Lunchtime qigong this week, as group is generally healthy, we did meditation instead. After about a year of practice, we sat and it was a meal’s time. All is well, with many healthy reports in body and mind.

Actually, meditation is an advanced form of qigong, much like how martial artists sit and heal in martial arts stories.

While normal qigong originates from the ego mind, in duality, and easily leads to bias and errors, advance qigong proceeds in nonself and nondoing, it’s relaxed, natural, efficient, and safe.

A student said afterwards, time flies in happiness, quite enjoyable stage it is.

今日lunchtime qigong，同學們身體大致安好，我建議不如做meditation。經過一年來訓練，大家盤腿一坐，便是一頓飯的時間。而坐後同學都有些不錯的身心報告。

其實靜坐就是上乘嘅氣功，如武俠小說裡受傷的大俠們靜坐療傷一樣。一般氣功出自小我意念，屬有為法，容易出偏差；上乘氣功為無為，放鬆自在，道法自然，故輕鬆，高效，安全。

結束時有同學說，快樂不知時日過。已能樂之也。

In advanced meditative state, one sees the limitless universe. Is this real? Is it the end?  Some arrives there and claim it is so.  The Buddha says in this chapter: despite of its magnificence and splendor, it is not the ultimate, as when we attach ourselves with it, we becomes and limits to it.  Therefore the Buddha merely describes the state, and discern it as a temporary phenomenon just like names.

Having said so, encountering such phenomenon already indicates some achievement in internal work.  We need to remain aware, and keep going in our inner and outer work.

* * *

一合理相分第三十

THE PRINCIPLE OF A UNITY OF APPEARANCES, THIRTY

须菩提！若善男子、善女人，以三千大千世界碎为微尘，于意云何？是微尘众宁为多不？
“Subhuti. what do you think? If a virtuous man or woman reduced to dust all the worlds in the Universe, would those particles of dust many?”

甚多，世尊！何以故？
若是微尘众实有者，佛则（即）不说是微尘众，所以者何？
佛说：微尘众即非微尘众，是名微尘众。
世尊！如来所说三千大千世界，则（即）非世界，是名世界。何以故？
若世界实有者 ，则（即）是一合相。
如来说：一合相，则(即)非一合相，是名一合相。
Subhuti replied: “Many, World Honored One. Why?
Because if they really existed, the Buddha would not say they were particles of dust. And why?
Because when the Buddha speaks of particles of dust, they are not, but are (expediently) called, particles of dust.
World Honoured One, when the Tathagata speaks of worlds, they are not,，but are (expediently) called, worlds. Why?
“Because if they really exist, they are just agglomerations.
“The Tathagata speaks of agglomerations which are not, but are (expediently) called, agglomerations.”

须菩提！一合相者，则（即）是不可说，但凡夫之人贪著其事。
“Subhuti, that which is called an agglomeration cannot be spoken of, but the vulgar man has longing for and attachment to this thing.

Last week we finished our discussion on study.  This week we start our discussion on practice.  Practice is the application of knowledge in life. in Chinese practice is (修行）, which includes study and application. Alongside with our ongoing study, let see what Confucius and his students had to say on how to practice, and how to integrate teachings into their lives.

6.1 Three levels of cultivation: knowing, loving, enjoying

子曰、知之者、不如好之者、好之者、不如樂之者。

The Master said, ‘They who know the truth are not equal to those who love it, and they who love it are not equal to those who delight in it.’

* * *

This chapter presents the 3 major stages of practice. One

1) knows about the truth (intellectual)

2) loves it (feeling)

3) delights in it (awareness)

The first stage one find interest in exploring the truth, and seek to know about it thoroughly.  In second stage after understanding, one sees its value, feels the effect, and loves the truth. Finally, with practice and dedication, one realizes the wholeness of the practice, fully integrates in ones life, and therefore delights in it.

These 3 stages of practice could be applied to any topic of interest.  For example in meditation, beginning students seek to understand the what-about and how-to of meditation.  Intermediate students see and feel the value and love it. Advanced students is in meditative state all the time and is therefore at one with the internal joy of it.

Which stage of practice are you in?

The valley-like spirit does not die, it is the mysterious femininity.

-> Dao is like a vast valley that is everlasting, Laozi called it the mysterious femininity.  Why feminine? In Chinese culture, e.g. Book of Changes, Femininity is associated with giving birth, allowing, and embracing all things, with earth being the most “Yin” and feminine of all phenomena.  Just as the earth carries all things without preference or limits, the Dao allows for the arising and disappearing of all things, impartially, without limit, and without ends.

The door of this mysterious femininity, is the root of heaven and earth.

-> When one arrives at the gateway of this mysterious femininity, such as during the moment transiting to or from deep sleep and meditation, one finds the root of heaven and earth within. i.e. when one enters into the door, self disappear and so is the perceived heaven and earth; as the self appears, so is the appearance of heaven and earth and all entails.

It exist gently and steadily, we use it and it has no limit.

-> This source (the mysterious femininity) is everlasting, limitless, and without end.

* * *

Chapter 6 Discussion:

People often associates themselves with the masculine: I am this, i want to do this, i seek this, i will this to happen.  Laozi, being a enlightened master, found that the feminine is also useful in cultivating the Dao.  Instead of driven by a strong and masculine “self”, he advocates for surrendering the attachment to, and identification of the “self”. Through laying down one’s bias, judgements, desires, one learns to live one’s life in harmony with the natural rhythm of the universe, and will eventually realizes the reality beyond the “self”.  The acceptance of our more feminine side, therefore, facilitates the process.

DDJ Chapter 6 bilingual text: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj1-8/