The Father and Son of Taoist Philosophy

[Marblehead]

Taking a deep breath Chuang Tzu continued:

 

 

How Doctrines Of Justice And Humanity Lead To Chaos

Love of vision leads to debauchery in color; love of hearing leads to debauchery in sound; love of humanity leads to confusion in character; love of justice leads to perversion of principles; love of ceremonies leads to a common fashion for technical skill; love of music leads to common lewdness of thought; love of wisdom leads to a fashion for the arts; and love of knowledge leads to a fashion for criticism.  If the people are allowed to fulfill peacefully the natural instincts of their lives, the above eight may or may not be; it matters not.  But if the people are not allowed to fulfill peacefully the natural instincts of their lives, then these eight cause discontent and contention and strife, and throw the world into chaos.

Yet the world worships and cherishes them.  Indeed, the mental chaos of the world is deep-seated.  Is it merely a passing mistake that can be simply removed?  Yet they observe fasts before their discussion, bend down on their knees to practice them, and sing and beat the drum and dance to celebrate them.  What can be done about it?
 

[Marblehead]

With still more to say Chuang Tzu continued:

 

 

Action And Non-Action

The non-action of the wise man is not inaction.  It is not studied.  It is not shaken by anything.  The Sage is quiet because he is not moved, not because he wills to be quiet.  Still water is like glass.  You can look in it and see the bristles on your chin.  It is a perfect level; a carpenter could use it.  The heart of the wise man is tranquil.  It is the mirror of Heaven and Earth; the glass of everything.  Emptiness, stillness, tranquillity, tastelessness, silence and non-action; this is the level of Heaven and Earth.  This is perfect Tao.  Wise men find here their resting place.  Resting, they are empty.

From emptiness comes the unconditioned.  From this, the conditioned, the individual things.  So from the Sage’s emptiness, stillness arises.  From stillness, action.  From action, attainment.  From their stillness comes their non-action, and therefore, their attainment.  For stillness is joy.  Joy is free from care; fruitful in long years.  Joy does all things without concern; for emptiness, stillness, tranquillity, tastelessness, silence, and non-action are the root of all things.
 

[Marblehead]

With only a pause to take a breath, Chuang Tzu continued:

 

 

Unconscious Goodness

To arrive there without realizing why it is so is called Tao.

There is no greater injury to one’s character than practicing virtue with motivation.

In archery, the man who hits the target without aiming first is the good archer.

A man feels a pleasurable sensation before he smiles and smiles before he thinks how he ought to smile.
 

[Marblehead]

After a short pause Chuang Tzu added:

 

 

On Profound Silence

When the king does not interfere with the various offices, the officials will manage their own affairs.  Those with clear vision will do the seeing, those with sharp ears will do the listening, the wise will do the planning, and the strong will provide protection.  What need is there to take any action?  Only profound silence, that is all.
 

[Marblehead]

All was silent for a while.  A group of chattering school girls were approaching so it was time to just sit and watch the fishes.

 

When calm returned to the river bank Lao Tzu said:

 

 

By Attaining The One

Of those in the past that attained the One;
Heaven, by attaining the One became clear;
Earth, by attaining the One became stable;
Spirits, by attaining the One became divine;
Valleys, by attaining the One became full;
Marquises and kings, by attaining the One
Made the whole land ordered and secure.
Taking this to its logical conclusion we would say;
If Heaven were not by means of it clear,
It would shatter.
If the Earth were not by means of it stable,
It would let go.
If the spirits were not by means of it divine,
They would be powerless.
If valleys were not by means of it full,
They would dry up.
And if marquises and kings
Were not by means of it noble and high,
They would topple and fall.

The things that are hated by the whole world
Are to be orphaned, widowed, and have no grain.
Yet marquises and kings take these as their names.
Therefore,
It must be the case that
The noble has the base as its root;
And it must be the case that
The high has the low for its foundation.
This is taking the base as one’s root, is it not?!
And because of this,
Marquises and kings desire not
To dazzle and glitter like jade,
But to remain firm and strong like stone.
Rather than jingle like the jade,
Rumble like the rocks.
 

[shanlung]

All was silent for a while.  A group of chattering school girls were approaching so it was time to just sit and watch the fishes.

 

When calm returned to the river bank Lao Tzu said:

 

 

By Attaining The One

 

 

   

 

Not certain where that came from.

Might be The Tao that was left unwritten until you brought that up in daobums.

 

   

 

But then as you all know I am the Idiotic Taoist so what am I to know of lofty writings be they written or unwritten

 

   

Edited December 27, 2015 by shanlung

[Marblehead]

Chuang Tzu thought for a moment then replied:

 

 

The Power Behind Spring And Autumn

“My disciple, why are you so surprised?  Spring comes and all vegetation grows.   Autumn arrives and the harvest is taken in.  Now, do you suppose spring and autumn do these things without something behind them?

 

 

[Marblehead]

Chuang Tzu then added:

 

 

How A Sage Lives In The World

The Great Sage held firm to the center and took things as they came along.  He was unaware of the beginning and the end; of the past and the present and had no concerns about the future.  He followed the process of change in Nature, but in keeping to the One, he knew that the One was eternal and changeless.  He did not forget the unity of things for a moment.  For one who tries to model himself after Nature and fails, perishes with the common things and loses the power with which to meet the affairs of the day.  The Sage is unconscious of Nature and of man, of beginnings and of material things.  He goes about in this world without falling back and in all that he does, he never fails.  That is how he keeps close to the Tao.
 

[Marblehead]

Both men fell silent as a herd of chattering school girls passed by on their way home from school.

 

When peace returned Lao Tzu said:

 

 

The Guide For The Universe

Great completion seems incomplete;
Yet its usefulness is never exhausted.
Great fullness seems to be empty;
Yet its usefulness is never used up.
Great straightness seems to be bent.
Great skill seems to be clumsy.
Great eloquence seems to stammer.
Great surplus seems lacking.
Activity overcomes cold;
Tranquillity overcomes heat.  

The highest perfection is like imperfection
(It assumes fluid form according to circumstances.)
But its use is never impaired.
The greatest abundance seems meager,
But its use will never fail.
Division is the same as union;
Creation is the same as destruction.
There is no such thing as creation or destruction,
For these conditions are leveled together into One.

Therefore it is said that
One who argues does so because he is confused;
A perfect argument does not employ words.
Movement overcomes cold;
Keeping still overcomes heat.
Who is calm and quiet
Becomes the guide for the Universe.
If you’re quiet and tranquil
You can become the ruler of the world.
 

[Marblehead]

Chuang Tzu had nothing further to say to the topic and remained silent.

 

After a while Lao Tzu said:

 

 

Decreasing Day By Day

Those who work at their studies increase day after day;
Those who have heard the Tao decrease day after day.
They decrease and decrease,
Till they get to the point where they do nothing.
They do nothing and yet there’s nothing left undone.
By doing nothing everything is done.
He who conquers the world often does so
By doing nothing but rather by moral influence.
When one is compelled to do something
By ordering people about,
The world is already beyond his conquering.
When someone wants to take control of the world,
He must always be unconcerned with affairs.
For in a case where he’s concerned with affairs,
He’ll be unworthy of taking control of the world.
 

[NotVoid]

. . .

Edited January 1, 2016 by NotVoid

[Marblehead]

Remembering only the end of a story, Chuang Tzu said:

 

 

On Doing Nothing

For three years he did not go out.  He did the cooking for his wife and fed his pigs as respectfully as if they had been men.  He took no part in affairs; he did away with his artificial ornaments and returned to natural simplicity.  He became like a clod of earth; in the midst of distraction he remained concentrated, and so on until the end of his life.
 

[Marblehead]

And Chuang Tzu continued:

 

 

On Giving Free Rein To The Mind

One disciple said to another, “Sit down and I’ll tell you what I learned from my master.  Three years after I had begun to serve him, my mind no longer dared to distinguish between true and false, and my mouth no longer dared to speak about useful and harmful; then, for the first time, I got a look from my master.  After five years, my mind again started distinguishing between true and false, and my mouth again started speaking about useful and harmful; then, for the first time, my master’s face brightened and he smiled.  After seven years, I managed to free my thoughts of all notions of true and false; I managed to free my speech of useful and harmful.  Then, for the first time, the master invited me to sit beside him on his mat.  After nine years, I managed to give free rein to my mind and mouth; I was no longer aware of any truth or falsehood, any usefulness or harmfulness, that could concern myself or others, nor of having a master or of having a fellow disciple.  Outside and inside were one, and my eyes were like my ears, my ears like my nose, my nose like my mouth, all my senses were alike.  I felt as if my mind was solidifying, my body coming apart, and my bones and flesh dissolving.  I no longer felt that my body leaned against something, nor that my feet touched the ground, but let myself be borne east and west by the wind, like a leaf or dry wood-shaving; and finally I could no longer tell whether I was carrying the wind along or whether the wind was carrying me.”
 

[Stosh]

Fast learner.

[Marblehead]

After a while of silence with no further comments from Chuang Tzu,

 

Lao Tzu said:

 

 

Win The World By Doing Nothing

Use the upright and correct to order the state;
Use surprise tactics when you use troops;
Use unconcern with affairs
To take control of the world.
How does the Sage know that this is so?
Well,
The more prohibitions there are in the world,
The poorer the people will be.
The more sharp weapons the people possess,
The more muddled the state will be.
The more knowledge and skill people have,
The more novel things will appear.
The more legal matters are made prominent,
The more robbers and thieves there will be.
Therefore, the words of the Sage say,
“I do nothing,
And the people of themselves are transformed;
I love tranquillity,
And the people of themselves are upright;
I’m unconcerned with affairs,
And the people of themselves become rich;
I desire not to desire,
And the people of themselves are genuine and simple,
Like uncarved wood.
I do nothing and the people are reformed of themselves,
Civilized by moral influence.
I love quietude
And the people are righteous of themselves.
I deal in no business
And the people grow rich by themselves.
I have no desires
And the people are simple and honest by themselves.”
 

Edited January 3, 2016 by Marblehead

[Marblehead]

And Chuang Tzu replied:

 

 

On Doing Nothing

According to the teaching of the Sage, one who embraces the Tao has wholeness of Character, from wholeness of Character comes wholeness of the body, and from wholeness of the body comes wholeness of the soul.  One should live along with other people without knowing where he is going, thus retaining his purity of Character.  Accomplishments, utility and cunning will cause one to lose one’s heart.  But the wise man does not do anything or go anywhere without following the bent of his heart.  If the whole world praises him and understands him, he does not care; and if the whole world criticizes him and misunderstands him, he still ignores it.  Fame and criticism cannot touch him.  He is one who has achieved wholeness of Character.

The wise man, then, when he must govern, knows how to do nothing.  Letting things alone, he rests in his original nature.  He who will govern will respect the governed no more than he respects himself.  If he loves his own person enough to let it rest in its original truth, he will govern others without hurting them.  Let him keep the deep drives in his own guts from going into action.  Let him keep still, not looking, not hearing.  Let him sit like a corpse, with the dragon power alive all around him.  In complete silence, his voice will be like thunder.  His movements will be invisible, like those of a spirit, but the powers of Heaven will go with them.  Unconcerned, doing nothing, he will see all things grow ripe around him.  Where will he find time to govern?
 

[Marblehead]

There was a short silence the Lao Tzu said:

 

 

When Uncarved Wood Is Cut Up

When uncarved wood is cut up,
It’s turned into vessels.
In the hands of the Sage,
Worthy men become the officials and magistrates.
Truly, great carving is done without splitting up.
Therefore the great ruler does not cut up.
 

[Marblehead]

To this Chuang Tzu replied:

 

 

The Horse Trainer Po Lo

Horses have hoofs to carry them over frost and snow, and hair to protect them from wind and cold.  They feed on grass and drink water, and fling up their tails and gallop.  Such is the real nature of horses.  They have no use for ceremonial halls and big dwellings.

One day the famous horse-trainer Po Lo appeared, saying, “I am good at managing horses.”  So he burned their hair and clipped them, and pared their hoofs and branded them.  He put halters around their necks and shackles around their legs and numbered them according to their stables.  The result was that two or three in every ten died.  Then he kept them hungry and thirsty, trotting them and galloping them, and taught them to run in formation, with the misery of the tasseled bridle in front and the fear of the knotted whip behind, until more than half of them died.
 

[9th]

...In Nomine Spiritus Sancti...

 

[Marblehead]

And Chuang Tzu continued:

 

 

On Managing Nature

The potter says, “I am good at managing clay.  If I want it round, I use compasses; if rectangular, a square.”  The carpenter says, “I am good at managing wood.  If I want it curved, I use an arc; if straight, a line.”

But on what grounds can we think that the nature of clay and wood desires this application of compass and square, and arc and line?  Nevertheless, every age extols the horse trainer for his skill in training horses, and potters and carpenters for their skill with clay and wood.  Those who manage the affairs of the empire make the same mistake.

I think one who knows how to govern the empire should not do so.  For the people have certain natural instincts; to weave and clothe themselves, to till the fields and feed themselves.  This is their common Character, in which all share.  Such instincts may be called “Heaven-born”.

So in the days of perfect Nature, men were quiet in their movements and serene in their looks.  At that time, there were no paths over mountains, no boats or bridges over waters.  All things were produced, each in its natural district.  Birds and beasts multiplied; trees and shrubs thrived.  Thus it was that birds and beasts could be led by the hand, and one could climb up and peep into the magpie’s nest. For in the days of perfect Nature, man lived together with birds and beasts, and there was no distinction of kind.  Who could know of the distinctions between gentlemen and common people?  Being all equally without knowledge, their Character could not go astray.  Being all equally without desires, they were in a state of natural integrity.  In this state of natural integrity, the people did not lose their original nature.

And then when the learned ones appeared, straining for humanity and limping with justice, doubt and confusion entered men’s minds.   They said they must make merry by means of music and enforce distinctions by means of ceremony, and the empire became divided against itself.  Were the uncarved wood not cut up, who could make sacrificial vessels?  Were Tao and Te not destroyed, what use would there be for humanity and justice?  Were man’s natural instincts not lost, what need would there be for music and ceremonies?  Were the five notes not confused, who would adopt the six pitch pipes?  Destruction of the natural integrity of things for the production of articles of various kinds; this is the fault of the artisan.  Destruction of Tao and Te in order to strive for humanity and justice; this is the fault of the learned ones.
 

[9th]

And then when the learned ones appeared, straining for humanity and limping with justice, doubt and confusion entered men’s minds.   They said they must make merry by means of music and enforce distinctions by means of ceremony, and the empire became divided against itself.  Were the uncarved wood not cut up, who could make sacrificial vessels?  Were Tao and Te not destroyed, what use would there be for humanity and justice?  Were man’s natural instincts not lost, what need would there be for music and ceremonies?  Were the five notes not confused, who would adopt the six pitch pipes?  Destruction of the natural integrity of things for the production of articles of various kinds; this is the fault of the artisan.  Destruction of Tao and Te in order to strive for humanity and justice; this is the fault of the learned ones.

 

This is quite true, yet what the ancient masters who express such sentiments have not seemed to understand is that it was a necessary "fall from grace".  Or perhaps I have not researched enough to find their admissions of such.  I speak of the availability of "free will" - much like when a child is no longer protected and guided by his parents, but must strike out on its own and discover for itself how to live.  The harmony of the golden age before humanity became aware of the potential to go against the Tao - this was a false harmony in the sense it was unconscious.  The possibility of conscious harmony is only possible once this "enchantment" of unconscious harmony is broken.  It is not possible to align your will with the Tao if you have no will to begin with.

 

It is the same as the way the infinite and all-encompassing divine principle has chosen to occlude itself and manifest as countless singular, temporary life forms.  There seems to be a necessity to enrich the impersonal with the personal.  It is one of the greatest mysteries.

 

Some only see the circle because they are not looking from the right angle - they miss the ascending and descending spirals which comprise it because they ignore the multi-dimensional awareness that reveals it as such.  If one was to speak of the big, BIG circle they will not be referring to humanity, earth, or even all the cosmoses in the multiverse.  And I have heard no such talk in disparaging terms.

[Marblehead]

Chuang Tzu has still more to say to this concept:

 

 

To Know It Is To Cut It Up

When horses lived free on the prairies, they ate grass and drank water.  When they were pleased, they rubbed their necks together; when they were angry, they turned back to back and kicked up their heels at each other.  This was all they knew.  But once they were bridled and bitted and harnessed, they learned how to be vicious, how to get their head and bolt, trying to get rid of the bit and the bridle.
 

[Marblehead]

And then Chuang Tzu continued:

 

 

On Returning To Nature

“What do you mean by the nature of the natural?  And what do you mean by man, or the artificial?” asked the River Spirit.

And the Spirit of the North Sea replied, “When a cow or a horse walks about with its four legs in freedom, we call it natural.  To put a halter around the horse’s head and put a ring through the cow’s nose, that we call the artificial.  Therefore it is said, do not let the artificial submerge the natural.  Do not, for material purposes, destroy your life.  Do not sacrifice your Character for fame.  Guard carefully your nature and do not let it go astray.  This is called returning to one’s nature.”
 

[Marblehead]

At that Chuang Tzu placed his tongue to the roof of his mouth and remained silent.

 

After a few minutes Lao Tzu said:

 

 

To Lead The World Toward Brigandage

When the government is muddled and confused,
The people are genuine and sincere.
When the government is discriminate and clear,
The people are crafty and cunning.
When the government is lazy and dull,
The people are pure and unspoiled.
When the government is efficient and smart,
The people are miserable and discontented.

Then the courts are swept very clean
While the fields are full of weeds
And the granaries are all empty.
The official’s clothing
Is richly embroidered and colored;
While at their waists they carry sharp swords.
They gorge themselves on food,
And of possessions and goods they have plenty.
This is called thievery!
And thievery certainly is not the way of Tao.
Is it not the corruption of Tao?
 

[Marblehead]

After thinking for a moment Chuang Tzu replies:

 

 

Why There Are Criminals

A student of the Great Master said to him one day,  “Let’s travel and see the world.”

“Why bother?  The world is just like this place.”

The student insisted again and the Sage replied, “Where do you want to go?”

“Let’s go to the capital first.”

So the two packed their bag and began their journey.  The master and his disciple went traveling the countryside.  When they arrived at one village, they saw an executed criminal whose body was lying face up on the ground and was uncovered.  The master took off his formal gown and placed it over the dead man’s body.  He cried to Heaven and wept over him, saying, “You!  You!  A calamity is coming to the world and you are the first to escape it.”

And the master continued, “Perhaps he was a thief or perhaps he was a murderer.  With the distinctions of honor and disgrace the fears of mankind appear, and with the accumulation of wealth, struggle for existence appears.  Now the ruler first sets up what leads to fears, hoards up for himself what the people strive to obtain, and makes them labor in poverty without rest.  What else can be the result?

“The ancient rulers gave credit to the people and took the blame on themselves.  They always thought the people were right and they themselves wrong.  If there was one person deformed, the ruler felt himself responsible.  Now it is all different.  He keeps the affairs of the country secret from the people and blames them for their ignorance.  He sends them on dangerous missions and punishes those who dare not go. He gives them heavy responsibility and punishes those who are unequal to them, and he sends them to a distant place and kills those who do not turn up.

“When the people are exhausted and cannot cope with the situation, then they have to practice deception.  When the ruler daily deceives the people, how can the people help but try to deceive the ruler?  For when a man has not the strength to do what he is required to do, then he tries to deceive; when a man cannot cope with a situation, he tries to cover up; and when a man has not enough money to spend, he tries to steal.  Upon whom should we place the responsibility for the conduct of the robbers and thieves?