• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

CenterTao.org

taoism, taoist thought, buddha, yoga, tai chi, shakuhachi

  • Home
  • Tao Te Ching
  • Ways
  • Facebook Group
  • Blowing Zen

Monthly Chapter: 24

Monthly Chapter 370


What we look forward to does not exist;
What we chase after will not prevail.
Seeing self is not honest;
Of course, this is not evident.
Attacking self is without merit;
Self pity does not endure.
Such ways are called surplus food and superfluous forms.
Such matters of the outside world are perhaps loathsome.
Hence, one who has the way does not dwell in them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Word for Word

Limits: Translations, even the nearly literal one above, lose some of the original meaning due to the cultural context of contemporary words. Studying the numerous synonym-like meanings of the Chinese characters in the Word-for-Word translation mitigates this. (Click graphic at right for on-line Word-for-Word.)

Third Pass: Chapter of the Month 8/4/2018

Archive: Characters and past commentary

Corrections?

None this time

Reflections:

What we look forward to does not exist;
What we chase after will not prevail.

‘Does not exist’ comes with a caveat seeing as how looking forward only exists in imagination. And what is imagination really? Fundamentally, it is a cognitive projection of our needs and fears. It is what we dream of having or avoiding. Yet, it is easy to give the virtual reality we imagine as being the equal of our visceral ‘here and now’ reality. We flee our imaginary tigers; we pursue our imaginary pots of gold.

It takes a while of living to realize fully that what we chase after will not prevail. Part of this is due to the nature of changing conditions. A subtler side of this quixotic quest lies in the natural fact we lack an innate instinct for appreciation. Yes, we can appreciate things, but only when we are contemporaneously conscious of the opposite. Once I forget, I’m off chasing again. The grass is always going to feel greener ‘over there’. Such is the instinct that drives animals to hunt and gather enthusiastically. It serves survival. Civilized circumstances make this natural ‘grass is greener’ instinct more stressful and so much less balanced.

Seeing self is not honest threw me off today. I wondered, “What is honest exactly, and what is seeing self really mean?” Here is an example of the benefit of referring to the various synonyms the Chinese characters embody, i.e., Seeing self is not honest; =自是者不彰 = self (one’s own; certainly) see (catch sight of_ appear; become visible) (者) no (not) bright (clear; honest; know). In other words: Seeing self is not know. Or perhaps, Seeing self is ignorant.

What do we tend to see when we are seeing self? Right off the bat, from infancy, we learn to see ourselves as a name, a gender, an age. Later we see our self as the diploma we earned, our skills and profession, our affiliations (religious, political, hobby, sports, music, food… the list goes on), and of course, what we need and fear. (See Fear & Need Born in Nothing.) No wonder some long to return to original self. Chapter 1 hints at what that might be. To paraphrase: The self possible to think, runs counter to the constant self.  The self possible to express runs counter to the constant self.
However, as the next line states, Of course, this is not evident.

‘Attacking self is without merit’ and ‘Self pity does not endure’ are the inevitable consequences of seeing self. When the self we see is a jumbled mixture of arbitrary and artificial labels, we easily tangle ourselves into a competition between who we think we are and who we think we want or ought to be. Much of this is a result of the hierarchical pressures we face to find our ‘perfect’ niche. (For a deeper view, see The Tradeoff)

Line 5 offers another occasion to check the synonyms—the literal meanings of the characters. The words “without merit” break down this way:

无【wú】 nothing; nil; not have; there is not; without; not; regardless of; no matter whether, what,
功【gōng】 meritorious service (or deed); merit; exploit; achievement; result; skill; work.

One problem with the word merit can lie in the morality it could convey, as in meritorious deeds. Considering the synonyms helps. For example, Attacking self is without result, achievement. In other words, it is futile, useless, a waste of energy and time. Yet, Seeing self drives us to attack. Again, no wonder some long for what chapter 52 describes as, Already knowing its offspring, return to observe the origin. Nearly rising beyond oneself.

Such ways are called surplus food and superfluous forms.
Such matters of the outside world are perhaps loathsome.

Why are we so drawn to what, in the natural wild, would seem obviously to be surplus food and superfluous forms? The fact is, we are biologically drawn to pursue the reality we perceive. We chase the superfluous contents of our expectations and imaginations. And in ignorance we do just that. It is not that ignorance is the problem; it is the fact that we are ignorant of our ignorance. As chapter 71 advised,  Realizing I don’t’ know is better; not knowing this knowing is disease. Only a lifetime of chewing on experience seems to bring us closer to that realization… if we are fortunate!  But, is it really fortunate? The cost of realizing this is the realization of the widespread disease afflicting humanity. Every advantage comes with a cost. I call it natural, cosmic justice. Free anything is foolish illusion born of wishful thinking.

Hence, one who has the way does not dwell in them.

This last line, unfortunately can make it sound like a prescriptive ‘should’. It helps to see it just as stated. It can help to think, If and when one has the way… In other words, one cannot willfully choose to not dwell in them, in order to have the way. Having the way happens by de fault when we are not dwelling on anything. In other words, having the way is a pleasant symptom of not dwelling in them!

Everything that lies beyond our control is, “By the grace of God”, as the Christians say, or “Insha’Allah (if God wills)” as Islam puts it. I suppose non-theistic paths could say, “by the grace of nature”. One of the benefits of losing my belief in free will has been my sense that everything in life is ‘by the grace of nature’… or God, if you like. After all, God is just a fancy word for nature. Or is it the other way around? Of course, God degrades once you name it; to paraphrase chapter 1,

The God possible to think, runs counter to the constant God.
The name possible to express runs counter to the constant name
.

Oh well…

Aug 4, 2018 by Carl Abbott
Filed Under: Monthly Chapter Series

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michael Lewis says

    Aug 4, 2018 at 8:13 pm

    Good evening, Carl:
    I’m particularly drawn to this translation, for some reason I’m not sure I know. Perhaps it’s the evocation of the natural wild, a subject I’ve been working with lately.
    Thanks!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Monthly Chapter 67 (pandemic era)

See previous chapter postings

Search

Overview

Is Taoism a Religion?   Read more...
What is Taoist thought?   Read more...
What is the root of thought? Read more...

Who is CenterTao?

CenterTao is a non-profit corporation founded in 1982.     Read more...

Subscribe via Email

Tags

addiction balance belief bio-hoodwink Buddha children civilization consciousness desire ego emergent property emotion expectations fairness instinct family fear food freedom freewill future happy hunter gatherer imagination independance instinct knowing language learning mind mysterious sameness need parents pleasure v pain religion responsibility science stress symptoms point of view tai chi tao thinking understanding what is tao worry yoga

Recent Comments

  • Carl Abbott on Alleviating the Hoarding Disorder
  • Carl Abbott on Instinctive Free Will
  • Cindy Givogue on Taoist Thought
  • Erin on Alleviating the Hoarding Disorder
  • Carl Abbott on Small ‘t’ Taoists
  • J on Small ‘t’ Taoists
  • Carl Abbott on Buddha’s Truths Pertain To All Life
  • NoahPayne95 on Trump and the Mandate of Heaven
  • Peter on Buddha’s Truths Pertain To All Life
  • Ariel Avalos on The best tao? (road, way, principle, speak, think)

Past Observations

  • Taoist Thought
  • The Tradeoff
  • Buddha’s Truths Pertain To All Life
  • Trump and the Mandate of Heaven
  • Refreshing Redundancy
  • The Year Is 1915
  • We All Know We Don’t Know
  • Who are you? (Part V)
  • Who are you? (Part IV)
  • Who are you? (Part III)
  • Who are you? (Part II)
  • Who are you?
  • The Word Trap
  • Stressors of Comfort and Security
  • “Right state of peaceful mind”
  • What Climate Catastrophy?
  • Straight Poop on the Paleo Diet
  • Fear & Need Born in Nothing
  • Science Proves Buddha Right!
  • Alleviating the Hoarding Disorder
  • Amazon mother
  • Cultivating Character
  • Cultivating Ego
  • Passing judgment is healthy if…
  • Necessity is the Mother
  • Practice what you preach
  • Of Mountains, Molehills and the Supernatural
  • Civilized Insanity
  • Ancient Signs Of Modern Behavior
  • The Good Old Days
  • Modus Operandi
  • Alone with Thought
  • A proper sense of awe
  • CenterTao Group Anyone?
  • Loving Your Eco-System
  • Where does the fault lie?
  • Taoist secrets
  • Laws as Symptoms, not Solutions
  • Loss Aversion Management
  • Mind Over Milkshake
  • Flow Triggers
  • Naturally Racist
  • BRAIN
  • Managing Our Disorders
  • Bono & Musk on Creativity
  • The Harmless People
  • Born Again Taoist
  • Free Willers Anonymous
  • Instinctive Free Will
  • Stupidly Intelligent
  • The Proof is in the Pudding
  • A Wealth of Happiness
  • Natural Happiness
  • Is Happiness In Your Choices?
  • Profound Connections Enlighten
  • Religion… an Opiate?
  • Is Gen Y Unhappy?
  • Remember the Disease
  • The Pendulum Swings
  • You are Immortal!
  • A Rose By Any Other Name
  • Emotion Speaks… Literally
  • I Look, But Do I See?
  • Just like Us, Just like Them
  • Science’s Baby Steps
  • Worthy of a Noble Life?
  • Who says chickens are stupid?
  • Seeking Out Untruth
  • Earn It to Learn It
  • Counterbalancing I.Q.
  • Mind Run Away; Run Away Mind
  • “The rich suffer in comfort”
  • Self-Predation
  • Finding Your Original Self
  • Feeding the Worry Gene
  • Hold the Knowable
  • Good Enough Is!
  • Ponder Between the Lines
  • Soaking in Inspiration
  • A Tao of Parenting
  • Buddha’s Work
  • Insatiably Curious at 70?
  • Breathe Into It
  • Tao of Government
  • Will-to-Live, Free or Otherwise
  • Begin New Years with a smile
  • The Why Of It
  • The Truth vs. The Middle
  • Dumbfounding
  • A Taoist Creed
  • Of Free Will, I Am
  • Discomfort and Pain
  • Undecided? You bet!
  • Siren’s Song of Politics
  • “It’s the Economy Stupid”
  • Networks of Networks of….
  • Can we pull the plug?
  • Yamaguchi San
  • “Fixation on same same”
  • Beware: the Blind Spot
  • And Then There Was Fire
  • Tao and Democracy
  • What’s Not the Elephant?
  • Upping the Ante
  • A Word to the Wise?
  • A Bee with Personality
  • Necessity, the Mother
  • Guilt, Shame and the Name Game
  • The Secret to Happiness!
  • It Began Now
  • I am foolish of human mind also?
  • Seat of Consciousness
  • What Follows Loss of the Way?
  • Placebo Effect
  • Imagining a Better Way
  • Who or What Do You Trust?
  • Giving Your Life a Gift
  • The Only Safe Escape
  • Use Non-Responsibility
  • Be Careful What You Wish
  • Jack of All Trades, Master of None?
  • We only understand what we know
  • Two Paths
  • The Trans Tribal Tao
  • Resistance is Futile
  • A Brother is a Brother
  • Really, Have We No Clue?
  • Why?
  • Gone Fishin’, Back Soon
  • Check One Off the Bucket List
  • Opiate of the Masses
  • The Wealthy Poor
  • Dreaming the Way
  • Sobering up!
  • Oh My Aching Bones
  • The Utility of Knowing What You Don’t Know
  • Naturally Unnatural, Naturally!
  • Naked Thought
  • Success Thru Failure
  • I, Amoeba
  • Why Man is King
  • Ethics as an Emergent Property
  • Loss is Gain; Gain is Loss
  • “… Strive On Diligently”
  • Is Pain the Constant?
  • Ants Are Us
  • Feeling Animal-ness
  • Pleasure Isn’t Well Being
  • Is Rock Conscious?
  • See No Evil
  • Keep ’em guessing?
  • Thou Shalt Not…
  • You Are What You Own
  • Priorities
  • We!
  • You Know
  • Who You Are Determines Who I Am, & Visa Versa
  • An Improper Sense of Awe
  • Thoughts and Ducks Quacking
  • The poetry of it all
  • So, I’d like to ask…
  • Don’t trust anyone under 60
  • Imagination knows no end
  • In Praise Of Nothing
  • It’s Simply Nature’s Way
  • The Truth About Lies
  • It’s Time We Changed Our Name
  • Fear Rules
  • Nothing’s Certain but Death and…
  • Reward, Fear & Need
  • He Who Conquers Self
  • Democracy as Myth
  • So, You Want Enlightenment, Eh?
  • When Is Attachment Good?
  • Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
  • The Story Trumps Truth
  • Water in Mind
  • Why God?
  • Playing With Dolls
  • Belief in Nothing is Dangerous
  • Illusions, Everywhere I Think
  • Wandering Mind Is Unhappy Mind
  • Love
  • Small ‘t’ Taoists
  • Beyond Spooky
  • My Battle With Tobacco
  • John Cleese, a ‘Taoist’?
  • The Nutty Things We Do
  • A Symptom’s Point Of View
  • Fear Is The Bottom Line
  • Change we can believe in?
  • Science, Religion, Truth
  • Children Know What Adults Forget
  • The Spirit of Yoga
  • The less I think, the more I know
  • Exquisite Balance
  • Skullduggery is rampant in nature
  • What Shapes How You Think?
  • Tao As Emergent Property
  • Balancing Difference With Similarity
  • Thinking clouds consciousness
  • Where Is Freedom?
  • Decisions Decisions
  • Poor Thais And Rich Swedes
  • Time’s Arrow
  • Desire and Contentment
  • Learning What You Know
  • We’re Not So Different After All
  • Chairs: One of Our Big Mistakes
  • Gossip, Hysteria, News
  • The Family Purse
  • Swarm Savvy
  • SETI… Quixotic SETI
  • The Worry Gene
  • Odds Are, It’s Wrong
  • Bathtub Tai Chi
  • How the Hoodwink Hooks
  • Omega-3 and Vitamin D
  • He Who Speaks Does Not Know, but…
  • Hunger: A Natural Stimulant
  • Know Truth, Live True
  • Why Not Protest To Raise Taxes?
  • Self Integrity, Slime, and Karma
  • A How-To for Extinguishing Self
  • Significant Others
  • Headstands and Apes
  • The Future Takes Care of Itself
  • Teachers and Students
  • Are You As Happy As You Should Be?
  • Keeping Birthday Happy
  • Why Do Idiot Savants Run Things?
  • Trust But Verify
  • Are You A Beliefaholic?
  • Sage Advice from Wall Street
  • Of Course It’s Alive!
  • What Am I Doing?
  • I understand, but do I know?
  • Just In: We’re All Nuts!
  • The Future is Now!
  • Peeking Through the Covers
  • Innately Ethical
  • Can You Believe What You See?
  • Suicide Just Doesn’t Work
  • A Hypochondriac’s Miracle Cure
  • An Essential Taoist Secret
  • Just How Big Is The Gap?
  • The Theory of God
  • Who is Right?
  • You Are Who You Are By Default
  • Cave Man Shakuhachi?
  • Into the Jungle?
  • Swimming Tai Chi Spermatozoa Style
  • Are you out of touch with nature?
  • It was a dark and stormy night…
  • Cease Treading Water and Just Sink
  • Enjoy What You Do – or – Do What You Enjoy?
  • The Glare Hides ‘Out There’ From View
  • The illusion of ‘moment’
  • Consciousness Physics
  • A Taoist Solution to Gay Marriage
  • Emotion Clear-cuts Perception
  • Right Mindfulness, Attentiveness, and Concentration?
  • The best tao? (road, way, principle, speak, think)
  • The trick lies in not believing, yet believing
  • What is ‘the Tao’ actually?
  • Think what you believe? Believe what you think?
  • Yin Yang, Nature’s Hoodwink
  • Public Tantrums
  • Understanding Understanding
  • Wealth plays out in odd ways
  • Peaches and Pleasure
  • Looking Through the Looking Glass
  • Even a little progress is freedom from fear
  • Religion: The best placebo?
  • Correlation’s ‘Prime Directive’
  • The Cost of Compassion
  • Can you say what you think?
  • Grinding Out Correlations
  • “Do you believe in angels?”
  • The Amazonian ‘Taoists’
  • Is Enlightenment Something or ???
  • Family Life
  • Who’s a Sage?
  • The Gifts Given – Paid In Full
  • King Kiwi
  • Blowing with the sea
  • In praise of kale
  • Always be a beginner
  • It’s Like Magic!
  • How do we know what is true?
  • Am I Bored or Just Content?
  • Do Good Christians Make Good People?
  • PS
  • The Decider
  • Peeking in on Nature’s Hoodwink
  • How to Know You’re Happy
  • It Is Spooky
  • Of What Is The Taoist Model Symptomatic?
  • Is ‘Free Will’ the Only Option?
  • Butterflies have wings; we have minds
  • Mind in Body in Mind in Body…xin
  • Such Synergy
  • Where There’s Passion (fire), There’s Blindness (smoke)
  • Seeing the world ‘out there’
  • Schrödinger’s cat
  • Tai Chi Video
  • Life Is Struggle, Happiness Is Contentment
  • What’s With All The Hair?
  • Tao Views of the Dow
  • Biology’s Blinders: WYSIWYG
  • Those Who Speak Do Not Know. So, Why Speak?
  • Welcome to CenterTao.org 2.0!

Postscript

Here is 2022’s Postscript.

My 80-year-old mind continues poking deeper; however, I’ll not be updating this website any longer… There’s enough already… who needs more?

For those seriously interested, see Taoist Thought (which sells at cost). I intend to continue updating this book with my latest observations and revisions until I draw my last breath.

2004-2015 Forum Archive

Click here to browse a read-only archive of all discussion that took place on this site between 2004 and 2015; over 3000 posts!

Copyright © 2023 Carl Abbott · Log in