TTB Website Does has a True Taoist Environment....?!

[ChiDragon]

I have become a member of this website since May 17, 2011. I commenced with a well organized Taoist website. However, I was kind of unease after I have jointed. It was because, at first, I thought I had found a true Taoist website. Then, I had realized that I did not. I was hoping the site would have had been followed the most basic fundamental principle of the Tao Te Ching. Until recently, surprisingly, I have noticed that TTB has made a drastic change by adapting the mentioned Taoist principle. Now, I feel like I'm at home.

Have anyone of you have this kind of feeling....??? Or
What were your feelings when you first joint TTB....???
If you want TTB to follow certain principles, what would you expect them to be....???


Any thoughts.....???

Edited October 28, 2013 by ChiDragon

[寒月 Hanyue]

Depends who is talking....

 

And who is listening

[hod]

A forum can only be the sum of it's members... and those who maintain it's members.

[Jeff]

Hi ChiDragon,

 

When I originionally joined it was for the discussion of the TTC. The discussion was already underway and I appreciated the perspectives & views shared. I was also surprised how small the group involved in the discussion was...

 

Though the audience is huge, it often seems like there are only about 20-30 who speak. And with those members, it is as snowmoki describes...

 

Thank you brother for your additions to the discussion and the resulting clarity.

 

Best wishes,

Jeff

[BaguaKicksAss]

Doesn't the DDJ start off talking about how it can't be spoken about, or it isn't the true Dao and all that? I tried to find a good version to post, but it appears there are over 75 translations.... so I'll stick with heavily paraphrasing.

[Dainin]

Is expecting things to be a certain way truly Taoist?

[Marblehead]

Doesn't the DDJ start off talking about how it can't be spoken about, or it isn't the true Dao and all that? I tried to find a good version to post, but it appears there are over 75 translations.... so I'll stick with heavily paraphrasing.

The Tao Te Ching is second in number of translations to other languages only to the Christian Bible. I'm sure there a lot more translations than 75.

 

But you are right. The Tao cannot be spoken of, but, some of its characteristics can be spoken to. And we can talk all day about Te if we want to.

[Marblehead]

Is expecting things to be a certain way truly Taoist?

That is where I fail often. But then, I have never claimed to be anywhere close to perfect. We all have our personal expectations of life, etc. Many times our expectations are not realistic.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Doesn't the DDJ start off talking about how it can't be spoken about, or it isn't the true Dao and all that? I tried to find a good version to post, but it appears there are over 75 translations.... so I'll stick with heavily paraphrasing.

 

I'd say this means Dao is also (yet not limited to) an action (including the non-interference as action), not just a moral and political philosophy, and which must be known beyond intellectual understanding. This doesn't mean that the hand pointing at the moon does not help at all.

 

Anyway, personally, I'm quite surprised at how little interest there is here in the beautiful and helpful writings of the Daoist sages. There seems to be maybe 6 people that take part in these discussions, and are otherwise often trash-talked as if the lessons of ancient sages are just pretty words that no-one can understand, which is absurd. Yes, go out and live the lessons afterwards when they help you see yourself more clearly, but there is 1000's of years of wisdom in these words too, not to mention proper instruction for meditation in daily life, and in quietude.

 

It is an internet phenomenon, however, and so the quick entertainment of various things will serve their purposes too. I think what we also get, sometimes, is the equivalent of people who "tag" a wall with spray-paint, dirtying up a nice wall or art-piece by chicken-scratching their name on it, trying to build their presence in the world at the expense of someone else's work.

 

Anyways, it's interesting to see the "shadow" personalities here sometimes as it makes sense of some behaviours in the outside world too.

 

I'm not sure which "fundamental principles" exactly are being referred to in the OP though...

[BaguaKicksAss]

My comment was actually sort of tongue in cheek, having a little fun . I always thought it was interesting to have a discussion forum about a work which started off saying to not discuss it.

 

Obviously though, people can help each other with the understanding of it, and the various practices brought about by it.

 

On a side note, I'm more one to read a bit and go contemplate or meditate on it, but not really talk about it. Come to think about it, I don't even talk about the Bagua songs. Fortunately though not everyone is like me, or the textual studies section would be pretty dead.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

I find the textual studies often lead me to broader understanding when someone says "no your wrong" and so I go and see "okay, so why is it like this" and then find out "Ah! it's like that because of this! Interesting!..." lol

[三江源]

.

Edited July 21, 2014 by cat

[Brian]

I wonder how, apart from the forum's name, anyone who has poked around here for a few minutes could think this is a "true taoist website" -- not only the forum's mission statement but a,perusal of the subforum structure should make clear that it is neither strictly nor dogmatically Taoist. That's one of the things I like about it.

 

That said, a person could simply bookmark the Taoist subforum rather than use the View New Content button and the bulk of the non-Taoist stuff magically vanishes.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Idk how many taoist practitioners there are here, actually.

 

I personally think discussing taoist texts is not 'true taoism' at all.

 

 

Its just 'true discussion'.

 

I dont think true taoism is very head based.

 

So all the texts written by sages on the texts of other sages, explaining what is meant and how it can be applied to meditation and life, those authors and teachers were not "true" Taoists? Just because someone discusses texts doesn't mean they don't practice what they learn from it. Obviously there's a reason when it comes to these texts, that goes beyond scholarly intellectualism.

[Jeff]

 

So all the texts written by sages on the texts of other sages, explaining what is meant and how it can be applied to meditation and life, those authors and teachers were not "true" Taoists? Just because someone discusses texts doesn't mean they don't practice what they learn from it. Obviously there's a reason when it comes to these texts, that goes beyond scholarly intellectualism.

As you have said, for those with the capacity, truth can be transmitted through the written word.

[ChiDragon]

I'm not sure which "fundamental principles" exactly are being referred to in the OP though...

 

I glad that you are the first one who have noticed. The reason I didn't want to give it away in the first place was because I want the reader to have the pleasure to figure it out. Eventually, it will be disclosed. We had been spoken about it many times in many places. However, those who had spent so much time with the Tao Te Ching should know this.

Edited October 26, 2013 by ChiDragon

[Harmonious Emptiness]

As you have said, for those with the capacity, truth can be transmitted through the written word.

Or at the very least, teachings which can help to unveil it.

 

 

I glad that you are the first one who have noticed. The reason I didn't want to give it away in the first place was because I want the reader to have the pleasure to figure it out. Eventually, it will be disclosed. We had been spoken about it many times in many places. However, those who had spent so much time with the Tao Te Ching should know this.

The fundamental principle of always letting the Native Chinese have the last word???!!!

[ChiDragon]

The fundamental principle of always letting the Native Chinese have the last word???!!!

 

..................................................................

 

I'm sorry, but it didn't have to be that way.............!!!

[Wu Ming Jen]

I lost interest with the amount of mis information and practices posted that can be harmful and not Taoist in origin but a fusion with polluted matter.

 

My hope is that people find true teachers and not take advice from those who poke around in the dark, delude themselves then believe it so much they try to delude others.

 

Then on the up side is valuable understandings and great insight by a few members here that type.

 

So I like to read but my involvement lessens not moved to act in positive or negative posting, warnings never seem to reach a ear full of noise.

[Marblehead]

The fundamental principle of always letting the Native Chinese have the last word???!!!

You know that's not going to happen here.

[三江源]

.

Edited July 21, 2014 by cat

[ChiDragon]

Is expecting things to be a certain way truly Taoist?

 

Yes, I am meditating on top of the hill and expecting the rain to be fallen on my head.

 

Expecting something to be a certain way is different from making something to be a certain way intentionally.

Edited October 26, 2013 by ChiDragon

[Harmonious Emptiness]

 

So all the texts written by sages on the texts of other sages, explaining what is meant and how it can be applied to meditation and life, those authors and teachers were not "true" Taoists? hi Harmonious Emptiness, ha ha ,no I would say nothing so extremist and nonsensical, thanks for the humour, I appreciate it. Clearly the tao is alive in wit.Just because someone discusses texts doesn't mean they don't practice what they learn from it. Yes, idk how many practiitioners are here, as I said. You have the number? Obviously there's a reason when it comes to these texts, that goes beyond scholarly intellectualism. Obviously!

 

Well, you had said:

"Idk how many taoist practitioners there are here, actually. I personally think discussing taoist texts is not 'true taoism' at all. Its just 'true discussion'. I dont think true taoism is very head based."

 

Well, to practice "True Daoism" does it not make sense to make sure your learning "true Daoist teachings" and study the foundations from which they should be coming from?

 

Anyways, I'm not anyone to point the finger and say who is and who isn't practicing. I'm pretty much practicing all day long, especially before and after work (kitchen brigade), based on a number of things which are merely "philosophical" like "not too much" "naturalness" "oneness of breath and body," environmental awareness, balance, and harmony, mud stepping over wet floors and warding off hot pans, while maintaining the One .. what do I need to be a true "practitioner" of Daoism? I don't have a regular teacher, yet my actions are weighed against internalized teachings of so many ancient Sage authors. The combination of all these teachers becomes one teacher, yourself, when you learn for yourself that what they say is true.

[ChiDragon]

Hi ChiDragon,

 

When I originionally joined it was for the discussion of the TTC. The discussion was already underway and I appreciated the perspectives & views shared. I was also surprised how small the group involved in the discussion was...

 

Though the audience is huge, it often seems like there are only about 20-30 who speak. And with those members, it is as snowmoki describes...

 

Thank you brother for your additions to the discussion and the resulting clarity.

 

Best wishes,

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff....

You welcome and thank you the kind words. I, also, would like to thank those who complimented and do appreciate my presence here through PM in the past.

 

I originally joined TTB was the impression of the site gave me. It seems very legitimate and welcoming. It gives me a sense of a true Taoist environment. Even thought it seems like what it is but it is not what it is as I would like it to be.

 

*************************************************************************************************************************

This is only my understanding and opinion which I am abide to in the application of Wu Wei for my self cultivation. I am not attempting to make a judgment on any member of this forum. If you read the title of the thread, it should be self explanatory.

 

You see, most people who study the TTC did not grasp the most basic fundamental principle which is Wu Wei(無為). For easy understanding, we can translate it as "do nothing adversely". What it is really saying was not to do anything which would cause an adverse effect and back fired.

 

This is what this thread is all about. The question in my mind is does TTB follow this principle as a Taoist website......??? If not, I think it should consider it in the near future or it might have followed already. I hope...!!!

Edited October 27, 2013 by ChiDragon

[mjjbecker]

 

You see, most people who study the TTC did not grasp the most basic fundamental principle which is Wu Wei(無為). For easy understanding, we can translate it as "do nothing adversely". What it is really saying was not to do anything which would cause an adverse effect and back fired.

 

 

Here:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_wei

http://taoism.about.com/od/wuwei/a/wuwei.htm

 

Clearly you need all the help you can get.

 

For my part this is the straw dog that broke the camels back. Onto the ignore list you go.