Saturday, January 17, 2009 12:34:04 PM
Compassion, conflict, Dao
This post is not intended to take a political stance merely a dao cultivation and humanitarian one.
Chapter 67
Everyone in the world calls my Tao great
As if it is beyond compare
It is only because of its greatness
That it seems beyond compare
If it can be compared
It would already be insignificant long ago!
I have three treasures
I hold on to them and protect them
The first is called compassion
The second is called conservation
The third is called not daring to be ahead in the world
Compassionate, thus able to have courage
Conserving, thus able to reach widely
Not daring to be ahead in the world
Thus able to assume leadership
Now if one has courage but discards compassion
Reaches widely but discards conservation
Goes ahead but discards being behind
Then death!
If one fights with compassion, then victory
With defense, then security
Heaven shall save them
And with compassion guard themIt seems that the art of fighting with compassion has long since been lost -- not only do we see various 'freedom fighters/insurgents/terrorists' attacking civilians but now we see a nation state putting their destriction to shame by actually herding civilians into homes and city centres 'for their own safety' and then according to reports given to human rights watch shelling said homes and city centre(s). Then we see southern israel gettign hammered with thankfully inaccurate rockets and thankfully face a much lower injury and death toll than the civilians in gaza whose child death toll is not over 320 and counting.http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/01/16/israel-stop-shelling-crowded-gaza-cityThe death toll from yesterday's military operations remains unknown, but media reports quoted Gaza health officials as saying that 70 people had died (the reports make no distinction between civilian and combatant casualties). As of January 14, 1,013 Palestinians had died, including 322 children and 76 women, according to the Gazan Ministry of Health. An additional 4,560 Palestinians reportedly have been wounded, including 1,600 children and 678 women.
The attacks on Gaza City occurred after the Israel Defense Force (IDF) had warned Gaza's residents to flee to city centers. According to the Israeli government, on January 3, the IDF began broadcasting warnings that told people, among other things, that "For your own safety, you are required to leave your homes immediately and move to the city centers." Despite these warnings, the IDF has launched attacks against the Gaza city center, causing civilian casualties.
"Israel warned civilians to go to city centers and later shelled the center of Gaza City with a weapon that should never be used in densely populated areas," Garlasco said. When will we realise that Ghandi was right - "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" -- it is true that in daoism and dao cultivation self defense is not frowned upon, but i can't help but feel that the way we are going there will be so much self defense going on that the cycles of hatred, anger and killing of innocents has no hope of ending.
I have no answers but i hope we can all feel empathy for ALL the victims of these conflicts.
Chapter 43
The softest things of the world
Override the hardest things of the world
That which has no substance
Enters into that which has no openings
From this I know the benefits of unattached actions
The teaching without words
The benefits of actions without attachment
Are rarely matched in the worldpeace to you
beccaxx
Saturday, June 30, 2007 2:27:54 AM
Dao, Tao
Dao[/u][/font]There is one voice, there is no voice
There is right there is no right
There is light and dark
There is love there is hate
There is anger there is peace
There is chaos there is harmony
There is knowledge, there is no-knowledge
There is water, there is fire
There is earth, there is air
There is life, there is death
There is no life, there is no death
There is serenity, there is harmony,
There is yin there is yang,
There is the place without yin or yang
This is harmony
This is Daopeace to you
beccaxx[/FONT]
Monday, June 25, 2007 2:54:16 PM
Harmonic Balance, Dao, Change
A Cup of Tea
Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.
Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.
The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!"
"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"Chapter 11
Thirty spokes join in one hub
In its emptiness, there is the function of a vehicle
Mix clay to create a container
In its emptiness, there is the function of a container
Cut open doors and windows to create a room
In its emptiness, there is the function of a room
Therefore, that which exists is used to create benefit
That which is empty is used to create functionalityLet’s say one of you posted a reply to this post that had some thoughts you wished to share in it, these thoughts might well help someone too look inside themselves and see their inner/true self better..... Let us also say that in my attachment to my own ideas even though I say I wish to learn my head is too full of my own ideas and thoughts to allow any space for yours to fit in for contemplation.
so just as my tea mug is good for holding things in it, if it has empty space (space that is always filling then emptying then filling again)so to my head needs to be able to empty itself of certain blockages to allow the thoughts and information of others to enter to allow self contemplation, Dao contemplation all requires a certain amount of emptiness of the mind.
I have found this also allows for a certain equanimity if faced with differences of opinions even seemingly violent ones, there is after all much to learn from any situation if our minds are formless and ever changing enough to allow.
peace to you
beccaxx
Friday, June 15, 2007 5:03:23 AM
Self Knowledge, Dao, True Self, Tao
Recently i have been thinking alot of self awareness and how as a Dao cultivator i cn do more to look within myself. As ever i found what i was thinking about in the Tao Te ching Chapter 33
Those who understand others are intelligent
Those who understand themselves are enlightened
Those who overcome others have strength
Those who overcome themselves are powerful
Those who know contentment are wealthy
Those who proceed vigorously have willpower
Those who do not lose their base endure
Those who die but do not perish have longevityHow do we then understand ourselves? Do we just go through life "going with the flow" and then one day go "eureka i know myself now"..... or is there some practice we can learn to look deep within ourselves not only into our charecters and emotions but into our spirits and formation? Or does it depend on the individual? Or is it a bit of everything? Chapter 70
My words are easy to understand, easy to practice
The world cannot understand, cannot practice
My words have basis
My actions have principle
People do not understand this
Therefore they do not understand me
Those who understand me are few
Thus I am highly valued
Therefore the sage wears plain clothes but holds jadeHmmm could it be that Lau Tzu is giving us a hint as to how to understand ourselves? In how to apply these teachings to our lives? "Easy to practice..." and "have basis".... it is probable that as with much of the TTC there are many meanings, most valid, one could ascribe to this but for this post lets take explore the possibility that Lau Tzu is saying his words have basis in practice.... so perhaps his words and understanding come from what we refer to as meditation. That to understand and apply the way to best do this is to cultivate and explore within ourselves. To truely learn how to look at the mirror within us. Chapter 71
To know that you do not know is highest
To not know but think you know is flawed
Only when one recognizes the fault as a fault
can one be without fault
The sages are without fault
Because they recognize the fault as a fault
That is why they are without faultOne idea i have seen explored is that this chapter means sages have no faults, as in they never make mistakes. Well this seems a little incongruous given sages are living beings and all living beings make mistakes. Even animals in the wild sometimes have "duh" moments like one young lion who tried to take on a crocadile ... soon learnt it had made a slight error. Making mistakes is how all beings learn. The difference this chapter points to between sages and everyone else is sages when they make mistakes view them from detachment so are able to admit their error and to learn from it and let it go.... "because they recognise the fault as a fault they are without fault...".
How would they come to such a place? Through self knowledge. And this is where for many of us the difficult part comes in. Many of us have lived full lives we have had experiences good. bad and indifferent, these experiences leave us with what are now called "issues" and sometimes having that courage to really look inside and explore the depths of memories long supressed of the true us, can be tough. And it is tough especially if you have had some difficult things happen in life it can be very tough to look within and keep learning.
The Dalai Lama in a TV interview i saw with hm once said that ""of course he feels anger like everyone else at some things, he said especially when he saw of abuses to humans or aniamls he got upset and angry but it was a fleeting feeling like the rising and ebbing of the tide. Why? He was asked. Because he answered, i have worked hard to know myself and to learn to let go of these things, when i was a younger man i had a great temper whcih stemmed from having to deal with many things at a young age. i learnt to know myself and through this process to recognise my fault and let it go."" this is a rough summary of that interview but the essence is captured.
It is sometimes said that to know the world we must know ourselves.
I know that self knowedge for me is an ever changing process one which is not static it is not like you reach a point of self knowledge and then stop because your suddenly a sage or enlightened even great spiritual sages continue looking within. It is as with most other things in Daoism and/or Dao cultivation a matter of reaching harmonious balance, of both going with the flow, and in practicing meditation and other forms of cultivation to learn about our inner selves and how bes tot apply Dao cultivation/daoism to all aspects of life.peace to you
beccaxx
Friday, June 8, 2007 10:14:31 PM
Compassion, Dao, Tao, Oneness
True compassion is a theme addressed by many spiritual/philosophical/religious paths, From Christianity to Daoism. Perhaps then true compassion is an important part of our spiritual cultivation? The Parable of the Good Samaritan
Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"
He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
He said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live."
But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"
Jesus answered, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, 'Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.' Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?"
He said, "He who showed mercy on him."
Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." Chapter 67
Everyone in the world calls my Tao great
As if it is beyond compare
It is only because of its greatness
That it seems beyond compare
If it can be compared
It would already be insignificant long ago
I have three treasures
I hold on to them and protect them
The first is called compassion
The second is called conservation
The third is called not daring to be ahead in the world
Compassionate, thus able to have courage
Conserving, thus able to reach widely
Not daring to be ahead in the world
Thus able to assume leadership
Now if one has courage but discards compassion
Reaches widely but discards conservation
Goes ahead but discards being behind
Then death!
If one fights with compassion, then victory
With defense, then security
Heaven shall save them
And with compassion guard themChapter 39
Those that attained oneness since ancient times:
The sky attained oneness and thus clarity
The earth attained oneness and thus tranquility
The gods attained oneness and thus divinity
The valley attained oneness and thus abundance
The myriad things attained oneness and thus life
The rulers attained oneness and became the standard for the world
These all emerged from oneness
The sky, lacking clarity, would break apart
The earth, lacking tranquility, would erupt
The gods, lacking divinity, would vanish
The valley, lacking abundance, would wither
Myriad things, lacking life, would be extinct
The rulers, lacking standard, would be toppled
Therefore, the honored uses the lowly as basis
The higher uses the lower as foundation
Thus the rulers call themselves alone, bereft, and unworthy
Is this not using the lowly as basis? Is it not so?
Therefore, the ultimate honor is no honor
Do not wish to be shiny like jade
Be dull like rocks There are many fine words, spoken by many people claiming to be speaking for "God" "Allah" "Buddha" "Krishna" "Tao" etc but (linking this into previous article "Intention") there is a difference as exampled int he parable of the good samritan between speaking a good service and acting on instinctive non-thinking compassion. Why didn't the priest help the fallen man? Surely a "Holy man" would practice comapssion?
But then here we come to the difference between being compassionate because one "Is told to" and so this compassion comes with conditions and righteous contracts "If you do this then i will help you..." Where-as if one is acting through instinctive "non-action" compassion as exampled by the Samaritian then there is no condition, no contract, no price on the compassion it is just the natural instinct as seen in TTC chapter 67 which comes from the "Oneness" "connection with Dao" of TTC 39.
Natural instinctive action - Oneness - Dao peace to you
Becca 
Friday, June 8, 2007 2:27:07 PM
Harmonious Balance, Dao, Oneness
A Man Who Loves Sea-Gulls ~ China Page onlineA Man Who Loves Sea Gulls
A man who lived by the sea loved seagulls. Every morning at daybreak he would go to the seaside and play with the gulls. Hundreds of gulls would come to him and not fly away.
His father said, "I heard that seagulls like to play with you. Catch a few for me so that I can play with them too."
The next morning when he went to the seaside the seagulls swooped about in the skies but none came down to him.
One may try, but unable to, hide one's inner thoughts. Even birds and animals can sense one's true feelings. Chapter 16
Attain the ultimate emptiness
Hold on to the truest tranquility
The myriad things are all active
I therefore watch their return
Everything flourishes; each returns to its root
Returning to the root is called tranquility
Tranquility is called returning to one's nature
Returning to one's nature is called constancy
Knowing constancy is called clarity
Not knowing constancy, one recklessly causes trouble
Knowing constancy is acceptance
Acceptance is impartiality
Impartiality is sovereign
Sovereign is Heaven
Heaven is Tao
Tao is eternal
The self is no more, without danger Chapter 39
Those that attained oneness since ancient times:
The sky attained oneness and thus clarity
The earth attained oneness and thus tranquility
The gods attained oneness and thus divinity
The valley attained oneness and thus abundance
The myriad things attained oneness and thus life
The rulers attained oneness and became the standard for the world
These all emerged from oneness
The sky, lacking clarity, would break apart
The earth, lacking tranquility, would erupt
The gods, lacking divinity, would vanish
The valley, lacking abundance, would wither
Myriad things, lacking life, would be extinct
The rulers, lacking standard, would be toppled
Therefore, the honored uses the lowly as basis
The higher uses the lower as foundation
Thus the rulers call themselves alone, bereft, and unworthy
Is this not using the lowly as basis? Is it not so?
Therefore, the ultimate honor is no honor
Do not wish to be shiny like jade
Be dull like rocksWhen we say "Oneness" we mean "Dao" so to attain oneness is to attain that inner connection to Dao, our "true self".
The Man in the story who loved seagulls and they loved him had oneness, he had clarity and did not over try to have seagulls flock to him, yet they found his calrity and did so instinctivly. Where as the father wished to have them caught for him, he wished to force the seagulls to come to him. He had not attained "oneness" or "dao" so was working out of "Self" not from the connection of "True Self". Indeed we could say that the Son had internal "harmonious balance" while the father did not. Don't we find that these verses and the story can apply to life situations? How often do we see those who say all the right words but whose actions and intentions belie those words? This is why even though there are many paths of dao, many ways to follow Daoist teachings and thoughts, some seemingly conflicting ways, some without the label of "Dao" attached, those who have attained oneness, found that connection to their "true self" and have their internal harmonious balance, instinctivly sense as the seagulls did in the story above, when words are just words or when words are made with clarity and "oneness" Of course we all go through the process of the "Self" and say things which we do not really understand on a internal "true self/inner heart" level. Which to a point is all part of following the way of Dao, however this will fall away from those who truely follow the way of Dao/oneness who will find that connection to their "true-selves". peace to you
becca
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