Bit by Bit - Chapter 10, Part 13

Trey Smith

In the world everyone knows enough to pursue what he does not know, but no one knows enough to pursue what he already knows. Everyone knows enough to condemn what he takes to be no good, but no one knows enough to condemn what he has already taken to be good. This is how the great confusion comes about, blotting out the brightness of sun and moon above, searing the vigor of hills and streams below, overturning the round of the four seasons in between. There is no insect that creeps and crawls, no creature that flutters and flies that has not lost its inborn nature. So great is the confusion of the world that comes from coveting knowledge!
~ Burton Watson translation ~

What do you know for certain? I don't mean what you think may be true, but what is absolutely 100% true. How can you know the certainty of your certainty? What yardstick can you use to test the absoluteness of your absoluteness? How do you know what you know is knowable? How do you know what you don't know if you don't know what you know?

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

You Never Know When Life Will "Swallow" You Up

Trey Smith

Life can be so fickle. One minute everything is typical and routine -- the next minute all hell breaks loose. We can make some of the dumbest decisions known to humankind, but nothing bad comes of it. Conversely, we can make a prudent and well thought out decision, only to find ourselves staring danger in the face.

On Thursday night, Jeff Bush did a very routine thing: He went to bed. Short of having an unexpected medical emergency, I bet Bush thought he would awaken bright and early the next morning. At some point in the late evening, it appears that he died when his bedroom was sucked into a giant sink hole. As of Saturday night, his body has not been found.

Jeff Bush lived in Florida, an area of the country in which sink holes are not unheard of. I am very confident that Bush did not climb into bed worrying that he might be sucked into a watery grave and yet that is what transpired. He did a very normal thing and it led to a very abnormal result.

This tragic event should serve as an object lesson for each of us. There is a randomness to life and death that we can't comprehend. Few of us are granted the opportunity to know when our number is up. So, it makes sense to embrace life while we have it because one day we won't.

I Ching: Hexagram 14 - The Judgment

POSSESSION IN GREAT MEASURE.
Supreme success.

The two trigrams indicate that strength and clarity unite. Possession in great measure is determined by fate and accords with the time. How is it possible that the weak line has power to hold the strong lines fast and to possess them? It is done by virtue of unselfish modesty. The time is favorable—a time of strength within, clarity and culture without. Power is expressing itself in graceful and controlled way. This brings supreme success and wealth.

Translator of this version of the I Ching is Richard Wilhelm. If you missed any posts in this series, please utilize the I Ching label below.

Subsumed But Affirmable

Scott Bradley

Once again the district lord sent a messenger demanding that Zhouzi appear before him so as to dispute the Way, and once again Zhouzi complied; only this time he sent Tzuyang in his stead.

When Tzuyang appeared before him the lord was angry and said, "Where is Zhouzi? Why has he sent his underling in his stead?!"

"My Lord," replied Tzuyang, "my master thinks a fresh perspective might better serve his lord."

"Speak then, and we shall see," said the lord.

"My Lord," answered Tzuyang, "the simple way is not such that it need be spoken, for it only affirms what is."

"Then it has already said too much," retorted the lord. "I do not agree with this doctrine that affirms right and wrong, truth and falsehood, alike. What say you to that?"

"That your position is most affirmable, My Lord," replied Tzuyang.

"Your affirmation means nothing when all else, however wrong, is also affirmed!" declared the lord.

"My Lord, is quite right," replied Tzuyang, "though perhaps we might also say that when nothing is affirmed as the negation of something else, everything is already affirmed."

"Enough!" exclaimed the lord. "The way of Zhouzi is like a rising tide that will not stop; it inundates, covers and obliterates all the works of human distinction!"

"Well said, My Lord!" replied Tzuyang. "Only we might also say that the waters are crystal, the distinctions of men still clearly seen below, and therefore most affirmable."

"Out!" shouted the lord. "I will entertain no more of this nonsensical drivel!"

At that, Tzuyang bowed twice and departed.

Never again did the feudal lord summon Zhouzi to dispute his way, and Zhouzi always smiled broadly upon Tzuyang.

You can check out Scott's other miscellaneous writings here.

I Ching: Hexagram 14 (Ta Yu)

above LI THE CLINGING, FLAME
below CH'IEN THE CREATIVE, HEAVEN

The fire in heaven above shines far, and all things stand out in the light and become manifest. The weak fifth line occupies the place of honor and all the strong lines are in accord with it.All things come to the man who is modest and kind in a high position.

Translator of this version of the I Ching is Richard Wilhelm. If you missed any posts in this series, please utilize the I Ching label below.

A Poetic Pause

Trey Smith

Truth be known, I'm not much into poetry, but I read a poem recently that I'd like to share. I thought about including it in my infrequent series, Pop Culture Tao, but decided to just let it stand on its own. I do think it has a philosophical Taoist spirit to it, though.

DIALOGUE OF A MAN AND A TREE
by Vincent Godfrey Burns, Poet Laureate of Maryland, 1965

The Man: Why do you grow so tall, way up there in the sky?

The Tree: I love the heights that are clean and free, where the lonely eagles fly, where the crane and the hawk can nest with me, and my friends, the geese, go by.

The Man: What do you use for food, tree to make you grow and grow?

The Tree: I live on a diet of Nature's best from my roots deep down below; I never go hungry, I rest and rest and wait for the rain and the snow.

The Man: How do you grow so strong, Tree, sturdy and straight and true?

The Tree: I live in the light of the sunshine and yarn for the sky's deep blue; the clean, sweet air is always mine, and the cold winds help me too.

The Man: How do you live so long, Tree, so much longer than man?

The Tree: I've geared my days with the Creator's ways since ever the world began. There is no death when life keeps faith with nature's wonderful plan.

Afternoon Matinee: Protest - Zombie

Performed by The Cranberries

Another head hangs lowly,

Child is, slowly, taken.

And the violence caused such silence,

Who are we mistaken?

But you see, it's not me, it's not my family.

In your head, in your head they are fighting,

With their tanks, and their bombs,

And their bombs, and their guns.

In your head, in your head, they are crying...

In your head, in your head,

Zombie, zombie, zombie,

Hey, hey, hey.

What's in your head,

In your head,

Zombie, zombie, zombie?

Hey, hey, hey, hey, oh,

Dou, dou, dou-dou-dou...

Another mother's breakin'

Heart is taken over

When the violence causes silence,

We must be mistaken

It's the same old theme since 1916:

In your head, in your head they're still fighting,

With their tanks, and their bombs,

And their bombs, and their guns.

In your head, in your head, they are dying...

In your head, in your head,

Zombie, zombie, zombie,

Hey, hey, hey!

What's in your head,

In your head,

Zombie, zombie, zombie?

Hey, hey, hey, hey, oh, oh, oh,

Oh, oh, oh, oh, hey, oh, ya, ya-a...

~ from Lyric Wiki ~

AWOL: Economic Recovery

Trey Smith

Officially, since June 2009 the US economy has been undergoing an economic recovery from the December 2007 recession. But where is this recovery? I cannot find it, and neither can millions of unemployed Americans.

The recovery exists only in the official measure of real GDP, which is deflated by an understated measure of inflation, and in the U.3 measure of the unemployment rate, which is declining because it does not count discouraged job seekers who have given up looking for a job.

No other data series indicates an economic recovery. Neither real retail sales nor housing starts, consumer confidence, payroll employment, or average weekly earnings indicate economic recovery.
~ from The Missing Recovery by Paul Craig Roberts ~

Yesterday, President Obama said that the "sequestration" would slow the nation's economic recovery. To that I ask: What recovery?

Though I don't do it as often now, I still hang out a bit at my friend's mini mart. His customers represent a fair cross-section of folks from this general area and, sometimes, beyond. The topic of the economy often comes up in conversation and I know of NO ONE around here who has seen much of any evidence for this supposed economic recovery.

Poor people are just as poor. The middle class folks continue to struggle. Fellow business owners grouse about the poor economic climate. Several truckers have said that, if things don't get better soon, they may have to park their trucks. And the people employed at this part of the counties two major employers -- Coast Seafood and Weyerhauser -- are worried that, due to the continued economic downturn, one or both may shutter their doors! If that were to happen, the exodus from North Pacific County would be dramatic and the area would soon resemble a virtual ghost town.

As Roberts suggests above, I believe that much of the vaunted economic recovery is being done with smoke and mirrors. It is a charade to keep the common folk from taking to the streets and demanding justice. It serves as a diversion so that most people don't notice that Wall Street continues to bleed us dry.

I certainly agree with Roberts' closing refrain:

This situation is untenable. Sooner or later something will pop these bubbles, and the consequences will be horrendous.

Bit by Bit - Chapter 10, Part 12

Trey Smith

As long as men in high places covet knowledge and are without the Way, the world will be in great confusion. How do I know this is so? Knowledge enables men to fashion bows, crossbows, nets, stringed arrows, and like contraptions, but when this happens the birds flee in confusion to the sky. Knowledge enables men to fashion fishhooks, lures, seines, dragnets, trawls, and weirs, but when this happens the fish flee in confusion to the depths of the water. Knowledge enables men to fashion pitfalls, snares, cages, traps, and gins, but when this happens the beasts flee in confusion to the swamps. And the flood of rhetoric that enables men to invent wily schemes and poisonous slanders, the glib gabble of "hard" and "white," the foul fustian of "same" and "different" bewilder the understanding of common men. So the world is dulled and darkened by great confusion. The blame lies in this coveting of knowledge.
~ Burton Watson translation ~

Modern society has become a hostage to technology. The other day there was a brief power outage in town. At the grocery store, none of the items I wished to purchase could be rung up because all of the prices are IN the computer. The clerks had no idea of the purchase price of ANY of the items. Not. One. Of. Them.

At some stores, because of the ubiquitous use of scanners, sales personnel no longer know how to ring up purchases manually. Many no longer know how to figure the difference between the money you give them and the amount they are to give back to you. They simply look at you blankly!

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

How Would You Really Know?

Trey Smith

Every now and then I think to myself that, instead of publishing a blog that discusses the Taoist philosophy, I should have focused this blog on analyzing television commercials. While my television viewership is far below that of the average American, I still watch a bit of it most days, particularly in the wee hours of the morning.

The other day I saw an ad for a cold remedy called Cold-Eeze. What struck me as odd was the company's guarantee. It stated that, if Cold-Eeze didn't shorten a consumer's cold, the price of the product would be refunded. Here's my question: How in the hell would anyone know if Cold-Eeze shortened any particular cold?

Cold viruses don't have a definitive shelf life. If my head starts to clog up and I can't seem to breathe very well through my nasal passages, this might signal a cold...or an allergy. As my symptoms worsen and I become convinced that I indeed have contracted a cold, I have no way of knowing the duration of this particular cold virus. Some colds last for a few days and some can hang on for weeks. I may take no medicine for my cold and yet it doesn't last very long. At other times, I may load up on over-the-counter meds and yet the cold persists.

Since one never knows if the present cold is a short-lived one or one that will last a good long time, how could one determine if Cold-Eeze or any other supposed remedy made any difference? It would be one thing if, upon contracting a cold virus, a person KNEW it would last x number of days. In that case, if the worst symptoms lasted fewer days, then you could theorize that this or that remedy proved beneficial. But a cold doesn't come with a little sticker that lets you know how long it's supposed to last!

From my perspective, about the only way a person might be able to figure out if a particular remedy shortened colds is to do a study on the various cold viruses contracted over many years. If an individual consistently utilized a particular remedy and the average cold virus appeared to last less time than expected, then a person might believe that this particular remedy was everything it was advertised to be. This belief, however, could easily be incorrect because there might be a plethora of other variables that more directly accounted for the result.

I'm not saying one way or the other whether or not Cold-Eeze is effective at fighting cold viruses. It may or may not. All I am saying is: How would you really know?

I Ching: Hexagram 13 - The Lines, Part 6

Nine at the top means:
Fellowship with men in the meadow.
No remorse.

The warm attachment that springs from the heart is lacking here. We are by this time actually outside of fellowship with others. However, we ally ourselves with them. The fellowship does not include all, but only those who happen to dwell near one another. The meadow is the pasture at the entrance to the town. At this stage, the ultimate goal of the union of mankind has not yet been attained, but we need not reproach ourselves. We join the community without separate aims of our own.

Translator of this version of the I Ching is Richard Wilhelm. If you missed any posts in this series, please utilize the I Ching label below.

The Unity of Is

Scott Bradley

When Jiao brought Zhouzi his afternoon tea, the master exclaimed, "Jiao, tell me what you have seen!"

Jiao replied, "Master, I have seen an ant!"

"Blessed are you, indeed!" exclaimed Zhouzi. "Tell me what you can!"

With face aglow and tears of joy Jiao said, "I met Wenzi this morning and he told me of your question, 'Have you ever seen an insect that failed to be an insect?', and immediately I sensed the gate. So I found a quiet spot in the garden where I might contemplate, but before I had begun I saw the ant and realized its perfection. Perfectly gap-less in being what it is! Utterly complete in its antness! Holy beyond all reckoning! My heart was filled with thankfulness, and then it became true for me. Master, I have realized the joyous unity of is!"

"My dear Jiao," exclaimed Zhouzi as he too began to weep, "your joy floods my own heart! How wonderful and complete all things are! What peace and joy when the heart settles into only this. All is well!"

Later, Tzulao and Tzulu who had been in attendance spoke of what had transpired. "Did not the Master tell us only last week that nothing is holy? Now, we hear that an ant is holy beyond reckoning. I am confused," said Tzulu.

"Because nothing is holy in contrast to anything else, nothing is holy," answered Tzulao. "When no one thing is holier than others, all things are holy."

"Yet is not the ant but a temporary phenomenon that has arisen only to return to as-if-it-had-never-been?" pondered Tzulao.

"Why should a particular transience be any less real when transience is all that is?" answered Tzulao. "The ant is holy in its is-ness because it is an expression of the unspeakable not-ness."

“Then if an ant is a gate to realization, all that is in the world is a gate; the world is a gate!” exclaimed Tzulu.

“Just so!” answered Tzulao. “We need only find our own!”

When Jiao heard of this discussion he exclaimed, "Now we will drown joy in a sea of words!"

You can check out Scott's other miscellaneous writings here.

I Ching: Hexagram 13 - The Lines, Part 5

Nine in the fifth place means:
Men bound in fellowship first weep and lament,
But afterward they laugh.
After great struggles they succeed in meeting.

Two people are outwardly separated, but in their hearts they are united. They are kept apart by their positions in life. Many difficulties and obstructions arise between them and cause them grief. But, remaining true to each other, the allow nothing to separate them, and although it costs them a severe struggle to overcome the obstacles, they will succeed. When they come together their sadness will change to joy. Confucius says of this:

Life leads the thoughtful man on a path of many windings. Now the course is checked, now it runs straight again. Here winged thoughts may pour freely forth in words. There the heavy burden of knowledge must be shut away in silence.But when two people are at one in the inmost hearts. They shatter even the strength of iron or of bronze. And when two people understand each other in their inmost hearts. Their words are sweet and strong, like the fragrance of orchids.

Translator of this version of the I Ching is Richard Wilhelm. If you missed any posts in this series, please utilize the I Ching label below.

The Dying Breed

Trey Smith

For the social compact of the United States, most of the Congressional Progressive Caucus has gone missing.

While still on the caucus roster, three-quarters of the 70-member caucus seem lost in political smog. Those 54 members of the Progressive Caucus haven’t signed the current letter that makes a vital commitment: “we will vote against any and every cut to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security benefits — including raising the retirement age or cutting the cost of living adjustments that our constituents earned and need.”

More than 10 days ago, Congressmen Alan Grayson and Mark Takano initiated the forthright letter, circulating it among House colleagues. Addressed to President Obama, the letter has enabled members of Congress to take a historic stand: joining together in a public pledge not to vote for any cuts in Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid.

The Grayson-Takano letter is a breath of fresh progressive air, blowing away the customary fog that hangs over such matters on Capitol Hill.

The Progressive Caucus co-chairs, Raul Grijalva and Keith Ellison, signed the letter. So did Barbara Lee, the caucus whip. But no signer can be found among the five vice chairs of the Progressive Caucus: Judy Chu, David Cicilline, Michael Honda, Sheila Jackson-Lee and Jan Schakowsky. The letter’s current list of signers includes just 16 members of the Progressive Caucus (along with five other House signers who aren’t part of the caucus).
~ from Progressive Caucus Folds by Norman Solomon ~

I don't know about you, but I don't know what the word progressive means anymore. Progressives voted FOR the Wall Street bailouts. Progressives voted FOR many aspects of the so-called "War on Terror." Progressives voted FOR the defense authorization bill that allows a US President to kill American citizens without charges, a trial or a jury. Progressives have voted FOR the so-called Patriot Act more than once. And Progressives voted FOR the anti-labor, anti-environment North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

I'm not saying that all progressives voted for these things, but in almost every case, many progressives did. Even worse, "progressive" voters didn't hold their feet to the fire and often provided these elected progressives with the political cover to turn their backs on progressive values.

In terms of the issue Solomon writes about, the vast majority of the members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus won't buck their non-progressive President on a core issue important to their progressive supporters. So, what in the hell does it actually mean to be a progressive these days?

Afternoon Matinee: Protest - Alyssa Lies

Performed by Jason Michael Carroll

My little girl met a new friend

Just the other day

On the playground at school

Between the tires and the swings

But she came home with tear-filled eyes

And she said to me "Daddy, Alyssa Lies"

I just brushed it off at first

Cause I didn't know how much my little girl had been hurt

Or the things she had seen

I wasn't ready when I said you can tell me

And she said

Chorus

Alyssa Lies

To the classroom

Alyssa lies

Everyday at school

Alyssa lies

To the teacher

As she tries to cover every bruise

My little girl laid her head down

That night to go to sleep

As I stepped out the room I heard her say

A prayer so soft and sweet

God bless my mom and my dad

And my new friend Alyssa

Lord I know she needs you bad

Chorus

I had the worst night of sleep in years

As I tried to think of a way to calm her fears

I knew exactly what I had to do

But when we got to school on Monday I heard the news

My little girl asked me why everybody looked so sad

The lump in my throat grew bigger

With every question that she asked

Until I felt the tears run down my face

And I told her that Alyssa wouldn't be at school today

She doesn't lie

In the classroom

She doesn't lie

Anymore at school

Alyssa lies

With Jesus

Because there's nothing anyone would do

Tears filled my eyes

When my little girl asked me why

Alyssa lies

"OH Daddy, OH DADDY TELL ME WHY!"

Alyssa lies

~ from Lyric Wiki ~

The Plumage We Have

Scott Bradley

Once again called upon to expound his way before his lord who seemed only concerned to prove it wrong, Zhouzi asked after his own, but the ruler only told him what it was not. "There are in my lord's garden many birds of wonderful plumage," replied Zhouzi, "and among them are the peacock and the marsh pheasant. Does my lord take pleasure in these as do all those blessed to see them?"

"Indeed, I do," replied the lord.

"Is the resplendent pheasant splendid because it differs from the peacock? Or is the peacock praiseworthy because it is not the pheasant?" asked Zhouzi.

"Not at all," replied the lord. "They are magnificent for the plumage they have, not for the plumage they have not."

"Then might we correctly declare that their magnificence is theirs without reference to the other and that they are the same in their magnificence, but different in its expression?" continued Zhouzi.

"It is true in both cases," answered the lord.

"Now my lord has asked to hear of my simple way, yet is displeased it is not something else; yet when he is asked what way pleases him he only says what does not. Is this not comparable to dismissing the pheasant because it's plumage has no blue, and the peacock because it has too much? Is it not that to appreciate anything we must affirm it as it is? And is it not thus that we are able to appreciate and affirm each of the ten thousand disparate things?"

"This is true," replied the lord, "but words are not pheasants and ways are not peacocks. If your way is wrong, should I not tell you so?"

"You must display the plumage you have," answered Zhouzi, "as I do mine."

You can check out Scott's other miscellaneous writings here.

Bit by Bit - Chapter 10, Part 11

Trey Smith

But now something has happened to make people crane their necks and stand on tiptoe. "There's a worthy man in such and such a place!" they cry and, bundling up their provisions, they dash off. At home, they abandon their parents; abroad, they shirk the service of their ruler. Their footprints form an unending trail to the borders of the other feudal lords, their carriage tracks weave back and forth a thousand li and more. This is the fault of men in high places who covet knowledge.
~ Burton Watson translation ~

As I have opined before, there is nothing wrong with seeking out a teacher or a guide on our journeys through life. There is no sin in asking for a little assistance from time to time. Too often, however, people look for gurus to attach themselves to. They crave the status and attention of being a devout "disciple."

Others certainly can provide insights, but each of us must blaze our own trails.

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

Diagnosis: Murder

Trey Smith

Violating international borders, stalking an individual and blowing him up without the benefit of accusation or trial – most people would call that premeditated murder. If the person being murdered is an important public figure, we think of it as an assassination. But “murder” and “assassination” are problematic, because both are illegal under U.S and international law. Only under strict circumstances of imminent threat does U.S. law give the president authorization to actively pursue and kill an “enemy”.

The Obama administration, taking a page straight out of the Cheney/Bush playbook, is claiming a blanket authorization cloaked in the vagaries of their war on terror even though they no longer call it the war on terror. We are supposed to trust that they will only righteously strike the truly bad.

Under the tutelage of the national security state, the press and the American public have been trained to make some crucial substitutions in their utterances. Murder and assassination have been changed to “strikes”, preferably surgical ones. Young boys become “militants”, which dehumanizes and militarizes them at the same time.

The president, meanwhile, is not a murderer, or even a noble assassin. No, he is our protector, our guardian, our kick-ass-we're-number-one-in-chief. The aforementioned “collateral damage” has neatly bundled the killing field-scape of dead and dismembered people into something more palatable to assuage the public, which might otherwise become concerned.

Our adversaries of the moment, whether they are fanatic religious terrorists, uniformed troops from the wrong country, or simply people taking up arms against a foreign occupation or a corrupt domestic regime, have all been lumped together as “bad guys.”

It makes everything so simple, like a John Wayne western.

In print and on line, editors will change “drone murder” to “drone strike.” Why does death by arbitrary government fiat get a pass on being called murder?
~ from The US and the M Word by Dan DeWalt ~

DeWalt has capsulized my revulsion to the US drone program. Though our leaders, the mainstream media and many of my fellow citizens utilize all sorts of Orwellian euphemisms to discuss it, few people will call it what it really is -- murder.

As I have pointed out numerous times before, if someone described the drone program and indicated it was being utilized by North Korea, Argentina, Libya or Iran, almost every American would castigate it. The American public overwhelmingly would support sanctions or worse against such a country. Media pundits would talk incessantly about such a program's immoral basis and use it to show how the US is morally superior.

If arbitrarily murdering people is wrong in North Korea or Iran, why is it okay in the United States of America?

We know the answer, don't we? Americans are exceptional; we have "God's ear."

I Ching: Hexagram 13 - The Lines, Part 4

Nine in the fourth place means:
He climbs up on his wall; he cannot attack.
Good fortune.

Here the reconciliation that follows quarrel mover nearer. It is true that there are still dividing walls on which we stand confronting one another. But the difficulties are too great. We get into straits, and this brings us to our senses. We cannot fight, and therein lies our good fortune.

Translator of this version of the I Ching is Richard Wilhelm. If you missed any posts in this series, please utilize the I Ching label below.

Embracing Futility

Scott Bradley

Three times the local lord summoned Zhouzi that he might hear his teaching, but each time his lord sought only to prove him wrong. Thus, when a messenger was sent to summon him once again, Zhouzi replied, "My lord has well proven that my teaching is inadequate to his needs. Would not his time be better spent looking for another wiser than I, or better yet, within himself? I confess my failure and would not further vex my lord."

When the messenger had departed, Tzuyang conjectured, "Master, will not our feudal lord be wroth at your refusal?"

"Most likely so," replied Zhouzi, "but let us hope he only punishes us with the agreement of silence."

"But Master, it is in disagreement that he flourishes; how will he not relish expressing more of the same?" argued Tzuyang.

"Again, your insight is keen," answered Zhouzi. "What then would you have me do?"

"Master, it is not for me to say!" exclaimed Tzuyang. "Only I know that for me the weight of his oppression would be more than I could bear; but would it not be otherwise for you?"

"If not, then it clearly should be!" exclaimed Zhouzi with a laugh. "Should the messenger return, I will once again comply."

Thus when the messenger returned on the following day and expressed his lord's wrath at being refused and his insistence that Zhouzi appear, Zhouzi dutifully complied. "As for you, Tzuyang," he said as he departed, "further your progress, for next time you go in my stead!"

You can check out Scott's other miscellaneous writings here.