Tao Te Ching 1

I am currently mulling in my mind the idea of the One and the Many. As I think back, where I first really began to deal with this concept was in the Tao Te Ching. I would like to converse about it out loud, to share my reflective process. Verse 1 starts on the subject immediately


One

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named is not the eternal name
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth
The named is the mother of ten thousand things
Ever desireless, one can see the mystery
Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations
These two spring from the same source but differ in name;
    This appears as darkness
Darkness within darkness
The gate to all mystery



When I first read this I thought monodirectionally, I thought that the verse was pointing the reader away from the world of manifestation, toward the ground, toward the mystery. I now realize that It is not. It is simply describing the nature of the One and the Many, that is, all that is.

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

Perhaps I am not delving deep enough into this verse but what I perceive is that it is saying that what we do name, and what we do define and explain have limits placed to them when what IS is limitless and boundless. It cannot, accurately in any way, portray the essence of Being.

It also seems to state that when desireless you see the mystery of the world and how it cannot, necessarily, be named or explained. But with desires, through desires, everything seems to be in view and is clear for the mind.

The Tao Te Ching has always given me a little bit of trouble. Of course, I have not devoted near enough time to the writings to even come close to the meaning of these verses.

Be Well.

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

N/J and Cryptic, I'm beginning to think it would take a lifetime to begin to understand the Tao…

in case this helps, wanderer7 blogged his interpretation of  the_tao_1 here

he also went on to blog about the following ones, hth …

light and peace,

nicole

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

Cryptic and wanderer match my previous interpretation, I think I see something a bit more now. I wonder what others might think of the following

One

The Truth that can be told is not the eternal Truth
That which can be named is not eternal
The nameless is the origin of heaven and earth
Further, the named is the mother of the great multitude
Only by shedding desire can one can see the mystery
But within our desire, we can experience the manifestations
These two spring from the same source but differ in name;
    This appears as paradox
The One and the Many are not separate
The gate to eternity



This is not meant as sacrilege, just as an exercise for me to explore new territory

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

N/J, oh yes! The last two lines resonate with me in my mystical understanding … the One and the Many are together in the Now, which is the doorway to eternity

Light and joy,

Nicole

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

In my search this morning I happened upon a database with something like 150 translations of the Tao Te Ching. I have been looking only at variations of verse one! What wonderment this is. The variety of interpretations, the richness of expression. Many have interpreted this verse as I have and many have other views. It is beautiful, magnificent. Ah the beauty of learning and discovery!

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

The Tao te Ching is the most translated and published book in the history of the world.  Most are not aware of the extent to which it surpassed the Bible due to its origination in China, its simiplicy of language and its spread throughout the eastern languages long before hitting the west. 

It is amazing to read multiple translations because the chinese can be read forward, backwards and side to side in relation to turn phrases and other things.  Thus it is a book that grows on one over time.  I find its profound poetry one of the most intense….. I reread it often and gain more and more from it over time, age and maturation.  For 30 years it has guided me. 

Thanks for acknowledging one of the deep awareness of the poetry of truth, it truly is the finger pointing at the moon.  At the center of it is a character that is beind the Tao, to understand the chinese character called “the absolute” one understands the one and the many, the way and the world…… Its a constant meditation… 

Peace in the water course way!
D

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

How wondrous, Don and J! You have brought us such richness in this thread. You're right, too many of us are unaware of the vitality and depth of this tradition.

Peace and joy,

Nicole

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

I think this passage is talking about one of the great wonders of the universe.

The Eternal Tao or God is the Father or the Heavens…
The Tao that can be seen and experienced is the great manifestation Mother nature…or earth.

You cannot name or experience the Eternal Tao because we are here on earth.

But we can experience the Tao or Sophia on earth as nature.

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

It's so lovely to see you again, Grant! thanks, this is beautiful…

light and peace,

nicole

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

The bible of Taoists and Taoism, 84 different translations to the Tao Te Ching…, Enjoy!

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

((((((Samme))))))) you awesome guy! thanks a million,

love and light,

nicole

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

The tao does not say that we cannot “experience it here and now” rather is notes that the experience cannot be shared in words which separate us from it…. it says we must be it, walk it and wonder with in it.  There is no separation between heaven and earth, god and man, bipolar opposites in the asian philosophies like there are in the west, they had no zoroaster to screw them up about it and battle over it.  It's all one when we walk (tao means walk the path) and see the right way.

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

Thanks, Don, very helpful distinction.

Love,

Nicole

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

One

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named is not the eternal name

Bede Griffiths expressed this another way, “Once the Word is spoken, It is defiled.”

Here, also, we see the Tao is much more than can be grasped intellectually. It is existentially realized and engaged as no mind – pure realization undefiled by concepts.

The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth

That which gave rise to this gross realm cannot be apprehended, circumscribed, or justifiably named as an entity or object.

The named is the mother of ten thousand things

Perhaps a better way to have expressed this is that the namer is the mother of ten-thousand things. However, once a name is recognized, the mind then holds the capacity for endless naming and dualistic regard.

Ever desireless, one can see the mystery

To realize the Mystery, we require completeness and sufficiency in the moment as the moment – not egoistically apprehending something for some end(s), but rather wholly being as necessary and sufficient onto its non-self.

Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations

In desire, things become objects for perceived potential self-completion. When we are in need, the objects of our need and opposing elements become separate entities in a dualistic display. We grasp. And in that grasping, we apprehend the finite, limited, and dual. Countless things arise as separate entities. Emptiness is repressed. Duality arises.

These two spring from the same source but differ in name;

Both non-desire and desire are linguistic objects of the same source, the dualistic mind. Hence, they are named.  

This appears as darkness
Darkness within darkness
The gate to all mystery

However, mind is not condemned to perpetual duality. And fully experiencing duality, it progressively becomes darkness within darkness, dissatisfactory and meaningless – opening the gate to all Mystery, The Void, The Void of Transformation leading to Being, existential Mystery.  

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

yes! light!

nicole

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Re: Tao Te Ching 1

Indeed, beautiful insights!

I bow to the tao in you!

She She

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Thank you ST, always your light warms all of us.

I appreciate much your contibutions to my understanding of this very important Sacred Text.

N/J

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