Chapter of the Week: #61 [Archive]

Carl

The Chinese use the same character for vacation and for false. Jai (with a falling tone) means vacation. Jai (with a dipping tone) means false. Interestingly, both vacation and false correlate to illusion. I mean, what in nature takes a vacation? Civilization disrupts the rhythm of natural life prompting our need for taking a vacation.

Speaking of natural, ziran is nature in Chinese. Ziran also means: at ease; natural; free from affectation, natural world; nature; naturally; in the ordinary course of events; of course; naturally. Ziran is formed from two characters... Zi means self; oneself; one's own; certainly; of course. Ran means right; correct; so; like that.

Nature is just 'self so, self correct, self right', and so never 'self wrong'. Nature is never that which we think or wish was 'so' (or not 'so'); that which we think or wish was 'so' is never truly free from affectation! In other words, what we wish was 'so' is not natural. Rather these wishes and ideals are only symptoms of personal needs and fears - which ironically are perfectly 'self so'.

The wishes and ideals these 'self so' needs and fears prompt are dreams no more real than the dreams of our sleep. Dreams, like shadows on a wall, are not real; they only reflect the outline of real. Realizing that [chref=10]knowing anything[/chref], is merely an outline can help us see [chref=41]the great image[/chref] more 'clearly'.

The following threads consider deeper meanings found in more Chinese characters
Just What is Learning?
Why is Taoism Chinese?
What is Polite? What is Serious?

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 61
A large state is the lower reaches of a river-
The place where all the streams of the world unite.

In the union of the world,
The female always gets the better of the male by stillness.

Being still, she takes the lower position.

Hence the large state, by taking the lower position, annexes the small state;
The small state, by taking the lower position, affiliates itself with the large state.

Thus the one, by taking the lower position, annexes;
The other, by taking the lower position, is annexed.
All that the large state wants is to take the other under its wing;
All that the small state wants is to have its services accepted by the other.
If each of the two wants to find its proper place,
It is fitting that the large should take the lower position.

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.

First, I interpret state, not in the geopolitical sense, but as a state of being. Of course, the geopolitical state is also a state of being, but that state of being is just an emergent property of the individuals who govern 'it'. In short, the integrity of a 'state', whether a corporation or government reflects the composite integrity of the folks involved. Truly, there is no actual 'thing' as a government or a corporation. Who is the government? Who is the corporation? Who is the family, for that matter? Simply those involved. And who are they, really? Who are you? Who am I? Do we know?

The more deeply we look into this, the more [chref=15]murky[/chref] the view. It is sooo much easier to just 'label' things - to make things [chref=20]clear[/chref]. Once something has a [chref=1]name[/chref] we can move on to,... well,... bitch and moan - or praise and celebrate. Am I digressing? Not really. I'm just trying to refocus the issue back to a personal reality: the female always gets the better of the male by stillness. The female side of my nature is patience, [chref=57]stillness[/chref], [chref=16]emptiness[/chref], [chref=25]silence[/chref]. Now being [chref=32]able to hold fast to it[/chref] is another matter. Thus, the word taking in taking the lower position is a little misleading. [chref=8]Settles where none would like to be[/chref] conveys it better. We can't try to take the lower position any more than we can try to fall asleep. But, to the extent we end up there, we deepen the integrity of the state. As obvious as this is, many seem to hold out for external solutions. Maybe that is why 'the more things change, the more the stay the same'.

It also helps to accept the fact that part of life's 'work' is figuring out whether (or when) we are the large state or the small state. Well, of course we are both, depending on our circumstances at the time. We sure go through a lot of [chref=68]contention[/chref] as we flip flop and stumble between the two. It doesn't help that we often feel the answer lies 'out there'. On the other hand, it is surprising how simple and [chref=78]straightforward[/chref] life becomes once being still comes more [chref=17]naturally[/chref].