Chapter of the Week: #37 [Archive]

Luke Abbott

Welcome Bao Pu. Alas, we have some unusually hectic circumstances around here this month so haven't keep on top of things as I may do otherwise. Anyway, we're very happy to have a fellow 'path-man' chiming in.

Luke Abbott

Each week we address one chapter of the Tao Te Ching. Chapter 37 was originally featured on the 4th week in September.

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 37
The way never acts yet nothing is left undone.
Should lords and princes be able to hold fast to it,
The myriad creatures will be transformed of their own accord.
After they are transformed, should desire raise its head,
I shall press it down with the weight of the nameless uncarved block.
The nameless uncarved block
Is but freedom from desire,
And if I cease to desire and remain still,
The empire will be at peace of its own accord.

[Edit]Fixed chapter number. This is #37, not #26! Whoops.

Carl

Life is so instinctively agenda driven that the notion of [chref=38]never acting yet leaving nothing undone[/chref] is hard to imagine. Furthermore, the way as a concept creates an odd situation. The grammar of language gives the sense that the way, when used as the subject of a sentence (or of thought in general) conveys an impression that the way is a thing, where in fact it is [chref=40] Nothing[/chref]. Take, for example, a river. Water flows along toward the ocean due to the pull of gravity. But, like the way, gravity isn't a thing; rather it's our simplistic way of labeling the effect of curved space time. The effect and the flow are not directed at the water, per se, and so never act, yet the water reaches the sea... Oh well, maybe that was a long way to go no where. Simply put, desire (i.e., my personal agenda) is what give me the impression that things are left undone.

Personally, about 20 years ago I became able to hold fast to it, thanks to correlations (Note: I reckon everyone does, to one degree or another, in their own private way). When I hold fast to it, everything is transformed of its own accord from my subjective point of view. In other words, I'm able to see all of creation as being perfect just as it is. Why? Because in those moments I am not desiring things to be any other way than they are at that moment. How do I spell relief?... freedom from desire.

Alas, relief is fleeting, to one degree or another, for desire (always) raises its head. I attribute this to the fact that, despite what my rational mind is able to hold fast to, I'm still an instinct driven animal, period! And so when my emotions ebb and flow, away I go.

Enter that old nameless uncarved block. The 'act' of ceasing to desire and remain still helps my life return to being at peace of its own accord. It is not an 'act' of will on my part, but instead a passive 'non-act' of giving up... uncle! uncle! uncle! As the years pass I'm able to do this more readily because I really know, at a gut level, that I can't win through desire. I just sit down and let it drain away.

This pressing down with the weight of the nameless uncarved block, and so on, is the process of deep prayer, meditation, or what ever you call it. It helps me return to sanity.

Joe

I like what Carl said about when I have a personal agenda in a situation, it gives me the impression that things are left undone. I noticed this yesterday when I helped my brother prepare for a yard sale. He was tying a rope onto a bar to hang from the garage rafters, to hang clothes on the bar. The way he was tying the knots to secure it was very different from how I would have done it. At first I was going to give suggestions (even though none were asked for!). When I thought about it in terms of my desires, I realized that he was getting the job done, and it didn?t matter if it was different from my approach. During the moment when I thought it should be done better, it felt that things were left undone. When I let go of the need for the knots to be done my way, and accepted that they were fine his way, then the feeling came of nothing left undone. Amazing what our perceptions can do to the feelings we have about reality.

I too am finding more peace these days, the more I?m able to accept that the universe is perfect the way it is. The problem comes when I equate perfection with no suffering or struggle. Life is certainly struggle; I?ve never met anyone who didn?t have daily struggles to work through. But the more I?m attached to things needing to be without struggle, the more discontent I am.

One of the things I find helpful in dealing with desire raising its head, is looking at how close it is to fulfilling a basic need. And how my underlying discontent fuels the energy of any particular desire. For example, wanting to eat a simple meal, after working hard and having 4-5 hours since the last meal, is pretty close to basic needs. Wanting to have 3 hot fudge sundies for dessert, is a lot farther away from basics, and definitely comes from trying to forget or cover up whatever unrest might be lurking within.

Lastly, using the weight of the nameless uncarved block to press down on desire, is the letting go of the desire, instead of holding onto it and acting to satisfy it. This comes a lot from the years of pursuing so many desires that have been dead ends; fulfilling them doesn?t give me the peace I always think it should. Now I find myself just plain tired of being led around by the nose by my desires. I can?t totally rid myself of desires, but with increased awareness, I can at least not thoughtlessly pursue everyone in an attempt to be content.