The highest virtue is like that of water.

Water benefits everything and does not fight, it positions itself at place everyone dislike, and therefore is close to the Dao.

-> As we already discussed, the Dao is everywhere, impartial, and limitless.  It represents the source and context of all, and therefore allows for and benefits all thing.  Look at water, it consists of 70% of our physical body and exists in different forms in every parts of the planet. There is no fighting in water (it does not struggle), it merely is what it is.

It is excellent at: positioning itself, rooting its mind, giving out benevolence, maintaining its integrity, governing things, manifesting its abilities, and moving at the appropriate time.

-> Here Laozi describes what water is like, and what happens when one align with the Dao: One finds the right place to abode, knows ones root (of the mind), gives out right benevolence,  accomplishes what one said, manages affairs properly, manifests one’s ability perfectly, and moves at the right time.

It does not fight with/for anything, and therefore draw no grudge.

-> As one flows with the natural rhythm of the universe, of the Dao, there is peace within; no matter what the external conditions are, even in mist of wars and conficts, there is peace. Such is the teaching of the Sutra of Everlasting Peace – Qingjingjing.

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Chapter 8 Discussion:

Virtue is the common value advocated by all religions and spiritual disciplines. What is the purest Virtue that we can seek and become? Instead of religious and moralistic right and wrong, Laozi describes the highest Virtue is like that of water. Seek the virtue that embraces and allows for all, even to the lowest, darkness, and beyond all men-defined preferences. When we align ourselves with this natural rhythm of the universe, we flow perfectly in the world, and is at peace no matter what happens in the phenomenal world.

DDJ Chapter 8 bilingual text: http://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj1-8/

Heaven and earth do not fixate on benevolent; they deal with all things as if they are grass dogs.

The sages do not fixate on benevolent; they deal with people as if they are grass dogs.

-> Sun and moon rises and falls impartially, they do not shine over certain country or people just because they like them more.  Similarly, enlightened sages who transcend the self has no bias and deal with all according to the natural rhythm of the universe

If we look at the space between heaven and earth, isn’t it like a musical wind chamber?

When emptied it is without limit, when moved it gives out limitlessly.

-> Multiple levels of interpretation are possible here. On breathing its describe the natural coming and going of air or energy in one’s body. On awareness, it describes the coming and going of consciousness in one’s life, on the universal level, it describes the coming and going of universe with one’s perception.

Excessive speeches exhaust ones reasons, it is better to stay centered.

-> it is easy to get lost in words and thoughts. Seek and abide in the center, which is the underlying reality beneath speeches and reasons.

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Chapter 5 Discussion:

We have biases. We like certain people better, we don’t like others. We prefer certain situation (e.g. chocolate), we do not prefer others (bitterness). Yet, when we look around the nature, the sky (including the sun and moon and stars), does not have bias and shine only to certain people or country. The earth beneath and supporting us all, does not favor certain species other others. They treat us all equal like neutral grass dogs, and continue its role and jobs as sky and earth. Through this lack of bias, impartiality is achieved.  A realized sage, similarly, also live ones life like heaven and earth, beyond the limitation of any bias, and therefore achieve impartiality. The way towards this impartiality and its effects (benefits) will be explained more in Chapter 16.

DDJ Chapter 5 bilingual text: http://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj1-8/

Everyone know what is beauty, because of the concept of not-beauty; Everyone know what is virtue, because of the concept of not-virtue;

-> quality behind the adjective “beauty” exists not independently, but co-dependently with a judgement/comparison to what considered “not beauty”. i.e. when one let go of labeling something as beautiful or ugly, there is be perception before these adjectives arise in one’s mind.

Therefore, beingness and nothingess creates each other, difficult and easy forms each other, long and short calibrates each other, high and low leans toward each other,tone and sound harmonizes each other, front and back follows each other.

-> similar holds true to the opposites of virtue-not virtue, being-nothing, difficult-easy, long-short, high-low, tone-sound, front-back.

Therefore the sage manages affairs without the concept of doing anything, and he educates other through his speechless living.

-> Sages see the falsity of the “self”,  and the illusory nature of a separate “i“ “doing” anything.  Since language and speeches are commonly perceived to be spoken and listened dualistically (by one “i” to another “i”), the sages, in order to avoid further misleading the listeners, speak little in his life.

All things do their works without slightest complaint, they give born to others without claiming ownership. they do things without telling others what they have done, and they retire when their job is done. Because of their retirement, their achievement is eternal.

-> look at the nature, plants live their lives without complaint, they give birth without claiming ownership, they do things without the on-going need to inform others what they have done, and they retire when their job is done (flower wither after spreading pollen, fruit wither/eaten/carried away to spread seed, a lot of plants die every winter).  As they have no attachment to the temporary (flower, fruit, plant), they remains at one with their real nature, which beyond and not subjected to the temporariness of the phenomenal changes.

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Chapter 2 discussion:

Chapter one introduces the Dao as beyond speech, name, form and non-form. This chapter further discusses the limitations of dualistic separation commonly adopted in the world. What for? you may ask. Instead of continuing with our current perception of separation and duality, What benefit is there to adopt this state of nonduality? Laozi explains, a wise sage is like plant in the nature, it comes to the world, live, grow, blossom, fruit, and die, without attachment to any specific stage in life, any need to claim any process being “i”, and any need to tell everybody about their achievement. Because of their non-attachment to all this transitory, they remains at one with their real nature. which is everlasting and beyond changes.

DDJ Chapter 2 bilingual text: http://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj1-8/

If you are interested in the wisdom of Laozi’s Daodejing, but you don’t have the privilege to come study here, here is the good news: Starting dec20,2011, I will be sharing my teachings of this sacred text, one chapter a week, with detail explanations and my interpretations of it.  I hope you will find them beneficial to your life. So stay tune here! Share the wisdom, raise questions, and let’s have fun learning and growing together in this journey of the Dao.

Wish you good fortune, longevity, health, and peace.

Regards,

Derek 

What is Dao?

Dao is the origin, the path and the destination.

(see Summary of Daodejing)

Most people live their lifes for survival,
many live for possessions,
some live for achievements,
few just be themselves,
rarely still are those just are.

What is your path? Where is your destination?