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Translation and Commentary by Nina


	Dao De Jing Chapter 7 The heavens have been around for a long time and the earth continues to endure. Everything in the universe, therefore, has the ability to be around for a long time and to continue to endure. Whatever doesn't exist solely for itself, in that way has the ability to be around for a long time. It's natural for a wise person to: Allow herself to stay behind, yet she still moves forward. Have little concern for herself, yet she continues to endure. Doesn't she seem to be unselfish? That's how she can attain true selfishness. Commentary: 7 ~ Being selfish -The heavens have been around for a long time and the earth continues to endure. -Everything in the universe, therefore, has the ability to be around for a long time and to continue to endure. -Whatever doesn't exist solely for itself, in that way has the ability to be around for a long time. Of all the things we can look at to try to make measurements of what's existed the longest, we'd have to say the heavens and earth have been around longer than anything else. We might wonder what it is about the heavens and earth that's enabled them to exist for as long as they have. Well, we can't really know that, but Laozi suggests that if we find some pattern in Nature it can teach us lessons about our own lives. Since the heavens and earth don't have any concern for their own existence, but merely support all the other living things, they can be an exemplar of how to lengthen our own lives. -It's natural for a wise person to: -Allow herself to stay behind, yet she still moves forward. -Have little concern for herself, yet she continues to endure. A comparison is then made to the natural actions of a person who's learned wisdom from the heavens and the earth. She's quite comfortable remaining behind while others are rushing to the lead. However, even without forcing herself to attain anything, she's still moving and accomplishing things. She isn't really concerned for her own well-being but is more concerned about nourishing and fostering the other things around her. However, even without paying much attention to herself, she finds she gets everything she needs. -Doesn't she seem to be unselfish? -That's how she can attain true selfishness. Doesn't that sound like she's become totally unselfish? As though her only concern is for others? She's actually attained complete selfishness. What greater joy could there be than becoming One with the universe, both nourishing and being nourished by life? Dao Is Open Site Map \| BY: Nina \| Guodian Laozi \| DDJ Concordance \| Comparisons \| From the DIO Forum \| BY: Bao Pu \| By: Joshua \| \| 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 \|