naturally, in its own time. There is no need to grapple and step on others. This again involves the subjugation of ego, an examination of our own character, an examination of our own motives always.

 

 

Turning to the translation of Stephen Mitchell, he writes:

 

I have just three things to teach:

Simplicity, Patience, Compassion.

These three are your greatest treasures.

Simple in actions and in thoughts,

you return to the source of being.

Patient with both friends and enemies,

you accord with the way things are.

Compassionate toward yourself,

you reconcile all beings in the world.

 

In Stephen Mitchell's excellent chapter notes at the back of the book, he notes the following regarding the treasures:

 

I have three treasure which I preserve and treasure. the first is compassion, the second is frugality, the third is daring not to be the first in the world. Whoever has compassion can be brave. Whoever has frugality can be generous. Whoever dares not to be the first in the world can become the leader of the world. But to be brave without compassion, generous wihout frugality, prominent without humility: this is fatal. Whoever shows compassion in battle will conquer. Whoever shows compassion in defense will stand firm. Heaven helps and protects those with compassion.

 

 

For those who take seriously the TTC and wish to live their lives according to the dynamics contained therein, the Three Treasures seems to me to be the most succinct directions on how to become a Sage, should one be interested. The 3 treasures seem to describe an intensely personal journey into one's own ego, one's own motives, one's own desire for personal stature. I don't see this as something that comes 'naturally', but there may be many here who differ with that opinion. I think it takes serious work.

 

I look forward to other translations of the 3 Treasures for discussion?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ChiDragon]

Chapter 67 - The Three Treasures
1. I have three treasures.
2. I'll hold on to and well keep it.
3. The first is mercy.
4. The second is cultivation.
5. The third is not dare to dwell before the people.
6. Mercy will able one to be bold.
7. Cultivation will able one to be broaden.
8. If one is not dare to dwell before the people, then one is able to lead all things.
9. Now, one who disregard mercy to replace with boldness,
10. And disregard cultivation to replace with broadness,
12. One who disregard to stay behind instead striving to lead in the front,
12. Therefore, one is going toward demise indeed!
13. If one uses mercy in a war, then one will win.
14. If one uses defensive strategy, then one will be stable.
15. Whoever Heaven is willing to help,
16. It will protect them with mercy.


Does this translation tell you a story or some kind......??? Ask me questions, I think I can justify them.

Edited January 19, 2013 by ChiDragon

[Reed]

I was actually reading this one last night. I have Cleary's version:

 

I have three treasures

that I keep and hold:

one is mercy,

the second is frugality,

the third is not presuming

to be at the head of the world.

By reason of mercy,

one can be brave.

By reason of frugality,

one can be broad.

By not presuming

to be at the head of the world,

one can make your potential last.

 

Now if one were bold

but had no mercy,

if one were broad

but were not frugal,

if one went ahead

without deference,

one would die.

 

Use mercy in war,

and you win;

use it for defence,

and you're secure.

Those whom heaven is going to save

are those it guards with mercy.

 

----

 

In his notes, he says breadth refers to capacity, versatility, generosity, and function.

Edited January 19, 2013 by Reed

[Reed]

 

4. The second is cultivation.

 

 

It's an interesting word cultivation. Frugality to me seems to involve minimising loss whereas cultivation suggests maximising reserves of energy? What exactly does cultivation mean for you here?

Edited January 19, 2013 by Reed

[cheya]

Here is an interesting version from scholar Ellen M Chen, The Tao Te Ching: A New Translation with Commentary.

 

 

"I have three treasures (pao),

To hold and to keep:

The first is motherly love (tz'u),

The second is frugality (chien),

The third is daring not be at the world's front.

 

 

With motherly love one can be courageous,

With frugality one can be wide reaching,

Daring not be at the world's front,

One can grow to a full vessel (ch'i).

 

 

Now to discard motherly love, yet to be courageous,

To discard frugality, yet to be wide reaching,

To discard staying behind, yet to be at the front,

One dies!

 

 

One with motherly love is victorious in battle,

Invulnerable in defense.

When Heaven wills to save a people,

It guards them with motherly love."

[ChiDragon]

 

Quote from Reed, Posted Today, 12:03 PM:

It's an interesting word cultivation. Frugality to me seems to involve minimising loss whereas cultivation suggests maximising reserves of energy? What exactly does cultivation mean for you here?

 

 

7. Cultivation will able one to be broaden.

7. Cultivation will able one to be broaden.

In a Taoist view, cultivation is to strive for a better personality by staying close to Nature or to integrate oneself with Nature. Follow the natural path with the course of Nature.

 

 

3. The first is mercy.

4. The second is cultivation.

5. The third is not dare to dwell before the people.

In relationship with the people, the three treasures were advices for the ruler to follow the cultivating qualities to treat the people with benevolence. Indeed, line 5 was suggesting that a ruler should not live before the people but for the people.

 

 

Edited January 19, 2013 by ChiDragon

[manitou]

Chapter 67 - The Three Treasures

1. I have three treasures.

2. I'll hold on to and well keep it.

3. The first is mercy.

4. The second is cultivation.

5. The third is not dare to dwell before the people.

6. Mercy will able one to be bold.

 

This is an interesting juxtaposition, the idea of mercy enabling one to be bold. If one has full mercy, or compassion, or even 'agape love' (motherly love), one is living in the fullness of the One; one sees no separation between self and that which is in front of us. We are in awareness at that moment of the connectedness of all things, and there would be no room for fear. All time and space is ours, and boldness would be action without fear.

 

7. Cultivation will able one to be broaden.

8. If one is not dare to dwell before the people, then one is able to lead all things.

 

This would be the gift of wu-wei, as I see it. The best ruler is the one who stays to the background and no one knows is there; yet, by setting his intent on a result and then practicing the art of Not-Doing, all things get done.

 

9. Now, one who disregard mercy to replace with boldness,

10. And disregard cultivation to replace with broadness,

12. One who disregard to stay behind instead striving to lead in the front,

12. Therefore, one is going toward demise indeed!

13. If one uses mercy in a war, then one will win.

 

The Art of War to the bone.

 

14. If one uses defensive strategy, then one will be stable.

15. Whoever Heaven is willing to help,

16. It will protect them with mercy.

 

 

Does this translation tell you a story or some kind......??? Ask me questions, I think I can justify them.

[ChiDragon]

manitou....

That is exactly what the philosophies of TTC was converged into.

"The Art of War to the bone."
Exactly, you are familiar with The Art of War too..........

Edited January 19, 2013 by ChiDragon

[Reed]

 

7. Cultivation will able one to be broaden.

In a Taoist view, cultivation is to strive for a better personality by staying close to Nature or to integrate oneself with Nature. Follow the natural path with the course of Nature.

 

 

 

 

Thanks

[manitou]

 

 

With motherly love one can be courageous,

With frugality one can be wide reaching,

Daring not be at the world's front,

One can grow to a full vessel (ch'i).

 

 

Now to discard motherly love, yet to be courageous,

To discard frugality, yet to be wide reaching,

To discard staying behind, yet to be at the front,

One dies!

 

 

I'm having a real time trying to grab a quote and respond to it, lol. I'm not doing something right. Ergo the red letters.

 

These two stanzas can go directly to ego too, as I see it. the more frugal we become (and I interpret that as requiring fewer and fewer things as we gain in wisdom and realize that external things don't do much to fulfill us) the less we need to go out and grab for ourselves. The humbler life becomes, we become. Our world is Here Now, not Out There Somewhere Else. But how this goes against our grain, to not be the first; or at least, many of us.

 

Those of us in the Western world have been given the message to Eat or be Eaten for many years; in many cases it takes a 180 degree turn within ourselves to develop the willingness to let others be first, get the recognition, or get a larger share. It goes against our self-preservation gene to some extent until it is taught that that which is gained is of more value than that which is lost.

[Marblehead]

How about some James Legge?

 

"But I have three precious things which I prize and hold fast. The first is gentleness; the second is economy; and the third is shrinking from taking precedence of others."

[manitou]

manitou....

 

That is exactly what the philosophies of TTC was converged into.

 

"The Art of War to the bone."

Exactly, you are familiar with The Art of War too..........

 

 

The Art of War is quite a phenomenon to me. How it manages to encapsulate the broad and abstract concepts contained within the TTC as a manual for warfare is incredible. But it mirrors the TTC - letting life come to us, letting the war come to us. Nipping things in the bud before they get big. Never leading with ego. Being the reluctant general and seeing the sadness in the victory. Doing by not doing, by utilizing the natural way. By understanding your own nature so you can understand the nature of the opposing general. It's all there.

 

It seems to be the manual for the implementation of the Tao when we are unfortunate enough to have a war lying at our feet.

 

 

RE; James Legge - Marbles -

 

The word that is interesting to me is Economy. I've seen this usage in M. Blavatsky books. Economy in her sense seems to be 'the way things work', as opposed to thinking in a monetary sense. There is an old community not far from me in Pennsylvania called Old Economy; so named because it wanted to tap into 'God's economy' - the ways of the universe, the ways of the seasons, of nature. Living close to and off the land.

 

But in this Taoistic sense it could also be the Economy as alluded to in the translators that opted for 'Never Too Much', as Yutang did. To be satisfied with just what we need, undiluted by greed.

Edited January 19, 2013 by manitou

[dawei]

Flowing Hand's Transmission:

 

 

The first is mercy, the second is economy, and the third is being at one with the Dao.

From mercy springs life and strength.

From economy comes generosity.

From the Dao comes the knowledge of all things.

---

It surprises me that the various translations talk about being first or in front of... while other areas of the DDJ translate the word as 'before'. What can possibly be before 'all things'? Only Dao.

As DDJ25 says: What is before heaven and earth? We don't seem to debate that so much...

[Marblehead]

RE; James Legge - Marbles -

 

The word that is interesting to me is Economy.

I don't have a problem attaching the word "economy" or even replacing my "Conservativism" with it. The principle is still the same, IMO. (I have never used the word "frugality" in any of my writings or conversations therefore using it would not have been natural for me. But I do use the words conserve and conservative very often. [i am a conservative.])

[Marblehead]

As DDJ25 says: What is before heaven and earth?

Most physicists, I think, would say Singularity. What is Singularity? So far it has remained undefinable. Likewise Dao.

[manitou]

[i am a conservative.])

 

 

Duh, lol

 

Maybe singularity can be seen as Latency, Potential.

Edited January 21, 2013 by manitou

[Marblehead]

Duh, lol

 

Maybe singularity can be seen as Latency, Potential.

Yes, potential would be a fair word.

[manitou]

Yes, potential would be a fair word.

 

I read once in an occult Yogi book the expression 'the oak is in the acorn'. For some reason this hit me deeply. It's like the potential, the hidden blueprint, is contained within. It all seems to boil down to 'the idea behind the phenomena'. that's also the concept of the Native American 'manitou' - the spirit that underlies everything.

 

It is also an acknowledgment that time is an illusion, in a way. the past, the present, the future are all contained within that one acorn.

 

(P.s. Marbles - please know that my 'Duh' was a very loving 'Duh'. Perhaps even a teasing 'Duh'.

Edited January 21, 2013 by manitou