Lao Tzu.......a modern translation.........

Sunnygal41

Alright, I know there are people here that have studied/read Lao Tzu. I had an email that put some of his comments into "modern vernacular"............I just began reading some of them today........here's my favorite, so far. How about anyone else? Share your favorite Lao quote..........

When people lose touch with Tao,
they start talking about
"righteousness" and "sanctity."

When people forget what's true,
they start talking about
"self-evident truths."

When people have no respect
for one another,
they start talking about
"political correctness"
and "family values."

When the nation is unstable,
people start talking about "patriotism."

Satanus

Hot stuff. It would be cool to have a more generic modern version.

S

myauntfanny

Looks good. I have Steven Mitchell's translation, that's beautiful, very poetic.

When a country obtains great power:

it becomes like the sea

all streams run downward into it.

The more powerful it grows,

the greater the need for humility.

Humility means trusting the Tao,

thus never needing to be defensive.

A great nation is like a great man:

When he makes a mistake, he realizes it.

Having realized it, he admits it.

Having admitted it, he corrects it.

He considers those who point out his faults

as his most benevolent teachers.

He thinks of his enemy

as the shadow he himself casts.

If a nation is centred in the Tao,

if it nourishes its own people

and doesn't meddle in the affairs of others,

it will be a light to all nations in the world.

JamesThomas

Sunny,

When there is a "losing touch with the Tao", there is a sense of dualism, the sense that I am an entity separate from all else that at best can join into special groups of like-minded others. This identity is a tightly weaved construct of memories, emotions, ideas, concepts and beliefs unquestioned.

On the other hand, when "in touch with the "Tao", there is Oneness. There is nothing outside to be righteous over, hate or make war with. This "being in touch" is simply the realization of what is really and naturally here, when all the mental threads are unraveled and seen through. Generally this is discovered through deep and earnest inner investigation and present moment attentiveness; in which may be noticed an extremely intimate Awareness that embraces all the chaos, is the chaos, yet mysteriously remains untouched, pristine and indescribable. This, is the Tao, our true Identity; even now.

There is a little book that you may like: The Way To Love, by Anthony De Mello.

bikerchic

JamesThomas:

On the other hand, when "in touch with the "Tao", there is Oneness. There is nothing outside to be righteous over, hate or make war with. This "being in touch" is simply the realization of what is really and naturally here, when all the mental threads are unraveled and seen through. Generally this is discovered through deep and earnest inner investigation and present moment attentiveness; in which may be noticed an extremely intimate Awareness that embraces all the chaos, is the chaos, yet mysteriously remains untouched, pristine and indescribable. This, is the Tao, our true Identity; even now.

Well said JT! I'm finding that most people are just too afraid to do the inner investigation and find their true Identity.............what do you have to fear? For me nothing I am what I am; but I am subject to change when there is a need. Chaos in my life brings up that need. I don't need chaos, I fear not changing.

JT that book sounds interesting I'll have to check it out, thanks.

Sunny, Lao Tzu really speaks to me but something I admit I haven't taken the time to research or read much of, it's one of those things I've put on the back burner and need to get to. So many books so little time........Thanks for the reminder.

Kate

JamesThomas

Kate,

So far, the most terrifying moment I have ever experienced (even worse than when a stranger pointed a big ugly revolver at my head), was when I was sitting quietly alone looking within. So, I would say "Yes, there can often be great fear in inner investigation." It may be a natural fear, and here's why:

Our most primitive and hard-wired instincts are those of self-survival. The mind has painstakingly created a very complex matrix we call "my identity" or "me", which is everything I am and my relationship to the rest of the universe. Unquestionably believing that this structure of remembered physical, mental and emotional sensations is what I am, we protect it with everything we have, every move and trick known to man. So, when there is sincere questioning and investigation into this structure, when there is a pushing up against the walls of our seemingly secure little paradigm, all hell can break loose. It's like walking off a cliff.

In order to discover our true Identity, there must be a surrender and letting go of the old egoic structure. It is very much like a death, so it's normal to discover deep fear in inner investigation. It's a good sign, and it is wise to expect it. The key is to see the fear as a friend, rather than an enemy to run away from. Welcome the fear. Go silently and non-judgmentally into the fear. Find, what is at it's core. Allow the fear to be a door-way.

Much easier said, than done.

j

frankiespeakin

JT,

I agree that that to find out what we are would unravel all the concepts the mind has accepted and this could bring a whole lot of feelings we never experienced before,,I'm sure death of the ego has to be more fear filled then experiencing natural death. I guess it would be a sort of melt down in the mind but in the end would give the mind rest because the mind would see it no longer knows,, and would get rest from the fact that it stops trying.

frankiespeakin

JT,

I'm not saying the mind no longer functions as the mind,,it gets altered,,because it knows It can't understand what it was trying to understand so it gives up that persuit and is just used for other things nessarry for life of the body. This is also a surrender of all control from by the "seperation identity",,which allow another form of communiction that could transend space and time as the Bell theroem proves mathimatically,, and be hooked up to awareness or consciouness that doesn't use brain waves for communication but according to Bells theorem has FTL communications.

Weird ain't it.

JamesThomas

Yes Frankie, I would agree that "death of the ego" can indeed be more fear-filled. Because inner investigation requires intense and unyielding presence. There is no hiding allowed. No going off into some story line or fantasy (I mean you can space out, or go into some meditative stupor, but you wont discover Reality). Physical death, on the other hand, may find us drugged or unconscious; or the mind may hallucinate or dream itself away from conscious dying. The journey within requires sharp wakefulness and alertness; an open and naked vulnerability that is generally not even discussed or acknowledged within society. Perhaps it's important to add that the mind is not the enemy. It is a great and powerful tool, and should be honored. it would be impossible to make a cake or drive a car or function in a practicle day to day way without it. It was just not meant to be RULER, and thus in a position to fabricate a reality and identity or incapsulate truth. The entire universe came to into being without the human mind including the human mind, yet we act as if it is the seat of all intelligence. There is an infinite Intelligence from which all arises; and the good news is we need go no further than here to find it. It simply requires a surrender of everything we believe or think we know. So, in a sense we must die before we live; or surrender all to gain all. Kind of a zen kinda thing. j

JamesThomas

Here is the way it should have looked:

Yes Frankie, I would agree that "death of the ego" can indeed be more fear-filled. Because inner investigation requires intense and unyielding presence. There is no hiding allowed. No going off into some story line or fantasy (I mean you can space out, or go into some meditative stupor, but you wont discover Reality). Physical death, on the other hand, may find us drugged or unconscious; or the mind may hallucinate or dream itself away from conscious dying.

The journey within requires sharp wakefulness and alertness; an open and naked vulnerability that is generally not even discussed or acknowledged within society.

Perhaps it's important to add that the mind is not the enemy. It is a great and powerful tool, and should be honored. it would be impossible to make a cake or drive a car or function in a practicle day to day way without it. It was just not meant to be RULER, and thus in a position to fabricate a reality and identity or incapsulate truth.

The entire universe came to into being without the human mind including the human mind, yet we act as if it is the seat of all intelligence. There is an infinite Intelligence from which all arises; and the good news is we need go no further than here to find it. It simply requires a surrender of everything we believe or think we know.

So, in a sense we must die before we live; or surrender all to gain all. Kind of a zen kinda thing.

j

Lao Tzu.......a modern translation.........

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