The Scholarly Sage?

Trey Smith

Those who follow Tao are constantly interested in new knowledge. Obscurity is not a deterrent. Detail is thrilling. Pursuit of the esoteric is an excitement. And long investigation is a pleasure. There is a saying: "Sailing on the ocean of knowledge, you can never reach the shore." The followers of Tao are happy to be sailing that way, and they probably aren't even looking for shore.
~ from Everyday Tao: Living with Balance and Harmony by Deng Ming-Dao ~

This is an interesting passage because it would appear to contradict (or at least disagree with) several passages from the Tao Te Ching.

Give up learning, and put an end to your troubles.
Verse 20

In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired.
In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.
Verse 48

Therefore the sage seeks freedom from desire.
He does not collect precious things.
He learns not to hold on to ideas.
Verse 64

Those who know are not learned.
The learned do not know.
Verse 81

Personally, I think there is a level of congruency between the thought of Ming-Dao and Laozi. What may appear to be a contradiction on first blush is not really a contradiction at all. I could offer my reasons for this supposition, but these simply are my reasons.

I'm sharing these snippets today for you to think about. Do they or do they not contradict each other? No need to post a comment -- unless you want to.

Bookworm

Trey Smith

Books allow people to think for themselves, allow access to knowledge forgotten or even out of favor with the times. Books allow knowledge to travel over time and distances greater than the author could ever accomplish in person. Most important, books encourage allegiance not to kings, but to the learning of the individual.
~ from Everyday Tao: Living with Balance and Harmony by Deng Ming-Dao ~

I love books. I like the way they feel. I like the pages, whether they be new and crisp or old and dog-eared.

Books are strewn around my bedroom. Some are in a bookshelf. Some are in small piles. Some sit right next to my bed, waiting to be read or leafed through at a moment's notice.

Though I read loads on the web and even have downloaded an ebook or two, I don't necessarily trust this move to put so much of our reading material in electronic form. By storing so much information on web servers, it makes it too easy for a government to decide to limit access to what you or I want to learn.

Yes, books can be banned or gathered up to burn, but it's next too impossible to collect every book. They are a lot easier to hide!

Imagine if the government one day decides that reading this blog will corrupt your mind (which, by the way, is foregone conclusion). Some bureaucrat will contact Google and, in a matter of seconds, this blog will vanish into thin air. All the words we've written over the years will disappear into the ether.

Now imagine that ALL blogs and websites of a certain perspective -- for example, ANY site that makes reference to Taoism/Daoism, Liberation Theology or Global Warming -- is shut down.

Would the world be a better place?

Walking A Lonely Road

Trey Smith

While it is true that you must pursue truth with no thought of gain, you must, sadly enough, also pursue truth with little thought of support.
~ from Everyday Tao: Living with Balance and Harmony by Deng Ming-Dao ~

It is important to share our lives with those we love. A life not shared truly is a life not lived to its fullest. And yet, when it comes to finding our own path, no one else can light the way. We must find our own path or paths on our own.

While the path we walk indeed may be lonely, I don't think that is the same thing as sadness. We come into this world alone and that is the way we shall leave it. That's not a reason for sorrow or joy; it's just the way it is.

Head in the Heavens, Feet on the Earth

Baroness Radon

I've been thinking, yes, about a little remark Ta-Wan made earlier:

I live life as it appears to be and I die. My life is full as no time was spent attempting to know what can't be known. I live. I don't think about living.

Which on the surface seems to be very Taoist, very spontaneous and in the moment. I feel this way whenever I enjoy a maitai under the big banyan tree on the beach in Waikiki, gazing at Diamond Head, watching the surf, hearing the joy of children and laughter of lovers on the sand. This is about as close to Paradise as I can imagine, but I don't get there as often as I would like. (Getting to Waikiki is a nuisance. I can do maitais on my own lanai.)

But in the context of our talk of "philosophical" Taoism, I wonder...philosophy is about asking questions (with no expectation of answers), but still the asking of questions, pondering arguments, and seems like a worthwhile pursuit to me. Or maybe I'm too Socratic. My feet are on the ground, but my head is in the clouds.

Years ago, maybe 1967, I asked a friend, "Why are you experimenting with all these drugs?" Experimenting was the term of the time; now people just "do" them, I guess. Experimentation appealed to me. It suggested research, discovery and proof. Hypotheses and their testing. But his answer to my question was, perhaps the most honest thing anyone's ever said to me, "Because it's fun."

And now, I find, decades on, the drugs and alcohol are no longer fun, and if anything they were just fiddling with the fine tuning of the so-called cognitive shen -- the sense faculties. A useful exercise, but it's no wonder we talk about burn-out and flashbacks and distortion. Like a little kid with a remote and a screwdriver, fool around with the controls too much and you may break the set. And in this case, you can't go to Best Buy and get a replacement.

But I'm not really talking about psychoactive substances here: I'm talking about thinking. It's fun to think about living, doing logical exercises to test hypotheses about the meaning of life, causality, God, memory, consciousness. Not expecting answers. Just filling in some blanks, considering new possibilities. One is never done. You don't burn out from thinking. I think.

Which brings me to the real purpose of this post. Trey asked us if we might suggest ideas for holiday giving, for those inclined to do so in spite of materialism, the economy and the competitive shopping season, (an issue I leave to others to debate). As a big proponent of lifelong learning and thinking, I direct attention to The Great Courses, products of The Teaching Company. I am in no way a rep for the organization, although I've certainly earned some frequent thinking miles on my account. No matter what a person is interested in, there's a top quality lecture series just for them.

"Them" is probably a demographic of reasonably affluent, already well educated people who have been out of school for a long time and who might want to revisit that course, or pick up one that was never offered in their major. Anyone who is a commuter and a thinker, an explorer, would appreciate these on long freeway drives. I don't like audio books, but lectures are meant to be listened to. No need to spend the money for DVDs; the audio CDs are compelling, and you can always look up any visuals later on the web. One caveat: don't spend the "full price"...eventually, everything goes on sale.

And if you don't want to spend that much money, here are some other ideas: I often give Deng Ming-Dao's 365 Dao as a gift that can keep on giving, year after year, even. (To me, since 1992.) But this year, a special recommendation: former NPR reporter Eric Weiner's Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine, just out, about the author's exploration of several faith traditions, seeking something he can use. I think it might appeal to readers of this blog. A self-described gastronomical Jew, he visits Sufis, Buddhists, Taoists, Franciscans, Kabbalahists, Wiccans, Shamanists and Raelians. It's funny, it's serious, it is even more entertaining and thought-provoking than his previous Geography of Bliss. The fact that I have a minor speaking voice in Chapter 5 might be enough to intrigue you.

So those are the under $100, and under $20 categories. If you don't want to spend money, give something from your hand, your heart or your head. Homemade jam. Knit a bookmark. I'm making little brush paintings.

I think it's good to give.

You can check out other musings from the Baroness here.

284 - Song of the Divine

It is not possible to become fully aware realized in an urban environment. For to gain realization means the achievement of special psychophysical states. That requires quiet cultivation and an acquaintance with the subtle. When the roar of the city is all there is, how can the song of the divine be heard?
~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 284 ~

I usually find that I agree with the ideas and thoughts of Deng Ming-Dao, but in this case, I both agree AND disagree.

On a strictly personal basis, I wholeheartedly agree. Because of my anti-social nature, I feel very uncomfortable in urban areas. I feel squeezed and unable to breathe freely. I feel like life is pressing in on all sides.

This is one of the chief reasons I am so happy to live in the little rural hamlet of South Bend, Washington. It accentuates the solitude I need. At night, I can sit on my back deck and hear nary a sound, except for the breeze blowing through the forest or the gurgling of the creek that flows in the ravine below my house.

But while what Ming-Dao has written speaks to me personally, I certainly would not apply this same standard to everyone else! Some people -- my brother Sean comes to mind -- would go stir crazy living here. My guess is that the silence would drive him bonkers.

We each walk different paths. What is useless noise to one person is the song of the divine to another. Far be it for me to tell you when or where you will find realization and/or enlightenment!

For those readers who do live in urban areas, what do you think about Ming-Dao's pronouncement?

64 - The Everyday Mundane

What is it like to feel Tao? It is an effortless flowing, a sweeping momentum. It is like a bird song soaring and gliding over a vast landscape.
~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 64 ~

Ever notice how birds don't need an extra special occasion to sing their songs? I've heard these songs at sunrise, mid-morning, midday, in the evening and at dusk. I've heard them on bright sunny days and overcasts ones as well. I've heard them in the rain and wind.

We could learn a thing or two from birds. Finding Tao, God, Allah or Mother Earth doesn't take special effort. We don't have to go inside a particular building. We don't have to pray, chant or meditate. We don't have to wait for certain days or gather with other people. We really don't have to do anything...except be aware.

The Grand Mystery is all around us. It permeates us. In fact, each one of us is part of it.

Want to feel Tao in your life?

Breathe.

149 - Never Backward

Life revolves. You cannot go back one minute, or one day. In light of this, there is no use marking time in any one position. Life will continue without you, will pass you by, leaving you hopelessly out of step with events. That's why you must engage life and maintain your pace. Don't look back, and don't step back. Each time you make a decision, move forward.
~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 149 ~

While I agree that we should always look forward, we do have the same problem with the future as we do with the past. While we can't re-engage what has been, we concurrently can't engage what is not yet. All we CAN do is deal with the present moment -- the right here in the right now.

That said, Ming-Dao does offer us a salient point. If we don't keep our eyes on where we're headed, it's next too impossible to stay on course.

Have you ever tried walking forward for any distance while looking behind you? If it's anything more than a quick glance, you're bound to step in a hole or run into a person or object. If you continually look over your shoulder on a busy downtown street, you run a great risk of being run over!!

There is nothing wrong with examining one's past in order to glean wisdom from our experiences. However, wallowing in what could have been but isn't will not change one damn thing. Once we screw up, it's over and done with. No amount of hand wringing can change what has already been wrought.

Beating yourself up for what you cannot change is a selfish waste of time and energy. It also sets the stage for you to make the same mistake all over again because you refuse to focus on what's right in front of you.

46 - The Pattern of Patterns

Followers of Tao use patterns when planning. They observe the ways of nature, perceive the invisible lines of destiny. They imagine a pattern for their entire lives, and in this way, they ensure overall success. Each day, they match interim patterns against their master goals, and so navigate life with sureness and grace.
~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 46 ~

As an autistic individual, I certainly understand the use of patterns to navigate life. However, unlike Meng-Dao's suggestion, my patterns are very rigid, not interim! I tend to freak out if life deviates much from my general routine.

Believe you me, I've tried to be more flexible in this area, but my brain chemistry simply doesn't allow it. So, in this case, my flow is far different than the cosmos. One can't fight their internal nature!

If some of you are more adept at utilizing interim patterns, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section.

266 - Remember

The appreciation of life does not require wealth or plenty. It requires only gratitude for the beauty of the world.
~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 266 ~

Every one of us has bad days. In fact, I'm sure there are those who may have more bad days than good days. But, as yin and yang flow through everything in the cosmos, for every bad thing that we feel or happens to us, good things come our way as well.

I'm not suggesting the good and bad will balance out like on a tally sheet. There will be times when the bad greatly outweighs the good and there will be times when it is the other way around.

When life is pressing down on us, it can be difficult to see beyond the muck. It is of vital importance, however, to remember the beauty that life beholds.

A smile, laugh or giggle.

The warmth of a friend.

The kind word -- spoken or not -- of a parent or lover.

A gentle breeze.

The innocent gaze of an infant.

This chance to live this moment.

162 - Riding Dragons

People think that Tao can only be known through fairy-tale stories of old men in the mountains or obscure poetry about gods riding dragons. Others declare that elaborate ritual, frightening talismans, and mumblings from the depths of spirit possession are necessary for understanding. This is simply not true. Why put another's experience before your own? Tao is in each of us.
~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 162 ~

While the stories of Scott Bradley contain many layers, I think the thrust of what he's trying to impart to each of us goes to the core of the above quote from Deng Ming-Dao. It is also a point I reiterate again and again in many of my posts.

Finding Tao within each of us is a personal experience. You can't find the key to unlock the door by reading the Tao Te Ching, Zhuangzi or anything written on this blog and others. There is no one who possesses secret knowledge. There is no one who has greater capabilities to discover what is inside of you than...of course...you.

Others can certainly help light the way, but they can't lead us to where we each need to go. They can walk with us for a time, but when we pass through the veil of our inner being, they are forced to wait outside.

The last steps to the throne of our heart must be taken alone.

264 - The Impact Beyond

The earth is overrun by investigators and engineers. The wilderness is made vulgar with the noise of tourists. We don't need their thermometers and saws. We don't need bridges and monuments. In the context of Tao, this is to violate the earth with human ambition and to crawl over the landscape like flies over fresh fruit.
~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 264 ~

I am a big fan of documentaries about nature and "primitive" cultures. It can be really cool to watch honeybees as they go about their work or the various interplays between a predator and its prey. I also like learning about societies that keep to the old ways and have been little touched by our modern technological ways.

Yet, despite the fact I love to watch these programs, I am very cognizant of the fact that the people filming exert an impact on those being filmed. It doesn't matter if we're referring to humans or other species. The simple fact that there are people with microphones and cameras out in the bush alters the natural environment to some extent.

Of course, when the subjects of the documentaries are humans in the Amazon rainforests or African tribesman, the impact is even more glaring. By trying to learn from these ancient cultures, we unwittingly are changing them...and not usually for the better.

Every thought, word and action creates a ripple. Once the "investigators and engineers" have gone, who knows what their ripples will have wrought.

348 - Everything We Are

People are often confused about Tao because there are references to it on so many different levels. After all, it permeates all existence. Indeed it might be said that Tao is existence itself. It might seem odd that we can talk about Tao on a level so mundane as physical exercise and on a level as exalted as holiness itself. Those who follow Tao do not think of divinity as something "up there." They think of it as everywhere.
~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 348 ~

In most fundamentalist Christian households, there are a lot of taboo topics. Have a question about masturbation? Ooh, we are sooo NOT going to go there!! Want to talk to someone about your struggles with understanding your sexual orientation? If it's not heterosexual, we certainly are NOT going to talk about THAT!

I can't imagine ANY topic being off limits in a Taoist household. If life, as we know it, is a manifestation of the One -- the Grand Mystery -- then everything is of Tao. Rather than tell young children they need to hit their knees in prayer if some feeling, action or thought doesn't fit within a narrow worldview, a Taoist would want to talk to the child about whether their feelings, actions or words brought harmony or disharmony to themselves and others.

On this blog, we address a wide variety of subject matter. Some can seem a bit esoteric, while others are trivial. Some are serious and deeply philosophical, while others are humorous and whimsical. No specific topic is out of bounds because everything we are is Tao.

228 - Each Day

For each of us, it is only depth of character that determines the profundity with which we face life. We can either add to our character each day, or we can fritter away our energies in distractions.

~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 228 ~

I find it rather ironic that, while we live in a society bent on accumulation, the things we are told to value most are almost always external. We try to keep up with the Joneses in accumulating baubles and trinkets. We try to gain influence and power over others.

Little emphasis is placed on genuinely deepening our characters.

Religion does, of course, dictate that we lead virtuous lives, but it's a virtue that is derived from a hierarchical AND external system. Often, it seems to be of greater importance to follow the letter of the law -- via creeds and rituals -- than the spirit in which these mores were developed.

If any of us desire to embrace the profound nature of nature itself, it's all around us. We don't have to travel somewhere else to find it. We don't have to shut ourselves in a closet, away from the cacophony of the outside world.

All it takes is a willingness to be open to the grand mystery. All it takes is to provide the depth for Tao to fill.

210 - The Essential Paradox

All of us want to be successful.

But once you hit on something that does work, it takes great courage to keep going beyond your limits...Spirituality is creativity. Only with creativity can you have the power to follow Tao.

~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 210 ~

The great paradox of Taoist philosophy is staying centered while pushing beyond limits. How does one keep to the middle path while exploding past predefined boundaries?

I understand this paradox intuitively, but, for the life of me, I can't figure out how to put it into words right now. Almost anything I could write would be a great injustice.

As you all should know by now, I'm generally NOT at a loss for words. I usually can yammer on for quite some time on most topics. As I sat down to compose this post, I knew what I wanted to share with you, but every attempt at putting it down in words, sentences and paragraphs seemed inadequate.

So, maybe one of you can explain what this paradox means to you...or it could be that it simply defies words altogether.

128 - For the Sake of Growth

Constant expansion is not possible. Everything reaches its limits, and the wise always try to identify these limits. In the environment, they do not willfully expand civilization at the expense of natural wilderness. In economics, they do not spend beyond the market. In personal relationships, they do not demand more than others can fairly give. In exercise, they do not strain beyond their capacities. In health, they do not go beyond the limits of their age. With such attitudes, the wise can even exploit what others think to be barriers.

~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 128 ~

Stay to the center or the middle path -- these are recurrent themes recorded in the Tao Te Ching and Chuang Tzu. It's another way of saying that we should recognize our limits and not to exceed them. When we exceed them, we stumble and fall.

Of course, such ideas run counter to the American ideals of rugged individualism and unbounded ambition. We're taught from an early age that we must ever climb higher, reach farther and be stronger. The person of ambition succeeds; the weak fail.

And so, too many of us are always pushing and straining to be smarter, more attractive, slimmer, younger, wealthier, more powerful and better than before. However we are now is never good enough. We must continue to grow and expand, lest we be left behind.

Edward Abbey is one person who realized the idiocy of such a culture of life. There is so much truth in one of his most famous quotes:

Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.

In many ways, it comes down to a simple question that each of us must answer: Do we want a life that resembles the cancer cell or Tao?

85 - Your Way

When one starts out learning a spiritual system, there are many absolute assertions that masters make. These must be accepted with a provisional faith: Each must be tested and proved to yourself before you can believe in them.
~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 85 ~

As I've made abundantly clear on this blog, I am no fan of religion. The quote above goes to the heart of the issue. Religions are all about EXTERNAL assertions. Adherents are told to believe this and that because somebody else decided such tenants should be accepted as truth.

Most religions that I'm aware of -- this is particularly true of the various brands of fundamentalist Christianity that pervade this country -- are loath to want "believers" to test or prove anything to themselves. When you walk in the door, they hand you the unquestioned rulebook and you are charged with twisting and bending your life to their interpretation of what the rulebook says.

And what is the result of all this twisting and bending? A lot of angry and lost people. They tend to vent this anger, not only on themselves, but on anyone who dares to align themselves with even a slightly different brand of belief.

Philosophical Taoism, on the other hand, encourages people to test and prove everything. Don't take anything based on some other person's beliefs. Each of us must walk our own path. Each of us must discover for ourselves what embodies harmony in our own lives.

24 - Silly Nilly

No matter where in the world you go, no matter how many languages are spoken, and no matter how many times cultures and governments clash, the laughter of children is universally uplifting.

~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 24 ~

In many, many instances, Lao Tzu encourages us to be like children. While this urging seems odd to the sensibilities, I think he was thinking of the laughter that Meng-Dao mentions above.

When we are very young -- before that time when logic, rationality, responsibility and worry place a death grip on our being -- we are able to see the innocent joy that this life can offer. Funny sounds! Interesting shapes and textures! Weird connections! And nothing in particular!

How often do we as adults really laugh without worrying about appearances and proper etiquette? How often do we drop the veil of adulthood to dance silly nilly in the meadows of our lives? How often do we stay up late at night to have ticklefests or pillow fights?

There is a time for the expression of each emotion in our toolbox. While we so quickly grasp devotion, work, commitment, seriousness, misery, anxiety and responsibility, we too often allow the mirthful tools to sit to gather dust.

Alas, if we don't exercise our funny bones often enough, they can cease to operate altogether. When innocent laughter is not allowed to spring forth, life becomes drudgery and a slow march toward death.

Do yourself a favor. Let your silly child out.

93 - One Step Too Far

Every achievement brings a wonderful dividend of confidence. We try greater and greater ventures, until we are brave enough to accomplish undertakings far beyond what the average person imagines. When we reach that level of consummate skill, it is a time of both celebration and extreme caution. We are justified to rejoice, for this is the level of ability that we have been striving so long and hard to attain. It is also the time for caution because the foolish will eventually try something too great for them to handle. Pride and passion will lead to their downfall.

~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 93 ~

There are two veins that run through classic Taoist thought that, at first glance, seem to run afoul of the other. The first is to avoid the edges by keeping to the middle path. The other is the importance of discipline to develop mastery of a particular skill or life itself.

In order to master anything, we must push ourselves beyond that point we see as our outer boundary. We must have the courage to trip and stumble along the journey and to gain wisdom from our errors in thought, judgment and action. And make no mistake about it! Every skilled person has made a boatload of mistakes along the way.

So how does one push themselves to greater heights while, concurrently, staying near the middle of the path? For me, the secret behind this seeming contradiction is that we too often view the middle as a static state. Each time we increase our ability in any area, the middle ground shifts from where it was. Each step toward a higher plane of consciousness moves the middle higher too.

The middle path should serve as our home base. From time to time, circumstances dictate that we travel away from home to test our abilities. As we succeed, our home base moves in step with us. After completion of each new level of understanding, we need to return to hearth of home before venturing out again.

164 - The Midpoint

...So there are two extremes. The desires of the powerful, who feel that censorship is just a tool, and the tendencies of the creative, who feel they should have no limits to their freedom. Those who follow Tao avoid these extremes. They avoid becoming the ruler, for such a position is fraught with danger, hypocrisy, and disappointment. Neither will they become the grandstanding artist; to arouse others is likewise dangerous.

~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 164 ~

Of all the various concepts discussed within the confines of philosophical Taoism, staying away from extremes is repeated almost Ad nauseum. I believe the reason why the ancient Taoist sages felt it necessary to underscore this one point again and again and again is that we humans have a penchant for skating near (or off?) the edge!

There definitely are times in life when pushing the envelope is needed. Sometimes we just have to have faith in the flow of circumstances and allow ourselves to jump off into the abyss. However, most of us tend to alight on the extreme edge when the situation doesn't call for it and it's certainly not uncommon for some of us to bounce from one extreme to another like we're stuck to a metronome.

I don't know about you, but I find myself far more content and less stressed when I keep toward the middle of my path. When my anxiety level goes through the roof and I'm fretting about some imagery worry, I know in my heart that I have strayed which, of course, generates even MORE anxiety.

I'm slowly learning to nip my anxieties in the bud. When I refuse to allow them to push me toward the edges of sanity, I am better able to deal with situations as they arise. Put a different way, when I'm not flailing around in the waters of life, it makes it that much easier to float along with the flow of circumstances.

109 - Taking Heart

In music, the fundamental tone is the lowest, or root, tone of a chord. Without its presence, no true character is established. Our actions in life are as similarly varied and complex as music. Without a thorough grounding, there is no harmony.
~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 109 ~

Without convictions, a person is easily swayed by conventional thinking, fads, gimmicks, fashion, rhetoric, overt manipulation and the general whims of society. Each of us needs a rock to anchor us to the ground, lest we be blown away by external forces.

Tao offers such a rock.

But it's not a stationary rock. It's not fixed in one place. It's not necessarily rigid nor heavy. And it's rarely unmovable.

It's everywhere and nowhere. It can be very flexible and light as a feather. We can carry it around with us without breaking into a sweat.

This rock -- this foundation -- is found inside our hearts. We only need look.