rene

I agree with the O.P. If we start getting too many martial arts threads before you know it all the "here, stick this new toy up your ass" threads will get shoved deep - on the second page of topics. And we sure want to leave room for all the T v. B pissin contest threads. Oh wait, maybe that can be part of MA threads. Maybe they can spar with electra-glides or whatever the fuck they were shoved up. Now there's a good idea. One big thread; all welcome.

Xabir - thanks for the links and references; most appreciated.

As to liberation: There is no need for liberation. We Taoists are not imprisoned. We understand that when a star explodes it is not the end of something but the beginning of something else. We realize that our physical existence is a phase between the beginning of something and the end of something which really is not the end but the beginning of something else.

I agree that there is no need for liberation.

For me, however, it's not because there is no "end" - but because "ending" is natural. Every moment, every action and non-action, is one of simultaneous creation and destruction. Both an ending and a beginning. Such is the way of tao.

You're welcome. I agree with you that the translation is 'interesting'. Very unusual, is what I'd call it. It's the rest of the book, which gives a rare glimpse into the Laoist mindset, that is of value.

Warm regards

Hehehe. Okay. So I am hard-headed. Big deal.

 

(Actually, I am rather flexible [and actually take pride in this fact] and have been known to change my mind on numerous occasions. It is just that I am still establishing myself in this forum so it is necessary for me to make sure others understand that I already have quite a few opinions of my own.)

 

Be well!

Marblehead - the first part of my post was directed to nac, the second part to you. Nothing wrong with opinions, and from what I've read of your contributions, mine pretty much line up with yours.

Sorry my post was unclear; I've edited it to remove that confusion.

Warm regards

Marblehead - thanks for your efforts in posting these things.

There is a book that you might enjoy, by Lee Sun Chen Org. It can be purchased online from several places, but here is the amazon link to it.

Book

The first 100 pages contain a substantial quantity of information I'd not seen elsewhere previously; the information I was familiar with lines up with other research. The second 100 pages is Org's translation of The Laozi, and the Appendix ("Chronology of Major Events Related to Lao Tzu And His Book"), covering from 2698BCE to the 1993 Guodian find, is alone worth the price. IMO, of course.

To nac:

... Of course, Taoism is also completely non-dogmatic. ...

Tao - is completely non-dogmatic.

Taoism - can be as dogmatic as any other ism.

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To Marblehead:

Marblehead - agree. Nice posts.

This probably is not possible, but I think it would be cool if we had a blocklist here on the bums to block new topics by certain people.

Or, you could just drive them away.

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