Chapter of the Week: #14

Carl

I'm launching this thread in the spirit of '[chref=56]One who knows does not speak; one who speaks does not know[/chref]', and '[chref=23]To use words but rarely Is to be natural[/chref]'. I intend to posts observations using as few words as possible, arranged as coherently as possible in a single paragraph - if possible. Often the less said the better; the more said, the greater the obfuscation. Not only are a thousand words not worth one picture... a million words are worth even less. So, not only do those who know not speak, they don't write or even [chref=71]think that they know[/chref]! Okay, that's my 'one paragrapher' for now.

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 14
What cannot be seen is called evanescent;
What cannot be heard is called rarefied;
What cannot be touched is called minute.

These three cannot be fathomed
And so they are confused and looked upon as one.

Its upper part is not dazzling;
Its lower part is not obscure.
Dimly visible, it cannot be named
And returns to that which is without substance.
This is called the shape that has no shape,
The image that is without substance.
This is called indistinct and shadowy.
Go up to it and you will not see its head;
Follow behind it and you will not see its rear.

Hold fast to the way of antiquity
In order to keep in control the realm of today.
The ability to know the beginning of antiquity
Is called the thread running through the way.

Read commentary previously posted for this chapter.
Read notes on translations

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.]

I feel a curious depth in the original literal Chinese compared to any English translation (including my own!). This may be due to the wide range of meanings Chinese characters can have. On the other hand, English, with its vast vocabulary, more narrowly defines each [chref=23]word[/chref]. I suppose we would generally regard this as a good thing – but not for pointing to an image that is without substance. Still, D.C. Lau's translation has served me just fine for the last... yikes! almost 50 years.

I particularly love this chapter, though I guess I'd say that about 2/3 of them. The shape that has no shape, which I only 'see' when I hold fast to the way of antiquity. I have always found that I could best feel the thread running through the way by looking to Nature for guidance. Following people, culture, and convention can be disastrously misleading. Thus, for example, to have a better sense of what I 'should' eat, I long ago studied what the other great apes ate in the wild. To know how to raise my kids, I modeled how nature works out such things as a whole. To know about the human condition I long ago studied all the ancient scripture (Bible, Bhagavad Gita, Buddha, etc.) figuring that anything that managed to still be used by millions of folks, thousands of years later, would reveal much about us. To date the single most useful thing I consciously do to keep in control the realm of today, is look for similarities in every aspect of reality's realm. When I do, [chref=56] mysterious sameness[/chref] leaps out at me. It is only then that I am able to [chref=2]practice the teaching that uses no words[/chref]. But alas, truly it is all simply a 'process of elimination', i.e., [chref=36] If you would have a thing shrink, you must first stretch it[/chref]. Nature is nothing if not just, though not usually as we [chref=3]desire[/chref].

And now with a little grammatical polish:
What is not seen, though look for, is vanishingly smooth.
What is not heard, though listened for, is vanishingly rare.
What is not possessed, though held, is call vanishingly small.
The eternal questions blend and becomes one.
Its upper part is not gathered, its lower part is not concealed.
Unending, it can not be named, and returns to nothing outside.
It is called the of nothing shape shape,
Of nothing outside shape, is called illusory.
We will not see its head though we move to greet it,
We will not see its rear though we follow behind it.
Hold to the ancient way in order to ward off what now exists.
The ability to know this ancient beginning is called the way discipline.

The literal Chinese goes like this:
of look not see, name call smooth.
of listen not hear, name call rare (hope, uncommon).
of hold not get, name call minute.
this three not can extend question, hence mix but mean one.
its upper not receive (gather, control), its lower not be ignorant of (conceal),
unending not can name, again return at (in,from,by,outof) nothing outside.
is called of nothing shape shape, of nothing outside shape, is called illusory.
of greet (receive; move toward) not see its head, of to follow not see its rear.
hold of ancient way so as to drive a carriage (imperial, ward off, keep out) of now (present day) have (exist).
can know ancient beginning, is called way discipline.

nameless

Go up to it and you will not see its head;
Follow behind it and you will not see its rear.

Another translation of this line I've read:

"Face it and you will not see its beginning;
Follow behind it and you will not see its end."


In other words - you will not be able to see the origin of the Universe; if you follow the Tao you will not see its end. The Universe is Infinite in a Finite space, whenever you come close to its limits it extends all the more...

Given infinite time in an infinite Universe anything will one day be possible. (Yes one day there will be flying pig-like creatures and who knows they might even wield light-sabres and wear Jedi Robes.)

nameless

Its upper part is not dazzling;
Its lower part is not obscure.

In other words: above the Tao there is no Good/Pure/Bright Judao-Christian Heaven; below the Tao there is no Evil/Dark/Gloomy Christian Hell.
You will NOT find a more perfect reality than the one you are in now, just goto the forest and listen to the perfect harmony and music of nature.

Everything has yin and yang energy, there is always a bit of yin in yang and a bit of yang in yin. There does NOT exist "pure yin" or "pure yang", and there is no "good" and there is no "evil".


(My personal definition of "Goodness" is wisdom, harmony/balance and honor, My definition of "Evilness" is ignorance, noise and hipocracy. But if you look up the words "Good" and "Evil" in the dictionary you'll find alot of confusion and contradictions).

Carl

[cite] nameless:[/cite]… There does NOT exist "pure yin" or "pure yang", and there is no "good" and there is no "evil"..

When I look out at nature I never see “good” or “evil”. Nor do I see any “yin” or “yang”. Nature, as it appears to me, has a ‘mind’ of its own. I borrow it whenever I can let go of my own.

magenta11

hmm...

here we go~ hehehe


視之不見, 名曰夷. 聽之不聞, 名曰希.

搏之不得, 名曰微. 此三者, 不可致詰, 故混而爲一.

其上不曑, 其下不昧, 繩繩不可名, 復歸於無物.

是謂無狀之狀, 無物之象, 是謂惚恍.

迎之不見其首, 隨之不見其後. 執古之道,

以御今之有. 能知古始, 是謂道紀.

ummm yeah, so.... those of you who have the translator, please use them

I used the memorizing arrangement (this was written all in linear thought
but this was broken up this way to be able to be memorized) for you to
see the difference.

Questions and comments are always welcome, kudos for everyone~

nameless

Hi Magenta,

Are there any online translators you recommend which show various English words for each Chinese character?

Thanks,
Ed

Lynn Cornish

When I look out at nature I never see “good” or “evil”.

It is our judging mind that creates the "good" and "bad." Nature has no such proclivity. So borrowing the mind of nature is borrowing non-judgment, no mind.

magenta11

Unfortunately Ed, You'd have to buy them at the software house for sure

I use Kingsoft powerwords until I decided to learn it on my own...

So yeah, if you can buy it locally or get it second hand this will be much better then so called translator Bable fish what nots out there...

sorry about that ~

Carl

[cite] nameless:[/cite]Hi Magenta,

Are there any online translators you recommend which show various English words for each Chinese character?

Thanks,
Ed

I am very happy with NJStar Chinese word processor for writing and translating.

http://www.njstar.com/

nameless

Thank you Magenta,

I also like the "Tao Te Ching Matrix Translation" from www.hermetica.info

(there's a PDF inside the ZIP file)

- Ed :-)

magenta11

wow,

Ed, have you read the Zhouyi translation from this site you posted?

This is very authentic.