Nikolai1 Posted April 3, 2014 Hi all, I've started to write a commentary on each verse of the Tao Te Ching and I would love you all to read it. I've done 2 chapters so far but my aim is to work steadily on it over the coming weeks and months. Enjoy! http://taotechingcommentary.blogspot.fi/ Best wishes, Nick 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nestentrie Posted April 6, 2014 Enjoy I did. Thanks for sharing. Will you be notifying us when you have more chapters up? I'll be watching this thread to see when you have more. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted April 6, 2014 Very nicely done. Thanks for sharing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flowing hands Posted April 6, 2014 (edited) Hi all, I've started to write a commentary on each verse of the Tao Te Ching and I would love you all to read it. I've done 2 chapters so far but my aim is to work steadily on it over the coming weeks and months. Enjoy! http://taotechingcommentary.blogspot.fi/ Best wishes, Nick Hi Nikolai 1, If you go to my website you can download the true edition of the DDJ that was taught to me 1987 by one of my masters Lao Tzu. You can also read more verses that he wrote while at the gate keepers house that have never come to light, there are I believe many reasons for this, on new verses thread. Edited April 6, 2014 by flowing hands Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nikolai1 Posted April 6, 2014 nestentrie - I'm posting new chapters every day or two at the moment, but I'll post a few more reminders until its finished. Obviously I want people to read it. But's its a long job...! flowing hands - ...which you are making longer! I thought chapter 81 would be the end for me! I've been reading the new chapters and will try and post my thoughts on that thread. Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dragon X Posted April 19, 2014 Hi Nikolai 1, If you go to my website you can download the true edition of the DDJ that was taught to me 1987 by one of my masters Lao Tzu. You can also read more verses that he wrote while at the gate keepers house that have never come to light, there are I believe many reasons for this, on new verses thread. Are you willing to share this website with others so we can see / study more of the DDJ -Thanx Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dragon X Posted April 19, 2014 Nikolai1 .......Thanx realli good & insightful read. WOW !! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nikolai1 Posted April 19, 2014 Nikolai1 .......Thanx realli good & insightful read. WOW !! Thank you! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dragon X Posted April 19, 2014 No Problem , Same way it is taking you months to write and compile your thoughts. Same way it will take me a while to read them. And even tho' i may not always understand parts ov it or not always agree, i am sure i will always find it interesting & insightful. Truli it is i who should be thanxing You, and this site Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dragon X Posted April 19, 2014 Hi Nikolai 1, If you go to my website you can download the true edition of the DDJ that was taught to me 1987 by one of my masters Lao Tzu. You can also read more verses that he wrote while at the gate keepers house that have never come to light, there are I believe many reasons for this, on new verses thread. Sorry flowing hands i found it / wasn't payin attention it was there a along................. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nikolai1 Posted May 4, 2014 Hi all ! I've now completed 27 chapters of my commentary - a third of the way through! http://taotechingcommentary.blogspot.fi/2014/04/chapter-1_18.html Thank you all for your comments so far. I would love to hear any feedback now there is more to read, either here or on the blog. Happy reading, and best wishes, Nikolai 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted May 7, 2014 Nikolai - how refreshing and enjoyable to read your thoughts on the TTC. One of my favorite parts of the TTC is where you say "The sage is always good at saving men, and therefore nobody is abandoned." I see a further ramification on this as well. The sage is good at 'utilizing' the qualities of all men (even if seemingly impossible because the person may be a real mess). Because he is a seer, the sage can see the personality dynamics of another with clarity and can utilize all personality dynamics in play (whether positive or negative) to enable the highest outcome. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Posted May 7, 2014 Hi Nikolai 1, If you go to my website you can download the true edition of the DDJ that was taught to me 1987 by one of my masters Lao Tzu. You can also read more verses that he wrote while at the gate keepers house that have never come to light, there are I believe many reasons for this, on new verses thread. I carry your DDJ with me, flowing hands. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nikolai1 Posted May 8, 2014 Manitou One of my favorite parts of the TTC is where you say "The sage is always good at saving men, and therefore nobody is abandoned." I see a further ramification on this as well. The sage is good at 'utilizing' the qualities of all men (even if seemingly impossible because the person may be a real mess). Because he is a seer, the sage can see the personality dynamics of another with clarity and can utilize all personality dynamics in play (whether positive or negative) to enable the highest outcome. Yes totally agree! I think few of us realise how many situations really can result in a win-win for all concerned. We miss the win-win solution because we are blinded by the intellectual prejudices we bring, or we have unconscious vested interests that lead us to take sides. The sage, by being spiritually secure, does not need any particular outcome and so can see what is best for everyone. This comes up also in Chapter 16 http://taotechingcommentary.blogspot.fi/2014/04/chapter-16.html 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted May 9, 2014 Nikolai - I very much like your reference to the Dao as the Constant, in your chapter 16. what a perfect word. The vision that comes to my mind is a basketball player keeping one foot grounded (in the Constant) and having the other foot free to pivot about and take care of business. As long as his foot is grounded, his vision is impeccable because he sees everything in the backdrop of the Whole. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nikolai1 Posted May 9, 2014 Thank you but that word Constant is from Wu's translation - not my own idea! I'm just doing the commentary bits in between! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dawei Posted May 23, 2014 "constant" is from CHANG... this later was used to mean many other more modern things than its original use... Dao is not constant... maybe in its regularity and it's tenacity... but for Dao neither exists... http://thetaobums.com/topic/31896-chang-original-use-in-ancient-times/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted May 23, 2014 Tao is dynamic just as all aspects of Tao are dynamic. I think it would be impossible to identify any constant within the universe or even prior to the present universe. (Well, except maybe for the forces [electromagnetic, gravity, etc)] of the universe. But likely even they did not exist prior to the beginning of this present universe.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nikolai1 Posted May 23, 2014 Dao is not constant... maybe in its regularity and it's tenacity... but for Dao neither exists... To be honest, because the Tao is the one thing that can't be defined I find myself being quite lenient at others' attempts! Certainly, the Tao made manifest, the Tao that we perceive is totally and thoroughly dynamic. It is nothing other than change itself. So from this perspective the 'Constant' seems a very strange choice of words. But as we learn to stand back from this change and to observe it happening there arises a state - it seems like a feeling - but it is a state of bliss and unity that is there regardless of anything that is occurring in the manifest realm. It is immense, solid and unchangable and we feel it wherever we go, whatever we do. For this hidden, unmanifest aspect of the Tao the term Constant is highly appropriate, and like Manitou said, it is really the perfect word. When we talk of the Tao we therefore have four choices: 1) to use terms that pertain to the manifest e.g. dynamic 2) to use terms that pertain to the unmanifest e.g. Constant 3) to use both in the form of a deliberate paradox e.g. Changeless change 4) to say nothing Each of these approaches has their merits, but I think most of us find ourselves tending to use one more than the others. I find that seeing that dynamism of the Tao comes easiest, and so it is most helpful to emphasise this to beginners - who most likely tend to see the world as a collection of things that endure in time and space and need to be reminded of the radical impermanence of things. The unmanifest perspective can only be understood by those who are spiritually developed. Indeed, the realisation of the unmanifest is probably the single biggest breakthrough we make. Ironically, there are many who allow the vision of the unmanifest to eclipse their old vision of the manifest. They find it hard to hold the two truths in mind. These must therefore be reminded of the dynamism of the world just as the beginners are! Eventually they will understand the two truths and be able to cope with silence and paradox as viable descriptions of the Tao. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted May 23, 2014 To be honest, because the Tao is the one thing that can't be defined I find myself being quite lenient at others' attempts! Yeah, sometimes what I say just needs to be ignored. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted May 24, 2014 But as we learn to stand back from this change and to observe it happening there arises a state - it seems like a feeling - but it is a state of bliss and unity that is there regardless of anything that is occurring in the manifest realm. It is immense, solid and unchangable and we feel it wherever we go, whatever we do. This says it, Nikolai. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted May 25, 2014 I find that seeing that dynamism of the Tao comes easiest, and so it is most helpful to emphasise this to beginners - who most likely tend to see the world as a collection of things that endure in time and space and need to be reminded of the radical impermanence of things. The unmanifest perspective can only be understood by those who are spiritually developed. Indeed, the realisation of the unmanifest is probably the single biggest breakthrough we make. Ironically, there are many who allow the vision of the unmanifest to eclipse their old vision of the manifest. They find it hard to hold the two truths in mind. These must therefore be reminded of the dynamism of the world just as the beginners are! Eventually they will understand the two truths and be able to cope with silence and paradox as viable descriptions of the Tao. The longer one thinks about things such as quantum physics - and the fact that all is really happening here and now - that yesterday can be seen and tomorrow can be measured. We're heading down the rabbit hole here... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dawei Posted May 25, 2014 We're heading down the rabbit hole here... or we are the rabbit hole... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flowing hands Posted May 25, 2014 I carry your DDJ with me, flowing hands.You obviously know a good thing when you read it 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted May 25, 2014 We're heading down the rabbit hole here... Or perhaps we are escaping the rabbit hole to see what is at the surface. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
