Zen Reality and Practice
實際理地不著一塵，萬行門中不捨一法。
– 禪宗祖師
Ultimate reality is not bounded by any manifestation, yet actual practice embraces all of them.
– Zen Master
Tag Archive for: reality
Dao De Jing 35 – Dao and the world in perfect harmony
Abide in the Dao, the whole world follows.
(The whole world) follows it without conflict, in perfect harmony.
-> Abide in the source, one sees the whole world manifesting. Conflicts are self-based descriptions, when the self is transcended, there is no conflict.
Music and fine food stop people. Dao when being spoken, is however tasteless.
(It) can’t be seen, can’t be heard, however is used without limit.
-> our “self” is drawn to sensual pleasures, the truth of the Dao however, is beyond pleasure and non-pleasure.
-> beyond senses (sight, sound, taste, smell, feeling), therefore are not limited, and could not be exhausted.
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Chapter 35 Discussion:
When there is no “self”, how could there be conflict? The pathway to ultimate liberation starts with the transcendence of the “self”.
Senses are temporary: sight, sound, taste, smell, feeling are temporary; even thoughts and notion of “self” is temporary. Accept them as they are, and seek the reality beyond.
Bilingual version of Ch35: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj34-52/
Dao De Jing 32 – Dao and the world: unnamed vs. the named
Dao does not have a name. It can not be owned or controlled.
When one abides in it, all things will follow.
-> When the self does not arise, problem does not arise, and the world flows in perfect harmony.
Dew falls under the combined effect of heaven and earth, people cannot control it and it has its own balance.
-> Water and climate interchange in perfect harmony between heaven and earth, without the need for any human control/manipulation.
In the beginning name arise, when names arise, people know their limits, knowing the limits and therefore can last.
-> From non-form arises forms, which entails limitations (e.g. change of names of subjects). If we know our reality prior to the name arising, we can then last through the change of names.
Dao when manifest as the world, is like valley carrying the rivers and seas.
-> Forms are limited, Dao has no limit.
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Chapter 32 Discussion:
Following Chapter 28, which recommends knowing the masculine and abiding in the feminine, this chapter calls for knowing the limits of name, and realizing the reality prior to names. Through knowing the limitations of names and forms and our reality underneath them, we can then accept and free from them.
When we surrender our attachments and aversions in our self, we will see harmony in the world, like water is always balanced between heaven and earth.
Bilingual test of Chapter 32: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj11-3/
Dao De Jing 27 – Interdependency of Sage vs. Layman
Those who master travelling leave no trace,
-> When one has been to, and is everywhere, one cannot be traced or described by a particular trace.
Those who master talking speaks no fault;
-> They communicate perfectly and completely and therefore left no fault.
Those who master counting need no tool;
-> All is known and there is no need to count or record.
Those who master locking need no extra shuts; those who master tying needs no rope.
-> Job is done perfectly without extra and unnecessary measures.
Sages master saving people, and therefore no one is unsaved; (Sages) master saving thing, and therefore nothing is unsaved. This is called inner-wisdom.
-> When Sage embrace everything completely, there is nothing left out and unsaved.
Therefore Sage is the teacher of the layman; layman is the asset of the Sage.
-> Sage embrace and treasure all impartially, including the layman and those labelled undesirable.
When teacher is not respected, or asset not treasured, one falls into great confusion despite of being intelligent. This is key.
-> When one still have bias in receiving certain people (whether sage or layman) or situation, one is still in the dualistic separation of a self and others, and therefore is away from the reality of oneness and nonduality.
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Chapter 27 Discussion:
Instead of labeling people as good or bad, sage or layman, Laozi recommended embracing all, and treasuring all without personal bias. When one does this, every people and situation can be seen as blessings to cultivate one self, is welcomed and treasured, for they provide opportunity to test what’s left in personal bias, and opportunity to cultivate awareness and compassion. Gradually ones acceptance and compassion will grow and eventually to encompass all. Gratitude (described as treasure by Laozi) therefore, is an useful attitude in cultivation and to face life.
Bilingual text of Chapter 27: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj11-3/
Dao De Jing 6 – Feminine Quality of the Dao
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/
Dao De Jing 5 – Impartiality and endless capacity of the Dao
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.
* * *
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: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj1-8/
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