to taste without discerning any flavor;
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~
Taste the tasteless.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~
Taste without tasting
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~
Learn to appreciate everyday life.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~
I think
Derek Lin does a magnificent job in teasing out the meaning of this line.
As Tao cultivators, we take proactive actions without attachments or expectations of specific outcomes. We manage processes and affairs without trying to manipulate them. We get a sense (a taste) of the situation without becoming so involved and engrossed that we lose our objectivity.
To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.
My teacher's commentary:
ReplyDelete"Desires and passions evolve like the clouds hanging in the sky, leaving an endless taste upon one's heart. Where is the end? Why not resort to taste Tao, which tastes like nothing, but which can bring you an enduring taste"