The Secret of the Golden Flower

[Rara]

Hey. Does anybody know this book? If so, please can you let me know if this is a good translation:

 

https://thesecretofthegoldenflower.com/index.html

[silent thunder]

Haven't encountered that version yet.  I have two versions... Cleary and Wilhelm.

I prefer the Wilhelm but with translations it's always nice to have a variety of them and see what distills out.

 

[Rara]

14 hours ago, silent thunder said:

Haven't encountered that version yet.  I have two versions... Cleary and Wilhelm.

I prefer the Wilhelm but with translations it's always nice to have a variety of them and see what distills out.

 

 

Would you say that reading the above link is worth it, from what you can see?

[awayfarer]

I have read but not studied the link you provided in the past. I found it interesting, but more entertaining than informative. I will probably give it another read in the near future.

 

I have found Cleary's translation very helpful. https://www.amazon.com/Taoist-Classics-Collected-Translations-Thomas/dp/1570629072

[silent thunder]

8 hours ago, Rara said:

 

Would you say that reading the above link is worth it, from what you can see?

It's certainly intrigued me. 

I've bookmarked it for future reference.

[Nintendao]

On 4/21/2020 at 11:31 AM, Rara said:

Hey. Does anybody know this book? If so, please can you let me know if this is a good translation:

 

https://thesecretofthegoldenflower.com/index.html

 

Hey! I read through that whole site last year after I saw it linked somewhere by @Taoist Texts

What's great is there are a tons of extra notes going into details of history and context and translation, hyperlinked right into the main text. I also like having the Chinese version placed along side each verse. You can copy into Google Translate and get a feel for what each character represents, able to reflect more on what the English version is talking about.

 

[Rara]

On 21/04/2020 at 7:37 PM, silent thunder said:

Haven't encountered that version yet.  I have two versions... Cleary and Wilhelm.

I prefer the Wilhelm but with translations it's always nice to have a variety of them and see what distills out.

 

 

I now have Cleary's btw. My current reading

[goldenlamb]

I have some nice quotes. Selected by Abraxas.

 

 

“

This is possible only by seeing essence. This is what is called the original face. 

 

In the original creation there is positive light, which is the ruling director.

 

Therefore clarity of hearing and seeing are both one and the same spiritual light. 

 

“The hen embraces the egg, always mentally listening…”

 That “listening” is single-minded concentration.

 

Only by inward looking and listening can you prevent this inner racing as well as oblivion in between. This is the meaning of sun and moon combining their vitalities and lights.

 

But don't get enthusiastic about attaining the experience

 

There are many authenticating experiences that not be undergone responsibly by people with small faculties and small capacities.

 

The two eyes are the handle of the stars, which manages Creation and operates yin and yang.

 

Ordinarily, once people let their eyes and ears pursue things, they get stirred up, only to stop once things are gone.

 

Therefore it is said that action influenced by things is human desire, while action uninfluenced by things is the action of Heaven.

 

When you see essence, you then know why students must seek the direction of a true teacher.

 

But the fact that sense objects and sense consciousness are not used at all does not mean using the sense organs, just using the essence in the sense organs

 

Look up at the sky; it changes from hour to hour, though 365 days, yet the polar star never moves.

 

If you insist on defining it as true midnight, that would seem to be sticking to forms…

 

“Sitting” means that the mind is unmoved. “