Today's Tao
The more laws and decrees are known, the more robbers there are. (Ch.57)
Laws cannot control the world.
The more we try to control it with them, the more troubles we create.
We have been learning this hard ways these days.
This chapter 57 has Lao Tzu's maxims directly applicable to your life.
Nevertheless, the more practical they seem to be, the less essential they are.
We have to remember that many later hands had been added to the original Tao Te Ching.
That's the difference from Dogen's «Shobogenzo», whose original is the one we read nowadays.
That's why we often ask the 13th-century Zen master for some help.
Laws are part of your hologram.
In Buddhism, laws, teachings, and Buddha's manifestation are beautifully expressed by one word, 法 [ho].
«Related Articles»
-Justice 57-1
-Surprise attack 57-2
-Don't work 57-3
-How do I know? 57-4
-No prohibitions 57-5
-More useful tools 57-6
-More intelligent, more evil 57-7
-Ho 法 and Laws 57-8
-Sage's "Do nothing" 57-9
-Don't move 57-10
-Don't work and Get rich 57-11
-Desire 57-12
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 57
Tao answers your question!
☞This «Child Guardian» is called Jizo in Japan. The Kanji / Chinese characters 地蔵 [jizo] literally express the storage of the earth. He stores plenty of love for the people, for both the children and the adults. This deity probably represents the Japanese sentiments towards Buddhism better than mighty Buddha himself. The earthiness of Jizo reminds us of our ancestors, who came from all over by land or by sea or who had been living in the archipelago all the time. With the incense from Kyoto, this mini Jizo statue will make a good gift for your enlightened friend.
