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Chapter of the Week: #38 [Archive]
1) I am not talking about belief. Without a brain developed to the point that it is, and the subsequent mind that derives from it, the concept of the Tao would not exist. The Tao does not have independent existence from the minds of humans who think it up. It may be that the Universe does not have existence independent of human cognition. Don't know about that, yet.
I find it hard to deal with the blue references to Tao te Ching. I prefer to talk in real terms, and leave the biblical references to religion.
3) Ducks and racoons have no concept of survival. They live, they eat they die. Survival is strictly a human concept.
4) This is what happens when one "suspects." I am a Vietnam veteren, and a veteren of the Exxon Valdez oil spill; one a war between humans and humans, the other a war between humans and Life.
All should know that I am an anthropologost by academic training, so I have a rational, fact-based view of human history. Religion is not at all associated with "the iron age," as all cultures have some sort of religion, at all times in history. Religion is human-controlled spirituality, often serving as jusitification of political and economic hegemony. I do not consider Taoism to be a religion, nor do I associate myself with any religion or religious views.
Taoism is a rational philosophy, based on observation and verification. In our world today, it is called science, albeit carried into the furthest reaches of quantum physics.
Hayduke
I find it hard to deal with the blue references to Tao te Ching. I prefer to talk in real terms, and leave the biblical references to religion.
3) Ducks and racoons have no concept of survival. They live, they eat they die. Survival is strictly a human concept.
4) This is what happens when one "suspects." I am a Vietnam veteren, and a veteren of the Exxon Valdez oil spill; one a war between humans and humans, the other a war between humans and Life.
All should know that I am an anthropologost by academic training, so I have a rational, fact-based view of human history. Religion is not at all associated with "the iron age," as all cultures have some sort of religion, at all times in history. Religion is human-controlled spirituality, often serving as jusitification of political and economic hegemony. I do not consider Taoism to be a religion, nor do I associate myself with any religion or religious views.
Taoism is a rational philosophy, based on observation and verification. In our world today, it is called science, albeit carried into the furthest reaches of quantum physics.
Hayduke
Comments
Chapter 38
A man of the highest virtue does not keep to virtue and that is why he has
virtue. A man of the lowest virtue never strays from virtue and that is why he
is without virtue. The former never acts yet leaves nothing undone. The latter
acts but there are things left undone. A man of the highest benevolence acts,
but from no ulterior motive. A man of the highest rectitude acts, but from
ulterior motive. A man most conversant in the rites acts, but when no one
responds rolls up his sleeves and resorts to persuation by force.
Hence when the way was lost there was virtue; when virtue was lost there was
benevolence; when benevolence was lost there was rectitude; when rectitude was
lost there were the rites.
The rites are the wearing thin of loyalty and good faith
And the beginning of disorder;
Foreknowledge is the flowery embellishment of the way
And the beginning of folly.
Hence the man of large mind abides in the thick not in the thin, in the fruit
not in the flower.
Therefore he discards the one and takes the other.
Read commentary previously posted for this chapter.
The virtue spoken of here is the 'Te' ('de'), in Tao Te Ching. Clearly, this virtue plunges deeper than the usual definition, e.g., behavior showing high moral standards. 'Te' is also translated as integrity (see Victor Mair's translation). 'De' on its own translates as; virtue, morals, moral character, heart, mind, kindness, favor.
How we approach life reflects what we feel deep within ourselves. The most obvious example of this is a braggart's struggle to compensate for deep insecurity by 'puffing up' what he shows to the world. [chref=24]He who brags will have no merit[/chref] points to this. Although, I hold that bragging is caused by feeling a lack of merit. Thus, here as well, feeling insufficient virtue causes us to never stray from virtue. The lack, the [chref=40]Nothing[/chref], causes 'something'. When, for whatever reason, we can't feel at peace with the [chref=25]silent and void[/chref], we are driven by Nature to compensate. This is why meditation helps calm life. Through meditation (whether 'still' as in Zazen or 'moving' as in Tai Chi) we learn to live with 'nothing' and so are less driven to action.
This chapter lays outs the layering of symptoms nicely, e.g. loss of the way causes benevolence; loss of benevolence causes rectitude; lost of rectitude causes... until we reach the end of the line and resort to violence. Of course, we must be [chref=15]tentative and hesitant[/chref] if we apply this principle to any particular situation. After all, our judgements are also reflections of our personal needs and fears. Thus, how do we know we know, what we think we know? To paraphrase chapter 56: 'he who thinks [chref=71]does not know[/chref], he [chref=56]who knows does not[/chref] think'.
I always thought of foreknowledge as referring to making predictions, e.g., astrology, reading tea leaves, etc. Today I just realized that any 'claim' to the future - whether a minute from now or 'tomorrow' - is foreknowledge. By 'claim' I mean thoughts and ideals infused with desire. Plans, [chref=3]free from desire[/chref], are simply [chref=63]laying plans for the accomplishment of the difficult before it becomes difficult[/chref]. So how do we lay plans without [chref=46]having too many desires[/chref]? Good question. Our 'answer' lies in the fruit not in the flower. Simply put, this moment - now - is the fruit of all past flowers going all the way back to the big bang, if your mind is large enough to abide that. But, just abiding in the fruit from this morning's flowers [chref=54]will be more than sufficient[/chref]. [chref=40]Turning back[/chref] to the fruit of the moment re-balances life. Like we say, it's [chref=64]easy[/chref]. All we need do is [chref=20]want[/chref] to!
I just can't get over the irony of this! We actually do get out of life just what we want. Alas we, more often than not, want what the thin flower of 'tomorrow' promises, rather than what the thick fruit, of the present provides, and so we often feel less [chref=80]content[/chref] than we might otherwise. Oh well, I just chalk it up to 'the grass is always greener' aspect of the hunter-gatherer instinct.