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Taoism

  • Daodejing 71

    #71* To know your ignorance is most upright. [1] Not knowing but pretending to know is illness. [2] Just consider shortcomings only as shortcomings: thus, no shortcomings. The Sage has no shortcomings because he considers shortcomings as shortcomings: hence, no shortcomings. *Translation… Continue reading

    Daodejing 71

  • Daodejing 11

    #11* Thirty wheel spokes sharing one hub. The empty space in the middle has the usefulness to a cart. Knead clay to make a vessel. The empty space in the middle has usefulness to the vessel. Cutting the door and… Continue reading

    Daodejing 11

  • Daodejing 10

    #10* Body and soul integrated as one. Inseparable? Concentrate Qì  [1] for suppleness. Baby-like? Wash and cleanse the profound mirror. [2] Never blemish? Love the people and govern a country. Do doing-without-doing (wěi-wú-wěi)? The door of heaven Opens and closes. Yielding? [3] Brilliantly perceive The… Continue reading

    Daodejing 10

  • Daodejing 20

    #20* Sincerity’s “yes” and Flattery’s “yes”: How much difference Is there between them? Good and evil, how much difference is there between them? What people fear, they cannot not-fear. [1] So vast; how never endless it is! People who are busy… Continue reading

    Daodejing 20

  • Daodejing 9

    #9.* Holding and filling it up, no comparison to stopping it in time; Honing and sharpening it cannot remain for a long time. Gold and jade fill the hall, Yet cannot be guarded. Wealthy and honored Yet arrogant, Brings disaster… Continue reading

    Daodejing 9

  • A Mantra on the Way

    After spending the last year translating Dao de Jing with my dear friend and good brother, Lu Wenlong, a new “mantra” or phrase has become a regular part of the day. Dào does; I should not do. In my not doing,… Continue reading

    A Mantra on the Way

  • Daodejing 3

    #3* Do not encourage excellent abilities, [1] [and] keep people from contention; do not value rare goods, keep people from stealing; do not flaunt the desirable, keep people’s hearts undisturbed. Hence, the governance Of the sage Empties their hearts Fills their… Continue reading

    Daodejing 3

  • Daodejing 4

    #4* Dao is empty yet when used, it seems never endless. Bottomless, yet it seems like the progenitor of 10,000 things. [Blunt the sharpness, Remove the distractions, Soften the light, Blend with the dust.] [1] Formless, yet it seems like existence.… Continue reading

    Daodejing 4

  • Daodejing 2

    #2* Under-heaven all know the reason why the beautiful is beautiful: the existence of the ugly; All know the reason why the good is the good: the existence of the bad. Therefore, to-be and To-not-be beget One another, Difficulty and… Continue reading

    Daodejing 2

  • Daodejing 1

    My beloved friend, LU Wenlong, has been graciously going through Laozi‘s great work with me. He transliterates directly from the Chinese into the English, and then we dialog for a bit about an expressive translation. In doing this, I have found that many… Continue reading

    Daodejing 1

  • Daodejing 44

    #44* Fame or life: Which is dearer? Life or fortune: Which is most valuable? Gain or loss: Which is more harmful?  Hence, excessive love Is bound to great cost. Too many possessions Is bound to great loss. Knowing satisfaction, [1] Avoid… Continue reading

    Daodejing 44

  • Daodejing 43

    #43* The softest entity under heaven gallops [1] through the hardest. The intangible Penetrates the solid. [2] Therefore, I know the  the benefit of wú-wěi. [3] The teaching without words. The benefit of wú-wěi: Few under-heaven Keep pace with this. *Translation by LU… Continue reading

    Daodejing 43

  • Daodejing 42

    #42* Dao begets one. One begets two. Two begets three. Three begets 10,000 things. The 10,000 things carry YIN on their backs and embrace YANG. Yin and Yang contest Then blend each with the Other in harmony. People detest most… Continue reading

    Daodejing 42

  • Daodejing 41

    #41* The person having most excellence who hears DAO practices assiduously. The person having average excellence who hears DAO only practices on occasion. The person having least excellence who hears DAO laughs at it. Yet, if DAO were not laughable,… Continue reading

    Daodejing 41

  • Daodejing 40

    #40* The motion of DAO: returning. The usage of DAO: weakening. 10,000 things grow by having. [1] Having generates from not-having . [2] *Translation by LU Wenlong & Keith Wayne Brown, ©2013. [1] Having –> 有 [Yǒu]: to have, to exist. We might put here… Continue reading

    Daodejing 40

  • Daodejing 39

    #39* In the ancient days: grasping one. Heaven grasping one: clear and bright. Earth grasping one, tranquility. Spirit grasping one, effective. [1] River valley grasping one, fullness. 10,000 things grasping one, growth. Kings grasping one, leading under-heaven. Draw this inference: Grasp one. Heaven without clear and bright, splitting open.… Continue reading

    Daodejing 39

  • Daodejing 38 Redux

    With this poem, we begin the Book of DE (the second part of the Daodejing, the poems on virtue or excellence).  #38* Magnificent excellence (DE): Acting without thinking of being excellent. Acting thus is authentic excellence. Debased excellence: Keeping up… Continue reading

    Daodejing 38 Redux

  • Daoist Immortal

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    Daoist Immortal