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Chapter of the Week: #55[Archive]
[cite] Lynn Cornish:[/cite]I'm pretty sure members of Al Qaeda don't question whether you are right, either. To them you are definitely wrong.
It's easy to see that Al Qaeda is "driven by tribal instinct"; harder to see it in ourselves.
This was my point aside from the tribal instinct. Those are words that, while I see their intent, carry too much meaning in this forum for me to use.
The reality faced by the world was created by points of view and each side being sure they are right. If Al Qaeda considered for one moment that we might have a point about a thing or two and we did the same, we might be able to work out living together on the same planet. That is what I was talking about.
I also see that, in myself, even though I see that my point of view may not be all there is, I still have a drive to defend myself, my family, and my country. After 9-11 happened, I looked at going into the service but I was too old for all but the army (now too old for even them) and my family depends on me for support. I have three teenagers. I may be raising them just so they can go die in some war over points of view.
I know that totalitarianism and extremism threatens the future of this world. I don't really know how to deal with that but I have a sense that we need to take reasonable steps to defend ourselves. But that is just my point of view.
I am glad that you understood it for what I meant and not that I think it is okay that anyone is dying (or facing harm) in this conflict.
Comments
Chapter 55
One who possesses virtue in abundance is comparable to a new born babe:
Poisonous insects will not sting it;
Ferocious animals will not pounce on it;
Predatory birds will not swoop down on it.
Its bones are weak and its sinews supple yet its hold is firm.
It does not know of the union of male and female yet its male member will stir:
This is because its virility is at its height.
It howls all day yet does not become hoarse:
This is because its harmony is at its height.
To know harmony is called the constant;
To know the constant is called discernment.
To try to add to one's vitality is called ill-omened;
For the mind to egg on the breath is called violent.
A creature in its prime doing harm to the old
Is known as going against the way.
That which goes against the way will come to an early end.
Read commentary previously posted for this chapter.
I prefer the way Victor Mair puts a few verses in this chapter. First, 'He who embodies the fullness of integrity is like a ruddy infant'. Integrity being less moralistically loaded that virtue, i.e., [chref=38]a man of the highest virtue does not keep to virtue.[/chref] Ferocious animals will not pounce on it is nonsense, although it may serve nicely as a cultural myth, like Santa Claus. Clearly, [chref=5]heaven and earth are ruthless[/chref]. Predators pounce on the very young and the very old without hesitation.
Back to the integrity angle. The outstanding difference between A new born babe and us is that it has no agenda. An infant knows only 'now', with little or no sense of future or past compromising its integrity. So, in the infant's subjective experience there are no bogie men out there, It has not yet [chref=32]cut the uncarved block[/chref] into thinking birds, insects, animals. Here's the clue for how we can, even as adults, [chref=28]return to being a babe[/chref]. Not to cease thinking, just trust the turth of our thinking less and less. When we believe insects sting us, that produces a kind of defacto mental reality, no matter if or how often insects actually do so. The fear becomes the reality. The same applies to most every aspect of life doesn't it?
Next is Victor Mair's 'Harmony implies constancy; Constancy requires insight'. Mind helps pull us into our messes; can it help pull us out, or does it just dig the hole deeper? After all, emotions drive thinking and actions. Thinking and actions reinforce emotions. Are we're stuck in a vicious circle? Not if insight peeks outside our emotional 'box'. Insight, or seeing inward, sees past ideas of self ('I am') into the [chref=16]emptiness[/chref] that lies beyond. This perception (almost a premonition) seems to have a weak and [chref=21]shadowy[/chref] influence in the other direction. This insight, the [chref=41]image [that] has no shape[/chref], keeps most of our vicious circles from flying apart at the seams.
Trying to add to one's vitality is called ill-omened. Try telling that to all those folks who employ 'Taoist' gimmicks to add to one's vitality. Furthermore, And, Taoist ambiguity sure lends itself to quackery as well. It is ironic, like the 'Christian' inquisition. Christ and Laozi must be turning over in their graves.
The Ma-Wang-Tui manuscripts filled in missing characters of the last verse which gave it this more accurate reading: Something that grows old while still in its prime is said to be not in accord with the Way. I don't know the point here other than to paraphrase chapter 36: [chref=36] If you would have a thing old, You must first let it be in its prime[/chref]. There is a time to be young and foolish, a time to be old and wise. One [chref=2]complements[/chref] the other. Perfect advice for parents; mistakes are the pathway to insight!