Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Bit by Bit - Chapter 12, Part 12

Trey Smith

In the Great Beginning, there was nonbeing; there was no being, no name. Out of it arose One; there was One, but it had no form. Things got hold of it and came to life, and it was called Virtue. Before things had forms, they had their allotments; these were of many kinds, but not cut off from one another, and they were called fates. Out of the flow and flux, things were born, and as they grew they developed distinctive shapes; these were called forms. The forms and bodies held within them spirits, each with its own characteristics and limitations, and this was called the inborn nature. If the nature is trained, you may return to Virtue, and Virtue at its highest peak is identical with the Beginning. Being identical, you will be empty; being empty, you will be great. You may join in the cheeping and chirping and, when you have joined in the cheeping and chirping, you may join with Heaven and earth. Your joining is wild and confused, as though you were stupid, as though you were demented. This is called Dark Virtue. Rude and unwitting, you take part in the Great Submission.
~ Burton Watson translation ~
I think the one concept we living beings have the most trouble with is non-being. Because we be in the here-and-now, we want to believe that we will always be...in some shape or form. For me, this is what gives rise to the concept of heaven -- a place where we will always consciously be.

To view the Index page for this series, go here.

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