Chapter of the Week: #52 [Archive]

Carl

[cite] sleepydave:[/cite]So why not cats, or fish, or birds, or ants?

I believe they are created spiritually too but with a distinct purpose. I was just using dogs as an example.

For our purpose, we need language. Language is the tool of creation and we are designed to be creators. Our purpose is to master that tool until what we do is in perfect alignment with what we say (and think) and in perfect alignment with spiritual principles. (I am far from this, by the way.)

From what I have seen so far, the ideas and principles of taoism are to communicate certain things about how it is possible to have that happen. I realize they may not even agree with me about the why but that is what I believe in my search to be so. Use it or lose it, Makes no difference to me. I may find out later that I was off base anyway.

Carl

Each week we address one chapter of the Tao Te Ching. 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 52
The world had a beginning
And this beginning could be the mother of the world.
When you know the mother
Go to know the child.
After you have known the child
Go back to holding fast to the mother,
And to the end of your days you will not meet with danger.

Block the openings,
Shut the doors,
And all your life you will not run dry.
Unblock the openings,
Add to your troubles,
And to the end of your days you will be beyond salvation.

To see the small is called discernment;
To hold fast to the submissive is called strength.
Use the light
But give up the discernment.
Bring not misfortune upon yourself.

This is known as following the constant.

Read commentary previously posted for this chapter.

Carl

[Note: I italicize phrases I borrow from the chapter, and link to phrases I borrow from other chapters to help tie chapters together. While making it more tedious to read, :? the Tao Te Ching is best pondered in the context of the whole.

The actual Chinese characters puts it more like this: "you have the mother, go on to know the child, return to the mother, without self no death". This rings truer for me than the translations I've seen. We are born 'original' and [chref=3]innocent of knowledge[/chref]. We've yet to learn the illusion of self ( 'I am ____' ), and the knowledge that follows; thus, at birth we have the mother. That quickly changes as we are raised under our culture's paradigm; thus we go on to know the child. If and when we know the child (and its 'game'), all that is left for us to do is to return to the mother. Oh, and it is a 'game', albeit a deadly serious one at times.

I also prefer how the actual Chinese characters put it in the second verse. Though terse, it's simpler: Block its dealing, shut its door, lifelong not heavy; open its dealings, numerous affairs, no relief. This simply points to the fork in life's path. Even so, this doesn't mean we should literally cease our dealings in life, even if we could. Rather, just knowing this is how life works can often help us avoid more of the [chref=53]by-path[/chref]. Much of our trouble comes from wishfully 'thinking' that short cuts work and that we can get away with numerous affairs and still [chref=33]know contentment[/chref].

My my, I hope this isn't a trend for me*,... I also prefer something closer to the actual Chinese for the last part: Seeing small is called understanding, abiding in flexible is called strength; recover and return this understanding, not inherit calamity, wear the ordinary. I notice how all of us see the small in some aspect of our lives. Some are 'into' cloths, others are 'into' politics, or music, or science, or art, or gossip, or Taoism, or ... you name it. We all understand life through the small that we see. We then tend to cling onto our small slice of understanding, [chref=22]consider ourselves right and contend[/chref] with other understandings. Sure, I'm speaking from experience! But, I've found that it is possible to see what I see, and yet still return the understanding (give up the clinging). Downplaying what I [chref=71]think[/chref] I understand allows me to wear the ordinary. In other words, when nothing special belongs to 'me', I then [chref=49]have no mind of my own, [and instead] take as my own the mind of the people[/chref]. Ha, that probably doesn't sound like such a good trade,... unless of course, one is drawn to a Taoist point of view.

* In this chapter there was more divergence among the other translations, so back to the original characters I went. If you wish to do likewise, check out the Tao Te Ching in the original Chinese. The Zhongwen folks there have made it very easy to use. Just checking out an original character or two can be interesting.