Reading Archives - Page 14 of 15 - Madhu Bazaz Wangu
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Fourteenth Chapter:Tao-Te Ching

Posted on February 1, 2008
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Fourteenth Chapter: Tao-te Ching We look at it and do not see it; its name is The Invisible. We listen to it and do not hear it; its name is The Inaudible. We touch it and do not find it; its name is The Subtle (formless). These three cannot be further inquired into, and hence merge into one. Going up high, it is not bright, and coming down low, it is not dark Infinite and boundless, it cannot be given any name; It reverts to nothingness. This is called shape without shape, Form without objects. It is The Vague and Elusive. Meet it and you'll not see its head. Follow it and you'll not see its back. Discover how the Tao energy was from the primeval beginning (of the universe). This brings us into with harmony with Tao. # As I understand it: Forever unfolds itself as we...

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Thirteenth Chapter: Tao Te Ching

Posted on January 25, 2008
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Thirteenth Chapter: Tao Te Ching Be uneasy when receiving favor or disgrace. Be uneasy about high status. Why be uneasy about favor or disgrace? Whether you get it or not both ways it is degrading. Why be uneasy about high status? It afflicts your person. We have great trouble because we have bodies. If we had no body, what trouble would we have? If we had no body, what calamities could we have? True self is eternal. Not limited to the body. One who sees his body as everything is fit to be the guardian of the world. One who loves himself as everyone is fit to be teacher of the world. # As I understand it: Don't ask for favors. Don't pursue status. They stop the natural flow of the Tao. Don't feel insecure because others disagree with you. Their opinion is...

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Twelfth Chapter: Tao Te Ching

Posted on January 18, 2008
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Chapter Twelfth Tao Te Ching The five colors make us blind. The five tones make us deaf. The five flavors dull our taste. Rush and hunt craze our minds. Accumulating worldly objects injures our inner growth. The sage observes what is without but trusts what is within. He rejects the outer and accepts the inner. # As I understand it: The gratification of the sensory experiences never satiates. Never feeling satisfied is a formula for craziness. The lure of acquisitions and fame is seductive. We need to extend the vision of our lives beyond sensory level. What makes life meaningful is paying attention to that which lies beyond the world of appearances. This is not a formula for renunciation. It suggests enjoying things of the world but not accumulating. As we begin to relax -- go...

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Eleventh Chapter: Tao Te Ching

Posted on January 14, 2008
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Chapter Eleven: Tao Te Ching Thirty spokes converge around one hub, But it is on the hole in the center that the utility of the carriage depends. Clay is molded to form a vessel, But it is in its hollowness that the utility of the vessel depends. Doors and windows are cut out to make a room, But it is in its emptiness that the utility of the room depends. The usefulness of being depends upon its non-being. # As I understand it: The value of a hole, hollowness or emptiness goes unnoticed. The invisible life force eludes our senses. But without silent pauses there is no language, no music. Our bodies function with senses, feelings and locomotion but it is in the invisible essence, the Tao within us, that the utility of our lives depends. Let's allow the essence of...

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Tenth Chapter: Tao Te Ching

Posted on December 28, 2007
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Tenth Chapter: Tao te Ching Can you keep your body and soul separated? Can you keep your body as supple as an infant? Can you look at yourself in the dark mirror and make it spotless? Can you govern the state without knowledge (cunning)? Can you play the role of the female in the opening and closing of the gates of Heaven? Can you understand and penetrate all without taking any action? To birth things and to rear them, And not take possession of them, To act, but not to take credit for that action, To lead but not to master - This is called profound and secret virtue. # As I understand it: Body cannot be separated from man's breathing and intelligence. A faded body cannot bloom again. We cannot have the profound insight about ourselves unless we look within. Look at ourselves when...

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Ninth Chapter: Tao te Ching

Posted on December 21, 2007
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Tao te Ching: Ninth Chapter To fill a cup until it overflows Is not as good as to stop in time. Sharpen a sword-edge too much Its edge will blunt. When the gold and jade fill your hall, You will not be able to keep them long. To puff with honor and wealth Is to cause your own downfall Withdraw as soon as your work is done: This is the heaven's way. # As I understand it: Tao, despite its unlimited capacity for creating, does not show off. It stops at the perfect moment and thus moves in natural harmony. Everything we do or say has a saturation point. Exaggerating or understating spoils it. The sense of te (the spiritual energy of Tao), deep within us, knows when enough is enough. To know when to work, when to stop and let go, and enjoy the...

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Eighth Chapter: Tao te Ching

Posted on December 14, 2007
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Eighth Chapter: Tao te Ching The highest good is like water. Water benefits all things just by being itself. It flows in lowly places that all disdain. This is why it is like Tao. The highest good lives in accordance with nature. He lives close to the earth. He loves what is deep and profound. He is gentle and kind. He keeps to his words. He governs with equity. He handles affairs with competence. He keeps to timeliness. The one who lives in accordance with nature, Moves freely. It is because he moves in harmony to its nature and associations He flows and lets others flow with freedom. # As I understand it: Water is a symbol of Tao because just by being itself it teaches us to do highest good. We are of water, depend on water and are surrounded by water. But we do not...

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Tao Te Ching: Seventh Chapter

Posted on December 9, 2007
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Tao te Ching: Seventh Chapter The Heaven is eternal and Earth Everlasting. They are eternal because they do not exist for themselves. Therefore the sage places himself in the background but finds himself in the foreground. He puts himself away, and yet he always remains. It is not because he has no personal interests. It is the reason why his personal interests are fulfilled # As I understand it: Tao, the source of Heaven, Earth and the 10,000 things in-between, is everlasting because it does not live for its own sake. This quality supports its stability and resilience. The sage lives from her Tao center. She does not live from worldly ego center. Non-ego makes her aware of the eternity. She serves the needs of others and puts herself last. She gives in thought, action and speech and asks for nothing...

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Tao Te Ching: Sixth Chapter

Posted on November 28, 2007
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Sixth Chapter: Tao Te Ching The spirit that never dies Is subtle and profound-- The source of all things, mysterious feminine -- the Divine Mother. The gateway of the Divine Mother is the root of creation. It is always present and unending. Stay linked to its perfection. Use it and you will never wear it out. # As I understand it: Subtle and profound Feminine creates continuously. This mysterious force of abilities, talents and intelligence is inexhaustible. When we live creatively we become aware of the feminine force. If we yoke to its source with awareness, we are able to radiate outward what we feel deeply within. When we connect to the Divine Feminine, our passions become artworks, accomplishments, ideas and innovative ways of understanding and expressing our universe. {Lao's favorite symbol of Tao was the feminine (also infant, valley and water)....

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Tao Te Ching: Fifth Chapter

Posted on November 20, 2007
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Tao-te Ching Chapter Five Heaven and Earth do not discriminate. They regard all things as straw dogs. The sage is impartial. To him no one is especially dear. He regards all people as straw dogs. Between Heaven and Earth there is a space like a bellows! Vacuous and inexhaustible -- the more it is used, more it creates. Keep to the center. Sit quietly and find the peace within. # As I understand it: The essence of Tao is like Heaven, Earth and the mind of the sage. It has no favorites. It sees everything as straw dogs. (Straw dogs were sacrificial objects in ancient China, discarded after the completion of a sacrifice.) In other words, Tao does not play favorites. It is neither partial nor impartial. Between the celestial and terrestrial regions there is a space that is vacuous and inexhaustible....

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