The world had a beginning
And this beginning could be the mother of the world.
When you know the mother
Go to know the child.
After you have known the child
Go back to holding fast to the mother,
And to the end of your days you will not meet with danger.
When you know the mother go to know the child is the pattern that unfolds from birth. When I knew and felt secure enough in home and mother, I set out into the world on a path of self discovery to known the child. As I have figured out who I am (and more importantly, am not), I now can ONLY return to holding fast to the mother. Not mother in the physical sense, but a turning inward. And you will return to being the uncarved block [see ch. 28].
Going on to know the child is to go on to pursue worldly matters. You have known the child fully when you realize that pursuing and holding on to desires doesn’t bring contentment. You have no choice then but to go back to holding fast to the mother within. Only in this equanimity does contentment lie. It really takes care of itself.
I’m less likely to meet with danger if I know that going forward does not resolve circumstances. When I go back to holding fast I’m more likely to be patient and let reality unfold.
Knowing the mother is using the light. This Mother consciousness is with us from birth, but instincts push us on to go to know the child. As I come to see the bypaths, I easily and naturally go back to holding fast to the mother”.
In rushing about to know the child, I make too much noise to hear the mother. The irony is that all the child wants is mother.
Block the openings,
Shut the doors,
And all your life you will not run dry.
Unblock the openings,
Add to your troubles,
And to the end of your days you will be beyond salvation.
Block the openings is hard to do in wealthy times. There are so many things pulling me to action. It’s like leaving the water tap of life on all the time, and I easily run dry. For the rest of earth creatures, nature helps Shut the doors.
Unblock the openings reminds me of don’t fix it if it ain’t broke. This only adds to your troubles. Hasty speech or action all stem from the lack of restraint. Unblock the openings is impatience which invariably adds to your troubles.
To see the small is called discernment;
To hold fast to the submissive is called strength.
Use the light
But give up the discernment.
Bring not misfortune upon yourself.This is known as following the constant.
Following the constant is only possible when my perspective is at its broadest. Personal desires push me to see the small. With this discernment I can rationalize my every want. This discernment re-enforced by my ideals and expectations blinds me to the WHOLE view. Thus, I end up clinging persistently to my small view. Knowing now that this occurs can help me give up the discernment. When I do this, I can use the light of the broad view, with its de-emphasis on the finer details which sharp discernment slices out of the whole.
The thread running through this chapter is discernment. Going on to know the child encompasses discernment. As I unblock the openings, I can better see the small. The more I chisel up reality to discern the small, the more chaotic and fragmented life becomes. I’m not following the constant, I cling to bits and pieces which only add to my troubles.
Going on to know the child is to see the small. Opening all the doors and unblocking the openings puts the world at my door step. Life is a busy blur to the end of my days, unless I block the openings, use the light and go back to holding fast to the mother. Of course, my real life is a blend of these, but at least I know where my salvation lies.
To be an expert at something one must see the small in a keen discernment of differences. Know all the facts, and all the fact’s children. And you need to open all the doors to get at all this. This is what worldly education is all about. The alternative is to block the openings, go back to holding fast to the mother, and follow the constant. Of course either approach to life is fine; the question is which brings the deepest contentment and resolution.
Use the light, but give up the discernment doesn’t tell me to stop discerning life. Discernment is part of human brain biology. Rather, give up relying so heavily on it. The more I hold onto discernment, the more I make mountains out of mole hills. The small gets blown out of proportion when all you see is the small. The details of what I discern are not as important as the marvel of the light of consciousness which makes discernment possible.
True submissiveness takes my deepest strength. Often, what passes for submissive is really just fear forcing me into an outwardly submissive role. Holding fast to the submissive comes from within and is not a reaction arising out of fear. For me, it stems from a desire not to desire. Therefore the sage desires not to desire [see ch. 64].
Giving up the discernment is like being intellectually lost. Not knowing where you are allows you to wonder where you are. You can’t take it for granted and therefor you must use the light and see things as if for the first time.