Monday, July 26, 2010

Chen Jen on Laozi - Chapter 1

This is not about Tao. It is about you. What else asks after Tao? Where else could Tao be found?

The Ultimate cannot be conceived and thus has no name. To name It is to miss a way.

This gate yawns wide within you. You need look no farther. Surrender utterly into Mystery. Cast off every line. Drift in Flow. This is Tao.

There is only Tao. Being human, we see its manifestations. This too is manifesting. All that you are, all that you do, is Tao manifest. Your every thought, your every joy, sorrow, fear, trust, pride and shame, is Tao manifest. All that is you is Tao. You need seek no farther. This gate yawns wide within you.

Free from every desire, you are free to express them all. Free from every manifestation, you are free to wander joyfully among them all.

What is not Mystery? Tao and its expressions, all is Mystery. Mystery within Mystery, darkness within darkness, black on black—this is harmony. The way to the Unknown is Unknowing. This gate yawns wide within you. You need look no farther.

This post is part of a series. To view the index, go here.

3 comments:

  1. Just for fun, here's some questions...

    re: "The Ultimate cannot be conceived and thus has no name. To name It is to miss a way."

    -- What does it mean, "to miss a way?"

    re: "This gate yawns wide within you. You need look no farther. Surrender utterly into Mystery. Cast off every line. Drift in Flow. This is Tao."

    -- Though it cannot be conceived, you/we appear to have conceptions about it.

    re: "... All that you are, all that you do, is Tao manifest. Your every thought, your every joy, sorrow, fear, trust, pride and shame, is Tao manifest. All that is you is Tao. You need seek no farther. This gate yawns wide within you."

    -- All that I do is an expression of this 'thing' we've conceived of and named 'Tao.' If I don't surrender into mystery, if I don't cast off every line, if I don't drift in flow: this is still an expression of Tao? Are there expressions of Tao that are more desirable or more valuable?

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  2. Why try Bao Pu?

    Why aim for desire? You may desire 3 and the Tao has 5. You may desire 3 and always get 2. Rather just be. The messages sound paradoxical at times as they wish to take you beyond the rational mind.

    You're trying to conceive. Ans so missing the way. Imagine taking a boat under the sydney harbour bridge and choosing to read a guide book for the length of the trip.

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  3. Bau Pu says, "just for fun." I say, "Yes, that's the spirit in which we need to enquire and discuss."

    Just for fun, here are some responses to his questions. But first, let's remember there are no truths here to defend--isn't that great?!

    Q1: "To miss a way" suggests that there are many ways to fulfilment--perhaps as many as there are beings that seek it.

    Q2: Yes, we do have conceptions about It and for this reason I would prefer to not talk about it at all, but rather about how not-knowing about it might best effect a life of "far and unfettered wandering".

    Q3: "All dualism is falsely imagined." Nothing escapes, nothing is not, this Mystery. Not-one is also One. Can we deviate from harmony with this Mystery? Yes; and the price is disharmony and pain. So what? "Return is the movement of the Tao, all things resolve to the Source." Nothing can be lost or gained.

    Should anyone care to further discuss, I'm Scott at iniscott@yahoo.com

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