Tao Te Ching Chapter 78-1 Water summary

Today's Tao

Nothing in the world under the sky is softer and weaker than water. (Ch.78)


If you don't know what to do, be like water.

Let's summarise the water-like attitude.


1. Believe you are influencing all like flooded water. (☞See Flooded water 34-1)

2. Give benefit to all. (☞See Water benefits all 8-2)

3. Stay at the bad place. (☞See Water stay at the bad place 8-3)

4. Believe true You are Tao. (☞See Water is close to Tao 8-4)

5. Don't compete. (☞See Water never errs 8-5)

6. Don't worry even if you feel as confused as muddy water. (☞See Muddy water 15-10)

7. Treat your hologram as if water treats a fish. (☞See Fish and Water 36-7)

8. Be soft and weak. (☞See Soft and Weak 76-6)

9. Accept all.

10. Don't resist. No resistance!


«Related Articles»
-Water summary 78-1
-Water's attack 78-2
-No change 78-3
-Be weak 78-4
-Be soft 78-5
-Everyone = You 78-6
-No one acts 78-7
-State filth 78-8
-Bad omens 78-9
-Contradiction 78-10
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 78


Lao Tzu answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (21) / -A famous proverb "Soften the light. Be like dust. 和光同塵" - Let's see how they translate 挫其鋭 解其紛 和其光 同其塵 in Chapter 4. The identical sentences are repeated in Chapter 56. In Tao by Matsumoto these are discussed in Chapter 56 / How to be One with Tao. / Both in «Tao Te Ching: A New English Version (Perennial Classics)», on the left, and «Tao Te Ching: An Illustrated Journey», the expression above is not found in Chapter 4. Stephen Mitchell is the translator. / "With it, the sharp edges become smooth the twisted knots loosen the sun is softened by a cloud the dust settles into place" On the right, «Tao Te Ching: The New Translation from Tao Te Ching: The Definitive Edition (Tarcher Cornerstone Editions)» translated by Jonathan Star.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 77-12 Secret of superiority

Today's Tao

He doesn't want to show off his superiority. (Ch.77)


A: "Master Bonbon, I am better than others, right? I've just sent 1,000 holographic video game consoles to poor children in Japan."

B: "Shut up, idiot! Cash is always better than toys. If you had donated the same amount of cash to our organization, you could have been a 'chosen disciple of the week' instead of a generous idiot!"


Tell me honestly.

Would you like to be a mystic Taoist superior to the rest of the population?

Or, would you like to be a "chosen" Zen disciple selected by a mighty master?

If so, I'm afraid to tell you: "No, you cannot!".

Why?

Because everything is one.

It is impossible to distinguish one from another.

So, how can you be better than others!


«Related Articles»
-Bend a bow 77-1
-Suppress doubt? 77-2
-Raise Hossho? 77-3
-No excess / Why does history repeat? 77-4
-Lack and Supply 77-5
-Nirvana / Reduced excess and Supplied lack 77-6
-Man's self 77-7
-Rich man's excess 77-8
-Love and Excess 77-9
-Attachment 77-10
-After life / Task successfully accomplished 77-11
-Secret of superiority 77-12
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 77


Lao Tzu answers your question!



☞The two "Japanese" video game manufacturers, Sega and Taito, were not founded by Japanese. / Sega, which was called "Standard Games" at the moment of the company's birth. It was founded in Hawaii in 1940. Later, they changed the name to "Service and Games". The two initial alphabets of "Service" and "Games" were put together. It made Sega. Sega created Sonic the hedge hog. / Taito corporation was founded by a Russian. His name was Michael Kogan. He was born in Odessa, escaped the Russian Revolution and, after having lived in Manchuria and Tenshin (Tianjin), China, settled in Tokyo. In 1950, he founded Taito Yoko 太東洋行. Taito Corporation is known to have created Space Invader video games.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 77-11 After life / Task successfully accomplished

Today's Tao

Although his great tasks are (successfully) accomplished, he doesn't stay there. (Ch.77)


Lao Tzu has said the same sentence in Tao Te Ching / Chapter 2 / Do not judge.

In the world, which is your hologram and a catalyst, you don't have to be successful.

Or rather, I should say: "No matter what is your evaluation of your life, you are successful".

It is quite logical because your only task in life is to emit Love (=Tao).

Whatever you do, you are sending Love, remember? (☞See Plenty of life? 75-3 and Value life 75-4)

Be careful, though.

Some might say: "All right. Our achievement doesn't matter because we are gonna leave this world anyway."

Wrong!

We do not go back to Tao after our life finishes. (☞See Man's self 77-7)

We are Tao itself.

In other words, we are "inside" Tao all the time while we do not "keep staying" in the hologram.


«Related Articles»
-Bend a bow 77-1
-Suppress doubt? 77-2
-Raise Hossho? 77-3
-No excess / Why does history repeat? 77-4
-Lack and Supply 77-5
-Nirvana / Reduced excess and Supplied lack 77-6
-Man's self 77-7
-Rich man's excess 77-8
-Love and Excess 77-9
-Attachment 77-10
-After life / Task successfully accomplished 77-11
-Secret of superiority 77-12
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 77
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 2 There is an identical line in Chapter 2.
-Don't stay 2-12 It is the video for the identical line in Chapter 2.
-Tao by Matsumoto / Satori The sentence is also discussed here.


Lao Tzu answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (20) / -A famous proverb "Soften the light. Be like dust. 和光同塵" - Let's see how they translate 挫其鋭 解其紛 和其光 同其塵 in Chapter 4. The identical sentences are repeated in Chapter 56. In Tao by Matsumoto these are discussed in Chapter 56 / How to be One with Tao / "It dulls its own sharpness, unravels its own fetters, softens its own brightness, identifies itself with its own dust." On the left, «Tao Te Ching» translated by Dwight Goddard. / "Blunting sharp edges, Untangling knots, Softening the glare, Settling dust, (It evolves us all and makes the whole world one)." On the right, «The Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu» translated by Brian Browne Walker.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 77-10 Attachment

Today's Tao

Therefore, although something is done, the sage doesn't rely on it. (Ch.77)


Attachment.

We all know that we have to avoid any form of attachment if we practice Tao or Zen.

Here, Lao Tzu repeats what he has told us in Tao Te Ching / Chapter 2 / Do not judge.

Don't "rely on" anything in your hologram.

Don't be attached to anything, right?

Why, though?

Because it is a catalyst.

"What do you mean by 'a catalyst'?", some might want to ask.

If you don't like the expression "catalyst", you may call it a text book.

Life and the world is your text book.

It teaches you by raising you higher.

It makes you learn by pushing you lower.

What do we have to learn, then?

Well, your hologram teaches you just one thing.

Send Love by accepting all.


«Related Articles»
-Bend a bow 77-1
-Suppress doubt? 77-2
-Raise Hossho? 77-3
-No excess / Why does history repeat? 77-4
-Lack and Supply 77-5
-Nirvana / Reduced excess and Supplied lack 77-6
-Man's self 77-7
-Rich man's excess 77-8
-Love and Excess 77-9
-Attachment 77-10
-After life / Task successfully accomplished 77-11
-Secret of superiority 77-12
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 77
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 2 There is an identical line in Chapter 2.
-Don't rely 2-11 It is the video for the identical line in Chapter 2.
-Tao by Matsumoto / Satori The sentence is also discussed here.


Lao Tzu answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (19) / -Do nothing (treat things without interference) 無為 - Let's see how they translate 是以聖人処無為之事 行不言之教 in Chapter 2. / "Therefore, the Sage manages his affairs without ado, And spreads his teaching without talking." On the left, «Tao Te Ching» translated by John C. H. Wu. / If you find Tao Te Ching too abstract, the translation of this Zen master might be helpful. Takuan Soho (1573 - 1645) lived in the period of the samurai, which is much closer to our days compared to the time of Lao Tzu. Takuan is the author of "The Unfettered Mind".

Tao Te Ching Chapter 77-9 Love & Excess

Today's Tao

Who can have excess and give it to the world under the sky? Only those with Tao can. (Ch.77)


You should avoid excess.

It's even better if you reduce and reduce everything till you have nothing left. (☞See Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching Chapter 48 / Reduce and reduce)

"The world under the sky" is your hologram, remember?

So, be generous to the rest of your holographic world.


A: "Master Bonbon, I want to help poor children in Japan. What should I do?"

B: "Send the latest Nintendo 7DS video game consoles. Some may have lost theirs. Others have old consoles, on which they cannot play holographic games."


Whether you give something to someone materially or not, you are sending Love to the world.

Send Love as generously as you get completely detached from your holographic world.

Then, you will remember that you are always one with Tao.

Only you can send Love.

No one else.


«Related Articles»
-Bend a bow 77-1
-Suppress doubt? 77-2
-Raise Hossho? 77-3
-No excess / Why does history repeat? 77-4
-Lack and Supply 77-5
-Nirvana / Reduced excess and Supplied lack 77-6
-Man's self 77-7
-Rich man's excess 77-8
-Love and Excess 77-9
-Attachment 77-10
-After life / Task successfully accomplished 77-11
-Secret of superiority 77-12
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 77
-Tao by Matsumoto / "Do nothing" Corporation. "Ninten 任天" of Nintendo means "to trust Heaven and do nothing".


Lao Tzu answers your question!



Nin 任 means "to give responsibility to someone". If you add kyo 侠, Ninkyo 任侠 signifies "gallantry", which sometimes implies a gangster. Ten 天 means "Heaven or sky" like the spanish word "cielo". If you add ka 下, Tenka signifies "under the sky", which is normally a synonym of "the whole world". Do 堂 means "a hall, a shrine, or a temple". If you add Ninten 任天, Nintendo 任天堂 means "the temple of doing nothing" or "the hall of trusting Heaven", which can be used outside Japan as the name of the video game consoles they sell. Nintendo has been contributing their creative toys to our good memories of childhood in the country for many decades. Therefore, it is impossible for the Japanese boys and the men who once were boys to use the company's name only as the name of the video games.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 77-8 Rich man's excess

Today's Tao

It reduces what is already lacking and gives it to those who have excess. (Ch.77)


A: "I am rich, but I wanna be richer. What do I have to do, Master Bonbon?"

B: "Donate your money to our organization. The more you donate, the richer you get."

A: "Don't be stupid, Master Bonbon. The more I donate, the richer YOU get."


Some people say:

"He is excessively rich. He's got to use his money to save the world!"

All right, all right.

I understand, but let Tao do its job of "bending the bow". (☞See Bend a bow 77-1)

The more upset you are, the more resistance you create.

Especially, be careful of the media.

No matter what they say, they are asking you only one thing.

They are asking you to emit more Love as the other elements in your hologram do.


«Related Articles»
-Bend a bow 77-1
-Suppress doubt? 77-2
-Raise Hossho? 77-3
-No excess / Why does history repeat? 77-4
-Lack and Supply 77-5
-Nirvana / Reduced excess and Supplied lack 77-6
-Man's self 77-7
-Rich man's excess 77-8
-Love and Excess 77-9
-Attachment 77-10
-After life / Task successfully accomplished 77-11
-Secret of superiority 77-12
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 77


Lao Tzu answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (18) / -Do nothing (treat things without interference) 無為 - Let's see how they translate 是以聖人処無為之事 行不言之教 in Chapter 2. / "That's why the wise soul does without doing, teaches without talking." On the left, «Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching: A Book about the Way and the Power of the Way» translated by Ursula K. Le Guin. / "Therefore the wise man is not conspicuous in his affairs or given to much talking." On the right, «Tao Te Ching» translated by Dwight Goddard.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 77-7 Man's self

Today's Tao

Man's Tao is not like that. (Ch.77)


Here, Lao Tzu says:

"Man's Tao is not like Heaven's Tao".

As we discussed in the previous entry, "Heaven's Tao" signifies Tao's nature of manifestation in each hologram.

What is "Man's Tao", then?

"Man" suggests the so-called individual "self", which does not exist. (☞As for non-existence of self 無我 [mu ga], visit Know yourself 72-4. There are a few links to the related articles. See also Chapter 33 / Self and Chapter 7 / No self of Tao Te Ching.)

What happens after the end of one's self, that is to say, the end of one's life?

His soul goes up to somewhere?

Or, it re-integrates itself with Tao?

No. I am sorry.

It is not like that.

You are Tao, so you are never separated from Tao.

Like a frame in a movie, Tao flashes a hologram every moment.

"Life" is a name given to the sequence of innumerable holograms.

The end of another person's life is a backdrop of your hologram asking you to emit more Love (=Tao).

A self does not exist, so how can one's life exist independently!

不生不滅 [fusho fumetsu]

No life. No end of life.


[Note] Time does not exist in Tao, so all the holograms are created simultaneously.


«Related Articles»
-Bend a bow 77-1
-Suppress doubt? 77-2
-Raise Hossho? 77-3
-No excess / Why does history repeat? 77-4
-Lack and Supply 77-5
-Nirvana / Reduced excess and Supplied lack 77-6
-Man's self 77-7
-Rich man's excess 77-8
-Love and Excess 77-9
-Attachment 77-10
-After life / Task successfully accomplished 77-11
-Secret of superiority 77-12
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 77


Lao Tzu answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (17) / -Do nothing (treat things without interference) 無為 - Let's see how they translate 是以聖人処無為之事 行不言之教 in Chapter 2. / "Therefore the sage keeps to the deed that consists in taking no action and practices the teaching that uses no words." On the left, «Tao Te Ching (Penguin Great Ideas)» translated by D. C. Lau. / "Therefore the sage resides in nonfabrication, and conducts himself according to wordless teachings." On the right, «Tao Te Ching: An All-New Translation» translated by William Scott Wilson.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 77-6 Nirvana / Reduced excess & Supplied lack

Today's Tao

Heaven's Tao reduces excess and supplies what it lacking. (Ch.77)


A: "Give us food. Give us clothes. Save us, Master Bonbon!"

B: "Give us money first. We will invest it on the financial market. Then, the profit will save you."


Please trust yourself.

Trust Tao.

"Heaven" means your hologram.

"Heaven's Tao" signifies the the presence of Tao inside all the bits and pieces of your hologram.

Tao's nature of manifestation is called Hossho 法性 in Buddhism.

This world is your Nirvana.

Don't try to look for a better place somewhere over the rainbow.

Your holographic world is perfect.

Stop saying silly things like: "We have to improve this world".

Instead, thank the world for being as it is, and Tao will take care of the rest, by reducing excess and supplying what is lacking.


«Related Articles»
-Bend a bow 77-1
-Suppress doubt? 77-2
-Raise Hossho? 77-3
-No excess / Why does history repeat? 77-4
-Lack and Supply 77-5
-Nirvana / Reduced excess and Supplied lack 77-6
-Man's self 77-7
-Rich man's excess 77-8
-Love and Excess 77-9
-Attachment 77-10
-After life / Task successfully accomplished 77-11
-Secret of superiority 77-12
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 77
-Hossho stays low 76-9


Lao Tzu answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (16) / -Do nothing (treat things without interference) 無為 - Let's see how they translate 是以聖人処無為之事 行不言之教 in Chapter 2. / "The Sage acts without action and teaches without talking" On the left, «Tao Te Ching: The New Translation from Tao Te Ching: The Definitive Edition (Tarcher Cornerstone Editions)» translated by Jonathan Star. / "Therefore the Sage is devoted to non-action, Moves without teaching," On the left, «Tao Te Ching» translated by Stephen Addiss and Stanley Lombardo with the illustrations by Stephen Addiss and the introduction by Burton Watson.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 77-5 Lack & Supply

Today's Tao

It supplies what is lacking. (Ch.77)


Is life hard?

No, not at all.

Tao gives you what you need.

That is to say, if you don't have something, it is because you don't need it.

Some might say:

"But we need food and clothes!".


Then, I want them to listen to what Zen Master Dogen said:

"If you practice Tao sincerely, they will come into being naturally."

ただ一向に道を行ぜば、これ天然なるべし。

(«Shobogenzo Zuimonki 正法眼蔵随聞記», Book 4 巻四 第九節)


The world is the hologram you project.

You know what you need.

So, what you need is the faith in yourself, who is Tao.

If you are lacking in faith, don't worry.

Tao will supply faith to you.


«Related Articles»
-Bend a bow 77-1
-Suppress doubt? 77-2
-Raise Hossho? 77-3
-No excess / Why does history repeat? 77-4
-Lack and Supply 77-5
-Nirvana / Reduced excess and Supplied lack 77-6
-Man's self 77-7
-Rich man's excess 77-8
-Love and Excess 77-9
-Attachment 77-10
-After life / Task successfully accomplished 77-11
-Secret of superiority 77-12
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 77


Lao Tzu answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (15) / -Do nothing (treat things without interference) - Let's see how they translate 是以聖人処無為之事 行不言之教 in Chapter 2. / "Therefore: The sage abides by non-assertion in his affairs and conveys by silence his instruction." On the left, «The Teachings of Lao-Tzu: The Tao-Te Ching» translated by Paul Carus. / "Therefore the Master acts without doing anything and teaches without saying anything." On the right, «Tao Te Ching: An Illustrated Journey» translated by Stephen Mitchell.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 77-4 No excess / Why does history repeat itself?

Today's Tao

It reduces excess. (Ch.77)


We used to adore excess, especially excessive consumption.

When you consumed food, energy, or money excessively, you were considered wealthy and sometimes provoked jealousy in others.

Now, the pendulum of our collective awareness seems to have changed its direction.

These days, when you waste our natural resources, you look a bit idiotic.

I don't know how long this tendency of post-consumer society will last.

Probably, one century.

Maybe, 50 years.

Who knows.

But one thing is sure.

One day, our social pendulum will go backwards.

Why does history repeat itself?

History is part of your hologram, which imitates the cycle of Tao.

Tao's circle does not have excess.

So, a hologram doesn't like excess.

Tao's cycle repeats itself.

So does history.


[Note]
Please don't forget that Tao doesn't have time. All the history in your hologram is created simultaneously.


«Related Articles»
-Bend a bow 77-1
-Suppress doubt? 77-2
-Raise Hossho? 77-3
-No excess / Why does history repeat? 77-4
-Lack and Supply 77-5
-Nirvana / Reduced excess and Supplied lack 77-6
-Man's self 77-7
-Rich man's excess 77-8
-Love and Excess 77-9
-Attachment 77-10
-After life / Task successfully accomplished 77-11
-Secret of superiority 77-12
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 77


Lao Tzu answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (14) / -Do nothing (treat things without interference) - Let's see how they translate 是以聖人処無為之事 行不言之教 in Chapter 2. / "Therefore the Sage relies on actionless activity, Carries on wordless teaching," On the left, «Tao Te Ching (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature)» translated by Arthur Waley and introduced by Robert Wilkinson. / "Therefore the sages: -Manage the work of detached actions - Conduct the teaching of no words" On the right, «Tao Te Ching (Skylight Illuminations)» translated by Derek Lin and introduced by Lama Surya Das.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 77-3 Raise Hossho?

Today's Tao

It raises a low one. (Ch.77)


"A low one" suggests Tao.

So, Tao raises Tao?

That's it.

That's what the famous circle of Zen masters stands for.

If you add the two points of holograms in the middle, here is the Yin Yang circle.

Tao hides itself inside every hologram.

This is called Hossho 法性, the nature of manifestation.

Tao raises Tao hidden in everything.

So, it is natural that the holograms copy the characteristics of Tao's cycle.

You could say that your holographic life exists to teach you how Tao's mechanism works.


«Related Articles»
-Bend a bow 77-1
-Suppress doubt? 77-2
-Raise Hossho? 77-3
-No excess / Why does history repeat? 77-4
-Lack and Supply 77-5
-Nirvana / Reduced excess and Supplied lack 77-6
-Man's self 77-7
-Rich man's excess 77-8
-Love and Excess 77-9
-Attachment 77-10
-After life / Task successfully accomplished 77-11
-Secret of superiority 77-12
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 77


Tao answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (13) / -Do nothing (treat things without interference) - Let's see how they translate 是以聖人処無為之事 行不言之教 in Chapter 2. / "That being so, the sage serves without acting, and teaches without speaking." On the left, «Tao-Te-Ching» translated by Derek Bryce and Leon Wieger. / "Therefore the Sage acts by doing nothing and teaches without speaking." On the right, «Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching» translated by Keith Seddon.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 77-2 Suppress doubt?

Today's Tao

It suppresses a high one. (Ch.77)


Why do we doubt?

Why does doubt come into your hologram?

Because Tao suppresses "a high one".

As we discussed at Hoben gate / Soft and Weak 76-10, a soft, weak, and high thing means a hologram.

Tao suppresses the hologram.

It is part of Tao's cycle.

Something high has to come down.

Something low has to go up. (☞See Strong steroid 30-11)

This is what "bending a bow" suggests. (☞See Bend a bow 77-1)

A hologram reflects the characteristics of the cycle.

First, Tao gives us doubt.

Like the other elements in a hologram, doubt is Love in disguise.

Second, we clear the doubt and discover Love.

Third, we give thanks to the hologram while sending Love.

The sequence of your holograms, or your life, is what Zen Buddhists call "Koan 公案".


«Related Articles»
-Bend a bow 77-1
-Suppress doubt? 77-2
-Raise Hossho? 77-3
-No excess / Why does history repeat? 77-4
-Lack and Supply 77-5
-Nirvana / Reduced excess and Supplied lack 77-6
-Man's self 77-7
-Rich man's excess 77-8
-Love and Excess 77-9
-Attachment 77-10
-After life / Task successfully accomplished 77-11
-Secret of superiority 77-12
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 77


Lao Tzu answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (12) / -Do nothing (treat things without interference) - Let's see how they translate 是以聖人処無為之事 行不言之教 in Chapter 2. / "So, the Wise can act, by just being, and teach without speaking." On the left, «Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching (Chinese Popular Classics)» translated by Timothy Freke. / "Thus, the sage manages affairs by 'nonaction' and teaches by 'saying nothing.'" On the right, «A Taoist Classic: The Book of Lao Zi» translated by Ren Jiyu.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 77-1 Bend a bow

Today's Tao

Heaven's Tao is like bending a bow! (Ch.77)


"I'm in Heaven... I'm in Heaven..."

Some call it a silly love song.

Others see a profound truth in the silly love song.

The point is: you are always in Heaven.

You don't go to Heaven because you are already there.

Your Heaven is "right here right now".

One thing has to be clearly understood.

Please do NOT think that you will go back to Tao after you finish your life or hologram.

This is wrong.

You are always "inside" Tao while projecting your holographic life because true You are Tao itself.

You never leave Tao.

You just project doubt.

Why do you do it?

You have to bend the bow when you put a string on it.

This is the key to answer the question, Lao Tzu says.


«Related Articles»
-Bend a bow 77-1
-Suppress doubt? 77-2
-Raise Hossho? 77-3
-No excess / Why does history repeat? 77-4
-Lack and Supply 77-5
-Nirvana / Reduced excess and Supplied lack 77-6
-Man's self 77-7
-Rich man's excess 77-8
-Love and Excess 77-9
-Attachment 77-10
-After life / Task successfully accomplished 77-11
-Secret of superiority 77-12
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 77


Lao Tzu answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (11) / -Do nothing (treat things without interference) - Let's see how they translate 是以聖人処無為之事 行不言之教 in Chapter 2. / "Therefore the sage manages affairs without doing anything, and conveys his instructions without the use of speech." On the left, «Tao Te Ching: The Way of Virtue» translated by James Legge. / "that's why a sage abides in the realm of nothing's own doing, living out that wordless teaching." On the right, «Tao Te Ching» translated by David Hinton.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 76-10 Hoben gate / Soft & Weak

Today's Tao

The soft and weak stays high. (Ch.76)


"The soft and weak" thing is a hologram, which stays high, that is to say, at the superficial level.

If you want to mature spiritually, what do you have to do?

Meditate for thirty years?

No.

You can mature right now right here.

All you have to do is to open the gate of Dark Depth Female. (☞See The root of heaven and earth 6-3 and Tao Te Ching Chapter 6 Valley God)

It is also called "the gate of various surprises" (☞See Reverse Thinking 1-9 and Tao Te Ching Chapter 1 Gateway to Tao)

and

"Heaven's gate" (☞See Tao Te Ching Chapter 10 Magic words).


In Buddhism, Buddha calls it "the gate of Hoben 方便門",

which means "the gate of Buddha's tool to enlighten people".

(Shohojisso 諸法実相, «Shobogenzo»)


How can you open the gate?

It is easy.

You have only to accept the world in front of you (=your hologram).

Then, what do you see after it opens itself?

Exactly the same scenery.

But do you see the difference?


«Related Articles»
-Soft life 76-1
-Hard end 76-2
-Fragile life 76-3
-Dry end 76-4
-Mujoseppo = non-living preach / Hard and Strong 76-5
-Soft and weak men 76-6
-Strong army, no win 76-7
-Karoshi / Snapped branch 76-8
-Hossho stays low 76-9
-Hoben gate / Soft and Weak 76-10
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 76
-Suppress doubt? 77-2


Tao answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (10) / -Dark Depth 玄 [gen]- Let's see how they translate 玄之又玄衆妙之門 in Chapter 1. / "The deepest and the most profound, the door of all mysteries." On the left, «A Taoist Classic: The Book of Lao Zi» translated by Ren Jiyu. / "and both are called mysterious, and the mystery itself is the gateway to perception. 同謂之玄玄之又玄衆妙之門" On the right, «Tao Te Ching: A New Translation» translated by Sam Hamill.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 76-9 Hossho stays low

Today's Tao

The strong and big stays low. (Ch.76)


What is the strongest and biggest of all?

Certainly, it is Tao.

Do you remember Tao's nickname is Big? (☞See Big 25-9)

Like water, Tao look for a lower place, which you cannot see. (☞See Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching Chapter 8 / Be like Water)

In a sense, Tao remains in the shadow of every phenomenon.


Zen Master Dogen puts it this way:

"It puts its body into storage, and the shadow is more exposed."

(Mitsugo 密語, «Shobogenzo»)


Zen Master Ikkyu uses the metaphor of Tao (=Buddha, =Zen) being in the shadow of everything in his «Yama Uba».

Yama Uba, the old woman in the mountains, helps everyone in his shadow.

He doesn't know what she is doing.

You don't know what Tao is doing in your shadow.

When you commit a mistake, it is not your fault. Tao is just sending you Love (=Tao).

In Buddhism, it is called Hossho 法性, the nature of manifestation.


«Related Articles»
-Soft life 76-1
-Hard end 76-2
-Fragile life 76-3
-Dry end 76-4
-Mujoseppo = non-living preach / Hard and Strong 76-5
-Soft and weak men 76-6
-Strong army, no win 76-7
-Karoshi / Snapped branch 76-8
-Hossho stays low 76-9
-Hoben gate / Soft and Weak 76-10
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 76


Tao answers your question!



☞«Tao Te Ching» Key word comparison (9) / -Dark Depth 玄 [gen]- Let's see how they translate 玄之又玄衆妙之門 in Chapter 1. / "Indeed, it is the mystery of mysteries. It is the door of all spirituality." On the left, «The Teachings of Lao-Tzu: The Tao-Te Ching» translated by Paul Carus. / "This being so is profound, mysterious, and dark: The threshold to all secrets. (This translation seems to correspond to the Kanji / Chinese characters 同謂之玄玄之又玄衆妙之門.)" On the right, «Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching» translated by Keith Seddon.