What changes over time.

[ZenStatic]

Curious to see the answers.

[doc benway]

Where is the distinction between adherent and Dao?

[Baguakid]

It appears everyone has their own idea of what Tao is so this is a loaded question.

[shontonga]

Curious to see the answers.

 

LOL, thanks!

 

The Tao adapt is

 

Tao

 

Adhering on not!

 

Doesn't make a difference how sticky he/she/it is!

 

 

but I'm a pisces so it's all the same water?

 

Hey Etchetu ya low!

(It's a good thing! )

 

(... Ie.It's all Tao ... and yes, I'm tired! It's ok, last post of the night!!!)

 

 

(I know I can't spell,lol)

 

Peace kids!

 

Shon

[ZenStatic]

Where is the distinction between adherent and Dao?

 

I have no idea how to respond to this. I haven't yet seen anyone here say that they have finally become one with the tao, so I would figure it is pretty common sense.

 

It appears everyone has their own idea of what Tao is so this is a loaded question.

 

How so? Either you believe you mold yourself to the tao, or you believe the tao should mold itself to you. Pretty simple.

[Baguakid]

No, you appear to roll religious rituals into the tao so that's what put me off with the question.

[ZenStatic]

No, you appear to roll religious rituals into the tao so that's what put me off with the question.

 

What rock did you pull that from under? I don't know where you got that idea from.

[Satori]

We are both creators and part of creation.

 

Why be divisive?

 

Where is the line?

[doc benway]

I haven't yet seen anyone here say that they have finally become one with the tao, so I would figure it is pretty common sense.

You're about to!

 

I am one with Dao.

 

Always was, always will be. It was easy, I never had to do anything, just see it for what it is, ME!

 

If we are not Dao, what could we possibly be?

 

It's funny what the human mind does. I think that most would agree that Dao is a word used to describe, in a word - everything, all that is and all that isn't, the natural way of things, the yin and yang aspects of everything, whatever words we throw at it... And yet, somehow we insist on remaining separate. So is the Dao everything except me? Ridiculous! It's just a result of conditioning since childhood and our sensory apparatus.

 

Similarly - all Christians would readily agree that God is infinite and yet it is heresy for a Christian to say I AM GOD. If I'm not God, what else could I possibly be? Is God everything but me? Everything but humanity? Everything but all living creatures? Infinity plus one? What sense does that make?

 

With love and respect - WAKE UP! You were always Dao, what else could you possibly be? The one thing that's not Dao? We just feel separate because of our skin and our sensory organs and our thoughts. Being one with Dao is not an accomplishment or magic or anything special, it's just what we are. And we made up the word Dao to try and describe what we have no capacity to express adequately in words which is basically everything!

 

Sorry if I sound arrogant or bombastic - I'm just a little passionate about this. It's such a simple and beautiful truth and we get so fucked up over it. I'll stop now.

[Apech]

Here is my answer:

 

Through his experience,

the sage becomes aware that all things change,

and that he who seems to lead,

might also, in another situation, follow.

So he does nothing; he neither leads nor follows.

That which he does is neither big nor small;

without intent, it is neither difficult,

nor done with ease.

His task completed, he then lets go of it;

seeking no credit, he cannot be discredited.

Thus, his teaching lasts for ever,

and he is held in high esteem.

 

When the consistency of the Tao is known,

the mind is receptive to its states of change.

 

It is natural for things to change,

sometimes being ahead, sometimes behind.

 

That which once seemed full,

may later empty seem,

yet still be unexhausted.

That which once seemed straight

may seem twisted when seen once more;

intelligence can seem stupid,

and eloquence seem awkward;

movement may overcome the cold,

and stillness, heat,

but stillness in movement

is the way of the Tao.

 

From

 

The Tao Te Ching

A Translation by Stan Rosenthal

 

 

No idea how to vote - everything changes/nothing changes ... you decide.

[Unconditioned]

I have no idea how to respond to this. I haven't yet seen anyone here say that they have finally become one with the tao, so I would figure it is pretty common sense.

 

How so? Either you believe you mold yourself to the tao, or you believe the tao should mold itself to you. Pretty simple.

 

The one who speaks does not know; the one who knows does not speak.

 

You likely won't find someone who is realized claiming as such here... an enlightened person does not need to add titles or labels to their being.

 

Edit: I think I was partly mistaken As xuesheng said, we are all the Tao.

 

Beliefs are outside of the Tao. Beliefs are nothing but an opinion based on extremely limited or inaccurate information; or based on faith/trust in another person's beliefs. At some point all beliefs need to be dropped in order to realize what the Tao is and to realize that they are just the Tao and there is nothing else. All things added to what is real must be removed in order to reveal what is real/true. We cannot find truth by adding things to our being. If we remove all the added things, beliefs, opinions, judgments, assumptions, etc. the only thing left will be the Truth.

 

So nothing is 'molded'. We do not change ourselves to become one with the Tao. The Tao is ever present, we are in the Tao right now only we have such a warped view on reality that we aren't aware of it.

 

It's like someone who is looking for their glasses when they are already wearing them. Did the glasses get added to the person? Did the person get added to the glasses? No, it's all been there all along, the person just wasn't aware of it.

Edited November 21, 2008 by Unconditioned

[三江源]

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Edited March 17, 2015 by 三江源