Chapter 4, Verses 8 and 9 - Sun Tzu

To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence. Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight and conquer and the whole Empire says, "Well done!"
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

Tao Bible - 1 Kings 8:10-11

And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
~ King James version ~

Tao is simple and cannot be housed.
~ possible Taoist alternative ~

After Solomon builds an ornate structure to house the Ark of the Covenant, God fills it with glory unto himself.

Tao is not filled with self-importance (as Tao has no self). Tao is simply the essence that underlies existence.

If you're interested in reading more from this experimental series, go to the Tao Bible Index page.

Chapter 4, Verse 7 - Sun Tzu

The general who is skilled in defense hides in the most secret recesses of the earth; he who is skilled in attack flashes forth from the topmost heights of heaven. Thus on the one hand we have ability to protect ourselves; on the other, a victory that is complete.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

A "Profound Hatred for Democracy"

In speaking about the WikiLeaks release of over 250,000 secret diplomatic cables, Noam Chomsky told Democracy Now's Amy Goodman that the chief thing that the world has learned is "the profound hatred for democracy on the part of our political leadership." It is a damning statement to make, but in light of the information being released, it is hard to deny that it is on point.

If you think Chomsky is being overly harsh, all you have to do is to look at the response of those who occupy the leadership positions. Are they acting embarrassed over the revelations or have some come out to pledge to be more transparent in the future?

Get real! There are no mea culpas. There is no hand wringing regarding the blatant hypocrisy. No, the unified response has been to shoot (quite literally, in some instances) the messenger. There have been calls to designate WikiLeaks as a "terrorist organization." It is a sad day when truth is considered a weapon of terror!

Others have called for WikiLeaks spokesman Julian Assange to be executed or assassinated. Now we know why the American mainstream media has become spineless; no editor and few reporters want to land on a Congressional "hit list"!

The reason our elected leaders and political elites are so outraged is that this situation reminds many of the pivotal scene in The Wizard of Oz. While Dorothy and her friends (the American populace) are trembling in fear at the fiery visage of the wizard (political elites), little Toto (Assange) is pulling back the curtain to reveal the truth (US hypocrisy).

However, unlike the classic movie, we don't have the benefit of a good witch to send us home. We're stuck here and the powers-that-be are working swiftly to put the curtain back into place before too many folks notice.

Chapter 4, Verse 6 - Sun Tzu

Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength; attacking, a superabundance of strength.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

Thinking Out Loud: The Bad Negotiator

Last night I read an article on NPR, "Liberals: Obama Doesn't Compromise. He Caves". In a common refrain that I hear from liberals and progressives,

Liberals see the president as a bad negotiator, willing to sell the farm for nothing.

For example, nine months ago he angered environmentalists with a surprise announcement that offshore oil and gas exploration would be expanded.

He seemed to be giving Republicans a bargaining chip without getting anything in return. Indeed, the energy bill that Obama wanted died in the Senate for lack of Republican support.

In the health care debate, the White House abandoned a public option without winning any Republican votes for the concession.

And earlier this week, Obama once again gave Republicans something they wanted, against the wishes of many liberal groups, when he proposed a two-year pay freeze for civilian federal workers...

As many people know, Obama has already signaled that he may be prepared to give in on another Republican demand: continued tax cuts for the egregiously rich. On issue after issue, we witness the same pattern. He talks tough at the outset, then slides backwards the closer it gets to when the legislation needs passage. It is becoming a common opinion that the man lacks any semblance of a backbone.

Of course, there is another way to view this sickening pattern. It's all a ruse. What he says at the outset is not what he really supports; he's merely trying to score points with many of his supporters. Once he has them firmly in his back pocket, then he gets down to the REAL business -- giving away the farm.

If our president was a Republican, he would have to be very careful with this strategy because, if he angered his populist base too much, they might make him pay big time. Fortunately, for him, he's a Democrat and so he really doesn't fear any kind of backlash at all. Liberals will wring their hands and threaten not to back him in 2012, but, when push comes to shove, they will all fall in line like the sheeple they are. No matter how badly he has abused them, he knows they won't dare leave the fold.

In a manner of speaking, Obama's "sins" aren't his fault. No, the fault lies with all the people who are guilty of the very thing they accuse him of!! It turns out that Democratic voters are very poor negotiators too. They talk tough in the beginning, but they allow Democratic politicians to back down WITHOUT exacting ANY concessions.

Line by Line - Verse 15, Line 9

unpretentious like wood that has not been fashioned into anything;
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Simple, like uncarved blocks of wood.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Genuine, like plain wood
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

They were as plain as a block of wood.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

Aah, the uncarved block. One of the chief metaphors of philosophical Taoism.

An uncarved block of wood -- just like an empty bowl yet to be filled -- is akin to a blank canvass. It can be fashioned into all sorts of creations. At the beginning, however, it is nondescript.

As Su Ch'e suggests in Lao-tzu's Taoteching: with Selected Commentaries of the Past 2000 Years,

Uncarved wood reminds us to be an end to human fabrication and return to our original nature.

When we approach life in this way, we allow situations and circumstances to inform the strategy employed or the route taken.

To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.

Chapter 4, Verse 5 - Sun Tzu

Security against defeat implies defensive tactics; ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

Question: Which Is Worse?

In 1 Kings, Chapter 13, we find a very odd story. An unnamed prophet -- identified solely as "a man of God" -- provides a prophesy to Jeroboam. God has instructed the unnamed prophet not to tarry, eat nor drink in Jeroboam's land. The prophet refuses Jeroboam's invitation to stay with him and feast.

As the prophet leaves, he is approached by another unnamed prophet, denoted as an "old" prophet. The old prophet lies to the first one and says that God told him that it was alright for the first prophet to stay, eat and drink. Deceived by the old prophet's deception, the first prophet stays.

So, who do you think God punishes with death? The deceiver or the deceived?

In a weird twist, God punishes the prophet who was deceived and nary a word is mentioned about a punishment for the prophet who lied.

Does this make a lick of sense? Is this consistent with the 10 commandments?

To see what other questions I've asked about the Christian Bible, go here.

Mr. Ray, Part 1

Mr. Ray
by Scott Bradley

My train, the Rajdhani Express from Delhi, pulled into Calcutta’s Howrah Station in the dark, early morning. It had been a two day journey and I was glad it was over. I rolled up my sleeping bag and secured it to my backpack. And then I saw that my leather satchel was not where I had just set it. Gone. Camera. How many Greek drachmas? Traveler’s checks. Passport!!

So began my sojourn in Calcutta. Less than a year before I had graduated from seminary. I had been accepted into a doctoral program in philosophical theology at GTU in Berkeley. I wanted to study liberation theology and somehow apply it in the world. But first, I told myself, I should go back to India and touch again what had become for me emblemic of all poverty.

I don’t remember how I found my way to Nirmal Hriday, but the path changed my life. This was Mother Theresa’s “First Work”, a former pilgrims’ hospice attached to and donated by the Kalighat Temple of Kali. And here the “Dying and Destitute” were brought when found just so in the streets of Calcutta. Here it was intended that they should die in dignity. I soon found myself housed on the roof of the Brothers of Charity domicile and daily working the morning shift in care of the wards.

There were as many as thirty in the men’s section; I never saw the women’s. Need I describe these men? Yes, I guess I do. All were indeed destitute; most were indeed dying. I dispensed medicines for tuberculosis, leprosy, parasites and I don’t know what else. I applied lotion to their wasted bodies to fight the scabies. I washed their bodies and helped to carry the same when lifeless to the tiny morgue behind the water cistern.

Chapter 4, Verses 3 and 4 - Sun Tzu

Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy. Hence the saying: One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

Tao Bible - 1 Kings 3:12

Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
~ King James version ~

Wisdom is not bestowed; it is learned.
~ possible Taoist alternative ~

In his dream, Solomon asks God for wisdom. Pleased with the request, God bestows it on him.

No one can grant you or I wisdom. It is borne of experience, learnt from our successes and failures.

Wisdom without experience is hollow.

If you're interested in reading more from this experimental series, go to the Tao Bible Index page.

Chapter 4, Verse 2 - Sun Tzu

To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

The Binding Element

Show a picture or read a poem to 20 people and it wouldn't be surprising to get 20 different observations or interpretations. Because we each live unique lives, we each filter information differently. What is beautiful to one person, may be ugly to another. What appears disjointed to one person, may seem linear to another.

While this difference of perception affects each of us as individuals, it's even more true when considering belief systems.

In the western world, the perspective bestowed by Christianity represents the dominant paradigm. Under this paradigm, everything is estranged. Life is viewed as a mass of individual entities separated by meaningless space.

The foundation of this perspective of a separation hearkens back to the Genesis story of Adam & Eve. When both partook of original sin and realized their nakedness, they unknowingly separated themselves from the intertwined powers of the universe. Not only did they create a chasm between themselves and their maker, but they also erected a barrier between each other.

And, by concurrently committing both of these acts, they drove a wedge deep into their own psyches. From this moment on, according to Christian belief, guilt was born.

It’s easy to see how this manifestation has played out down through the years. Because of this perceived estrangement, western society has raped and pillaged Mother Earth. We’ve denigrated the poor. We’ve discriminated against others whose skin pigmentation happens to be different than our own or whose sexual orientation is not the same as ours.

In other words, we are suspicious of anything and everything that is not of us – as individuals, as families, as groups or as a nation. And anything or anyone who we are fearful or suspicious of, we must dominate and control -- show 'em who's boss!!

We know that something is not of us because of this meaningless space that stands between us. And it will always be that way!

From a Taoist perspective, this is all unnecessary nonsense. This separation is merely a human construction. To put it another way, there is no separation at all.

While the Christian views space as a meaningless void, the Taoist views the void as having supreme meaning. As explained in the Tao Te Ching, what makes a beverage container or a window useful? It’s not the substance we see, but the space we cannot see. It is the void that allows us to fill the container or stick our head out the window.

Remove the space and neither the beverage container nor the window would serve its rightful purpose.

Instead of separating us from everything, empty space connects us to everything. Space can be viewed as a highway to our next destination or the veins that nurture the universal body.

It’s is this belief in the connection – an intertwining interdependence – of all things that motivates a Taoist to engage the world in a totally different way than a Christian.

If we are all part of one underlying force, principle or entity, then we will treat everything with the same level of value and respect as ourselves. We won’t devastate Mother Earth because it is the same as driving a knife into our own physical human heart. We won’t denigrate or discriminate against others because the psychological wound will be felt in our own human psyche. We won’t try to spread hate and fear because it will only mean hating and fearing ourselves.

Chapter 4, Verse 1 - Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu said: The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

Line by Line - Verse 15, Line 8

evanescent like ice that is melting away;
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Yielding like ice about to melt.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Loose, like ice about to melt
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

They moved quickly, like melting ice.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

You've been reading a lot lately re my thoughts on the lines in Verse 15. Let's see what John Lash and Derek Lin have to say about Line 8.

Snow, when melting, loses its whiteness. It becomes transparent on the outer edges. One touch of the finger and it is gone. In Tai Chi, whether in self-defence or in everyday life, as soon as you meet something hard, like another person's opinion, or when you sense antagonism and feel its pressure, you yield instantly, you disappear in order to avoid conflict. (Lash)

The masters were careful, not uptight. They went about their activities with a certain looseness, which took nothing away from their concern for others and for doing a good job. (Lin)

To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.

Chapter 3, Verse 18 - Sun Tzu

Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

Thinking Out Loud: Don't Ask, Don't Tell

For years, the military brass has been almost uniformly opposed to ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Yesterday, however, Defense Secretary Robert Gates released a report that "overturning the law known as "don't ask, don't tell" might cause some disruption at first but would not create any widespread or long-lasting problems." The study goes on to indicate that a wide majority of troops "do not care if the ban is lifted."

On the one hand, we could applaud the military brass for catching up with the times. The repeal of this hideous law is long overdue. A person's sexual orientation absolutely should have nothing to do with whether or not an individual is fit to serve in the armed forces.

On the other hand, I distrust almost ANYTHING coming out of Washington DC these days. Whenever I hear something halfway positive, I immediately try to figure out what is going on behind the scenes. Experience has taught me that it is not atypical at all for a seemingly progressive measure or initiative to serve more nefarious purposes.

Initially, I wondered if recruitment might be down. With two unpopular wars going on, maybe the armed forces are facing a manpower shortage. However, after searching around the internet, I've found that recent recruitment targets are being met (though the targets have been lowered lately to make them easier to meet).

On first blush then, the recruitment angle would appear not to be the issue...unless the Obama administration is thinking about starting another war! If this is the case, then we need a lot more soldiers and axing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law would be a great place to start.

We already know from WikiLeaks that there are a lot of folks -- both in this country and abroad -- who desperately want the US to attack Iran. Add to this the brewing tempest on the Korean Peninsula and now we have two possible theaters for US aggression. Heck, we could even throw in places like Somalia too!

With so many potential targets to attack, we will need to ramp up the numbers of military personnel significantly. From this perspective, now is a good time to end a policy that discourages certain members of the US populace from signing up.

What do you think?

The Tao of Dark Sages - Epilogue

The Tao of Dark Sages
by Scott Bradley

Finally! An end! And if you have somehow managed to get this far, then the last thing you would want, I am sure, is a summary of teachings. And I have no inclination to offer one here. Indeed, being who I am today, were I to venture upon Sue-tzu teaching in that Nepalese meadow as I did so many years ago, I would most definitely turn away. All those words, so helpful at the time, have now all dissipated, like so much hot air, into the cold, empty Void. Yet, thankful I am for that encounter which set me upon this wonderful adventure of spiritual discovery. Such is the life of a pilgrim.

Likewise, of Mark-tzu and Gabi, Sue-tzu and myself, I have nothing more to report. Finally, I am able to leave them to their obscurity. And should you wonder who we really are, I can tell you most assuredly, we are no one at all.

If you're interested in reading this series by Scott Bradley, go here.

Chapter 3, Verse 17 - Sun Tzu

Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory: (1) He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight. (2) He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces. (3) He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks. (4) He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared. (5) He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.