[DDJ Meaning] Chapter 10

[dawei]

Legge

 

10 
When carrying on your head your perplexed bodily soul 
Can you embrace in your arms the One and not let go? 
In concentrating your breath can you become as supple 
As a babe? 
Can you polish your mysterious mirror 
And leave no blemish? 
Can you love the people and govern the state 
Without resorting to action? 
When the gates of heaven open and shut 
Are you capable of keeping to the role of the female? 
When your discernment penetrates the four quarters 
Are you capable of not knowing anything?

It gives them life and rears them.

It gives them life yet claims no possession; 
It benefits them yet exacts no gratitude; 
It is the steward yet exercises no authority. 
Such is called the mysterious virtue. 

 

Lau

 

10 

When carrying on your head your perplexed bodily soul 
Can you embrace in your arms the One and not let go? 
In concentrating your breath can you become as supple 
As a babe? 
Can you polish your mysterious mirror 
And leave no blemish? 
Can you love the people and govern the state 
Without resorting to action? 
When the gates of heaven open and shut 
Are you capable of keeping to the role of the female? 
When your discernment penetrates the four quarters 
Are you capable of not knowing anything?

It gives them life and rears them.

It gives them life yet claims no possession; 
It benefits them yet exacts no gratitude; 
It is the steward yet exercises no authority. 
Such is called the mysterious virtue. 

 

Feng/English

 

10

Carrying body and soul and embracing the one, 

Can you avoid separation? 
Attending fully and becoming supple, 
Can you be as a newborn babe? 
Washing and cleansing the primal vision, 
Can you be without stain? 
Loving all men and ruling the country, 
Can you be without cleverness? 
Opening and closing the gates of heaven, 
Can you play the role of woman? 
Understanding and being open to all things, 
Are you able to do nothing? 
Giving birth and nourishing, 
Bearing yet not possessing, 
Working yet not taking credit, 
Leading yet not dominating, 
This is the Primal Virtue.

 

 

Bill Porter (Red Pine)

 

10

Can you keep your crescent soul from wandering 

can you make your breath as soft as a baby's 

can you wipe your dark mirror free of dust 

can you serve and govern without effort

can you be the female at Heaven's Gate

can you light the world without knowledge 

can you give birth and nurture

but give birth without possessing

raise without controlling

this is Dark Virtue

 

 

Jonathan Star

 

10

Hold fast to the Power of the One
It will unify the body and merge it with the spirit
It will cleanse the vision and reveal the world as flawless
It will focus the life-force and make one supple as a newborn
As you love the people and rule the state can you be free of self-interest?
As the gates of Heaven open and close can you remain steadfast as the mother bird who sits on her nest?
As your wisdom reaches he four corners of the world can you keep the innocence of a beginner?
Know this Primal Power that guides without forcing that serves without seeking that brings forth and sustains life yet does not own or possess it.
One who holds this Power brings Tao to this very Earth
He can triumph over a raging fire or the freeze of winter weather
Yet when he comes to rule the world it’s with the gentleness of a feather

 

 

Added:

 

 

FH:

 

Carrying body and soul, can you become like a new born babe?

Ever supple and yielding, but with a firm grip on life.

Purifying the Primal Vision, can you be without stain?

Loving all things, can you rule without cleverness?

Can you be like Heaven and play the role of the Woman?

Understanding and being open to all things,

are you able to do nothing and follow the flow?

Giving birth and nourishing,

bearing, yet not possessing,

working, yet not taking credit,

leading ,but not dominating.

For this is Primal Virtue.

 

Ni:

 

Can you always embrace Oneness without the slightest separation of body and mind?
Can you maintain undivided concentration until your vital force is as supple as a newborn baby's?
Can you clarify your inner vision to be flawless?
Can you love your people and serve your state with no self-exaltation?
As Life's Gate opens and closes in the performance of birth and death,
can you maintain the receptive, feminine principle when yin and yang are changing?
After achieving the crystal clear mind,
can you remain detached and innocent?
Give birth to and nourish all things without desiring to possess them.
Give of yourself, without expecting something in return.
Assist people, but do not attempt to control them.
This is how to realize the deep virtue of the universe.

 

Liao:

 

While carrying body and consciousness and embracing the only One Power, can you avoid the separation of body and consciousness?

Flowing life energy and become supple, can you be like a new born baby?

Washing and cleansing your mind to obtain the true original vision, can you be without containination?

Loving all people and governing the country, can you apply no cleverness?

Opening and closing of the gates of heaven, can you also coordinate the femal power?

Understanding and reaching to everything in the universe, can you exercise no-action?

Allowing a thing to emerge, to grow, to nourish it yet not possess it, to work at it yet not control it, lead it yet not dominate it

This is called the Great Te.

[AussieTrees]

Tao Te Ching

Translation, Interpretation and

Notes by Derek Lin

 

 

Chapter 10

 

 

 

In holding the soul and embracing oneness

Can one be without straying?

In concentrating the energy and reaching relaxation

Can one be like an infant?

In cleaning away the worldly view

Can one be without imperfections?

In loving the people and ruling the nation

Can one be without manipulation?

In the heavenly gate's opening and closing

Can one hold to the feminine principle?

In understanding clearly all directions

Can one be without intellectuality?

 

Bearing it, rearing it

Bearing without possession

Achieving without arrogance

Raising without domination

This is called the Mystic Virtue

 

Interpretation

 

In holding to your inner essence and embracing the oneness of your being, can your mind avoid being distracted, and thus going astray?

 

In focusing on your chi (the "breath", or the living energy that courses through the body) and reaching a relaxed, softened state, can you identify with the purity of a newborn child?

 

In cleansing and getting rid of all the diversions of the materialistic panorama, can you be completely without any lingering attachments?

 

In caring for the people and governing a nation, can you administer without resorting to manipulative tricks?

 

When the gateway to the soul opens, the mind is in motion; when it closes, the mind at rest. In the opening and closing of this gateway, can you grasp the yin principle of serenity and quietude?

 

In approaching a true understanding that reaches out in all directions and encompasses all corners of the world, can you let go of the false knowledge gained through rationalization and intellectual sophistry?

 

The Tao gives birth to everything and nurtures everything, but does so without becoming possessive.

 

Creation is full of wondrous and marvelous works of nature. The Tao is the force behind them, and yet does not become presumptuous in such achievements. It gives life every chance to develop and thrive, and yet does not become domineering or controlling because of that.

 

We call this attribute the Mystic Virtue. Sages emulate it in their every action. They nurture, encourage, teach and mentor those around them without the need to possess, gloat, or dominate.

 

Notes

 

The line "Can one be without straying?" refers to straying from the path of centered oneness. Some translations render "straying" as "separation" or "division," thus obscuring the original meaning and making the line more difficult to understand.

 

The line "In loving the people and ruling the nation" may seem to be directed at kings and emperors, but actually addresses the individual as well. Think of a kingdom as a metaphor for your workplace, family, social circle, sports team, and even your immediate surroundings, and the practical utility of this section becomes clear.

 

http://www.taoism.net/ttc/chapters/chap10.htm

[Jeff]

Chapter 10 is a very deep and interesting one for me. It hits me on many higher level spiritual issues/aspects that I personally deal with...

 

The key is the integration of the three layers of existence; body, soul and "all" (or the one).

Once this is realized, can you avoid getting caught up in one of the layers,

and notice the newness of it all (like a newborn baby).

While in this primordial state, you can easily clear all issues and fears.

 

And with the power of this clarity, can you treat all equally and with no attachment?

When you have realized and can share with others (open gates of heaven),

can you be fully open and supportive ("role of a woman")?

 

Fully realized and sharing, are you able to let go wanting to teach and lead?

​Giving access and nourishing, but not worrying about recognition and taking credit?

Leading and showing, while no one ever really notices, this is the highest virtue.
 

[dawei]

I agree that this is deep and interesting... so adding a few more.

 

See original post #1.

[dawei]

These lines are interesting to me:

 

FH:
Can you be like Heaven and play the role of the Woman?

Understanding and being open to all things,

are you able to do nothing and follow the flow?

 

Ni at least mentions 'receptive'... but nobody else seems to convey the 'follow the flow' juxtaposed with doing nothing.

 

To me, this is the core idea of this part:  If you're receptive (open to receive), there will be a kind of connection established to the beyond that is like a signal or beacon of 'light unto my path' (PS 199:105). 

 

The other parts of the chapter reveal some key aspects:  Oneness, detachment, etc.  This reveals the 'primal virtue'.

 

Xuan De has many translations: Dark, Mystic, etc  Virtue.    If it is a connection beyond, primal seems to highlight it. 

[cheya]

12 minutes ago, dawei said:

To me, this is the core idea of this part:  If you're receptive (open to receive), there will be a kind of connection established to the beyond that is like a signal or beacon of 'light unto my path' (PS 199:105). 

 

This really resonates, dawei!  What is PS 199:105?

[dawei]

9 minutes ago, cheya said:

This really resonates, dawei!  What is PS 199:105?

 

sorry... typo...

 

Psalms 119:105 - Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.  - KJV

[Marblehead]

2 hours ago, dawei said:

... there will be a kind of connection established to the beyond that is like a signal or beacon of 'light unto my path' (PS 199:105). 

 

Spoiler

 

 

Edited May 27, 2017 by Marblehead

[Mig]

I read somewhere this chapter is also important about meditation and the concept of qi. Is there a reason why it was not mentioned?

[Marblehead]

I would agree with what you read.  The mention is light and not immediately recognized.

 

From Robert Henricks' translation:

 

3.  In cultivating and cleaning your profound mirror—can you do it so that it has no blemish? 

 

This would be speaking to meditation.

 

5.  In opening and closing the gates of Heaven—can you play the part of the female? 

 

This would be speaking to Chi.  But mostly Yin.  It is also mentioned in Chapter 6 with the Valley Spirit which is also, IMO, Yin.

[Stosh]

Since women really aren't like that , open to all things , weak , dependent, obedient , passive etc, .. . that is just a self flattering stereotype of what men thought of femininity ,or what the feminine role was... they aren't suggesting you need to cross-dress, nor poop your diapers like a baby, its actually described , in what ways one might modify ones behavior , and the imagery of babies and passive women isn't required.

 

 Can you be fair and honest , let others fulfill their dreams , allow things to proceed unmolested ?, and set your ego on the back-burner because its not all about You.

 

Can you help people , nurture animals , teach and heal?  Rather than ride off on some arrogant ego trip trying to defeat destroy and undermine?  

 

Edited August 3, 2017 by Stosh

[Jeff]

On 7/31/2017 at 7:18 PM, Marblehead said:

I would agree with what you read.  The mention is light and not immediately recognized.

 

From Robert Henricks' translation:

 

3.  In cultivating and cleaning your profound mirror—can you do it so that it has no blemish? 

 

This would be speaking to meditation.

 

5.  In opening and closing the gates of Heaven—can you play the part of the female? 

 

This would be speaking to Chi.  But mostly Yin.  It is also mentioned in Chapter 6 with the Valley Spirit which is also, IMO, Yin.

 

In describing opening and closing the gates of Heaven, it is also talking about teaching.  Or opening and giving access to "students".  Playing the part of the female is being the energetic support and balance.  Some would call it the "space" for it.

[Marblehead]

I tried talking about the gates once and it was a great "fail".

 

Maybe one day I will expand my knowledge of that concept.

 

[Marblehead]

Thanks.  If I remember correctly I was trying to get a woman to open her legs so I could enter the gate to heaven.

 

(Wasn't much spirituality there.  Oh well.)

 

 

 

[Mig]

1 hour ago, Marblehead said:

Thanks.  If I remember correctly I was trying to get a woman to open her legs so I could enter the gate to heaven.

 

(Wasn't much spirituality there.  Oh well.)

 

My friend that's high spirituality!!

 

 

[Rara]

On 31/07/2017 at 7:58 PM, Mig said:

I read somewhere this chapter is also important about meditation and the concept of qi. Is there a reason why it was not mentioned?

 

Yes, this is my main impression. Asking if we have the ability to hold onto Dao, stay on the path and not be distracted. Meditate to be like that of a young child, pure and unconditioned.

[Sketch]

 

Your life is just a thing you carry from campsite to campsite.

You are not your skills and memories, not really.

How could those things stay?

Taking specific, fine control of your breath will make it soft and supple.

Is this the skill that old bears and newborn babies have?

If you make your thoughts a deep clear pool 

how will you see your defects? 

Love people, learn the skill of getting along.

Heaven's Gate opens and closes.

Does this mean it is female?

If you can train animals, how can you not get this flash of insight?

Live with it, Raise it.

 

Live and do not be possessive of your life, 

Or even of the things you use every day.

Work on the wordless techniques.

 Lengthen, do not cut - 

once you start, continue, 

practice basics repeatedly 

throughout your life

 and it  will be longer.

These are the deep inherent qualities to develop.