Feng-English: Discuss The TTC

[Jonesboy]

Great discussion so far.

 

Moving on to the next one if that is okay.

 

Five

 

Heaven and Earth are impartial;

They see the ten thousand things as straw dogs.

The wise are impartial;

They see the people as straw dogs.

 

The space between heaven and Earth is like a bellows.

The shape changes but not the form;

The more it moves, the more it yields.

More words count less.

Hold fast to the center.

[Marblehead]

Yeah, the first part always inspires thought.  Like "What did he say?"

 

Next three lines speak to what I call transmutation.  Changes from potential to form and back to potential. 

 

Last two lines:

 

Sit down, shut up, and meditate.

[dawei]

Five

 

Heaven and Earth are impartial;

 

Another awesome first line and last line 

 

Impartial is translated from two chinese words: Bu Ren (不仁).   Bu=No and Ren is an important Confucian word.

 

wiki:  Ren  is the Confucian virtue denoting the good feeling a virtuous human experiences when being altruistic.  Ren is exemplified by a normal adult's protective feelings for children. It is considered the outward expression of Confucian ideals.

 

However you choose to personally translate it, Laozi is saying that Heaven and Earth are NOT REN  

 

 

 

BTW:  I changed the name of the thread.

[Jonesboy]

Heaven and Earth are impartial;

They see the ten thousand things as straw dogs.

The wise are impartial;

They see the people as straw dogs.

To me this is about ones state of mind.

 

Whatever one does to the earth, the earth doesn't try to change things. It doesn't get caught up in needs, desires or trying to change anything.

 

The wise are the same way.. they let it all flow through, not getting caught up in the mind.

 

The space between heaven and Earth is like a bellows.

The shape changes but not the form;

The more it moves, the more it yields.

Think of the flow as the wind.. like a bellows

 

That wind, that flow is energy and while it's shape may change to that of a chair, a car it's true form never changes.

 

The more one is able to feel or better yet be one with the flow the more one is able to let go.. or to yield.

 

More words count less.

Hold fast to the center.

It's not about the words but about the experience, the being.

 

It takes practice, it doesn't all come at once so when troubles arise.. hold fast to that center and let it all flow through like the impartial earth. Like the Heavens.

[dawei]

To me this is about ones state of mind.

 

Whatever one does to the earth, the earth doesn't try to change things. It doesn't get caught up in needs, desires or trying to change anything.

 

This may be the subtlety in this chapter... the earth may change things as it follows the 'way of heaven' (ch. 25) and thus natural forces are at work and will cause some change or reaction at times.

 

but Earth doesn't get caught up in a mindset or desire as a part of the change.

[Jonesboy]

Very well said my friend.

I thought I was missing something there but just couldn't pull it out..