 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home |
Dao De Jing |
Dao De Jing |
(Chuang Tzu) |
(Tao) is Open Forum |
List |
Stuff |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home |
Dao De Jing |
Dao De Jing |
(Chuang Tzu) |
(Tao) is Open Forum |
List |
Stuff |
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
Among those who have to resort to using weapons there is a saying: I don't dare to act as a master, but rather act as a guest; I don't dare to advance one inch, but rather retreat a foot. This is correctly described as: Performing without execution; Making preparations without the means to carry it out; Trying to hold on without having any weapons; Using force without having an enemy. Predicting a bad outcome without even having an enemy. Without an enemy nearby, my sense that there's something to save vanishes. Therefore, resist the idea of using offensive weapons on each other, otherwise the winner will be the one who grieves.  Commentary: 69 ~ Useless Weapons -Among those who have to resort to using weapons there is a saying: -I don't dare to act as a master, but rather act as a guest; -I don't dare to advance one inch, but rather retreat a foot. Some people feel a need to own weapons. They claim they hope they’d never have to use them, so they say things like...... "I'd only use a weapon if I really had no other choice." "I'd wait to see how much of a threat someone was before I'd resort to using them." "I'd try to run away first, but if that didn't work then I'd have to blast away my attacker." -This is correctly described as: -Performing without execution; -Making preparations without the means to carry it out; -Trying to hold on without having any weapons; -Using force without having an enemy. -Predicting a bad outcome without even having an enemy. A person can imagine all sorts of situations where they might need to use a weapon, but until an attack actually happened they couldn't be sure how they'd react. All the well thought out plans you might make can never really prepare you for confronting an attacker - you might not ever be able to pull the trigger. If you don't have the ability within your heart to use a weapon, then a whole arsenal would be of no help to you. Where's the enemy? You might create all sorts of scenarios around a perceived enemy, dwelling on the worst thing that could happen. You probably know people who are in fear a lot of the time - worried that someone is going to attack them. They’ve got their weapons ready even when there’s no threat. We all have to be careful, but why take it to such an extreme? If you expect something bad to happen, you might bring it on yourself. Or you might get so caught up in the fear that you’d never be able to have fun. -Without an enemy nearby, my sense that there's something to save vanishes. When you’re in your own home with the doors locked, you might feel a bit safer. Or when you’re with people who care about you, you might not think any of them would try to hurt you or rip you off. Then you could share all the beautiful things you have without fear of losing them. You might even be happy to give someone you like one of your treasured possessions. -Therefore, resist the idea of using offensive weapons on each other, otherwise the winner will be the one who grieves. This reminds me of a skewed saying: "The best defense is a good offense." If you end up thinking that everyone is trying to take something from you - whether it be personal possessions or treasured beliefs - you might go into an offensive mode with everyone you meet. Get them before they get you? That attitude can only bring sadness. In the end, you'd have to wonder what it is that you've won - and at what cost? If you could comfortably give something you have to a friend, why would you think it’s okay to kill someone for trying to steal your television? You might get to keep the tv, but would having it make the feeling of hurting someone else less sad to you? Alternate translation: People who claim they need to carry weapons say stuff like: I wouldn’t use them unless I needed to. I’d give them the chance to back down first. What they’re actually doing is........ - Acting like they could do something even if they couldn’t. - Learning how to use the weapons in an unconfrontational environment. - Trying to appear tougher than they are. - Thinking about how they’d do it when there isn’t really anyone threatening them. - Always thinking something bad might to happen to them. If you don’t look at people as if they’re out to take something from you, then you wouldn’t feel like you had to protect anything you have. So, don’t look at others as enemies that you might have to take down, and you won’t have to feel sorry for what you did it later. | BY: Nina | Guodian Laozi | DDJ Concordance | Comparisons | Who was Laozi | | Return Home | Laozi's Dao De Jing | Your Dao De Jing | Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu) | Links | Meditation | Dao (Tao) is Open Forum | Book List | Other Stuff | |
||
 |
 |