Tao Te Ching Chapter 54-2 Embrace

Today's Tao

A thing well embraced doesn't fall off. (Ch.54)


Everything is holding Tao.

No one can remove Tao.

This is one way to look at the relation between Tao and its hologram.


Master Dogen has a beautiful way to express it:

"Buddha hides himself in a hologram. The hologram hides itself in an ume flower. The ume flower hides itself in brambles."

如来は眼睛に蔵身し、眼睛は梅華に蔵身し、梅華は荊棘に蔵身せり。

(Udonge 優曇華, «Shobogenzo»)


In other words, Buddha, Tao, or the fundamental energy is inside every hologram.

A visual image is part of your hologram.

Images constitute the world.


«Related Articles»
-Well built 54-1
-Embrace 54-2
-Descendants 54-3
-Body 54-4
-Family 54-5
-Village 54-6
-Country 54-7
-World 54-8
-See the body 54-9
-See the family 54-10
-See the village 54-11
-Bodhidharma from the West / See the country 54-12
-Jin juppo kai / See the world 54-13
-Why telepathy? 54-14
-Because of Satori 54-15
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 54


Tao answers your question!



☞Kyogen 狂言, which means "Crazy Words", is a comical presentation in a style similar to traditional Japanese theatre Noh. Although the original Yama Uba is not classified in Kyogen, it has got comical elements. You don't have to be serious when you talk about a serious subject. It can be more effective if you do it otherwise. Master Ikkyu's Yama Uba illustrates how Zen functions in an easy and fun way for lay villagers, including girls in a brothel, to understand Buddha's essential teachings.