Translation
The valley’s spirit never dies; this is called the profound female.
Of the profound female entrance; this is called the origin of the universe.
Continuous, like it exists; in usefulness, not diligent.
1) valley (gorge; cereal; grain) god (supernatural; spirit) no (not) to the death (extremely; implacable) <grm> is (yes <frml> this; that) say (meaning) black (dark; profound) female (of some birds and animals). 谷神不死是谓玄牝。(gŭ shén bù sĭ shì wèi xuán pìn)
2) black (dark; profound) female (of some birds and animals) of entrance (door) <grm> is (yes <frml> this; that) say (meaning) heaven and earth (world; universe) root (foot; base; cause; origin). 玄牝之门是谓天地根。(xuán pìn zhī mén shì wèi tiān dì gēn)
3) continuous (unbroken) like (seem; as if) exist (live; store), use (employ; apply; expenses; need <frml> hence) of no (not) diligent (industrious). 绵绵若存，用之不勤。(mián mián ruò cún, yòng zhī bù qín)
Fourth Pass: Chapter of the Month
(pandemic era)
Zoom on YouTube Recordings:
https://youtu.be/XKpa0IdAgbM is a link to unedited 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
The valley’s spirit never dies; this is called the profound female.
What is special about a valley? Most obvious is its emptiness. Yet, this ‘nothing-ness’ is subtle. It really takes its shape by the higher hills surrounding it. Of course, you could say the hills take their shape by the presence of the valley’s ‘nothing-ness’. Which is more fundamental, the ‘nothing-ness’ of the valley or the ‘something-ness’ of the surrounding hills? Which is more profound?
This first line helps underscore the deeper meaning of profound. Namely, what is most obvious to the senses is not as real as our senses lead us to feel. Thus, I find discounting the obvious helps me notice obscure possibilities. Chapter 14 coaches me on what to look for,
Of the profound female entrance; this is called the origin of the universe.
This reminds me of the big bang. You could say, out of the spirit of emptiness popped the universe in one big BANG. Basically, nothing is the entrance (doorway 之门) to something. As chapter 40 has it, Having is born in nothing. I feel this dives deeper than how chapter 2 frames this origin issue, i.e., Hence existence and nothing give birth to one another.
This chapter and the Tao Te Ching in general, indicate the existence of a deep intuitive sense of how nature works independent of, and predating, scientific knowledge. Nature reveals itself each moment. While I’m referring to a human intuitive sense, for all I know this deep intuitive sense is profoundly universal. Indeed, this subtle and profound quality may even be trickier for a thinking mind to perceive due to the incessant human need to name the unnamable. This along with our need to control nature blinds us deeply.
I find noticing this profound female entrance requires a mind as impartial as possible… truly keeping to the middle, as the last chapter put it. Of course, our daily fears and needs keep us swinging through that balanced middle as we move back and forth between gain and loss, success and failure, something and nothing, and a mind that seeks to know, label, and control life.
A telling aspect here is the contrast between the emptiness of nothing-ness and the existence of something-ness. That ancient people symbolized female with nothing (yin) and male with existence (yang) makes sense. The female tends to be less aggressive, more social, and gives birth, while men are just the opposite. The error we easily make is applying this stereotype to all women. I suspect this is largely a result of civilization’s need for a hierarchical story, as this pigeonholing was mostly nonexistent in hunter-gatherer social structures. (See, The Tradeoff)
Continuous, like it exists; in usefulness, not diligent.
The light of consciousness, stripped away of contemporaneous fear and need is ephemeral, subtle yet profound. Indeed, profound sameness and the rest of chapter 56 describe this well, e.g., Unobtainable and intimate, etc. Void of any fear, it’s like it exists. Yet, consciousness only feels solid when experienced as its light shines on something. In usefulness, not diligent fits the empty nature of pure consciousness nicely; its nothing-ness unexploited by any diligent agenda.
Now, in living life, we are driven to diligently strive on as Buddha put it. And naturally so. Living, survival, demands involvement, and fear (of loss, failure, discomfort, pain, death, etc.) drives involvement. The spiritual challenge we all face is keeping to the middle as best we can. After all, survival is ultimately about maintaining balance in life overall. Too far this way, or to its opposite is bound to end badly. As a few chapters note: Those most adept have results, yet stop, not daring to seek better,#30; Knowing to stop [he] can be without danger, #32; Knowing when to stop, never dangerous,#44.
Society generally defines fear by the objects of fear, not by the underlying instinct that drives us to act… or refrain from action. When we say someone has few fears, or is even fearless, we are describing the absence of any obvious signs of fear we are familiar with, e.g., fear of heights, snakes, even death. What we fail to recognize is how fear also drives one to be fearless of heights, snakes or death. It all comes down to the survival of one’s self-identity. If being true to your self-identity is deeper than your fear of death, you can’t help but die for the cause you identify with. This applies to anything from a mother saving her baby to a terrorist dying for his cause.
Fear is an emotion in higher animals that we all recognize, but too subtle and mysterious to notice in the rest of creation. You might say that fear is simply the light of consciousness shinning on one’s agenda, purpose, ‘dharma’. Loss, failure, decay and death—entropy in a word—is a profound sameness way of pondering this. Here, in the flow of time, each moment without an underlying agenda is simply the light of consciousness. The moment the light of consciousness shines on a purpose, fear and need drive its beholder to, as Buddha said, “Strive diligently” toward achieving that purpose.
Finally, what is the benefit of seeing how this all plays out if we ultimately have no control over it? That is difficult to answer directly, other than the calming effect of more deeply knowing how nature works. The answer may only become evident as one seeks to comprehend it. I guess that is a little like a Catch-22. In an odd way, the question becomes the answer, which becomes the question… or as the last line puts it, Continuous, like it exists; in usefulness, not diligent. Obviously, this suggests that such an endeavor will not be calming for anyone still seeking to control life.
Video Archive https://youtu.be/XKpa0IdAgbM
Third Pass: Chapter of the Month
Corrections?
None this time
Reflections:
The valley’s spirit never dies; this is called the profound female.
It is useful to consider what female refers to here. We usually think this refers to the gender of a person; female ≈ girl, woman, lady, wife. It appears the Chinese went out of their way to dissuade us from that meaning. The character for this ‘female’ is 牝. Here are some common uses for it. Note how far away from a person it points: 小牝牛 (xiǎo pìn niú) = heifer; 字牝 (zì pìn) = a mare; 虚牝 (xū pìn) = empty valley; 玄牝 (xuán pìn) = the Mysterious Mother of things in universe. The last one here is the one used in this chapter.
This suggests that that the female principle is not related to a woman any more than a man. This shows us how limited words truly are when communicating anything beyond life’s daily grind. Even so, using the word female rather than male certainly comes closer to what this chapter is addressing. Correlations is a useful tool to reconsider the relationships between words, and downplay their hold on the mind. Once you feel the objective universe all boils down to ‘active’ and ‘passive’, any particular name or word loses much of its ‘small picture’ meaning. All you need in life is for words to convey enough word meaning for the daily task of practical living. After that, seek refuge in profound sameness.
By-ways and thought-ways of the Mind
It always helps to remember the disclaimer of chapter 1. In this case, to paraphrase:
The female possible to think,
. . . runs counter to the constant female.
The female possible to express,
. . . runs counter to the constant female.
Naturally, the same applies to any word or name… The name [male, entrance, origin, universe] possible to express, runs counter to the constant,… Words and names have a down-to-earth use, so the idea here is to use them as “grass dogs”, so to speak. To paraphrase chapter 5:
The universe is not benevolent,
. . . and all things serve as grass dogs (‘sacrificial lambs’).
The wise person is not benevolent,
. . . and the people’s [words and names] serve as grass dogs.
Once a word becomes part of your story emotions turn the word into the reality constant that’s not there. It is wiser to value words for their utilitarian use, yet to know when to stop. These lines from chapter 32 suggest this. I’ll omit lines 2-6 to focus the point (click to see the full chapter):
I imagine chapter 71’s blunt view, Realizing I don’t’ know is better; not knowing this knowing is disease, hints at the most effective way to handle the realization to stop. The emotional certainty we have in thinking we know what we know is our most serious disease! Yet, I find society touts the value of such certainty… of course, only when one is ‘right’. Ha! Such is the mind’s hypocrisy as chapter 18 points out in the second line: When intelligence increases, there exists great falseness, or as D.C. Lau translates it, When cleverness emerges, There is great hypocrisy.
‘It’ is not truly ‘here’; ‘that’ is not truly ‘there’
Continuous, like it exists; in usefulness, not diligent
Take special note of like it exists. Chapter 4 expands on this view. I always liked the way D.C. Lau translated it… Darkly visible, it only seems as if it were there. The literal comes off a little less poetic, Deep and clear, it appears to exist. The point is, seems, appears, and like are all tentative descriptions of a phenomenon that certainly feels real to the our senses — no seems, appears or like about it.
The certainty we feel in the accuracy of our senses is completely natural. It is vital for any life form to use its sensory input seriously as though it is a true picture of reality. The thinking side of this is what turns the ‘picture’ problematic. I find it profoundly helpful to know that what I ‘think’ I see is nowhere near the true picture. Instead, it is a bio-hoodwink. See How the Hoodwink Hooks and Peeking in on Nature’s Hoodwink. The more I viscerally know this is happening ‘under the hood’, the easier it becomes to constantly realize I don’t’ know. I won’t claim this cures the disease, but it sure helps ameliorate it.
Continuous, like it exists; in usefulness, not diligent
The last half of this line, in usefulness, not diligent, gives us more hints. Feeling certain supports our diligent approach to doing what we feel useful for us. Certainty and a personal agenda go hand in hand. Now, diligence is normally considered a useful approach to the task at hand… and it is. The point is, our diligence is always driven by an agenda, either for personal needs or for the needs of the group. That is human — and that is the bio-hoodwink again. However, this chapter refers to Of the profound female entrance; this is called the origin of the universe; it isn’t referring to mere mortals.
I suppose I’m saying that we can’t help but be diligent in our life’s work. However, knowing that the origin of the universe is more relaxed about its task helps me lower my expectations and stress… Why should I be more diligent than the profound female? That actually makes me more effective — to paraphrase chapter 1, The diligence that can be expressed is not the constant diligence… And this brings me back to Man handles the realization to stop. Knowing to stop [he] can be without danger.
Second Pass: Work in Progress
Issues:
Shortcomings of Word for Word
At times, I feel the traditional or classic reading of some lines doesn’t hit the nail on the original head. I try to tune into what I sense to be the original intended meaning. If nothing else, a more literal interpretation can offer another angle to ‘test’ time hardened assumptions. Of course, I have no authority to stand on (or hide behind). However, to the sincere student that shouldn’t matter one wit. All must be verified within our own personal experience anyway.
Ancient understanding of words and phrases can change vastly over time. It is noteworthy that we are able to make any sense of Chinese written thousands of years ago. The character-based nature of the Chinese words is what I feel accounts for this continuity. Still, we might expect some change over time. Chapter 6 offers a possible example.
I veer away from how D.C. Lau translate the last part of the last line… Yet use will never drain it. I translate it more literally and directly as “in usefulness, not diligent“(1). Now, “not diligent” and “never drain it” do point in the same direction. They both reflect a continuation rather than exhaustion ending in burn out, where over diligence can lead us. In usefulness, not diligent emphasizes a more direct ‘bit the bullet’ view. The traditional “not drained” feels more objective, something that happens out there to ‘it’, as opposed to what is happening in here this moment with ‘I’. The ‘I’ is where I get into trouble, the ‘it’ seems to do just fine, whether I acknowledge it or not.
Note however, this line is not personally telling me not to be diligent! Life necessitates diligence… up to a point. Continuous, like it exists; in usefulness, not diligent is the way of nature overall with its spontaneous diligent moments occurring as circumstances dictate. I take this to be a cautionary reminder for me not to overdo it, especially in regards to what I think I want. Desire drives much of human diligence; that ‘needy’ drive is non-existent in nature. Nature is spontaneously diligent, not a process of planned diligence.
Commentary:
Continuous, like it exists; in usefulness, not diligent is the most useful line to contemplate, I find. It points to the wéiwúwéi (为无为) of space-time (and all the other qualities that correlate to Nothing, naturally). Reference to wéiwúwéi first shows up in chapter 3, Do without doing which is a bit of practical advice on ‘using’ the spirit of the valley.
In my view, our ability to perceive the profound female, spirit of the valley, arises below cognitive perception (thinking). It is the deepest of mysteries, and the Tao Te Ching is the best attempt I’ve seen using words to allude to it. Nevertheless, we can’t understand this through words! I feel a little silly here talking about it, for all I can ever do is beat around the bush. Still, that is what chapter 6 is doing, so that lets me off the hook somewhat. Now let me I’ll put myself back on the hook…
Honestly, I see ALL things—the wànwù (万物) ‘the 10,000 things’—know this at some level. ALL things don’t ‘know’ in terms of thinking, of course. More, for example, in the sense that an electron knows its quantum nature… everything knows its original nature, including us. If anything, thinking makes so much noise that it drowns out the perception of one’s original nature, or perhaps, just complicates it.
Or not. Differences are illusionary and reflect more about the observer’s criteria, than about what truly is. Thus, noticing a ‘problem’ in the failure to perceive our original nature says more about my own partiality at the moment, not about how the moment truly is. For that, I must tune into profound sameness as much as possible. This means setting aside my fears and needs—a tall order!
This begs the question, how is it possible for us to know something that biological evolution had no reason to promote. If anything, perception of the profound female to any great degree might actually counteract the bio hoodwink and thwart the busy work of survival. I’ve concluded that, as the ‘spirit of the valley‘ is the origin, it must be there continuously (never dies) at the root of being. At what level of perception, cognitive or otherwise, we perceive it depends on our emotional circumstances… the noise that keeps us busy and distracted from Nothing. A follow-up question would be: who says we ever perceive the ‘spirit of the valley‘ to any great degree in the first place? Such a judgment is relative to what? This is unknowable, at least at the thought and speech level of perception. That is why we say,
Okay, that is enough bizarre talk for one post. I’ve over stayed my welcome. 😉
Suggested Revision:
The spirit of the valley never dies; this is called the profound female.
Of the profound female entrance; this is called the origin of the universe.
Continuous, like it exists; in usefulness, not diligent.
(1) I am not fluent in Chinese by any means, yet in an intuitive way, perhaps I am sometimes. Or rather, in not being so fluent I have an opportunity to see things as a ‘beginner’. I try to sense the etymology of the character. For example, the character for diligent is composed of two sub-characters. i.e., 堇+力 = 勤. Digging deeper I find the first part, 堇, means clay, yellow soil; the second part, 力, means power. Clay soil + power conveys a picture of early Chinese farmers dealing with growing crops in clay soil which took a lot of diligence. Before the agricultural revolution, people hunted and gathered, and found what they could on top the clay soil, moving lightly over the land compared to digging in. It is one way I’ve adopted to Hold the ancient way in order to manage today. It isn’t perfect by any means, but I feel it point me toward the ultimate goal: When understanding reaches its full extent, can you know nothing?
First Pass: Chapter of the Week
‘The entrance of the profound female‘ brings to my mind a sense of what preceded the big bang. What was before something? Nothing. Not just nothing, but a mysterious nothing. The ‘cool’ thing about this (‘cool’ correlates with mystery) is that ‘it’ is still here. I can’t imagine consciousness not sensing this most fundamental reality, yet I can’t imagine biology evolving a creature’s ability to be aware of this mystery, at least consciously.
What I see in religion – all religion – is a symptom of our underlying consciousness of the profound female, yet also a more mundane and socially relevant (i.e. tribal) expression of the mystery we sense.The mix of these, the universal and the parochial, creates the hypocrisy that frustrates any outsider. A so called ‘taoist’ point of view, as expressed in the Tao Te Ching, is one valiant attempt to snuggle up to that mystery, leaving hypocrisy behind. Naturally, whether it succeeds or not is up to the eye of the beholder.
It is in that spirit, the attempt to get closer to the root of reality, that its terse and obscure turn of phrase finds the greatest value. Mull it over. Let the mind sit on it, and like an egg something should hatch eventually.