Category: Daoism
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3 levels of tranquility
小靜於林, 大靜於市,大大靜於正行(及正不行)。 External tranquility found in nature, inner tranquility cultivated in city, ultimate tranquility realised in wise action (& inaction).
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Buddhist heart, Taoist bones, Confucius persona – 佛為心、道為骨、儒為表
佛為心、道為骨、儒為表,大度看世界;技在手、能在身、思在腦,從容過生活。 – 南懷瑾老師 (1918-2012) Buddhist heart, Taoist bones, Confucius persona, compassionately perceive the world; Skills on hands, abilities in body, thinking via the brain, serenely live life. – Master Nan-Huai-Chin (1918-2012)
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Online Class – foundation course completed – 网上课程 – 基础课程完成
Dear readers, After 26 months of discussion and exploration, we have finally completed our online discussion on the core teachings of the three great classics in Chinese Civilization. With the focus on personal and spiritual cultivation, we first learnt about the transcendental reality and the way towards it from Laozi’s Daodejing. After understanding our…
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Derek’s Approach – update – 教学方案 – 更新
No self is the Dao, no self and no “no self”; Proper awareness is the Buddha, and there is no such thing as proper awareness; Charity is the Superior Man, who proceeds in middle of Confucianism Daoism and Buddhism. 无我就是道,无我无无我; 正觉就是佛,正觉非正觉; 布施是君子,儒佛道中行。 http://lisiming.net/study-with-derek/dereks-approach/无我就是道,无我无无我; 正觉就是佛,正觉非正觉; 布施是君子,儒佛道中行。 http://lisiming.net/zh/study-with-derek/dereks-approach/
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Diamond Sutra – Transcending vs. Enduring Hatred – 金刚经 – 忍辱与超辱
One day, when the Buddha was meditating as a Bodhisattva, king Kaliraja came test the Buddha. He said, ok, now you are practicing the 6 paramitas (charity, precepts, endurance, diligent, concentration, wisdom), let see how enduring and charitable you are! And he start cutting off Buddha’s limbs one by one. The Buddha did not resist, and let Kaliraja…
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Diamond Sutra – There is no Buddha who attained enlightenment – 金刚经 – 佛没得道,因大道不能得故
There is no Buddha who obtained enlightenment. Why? Because real enlightenment cannot be obtained by anyone, as such implied the dualistic paradigm of “someone” obtaining something called “enlightenment”. While in ordinary perception there appear to be a historical Buddha who obtained a state called enlightenment, in reality, or at least in Buddha self-described reality, this…
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Diamond Sutra – Buddha beyond form and appearance – 金刚经 – 不可以身相得见如来
Can the Buddha be seen? Can enlightened beings been recognized by certain appearance or form? Although there are certain descriptions of how Buddha or Bodhisattva may look, ultimately the reality and awareness of the Buddha, like the nature of the Tao depicted in Daodejing, are beyond form and descriptions. Therefore, real Buddha is beyond form…
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Diamond Sutra – how does Bodhisattva do charity? – 金刚经 – 菩萨如何布施?
Last week we learn that Bodhisattva does not cling to the notion of self, others, beings, and immortality. This week we learn that Bodhisattva not only transcends the above 4, but also continue to serve through charity. In Buddhism continuous service and virtue are essential to complete the process of cultivation and enlightenment, even for…
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Confucius Analects – Side tracks – 孔子论语 – 小道
19.1 Superior man avoids side tracks 子夏曰、雖小道、必有 可觀者焉、致遠恐泥、是以君子不為也。 Zixia said, ‘Even in inferior studies and employments there is something worth being looked at; but if it be attempted to carrythem out to what is remote, there is a danger of running into mud. Therefore, the superior man does not practise them.’ * * * What…
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Dao De Jing core 33 chapters – completed!
After 7 months of work and sharing, i’m pleased to announced that our weekly lecture on Daodejing core 33 chapters has come to an end. I hope you have gained something in this series, as i certainly had. We will continue our weekly lecture on Confucius Analects starting next week. Please stay tuned.…
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Dao De Jing 79 – Hatred mediate vs. not arising
Mediate big hatred, and there is always some residual hatred; how could it be a good? -> When we harm or take advantage from someone, we create a debt to them. Even though we pay back and hope to “get even” later, the fact of hurting remains. Therefore saints holding a debt note, but do…
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Dao De Jing 73 – Nature of heaven, like a giant net
Courage when applied to doing kills, when applied to not-doing saves. -> In sentiments, courage could lead to hurting and killing. In stillness, courage to refrain from participating saves. E.g. when someone hits you, courage could be used to revenge (kill), or forgive (saves). These two could benefit or harm. Who could know what the…
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Dao De Jing 71 – Knowing one knows nothing
Knowing one knows nothing, is sane; not knowing but claim one knows, is sickness. -> The limited self, with its limited perception and bias, is not capable to see the whole picture in this unlimited universe. Having some understanding and opinions and proceed to claim that one knows, is arrogance out of ignorance. When one knows sickness…
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Dao De Jing 70 – Easy to know and do
What i say is easy to know, easy to do. The world does not know, no one does. -> do you know? are you doing without doing? What i say have principle, what i do have basis. People do not know, therefore do not understand me. -> seemingly random speeches have their meanings; seemingly random…
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Dao De Jing 67 – Dao not like anything, three treasures
The world called this Dao to be big, but it does not look like anything described. -> When we think of big, we think of some thing describable and definable. Because of its big, it does not look like anything. If it looks like anything, it would be small long time ago! -> When it…
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Dao De Jing 55 – Those rich in virtue are like baby
Those well established in Virtue, are like babies. Bees and snakes won’t bite, fierce animals won’t claw, and large birds won’t hunt. -> when the body and mind are purified into peace and non-self, negativity are melt into divine love and peace. (Their) bones and ligaments are soft but when they hold their fists are tight. They…
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Dao De Jing 52 – Outer son die, inner mother live
There is a beginning to the world, it is the mother of the world. -> There is also the mother of our self. As one knows the mother, one knows the son; as one knows the son and abides with its mother, one lasts even when one lost (the body). -> Consciousness can exist without…
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Dao De Jing 51 – Dao as source of manifestation, reason for its great virtue
Dao gives birth, De (virtue) nurtures, materials materialize, environment shapes. -> The process of manifestion: 1) birth, 2) nurture, 3)form, 4)materiallze Therefore things pay reverence to Dao and value De. -> as they are the source and on-going reality of all things The reason why Dao is reverenced, and Virtue is valued, is because they…
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Dao De Jing 48 – Study gains vs. cultivate surrenders
Study and one accumulates, cultivate (Dao) and one surrenders. -> When we study in school, at home, in society, typically we acquire and accumulate information. When we cultivate the Dao, on the other hand, we surrender our attachments and aversions. Keep surrendering and one will arrive at non-doing. -> In the beginning, the strong attachments…
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Dao De Jing 43 – Soft conquer strong, benefits of non-form and non-doing
The softest of the world, conquer the world’s strongest. -> What is softest? Not water, not jelly, not cotton. Non-form is. Non-form penetrates into every space, therefore is the benefit of non-doing. -> Form, confined to a specific description, definition, space, and category, is limited. When life identifies beyond form, one is therefore unlimited. -> When someone…