Monthly Chapter 52 (pandemic era)

All under heaven had a beginning; consider the origin of all under heaven.
Already having this origin, use this to know its offspring.
Already knowing its offspring, return to observe the origin.
Nearly rising beyond oneself.
Squeeze exchange, shut the gates; to the end, oneself diligent.
Open the exchange, help its affairs; to the end, oneself no relief.
Seeing the small is called clarity, abide yielding is called powerful.
Use the light, and again return to clarity, not offer oneself misfortune.
This serves as practicing of the constant.
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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 (pandemic era) 11/6/2021

Archive: Characters and past commentary

Zoom on YouTube Recordings:

https://youtu.be/90DtYT7a3Lc is the link to the Zoom video of this month’s Sunday meeting. The shorter first part of the meeting begins with a chapter reading followed by attendees’ commentary, if any. A little later on begins the longer open discussion part of the meeting when those who wish to discuss how the chapter relates to their personal experience.

Corrections?

None this time

Reflections

All under heaven had a beginning; consider the origin of all under heaven.
Already having this origin, use this to know its offspring.
Already knowing its offspring, return to observe the origin.
Nearly rising beyond oneself.

The last two lines may well describe the symptoms’ approach to observation. And the first two lines could describe the path to arriving at those last two lines. Consider the origin of all under heaven is the blank mind with which we enter the world. It is intuitive and intangible and so as we age, this mystery, the origin of all under heaven, drives us to know the origin by way of knowing its offspring—the myriad creatures, as it were.

Obviously failing to know the origin through knowing its offspring, the only option is to return to observe the origin. The path to knowing the offspring is the endless cyclic pursuit of knowledge in the broadest sense of the word. In other words, knowledge is not limited to any formal sphere, e.g. books, education, skills, etc. Anything that is possible to name becomes a facet of our worldly knowledge—its offspring.

Nonetheless, we naturally hustle and bustle about to know the offspring. This is a biological reality, notwithstanding the futility of reaching the end of that path. The push to know the offspring—‘answers’—are rooted in the hunter & gather instinct that ensures survival. Indeed, knowing its offspring is fundamental survival for all living things… even viruses I dare say.

I find the symptom’s approach to knowing its offspring can actually direct me back to Return to observe the origin… or more precisely in the direction of the origin. The simple act of knowing its offspring always takes place in the context of the being’s self. Restricted to this realm—knowing its offspring— one can never nearly rise beyond oneself.

The symptom’s approach to knowing its offspring means never judging the book—the offspring—by its cover, so to speak. Chapter 71 alludes to this, Realizing I don’t know is better; not knowing this knowing is disease. Realizing I don’t know in practice is difficult because the being’s self clamors to jump to answers… to “know”. Accordingly, being self-patient above all else helps avoid jumping to conclusions. And self-patience is the first step to nearly rising beyond oneself.

Squeeze exchange, shut the gates; to the end, oneself diligent.
Open the exchange, help its affairs; to the end, oneself no relief.

All animals, including humans, are biologically set up to interact with the offspring in the world throughout life. If you observe animals over time, you’ll notice this back and forth activity. If you observe your own life dispassionately, you’ll notice that this back and forth process is there too. The difference between other animals and humans is that we exist in two worlds, the real world and a virtual world of our imagination.

This is why we, unlike other animals, can benefit from Squeezing exchange, shut the gates; to the end, oneself diligent. To squeezing the exchange and shut the gates requires extreme diligence to notice what is happening each moment. This is diligence in being vigilant. Only by sensing a potential disaster coming are you able to step out of the way. Failing diligence in being vigilant, we can’t avoid open the exchange, help its affairs; to the end, oneself no relief.

Avoiding the pitfalls requires one to go against their animal nature to an extent. We evolved to interact, to open the exchange and be involved in life’s affairs. And, just like the necessity to eat food, being involved in life is essential. The problem we face is one of not knowing when to stop… or how, or why for that matter. All we know for sure is that we suffer the consequences of not knowing when to stop. Chapter 30 frames it well, Those most adept have results, yet stop, not daring to seek better. Chapter 32 adds, Only when restricted, are there names. Names already exist, Man handles the realization to stop. Knowing to stop [he] can be without danger. Then, chapter 44 concludes with, Knowing when to stop, never dangerous.

Seeing the small is called clarity, abide yielding is called powerful.
Use the light, and again return to clarity, not offer oneself misfortune.

Here again is a call for self-patience. One much slow down and settle into some degree of stillness to see the small and abide yielding. The magic here is that this approach brings us more in touch with the reality of the moment, and in that awareness, we are much more powerful.

This serves as practicing of the constant.

The constant cannot be named, but it certainly can be practiced and lived. This chapter suggests how to approach that. What is necessary, above all else, is sufficient diligence. Lacking that, we leap before we look, jump to conclusion born of past knowledge, and are thus unable to heed the maxim, ‘a stitch in time saves nine’. Read between the lines, chapter 64 parallels this maxim…

Its peace easily manages, Its presence easily plans,
Its fragility easily melts, Its timeliness easily scatters,
Acts without existing, Governs without disorder.
A tree barely embraceable grows from a fine tip.
A terrace nine layers high rises from piled earth.
A thousand mile journey begins below the feet.
Of doing we fail, Of holding on we lose.

Taking this, the wise do nothing, hence never fail,
Hold nothing, hence never lose.
People in their affairs always accomplish some, yet fail.
Being as careful at the end as the beginning as a rule never fails.
Taking this, the wise person desires non desire,
And does not value difficult to obtain goods.
Learns non learning and turns around people’s excesses,
As well as assists all things naturally, and never boldly act.

Chapter Archive https://youtu.be/nHPx9-LWL6E
This is the complete video. It begins with blowing zen followed by the meeting