Where do I want to go?

[tiandizhijian]

OldChi answered a question with a question for another newcomer here. The question: what types of paths are there? The answer: where do you want to go? This post is my attempt to answer that question. Firstly, for myself to consider this path. Secondly, for you to help guide me.

 

One of the biggest things that sticks out to me is a portion in chapter 42 of the Dao De Jing. It says,

 

Dao gives birth to One

One gives birth to Two

Two give birth to Three

Three give birth to ten-thousand things

 

I had written about this previously on my blog, though that has since been removed. I won't explore it as much as I did there, though this portion of the Dao De Jing is also what draws me so much to Daoism.

 

I guess the first thing I need to consider is what Dao actually is. I know Daoism was a collection of schools of thoughts in Chinese history and culture. It is a spiritual, philosophical, and religious pursuit of many people. To me, the philosophical aspects are what interest me most. Yet as I read what I wrote, I'm confusing what Dao means to me with what Daoism is to others. I simply don't know what Dao is. I can say no more about it right now.

 

Dao gives birth to One. What is this one? I think it's referring to wuji. Perhaps that's the widely accepted understanding of this statement... I don't know. Wuji, the empty circle of the tajitu, signifies the unity of everything.

 

One gives birth to Two. The wuji becomes the yin and yang. This is the dualistic nature of, well, nature and the universe. I like simplicity, and being able to view everything in a dualistic way is helpful when considering something.

 

Two gives birth to Three. The yin and yang, when they become mixed together, become three... but what three. I see two sets of three as important to interpreting and understanding this. Firstly... tian (heaven), di (earth), and ren (human-ness). Secondly... jing (essence), qi (breath), and shen (spirit). Wjhat this means to me is still a mystery, and thus part of my journey to discover.

 

Three gives birth to ten-thousand things. What are those ten-thousand things? Wanwu is the combining of the three to create an infinite number of things. I have a small idea of what this means to me, though I also need to continue a journey to discover more.

 

The ten-thousand things carry yin and embrace yang

They mix these energies to enact harmony

 

This next portion of chapter 42 of the Dao De Jing leads me to finally answer the question of where I want to go. Wuji and taiji co-existing. Where do I want to go? To find harmony in nothing and everything. This is what I want, I just don't know how to get there.

[Marblehead]

Hi Jeb,

 

Yep, you've been thinking on this stuff.

 

Consider, if you will:

 

One = Chi

Two = Yin and Yang = Duality

Three = Yin, Yang, and Wu (Potential)

 

And then you are one of the Ten Thousand Things.

 

I like the term "harmony".  Two or more doing their own thing (following their own nature) but in concert with others doing their own thing too.

[Michael Sternbach]

OldChi answered a question with a question for another newcomer here. The question: what types of paths are there? The answer: where do you want to go? This post is my attempt to answer that question. Firstly, for myself to consider this path. Secondly, for you to help guide me.

 

One of the biggest things that sticks out to me is a portion in chapter 42 of the Dao De Jing. It says,

 

 

I had written about this previously on my blog, though that has since been removed. I won't explore it as much as I did there, though this portion of the Dao De Jing is also what draws me so much to Daoism.

 

I guess the first thing I need to consider is what Dao actually is. I know Daoism was a collection of schools of thoughts in Chinese history and culture. It is a spiritual, philosophical, and religious pursuit of many people. To me, the philosophical aspects are what interest me most. Yet as I read what I wrote, I'm confusing what Dao means to me with what Daoism is to others. I simply don't know what Dao is. I can say no more about it right now.

 

Lao Tzu couldn't say more about it either.

 

Dao gives birth to One. What is this one? I think it's referring to wuji. Perhaps that's the widely accepted understanding of this statement... I don't know. Wuji, the empty circle of the tajitu, signifies the unity of everything.

 

One gives birth to Two. The wuji becomes the yin and yang. This is the dualistic nature of, well, nature and the universe. I like simplicity, and being able to view everything in a dualistic way is helpful when considering something.

 

Two gives birth to Three. The yin and yang, when they become mixed together, become three... but what three. I see two sets of three as important to interpreting and understanding this. Firstly... tian (heaven), di (earth), and ren (human-ness). Secondly... jing (essence), qi (breath), and shen (spirit). Wjhat this means to me is still a mystery, and thus part of my journey to discover.

 

Yes, that would be a possible way to read it: +, -, 0. This 0 is also taiji as the union - and mutual cancellation - of yin and yang.

 

Three gives birth to ten-thousand things. What are those ten-thousand things? Wanwu is the combining of the three to create an infinite number of things. I have a small idea of what this means to me, though I also need to continue a journey to discover more.

 

"The ten-thousand things" is the manifest world as the result of the interactions of the basic forces.

 

This next portion of chapter 42 of the Dao De Jing leads me to finally answer the question of where I want to go. Wuji and taiji co-existing. Where do I want to go? To find harmony in nothing and everything. This is what I want, I just don't know how to get there.

 

That's a pretty wide array. Find harmony in and with yourself. All the rest will follow.

[tiandizhijian]

That's a pretty wide array. Find harmony in and with yourself. All the rest will follow.

 

Thanks for this statement.

[Marblehead]

Marblehead, how do you understand that one equals chi? 

Very carefully.

 

Energy is the root of all matter.  I consider Chi as energy.

 

Dao giving birth to One, that is, unbound energy, is what the Big Bang was.

[Michael Sternbach]

Very carefully.

 

Energy is the root of all matter.  I consider Chi as energy.

 

Dao giving birth to One, that is, unbound energy, is what the Big Bang was.

 

I don't agree that chi is synonymous to energy, nevertheless, your interpretation makes sense on the physical level.

[Marblehead]

I don't agree that chi is synonymous to energy, nevertheless, your interpretation makes sense on the physical level.

No one ever agrees with me 100%.

[Marblehead]

OK.

 

If energy is the root of all matter, than what about Dao having chi too?

 

Mama Tao has got to have chi if she want's to birth the baby One chi. Yeah?

 

Well, yeah, but then this is why we cannot define Dao.  It is every thing but no thing.  Chi is an aspect of Dao.