Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Tao Te Ching Chapter 64-8 Nine-story tower


Today's Tao

A nine-storeyed tower's construction begins with a small heap of earth. (Ch.64)


In Zen Buddhism, they say exactly the same thing.

For example, Dogen describes it as:

"to pick up one minute piece of dust and build a stupa of Old Buddha".

一微塵を拈じて古仏の塔廟を建立する

(Hotsumujoshin 発無上心, «Shobogenzo»)


The important point is what follows this.


He says:

"this is the act of sending Love".

これが発菩提心なり

[Note]
Literally, "this is the emission of  «Bodai Shin 菩提心 / the mechanism (=heart) of Bodhi (=the spiritual awakening, =the wisdom of Satori)»".
発 [hotsu]: emission.
菩提 [bodai]: the spiritual awakening or the wisdom of Satori.
心 [shin]: mechanism, mind, or heart.

(Ditto)


This is the hologram.

You can find the world inside one tiny mote of dust.

In other words, the mote of dust sends you Love.

You receive Love and project a tower or a stupa, which implies the rest of the world.


«Related Articles»
-Something stable 64-1
-Before materialization 64-2
-While fragile 64-3
-While minute 64-4
-Before existence 64-5
-In order 64-6
-Tree from a hair 64-7
-Nine-story tower 64-8
-A thousand league travel 64-9
-Do and Defeat 64-10
-Stick and Lose 64-11
-Defeat nothing 64-12
-Don't stick 64-13
-Before completed 64-14
-Careful end 64-15
-Desire no desire 64-16
-Rare coins 64-17
-Learn no learn 64-18
-Excess 64-19
-Transformation 64-20
-Don't dare 64-21
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 64


Tao answers your question!



☞«Animated Classics of Japanese Literature» includes Yasunari Kawabata's «The Dancing Girl of Izu». The story is harmless and lots of Japanese boys and girls still read the Nobel prize winner's masterpiece. Nevertheless, if you think about the fact that the novelist later wrote «The Lake» and «House of the Sleeping Beauties», the seemingly innocent story between a student and a dancing girl will start shedding a different sort of light. On the other hand, Kafu Nagai's «A Strange Tale from East of the River» is a beautiful homage to the innocence and nonchalance of a woman illegally practicing world's oldest profession.

2 comments:

Kimmo Framelius said...

YOU HAVE A GOOD BLOG HERE

THANK YOU

AND ANEW BREATHE

Unknown said...

Thank you, too, kimmo framelius-san.

Have a nice day everyday.


Naoto Matsumoto