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Chapter of the Week: #50 [Archive]
I heard the Abbotts were related to Oliver Cromwell, the protestant dictator who took over England in the 1600's, calling himself the "Lord Protector" of England. He was born into a family which was for a time one of the wealthiest and most influential in the area.
Elton John told me that.
~Trinity
Elton John told me that.
~Trinity
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Note: The Tao Te Ching can be obscure, especially if you think you're supposed to understand what it's saying! We find it easier and more instructive to simply contemplate how the chapter resonates with your personal experience. Becoming more aware at this fundamental level simplifies life. This approach conforms to the view that true knowing lies within ourselves. Thus, when a passage in the scripture resonates, you've found your inner truth. The same applies for when it evokes a question; questions are the grist for self realization.
Chapter 50
When going one way means life and going the other means death, three in ten
will be comrads of life, three in ten will be comrades in death, and there are
those who value life and as a result move into the realm of death, and these
number three in ten. Why is this so? Because they set to much store by life. I
have heard it said that one who excels in safeguarding his own life does not
meet with rhinoceros or tiger when traveling on land nor is he touched by
weapons when charging into an army. There is nowhere for the rhinoceros to
pitch its horn; there is nowhere for the tiger to place its claws; there is
nowhere for the weapon to lodge its blade. Why is this so? Because for him
there is no realm of death.
There is nowhere for the tiger to place its claws, is often literally seen as a super power of a superior man. This elitist view empowers the believers of Eastern mysticism, just as folks who believe that Christ is 'the only' way to salvation are empowered by the stories of his superior powers (walk on water, water to wine. etc).
There is nothing 'wrong' with these elitist views, of course. We see things as we need to see them. I know, upon honest reflection, that the elitist views I find myself harboring arise from insecurity. I'm just compensating for fear. But elitism, I finally realized, didn't really work. It always leaves me feeling isolated in the end. I'm so much more comfortable leveling out elitist views until I see we are all one big happy cosmic family.
Because for him there is no realm of death goes back to Christ's view, "seek to save his life shall lose it". The realm of death only exists in our mind's eye, powered by our lust for life. The irony is that by grasping life, we live with the fear of death, loss, failure, and all the attendant anxiety.
?Nowhere for the rhinoceros to pitch its horn?, is desire not being able to grab hold of me, which would thrust me full force into grabbing at life. Again, embracing nothingness makes it easier to go through life without each desire that comes up taking me over. Turning away from desire allows me to see reality in life.
I?ve been thinking lately about how easy it is in our culture, especially with TV and the Internet, to be constantly bombarded by ?life? ? commercials for having the best car, or beer, or latest whatever. That those things will make life worth living, will give me happiness or contentment. But instead this actually takes me away from what?s right in front of me, particularly my wife & daughter. If I?m focused on all these stimulating desires, I?m not actually living life and paying attention, but rather I?m dwelling in the illusions of desire.
Sometimes, my personality is such that I would be delighted to see it go! (I would put a happy face here but I don't know how.)