Dao De Jing 14 – Formless and timeless nature of the Dao

02/07/2012

Look but could not see, is called ‘Yi’; Listen but could not hear, is called ‘Xi’; Grasp but could not get, is called ‘Wei’. These three qualities alone could not provide an accurate description (of the Dao), therefore we blend them together as one.

-> The Dao cannot be seen, cannot be heard, cannot be touched.

Its upper part is not bright, its lower part is not obscure. Ceaseless and cannot be named, it goes back to nothingness.

-> It is neither bright nor obscure, beyond name and form.

This is the formless form, non-thing phenomenon, this is between seems and seem-not. We meet it and do not see its front, we follow it and do not see its back.

-> It exists even at the condition of no form/thing, and therefore beyond descriptions of even seems and seem-not. It is all around and within us, yet no one (self) can perceive it.

Align with this ancient way, to master today’s things. At one with the origin since ancient, is the nature of the Dao.

-> This has been the case since the beginning of all, if we can realized it, we can arrive mastery (of things and the self).

* * *

Chapter 14 Discussion:

Is the Dao playing hide and seek with us? How come it is here yet we cannot perceive it? The reason is that it cannot be found with the “self”, which is separate and dualistic in nature, for Dao is beyond separation and duality. The more the “self” tried to find the “Dao”, the further away it is from it, like a cat chasing its own tail. However, when we go beyond the “self”, and abide in this Dao, where all arises from and flows with, we find our origin, we find the center, we find truth, and everlasting peace.

Bilingual text of Chapter 14: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj11-3/

0 Comments/in Chinese Philosophy, Daoism, Online Class /by Derek

Dao De Jing 11 – Duality of beingness vs. nothingness

01/31/2012

Thirty spokes, forms a wheel, together with the empty space within, yields the functionality of a car.

-> Ancient vehicle were run on wooden wheel, with 30 spokes connected to a circle in the middle of the wheel. The forms (spokes) and non-form (empty space of the circle) together yields the functionality of the wheel/car.

Clay when fashioned into vessels, together with the empty space within, yields the functionality of a vessel.

-> Form (clay) and non-form (empty space within vessel) together yields the functionality of a vessel.

Doors and windows when cut to form a room, together with the empty space within, yields the functionality of a room.

-> Form (doors and windows and walls) and non-form (empty space within the room) together yields the functionality of a room.

Therefore, beingness and nothingness together offers functionality.

-> Beingness (form) and nothingness (non-form) cannot be separated in its functionality and manifestation in the world. Can a wheel function as a wheel without the empty space in its center? Can a vessel be used to contain water if there is no space within? Can a room serve its purpose if it is filled? Similarly, empty space itself cannot do the job (of a wheel, vessel, room) without their corresponding form counterparts.

* * *

Chapter 11 Discussion:

Our mind likes to separate things into categories and opposites, as if the mentally separated subjects could exist independently. However, Laozi pointed out in this chapter, as a further elaboration to Chapter 2, with the 3 examples of wheel, vessel, and room, that it is a fallacy to separate our life into duality and opposites, and that separated and dualistic subjects do not have independent, stable and everlasting reality. Not only does the separation of form and non-form a fallacy to the perceptive world, it is also a fallacy to separate our own life into opposites. For example, in the classic duality of body vs. mind. Can the body be perceived without the mind? Can the mind exist without a body? The answer is obvious. Our life consists of both the body and the mind, which are two categories we created to describe certain aspects of our life (there is more, of course). What does it matter? It points us to perceive life as it is, beyond concepts and separation the mind created which does not stand at an objective and absolute level. It points us to go beyond duality and separation of the mind. It is the nature of higher truth, which when realized, liberates us from our ignorance, which is temporary, transitory, and illusive in nature. Therefore, in the Tai-Chi symbol, the black and white (or the yin and yang) are depicted separately yet are connected and united in the center to represent the highest truth of the world. Laozi did not teach Yin and Yang, he taught the truth beyond them.

Bilingual text of Chapter 11: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj11-3/

2 Comments/in Chinese Philosophy, Daoism, Online Class /by Derek

Dao De Jing 2 – Dualistic nature of worldly standards, vs. non-dual lifestyle of sages

12/27/2011

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.

* * *

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: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj1-8/

4 Comments/in Chinese Philosophy, Daoism, Online Class /by Derek

Dao De Jing 1 – Dao is beyond words and names, form and non form

12/20/2011

“The Dao that can be spoken is not the enduring and unchanging Dao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name.”

-> As Dao is beyond forms, words and names are only symbols and pointers of the Dao.

“Nothingness, is the origin of heaven and earth; Beingness, is the mother of all things.”

-> Prior to the self/i arising (e.g. in deep sleep), there is no perception and therefore no heaven and earth. With the self/i arising, perception appears and one see all things.

” Abide in nothingness, one see deep wisdom; Abide in beingness, one see boundless creation.”

->When one discover the reality beyond forms, one discover the wisdom beyond the phenomenon world, when one abide in the reality of forms, one see the diversity of all creation.

“Both arise from same source but have different names, together they are called mystery.” “Lie in the deepest of mystery, is the gate to all wisdom and wonder.”

->If there is a ultimate reality that is accountable for all creations, it gives rise to both (form & beyond form). Together and beyond separation ties are gateway to the deepest wisdom and wonder.

* * *

Chapter 1 Discussion:

In this first chapter of Daodejing, Laozi presents the nature of reality (Dao) as beyond words, names, forms, and non-form. It represents the source of above all, and is beyond all dualistic separations such as form/non-form, being/nothing. This chapter cautions readers up front that one should not be lost in words, even that from this Daodejing itself. Treat them as pointers and temporary information, but seek and aim for the (Dao). The Chapter also introduces Dao as beyond duality and opposites. Typically, our minds likes to draw separation and describe the world with a subject and an object (e.g. a “i” in a “world”, a “this” vs. “that”), and think of phenomena as having opposites such as hot/cold, fast/slow, high/low, etc. Laozi discovered the reality (Dao) as beyond all this separations, including the ultimate separation of nothingness(non-form) and beingness(forms).

DDJ Chapter 1 bilingual text: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj1-8/

4 Comments/in Chinese Philosophy, Daoism, Online Class /by Derek

Tag Archive for: duality

Dao De Jing 14 – Formless and timeless nature of the Dao

Look but could not see, is called ‘Yi’; Listen but could not hear, is called ‘Xi’; Grasp but could not get, is called ‘Wei’. These three qualities alone could not provide an accurate description (of the Dao), therefore we blend them together as one.

Its upper part is not bright, its lower part is not obscure. Ceaseless and cannot be named, it goes back to nothingness.

This is the formless form, non-thing phenomenon, this is between seems and seem-not. We meet it and do not see its front, we follow it and do not see its back.

Align with this ancient way, to master today’s things. At one with the origin since ancient, is the nature of the Dao.

Dao De Jing 11 – Duality of beingness vs. nothingness

Thirty spokes, forms a wheel, together with the empty space within, yields the functionality of a car.

Clay when fashioned into vessels, together with the empty space within, yields the functionality of a vessel.

Doors and windows when cut to form a room, together with the empty space within, yields the functionality of a room.

Therefore, beingness and nothingness together offers functionality.

Dao De Jing 2 – Dualistic nature of worldly standards, vs. non-dual lifestyle of sages

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

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.

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

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.

Dao De Jing 1 – Dao is beyond words and names, form and non form

“The Dao that can be spoken is not the enduring and unchanging Dao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name.”

“Nothingness, is the origin of heaven and earth; Beingness, is the mother of all things.”

” Abide in nothingness, one see deep wisdom; Abide in beingness, one see boundless creation.”

“Both arise from same source but have different names, together they are called mystery.” “Lie in the deepest of mystery, is the gate to all wisdom and wonder.”

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