 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
The foremost goodness is like water. Water is good at benefiting all living things, even though there are arguments about how it could reside in places that most people hate. In that way it is very close to being like Dao. For a resting place, the soil is good. For the mind, depth is good. When giving, being like the heavens is good. When speaking, sincerity is good. To set a course of action, curing problems is good. When dealing with affairs, having ability is good. When moving, sensing the right time is good. It's only by not disputing with things that no mistakes would be made.   Commentary: 8 - Faultless -The foremost goodness is like water. -Water is good at benefiting all living things, even though there are arguments about how it could reside in places that most people hate. -In that way it is very close to being like Dao. Water doesn't differentiate between which things it'll nourish. It spreads its life-giving quality to all things. Water not only enables those things we like to flourish, but also feeds those things we detest. In a garden, it nourishes both the roses and the weeds. People try to make distinctions between which things should survive and which things should be exterminated, so they have quarrels. Because water doesn't make those determinations, it can be likened to Dao. If we look at some of the qualities of water, we can see how simply it deals with everything it comes into contact with. People could deal as simply with things by learning lessons from water. -For a resting place, the soil is good. Water splashes off of hard non-absorbant surfaces, rushing on its way, but when it comes into contact with soft soil it will allow itself to be soaked up. We move about during our daily activities, but there’s a time to let go of all that and allow ourselves to rest without fear or anxiety. Water that’s been soaked into the soil will eventually be evaporated and return again as a gushing stream. So will we. But we have to know when it’s time to let everything go so we can renew and refresh ourselves. -For the mind, depth is good. Water will flow into the deepest pits and holes, even to the murky dark places. We can be afraid of those dark places within our minds because we don’t know what might be lurking there. It might be something we don’t want to face, so we use any means possible to avoid going there. But finding those depths can be good for us. It can give us better insights into ourselves and others. -When giving, being like the heavens is good. Water rains down from the heavens giving nourishment to all things. It doesn’t stop to wonder whether it’ll be rewarded for what it does. People tend to think a lot about what, when, how and to whom they’ll give anything. If you give a gift to someone - either a present, a helping hand or simply a smile - do you do it because you want something in return from them? If so, you’ll usually be disappointed. Why not just give because it feels like the most natiral thing to do - something that comes from your heart? -When speaking, sincerity is good. Water can make sounds as soft as a trickle or as thunderous as a waterfall. It doesn’t make sounds because it’s looking for a reaction. We tend to think about which words we’re going to use and what kind of reaction we’re going to get before we open our mouths. At that point, any sense of honesty and sincerity can fly out the window. If people felt comfortable saying what’s really in their hearts, without having to worry about the reactions of others, they probalby wouldn’t get so angry or pretentious. Isn’t it much better to know what each other really feels than pretending it’s otherwise? -To set a course of action, curing problems is good. When water is in motion, it’s pulled by the force of gravity. Gravity sets it's course, and even if it comes upon snags in its way - like boulders or trees - it finds a way around them. If there’s some task we need to accomplish, some- times we get so involved in trying to figure out how to deal with the problems we encounter along the way, we can forget which way we’re headed. By keeping sight of the task at hand - as though it’s like gravity pulling us toward our goal - it would be much easier to cure each problem as it arises instead of dwelling on it. -When dealing with affairs, having ability is good. Water has the ability to take on many different shapes and forms - from snow to mist to dew drops. It adapts to the environment. We all have different abilities, but we also have to fine tune those abilities. A person who’s born with an innate ability to play music realizes he has to perfect his talents by studying and practicing in order to get gigs and be able to parlay his abilities into a career. By being adaptable to each situation we come across and finding a way to use our own abilities to the utmost, dealing with them would flow more easily. -When moving, sensing the right time is good. Water can remain perfectly still in a pond, but it’ll move when it’s forced to do so. People tend to move haphazardly, and sometimes they cause problems for themselves because they move at the wrong times. We’ve all done that - then wondered why we didn’t wait instead of rushing into something. How can we know when it’s the right time to move? It’s something you can learn to sense if you’re not so involved in thinking you have to move all the time. -It's only by not disputing with things that no mistakes would be made. Is there a way to go through life without making any mistakes? You’re the only one who can decide if you’re to blame for anything you do. If you spend your time blaming yourself, you won’t be able to do anything without making mistakes. Alternate translation: Water is one of the best things around. It keeps everything alive, even stuff most people don’t like. It’s kind of like the process of Dao. When you need to rest, lie down. When you need to think, get into it. When you give something, give it freely. When you speak, be sincere. When you’re making plans to do something, figure it out. When you have to deal with other people, be yourself. When you have to do something, wait for the right time. If you don’t keep blaming yourself or others, no mistakes are made. Dao Is Open Site Map | 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 | |
||
 |
 |