Great reflections once again, Paul. A reminder for us all that true growth doesn't come from blindly following tradition, but from embracing our individuality, stepping forward, and trusting our own path, even when it challenges convention. As I hurtle into my early 40s, I'm trying desperately to help my children understand this faster than I did!
They've got a great Dad, no doubt, if you have this idea in mind. We do our best. Confidence is so much of success, it leads to consistency, the magic ingredient. 😉
64 teaches a neat mental trick. my understanding is that the sage, just like any other person, does actually have in mind a desirable end state. but they do not hold it in such high regard that they lose their cool. instead, they “do not desire.”
for instance, winning a game of poker. a daoist sage can still want to win, but approach with the expectation of win or loss, never too attached to either outcome. they don’t want the prize pool because it will distract from the game. they won’t hate getting it, but they aren’t dying for it.
most importantly, they aren’t lying to themselves about not wanting it. they are content with what they have. not complacent, just content.
That is a great analogy, the poker game, and it really is how I see the challenge or expectation put forth by The Daodejing. To be detached from what's happening, or realize there is detachment from what is happening, yet still participate fully in existence. It is really, really hard to do - perhaps impossible - especially knowing it needs to best be done unconsciously, "without trying". 🙏
exactly, which is why the use of dialectic language throughout the DDJ is so necessary. it primes one to hold two superficially opposing views simultaneously, seeing beyond their apparent incongruity. how can one be both fully engaged with the world and be detached from it? it can never be fully realized, but can be in microcosms, in my opinion.
in the poker game, one will likely be swayed by the passion of victory at some point. one must recognize this drive, then apply the internalized lesson of recognizing its opposite, softening the passion. winning is lovely, but it is not the be-all-end-all. even if one desperately needs the prize, one must understand that grasping for it will increase likelihood of loss.
a healthy dose of detachment allows one to see oneself as a “paper dog,” to view oneself as if an impassive observer. then, one can determine what the best course of action for the observed is, given a desired outcome. of course, this determination is unimportant, as the observer genuinely cares little for the outcome - they’ve only been given a task and set out to be as accurate as possible.
Much of past wisdom has beed edited through time, adding and subtracting as needed, I think. True, we are not the sage, but learning from them, their lesson, is the greatest gift we can give ourselves. I always find a lesson, hidden in your writings Paul. I love how you are taking on the Daodejing; growing into a sage, in your own way. 🙏
Great to see you, Annelie 🙏 Playing fast and loose with the definition of sage. Could be king, could be contemplative, could be anyone the observer can learn something from; anyone, in fact. 🙂
It's great to put that oft-quoted quote in the context of the whole passage, chapter 64!
Due to the recovering of unearthed ancient texts, many scholars now believe it was a community effort. The Mawangdui texts put the 'de' section before the 'dao' section, as one example of differentiated texts.
The community aspect is the most endearing feature, don't you think? Layers of mystery, discoveries yet to uncover, a collective conversation that we are all some small part of. 🙂
The translation is a little hard to explain, I got it in China, printed by World Academic Classics, based on a 1991 edition from Shanghai Classics Publishing House. I have not seen it on Amazon.
This is my favourite translation/interpretation. It doesn't lean too far into religion, or ruling, and let's the indifference to outcomes of the text shine through - in my opinion. I wish I could say more...
Hey, I found it! Found a name in small print, Ju Yan'an, which links to a professor at Central Connecticut State named Yanan Ju. He's written several books. Amazon has a Daodejing with a blurb that is a direct match to introduction in the book I have. Here's the link! https://a.co/d/icDgrjp
Great reflections once again, Paul. A reminder for us all that true growth doesn't come from blindly following tradition, but from embracing our individuality, stepping forward, and trusting our own path, even when it challenges convention. As I hurtle into my early 40s, I'm trying desperately to help my children understand this faster than I did!
They've got a great Dad, no doubt, if you have this idea in mind. We do our best. Confidence is so much of success, it leads to consistency, the magic ingredient. 😉
64 teaches a neat mental trick. my understanding is that the sage, just like any other person, does actually have in mind a desirable end state. but they do not hold it in such high regard that they lose their cool. instead, they “do not desire.”
for instance, winning a game of poker. a daoist sage can still want to win, but approach with the expectation of win or loss, never too attached to either outcome. they don’t want the prize pool because it will distract from the game. they won’t hate getting it, but they aren’t dying for it.
most importantly, they aren’t lying to themselves about not wanting it. they are content with what they have. not complacent, just content.
That is a great analogy, the poker game, and it really is how I see the challenge or expectation put forth by The Daodejing. To be detached from what's happening, or realize there is detachment from what is happening, yet still participate fully in existence. It is really, really hard to do - perhaps impossible - especially knowing it needs to best be done unconsciously, "without trying". 🙏
exactly, which is why the use of dialectic language throughout the DDJ is so necessary. it primes one to hold two superficially opposing views simultaneously, seeing beyond their apparent incongruity. how can one be both fully engaged with the world and be detached from it? it can never be fully realized, but can be in microcosms, in my opinion.
in the poker game, one will likely be swayed by the passion of victory at some point. one must recognize this drive, then apply the internalized lesson of recognizing its opposite, softening the passion. winning is lovely, but it is not the be-all-end-all. even if one desperately needs the prize, one must understand that grasping for it will increase likelihood of loss.
a healthy dose of detachment allows one to see oneself as a “paper dog,” to view oneself as if an impassive observer. then, one can determine what the best course of action for the observed is, given a desired outcome. of course, this determination is unimportant, as the observer genuinely cares little for the outcome - they’ve only been given a task and set out to be as accurate as possible.
Much of past wisdom has beed edited through time, adding and subtracting as needed, I think. True, we are not the sage, but learning from them, their lesson, is the greatest gift we can give ourselves. I always find a lesson, hidden in your writings Paul. I love how you are taking on the Daodejing; growing into a sage, in your own way. 🙏
Great to see you, Annelie 🙏 Playing fast and loose with the definition of sage. Could be king, could be contemplative, could be anyone the observer can learn something from; anyone, in fact. 🙂
It's great to put that oft-quoted quote in the context of the whole passage, chapter 64!
Due to the recovering of unearthed ancient texts, many scholars now believe it was a community effort. The Mawangdui texts put the 'de' section before the 'dao' section, as one example of differentiated texts.
The community aspect is the most endearing feature, don't you think? Layers of mystery, discoveries yet to uncover, a collective conversation that we are all some small part of. 🙂
Thank you very much! If I may ask what translation is the quote from?
The translation is a little hard to explain, I got it in China, printed by World Academic Classics, based on a 1991 edition from Shanghai Classics Publishing House. I have not seen it on Amazon.
First glance in search engines is blank too. Thank you, I will keep my eyes open. I just liked the way that passage read.
This is my favourite translation/interpretation. It doesn't lean too far into religion, or ruling, and let's the indifference to outcomes of the text shine through - in my opinion. I wish I could say more...
Hey, I found it! Found a name in small print, Ju Yan'an, which links to a professor at Central Connecticut State named Yanan Ju. He's written several books. Amazon has a Daodejing with a blurb that is a direct match to introduction in the book I have. Here's the link! https://a.co/d/icDgrjp
Thank you, got it. Only one available. Ordered it, appreciate it so much.
Fantastic. Made my day! All the Daodejing quotes I use are from this version.