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Chapter of the Week: #05

CarlCarl
edited March 2007 in Taoism and the Tao Te Ching
Nowseeker: Belated thank you for your kind comment. :oops:

Ziggy: :D I found out early on to watch my words here carefully. For instance, I don't use the word "should" unless it's in quotes. As in: I "shouldn't" use the word "should." I hope you don't think I'm disingenuous; really, I just seek acceptance.

I thought you might enjoy the heading on all the Taoist chapter postings. Or maybe you already noticed it; if so, excuse me. Here it is:
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.

So the meaning and importance of the writings lies with each individual's interpretation. Just the opposite of the church I was raised in. Pretty cool.

Comments

  • CarlCarl
    edited June 2007
    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 5
    Heaven and earth are ruthless, and treat the myriad creatures as straw dogs;
    the sage is ruthless, and treats the people as straw dogs.

    Is not the space between heaven and earth like a bellows?
    It is empty without being exhausted:
    The more it works, the more comes out.

    Much speech leads inevitably to silence.
    Better to hold fast to the void.

    Read commentary previously posted for this chapter.
    Read notes on translations
  • CarlCarl
    edited December 1969
    [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.]

    I see a curious difference between 'heaven and earth are ruthless' and the literal Chinese, 'heaven earth not benevolent' (below). I don't feel 'not benevolent' necessarily equates to 'ruthless'. Sure, benevolent and ruthless are opposite, but lack of one doesn't mean the other. There's a lot of grey area in between. Not benevolent can be anywhere between the two extremes. And indeed, isn't Nature somewhere in between, sometimes it goes in 'our' favor, sometimes not, and at other time, neither way.

    Ulterior motives 'frequently' drive intentional [chref=38]benevolence[/chref]. "Be nice,... say thank you,...please,..." reflect our desire to have civilization run smoothly. And it does -- on the surface. But, scratch that surface and we see [chref=18]there is great hypocrisy[/chref] through out.

    Indeed, our wish for [chref=19]benevolence[/chref] is symptomatic of our disconnection from Nature's middle. We are ruthless to an extreme. Not because we are different from other animals, but because we have the opportunity (tools) and [chref=46]too many desires[/chref] spawned by our civilized existence. Our desire to have our way blinds us to the 'mess' we make of life. We then assuage our guilt and sense of unbalance by ideals of benevolence and of [chref=38]never straying from virtue[/chref] – the sage ideal, you know. So, we say [chref=19]exterminate the sage, discard the wise, and the people will benefit a hundredfold[/chref]. Hmm, those are strong [chref=81]words[/chref] I guess. Good thing I'm not running for office :).

    Here is this chapter as literal as I can get it:
    heaven earth not benevolent, regard 10,000 things as hay dog.
    holy man not benevolent, regard common people as hay dog.
    heaven earth of between, it's like bag coherence lofty?
    empty yet not subdued, moves yet more out.
    much speech counts as poor, not like guarding middle.

    And now I'll gussy up the literal translation a bit:
    Nature is neutral and regards all as transitional,
    The sage is neutral and regards the people as transitional.
    The space between nothing and something is profound, is it not?
    It is empty yet eternal, it works yet is never exhausted.
    Much speech impoverishes, unlike keeping to the middle.
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