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.