REFLECTIONS ON THE TAO: April 2011

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Tao Te Ching, Verse 16

“Empty the self completely; Embrace perfect peace.
Realize that all beings alike go through their processes of activity and life,
and then they return to the original source.
Returning to the source brings peacefulness and stillness.
This stillness is the flow of nature,
and signifies that the beings have lived their allotted span of life.
Accepting this brings enlightenment and tranquility,
ignoring this brings confusion and sorrow.
If one can accept this flow of nature; one can cherish all things.
Being all-cherishing you become impartial;
Being impartial you become magnanimous;
Being magnanimous you become natural;
Being natural you become one with The Way;
Being one with The Way you become immortal:
Though the body will decay, the Way will not.”
(Tao Te Ching, Verse 16, John Dicus Translation)

Every month, I begin with the highest expectations and then I get busy and tired and distracted. I put aside everything that doesn’t cry out for my immediate attention until it either disappears or begins to cry out also. One could say that I’ve been ignoring the natural flow of things.

SUMMARY OF VERSES 1-15:

Words cannot describe the absolute REALITY of the universe, but they can point you toward it and you can experience it. Since most of our conceptions of REALITY are false dichotomies (good and bad, left and right, faith and reason), people with understanding of the integral truth of the universe ignore these conceptions and allow this truth to flow though them in the form of action. Since, thanks to our misconceptions of REALITY, people tend to value power and things over other people and spiritual discipline, people with understanding of the integral truth of the universe ignore what other people tend to do and instead they practice spiritual discipline and then allow the appropriate action to arise spontaneously at the appropriate time. The integral truth of the universe has always been here. It’s inexhaustible and always available to everyone and it will help anyone do whatever he/she needs to do. Since the integral truth of the universe is impartial toward all things, people with understanding of the integral truth treat other people with impartiality and tolerance for benign differences in others – the integral truth of the universe is available to everyone all the time and the more you make use of it, the more it’s available to you. The integral truth of the universe is the source of everything and it’s present in and available to everyone all the time and the more you make use of it, the more it’s available to you. The integral truth of the universe IS – it always has been and will ever be – it has no desires for itself; thus it is available to all – it is a model for us; when we have no desires we will have everything we need and be perfectly fulfilled. In light of everything that has been said thus far, we ought to live simply, be fair and generous with others without trying to control them – we ought to enjoy our work and be completely present in the lives of those we love – if we do this, not only will we find peace and joy, we will also be respected. Constantly worrying and monitoring leads only to disappointment – if you want peace, do your work and forget about it. Thus people with understanding of the integral truth of the universe act without expectations, lead without trying to control, and deal with the most vital matters by letting events take their course. It’s the concrete nouns that draw our attention, but it’s the abstract nouns that matter. “We need space in order to see, silence in order to hear, sleep in order to carry on with our wakefulness. If our senses are too cluttered with objects they lose their acuteness and will eventually decay” (Mitchell Commentary) – if our minds are too cluttered with thoughts, “they lose their acuteness and will eventually decay” – if our hearts are too cluttered with desires, “they lose their acuteness and will eventually decay” – one with understanding says, “what I do is of no importance whatsoever – I am here as a servant – and if I’m nervous it’s because I think that what I’m doing is important, and that is an egocentricity which no interpreter can allow himself the luxury of – you’re there to serve the music and you have to be in the best position psychologically and physiologically to do so – which means no tension – no nerves – yes, exhilaration – yes enthusiasm – yes, focused energy, but no nervousness, because that counterproductive” – When you have no desires you will have everything you need and be perfectly fulfilled. “See the world as yourself. Have faith in the way things are. Love the world as your self; then you can care for all things.” When you have no desires you will have everything you need and be perfectly fulfilled. If you know that you’re going in the right direction, don’t worry about whether or not you can see the trail. Have the patience to wait for clarity of mind and purpose – till the right action arises by itself.

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Saturday, April 30, 2011

Tao Te Ching, Verse 16

SUMMARY OF VERSES 1-15: