Rara

Ok, I read through most of page ond and realiased that there are another 7! My main question isn't about ones, twos and threes. Just... Are "dukes and emperors" enligytened sages in this context?

Yes. But easier said - make less choices...thus simplicity....thus ability to cultivate without distraction.

Who's interpretation is this? I get it, just wondering where the thought came from.

Isn't this just an incredibly powerful chapter? The beginning of Book 2, hammering it home!

By choice/influence. The easiest analogy I can think of is the garden of eden story.

Such differences in the language used but all very beautiful prose. Lovely reading

Also, according to Lau, the "fish" is the ruler and the "deep" is power. The meaning of the line is for the ruler not to let the power slip from their hands. He also states that reward and punishment are the "twin instruments of power in a state", so this power could end up in the wrong hands if one is not careful.

I now have Cleary's btw. My current reading

Hey. Does anybody know this book? If so, please can you let me know if this is a good translation: https://thesecretofthegoldenflower.com/index.html

😁

Yes. Laozi is right. World rulers are not following the Way.

Such an important lesson for a world full of conflict. More of this in The Art of War Important to apply these principles to everything. Family, maybe business or if caught in ugly conflict with competition or internal affairs etc.

@dawei Just curious, did you leave Lau out because the translation is a bit confusing? I found that, it virtually contradicts itself. These overs seem more coherent.

Ah, it never came back. Nevermind. Took me a second read, but it was kinda smart.

I can't put into words how extremely useful this post is for my return to the whole book (and this study for that matter)

Sorry, just trying to make sense. Is that a direct translation of that particular line?

By man following earth, does he also follow Tao, due to the sequence? And if so, is "man" interchangeable with "king"? I'm assuming so...as not all men are following Tao...

Also I'll add, that having spent time in my earlier days as a "philosophical Daoist", my learning in recent years has made it quite clear: How can one have a philosophy without practicing it? Then it isn't one's philosophy at all, but merely a philosophy. I think it can be a simple as the phrase "practice what you preach".

Interesting take. It doesn't speak this much detail to me, but I find the words to at least convey the importance of daoist practice, and commitment to it would make one a "man of the Way". So in short, yes

Interesting note in Lau's book is the word "loss" seems to not make much sense. I see Feng uses the word too. I think it can make perfect sense though. Surely the 2nd half of this chapter is merely saying that we will end up in whichever place we put ourselves?

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Quite anarchistic, do we think?

If anyone can clarify, line two really means something "negative", because as good as they appear, they are human constructs?

Oookay then... 😂 So, can I ask - all return to Dao. But better practice stillness so that you reap the benefits in this life, rather than not cultivating and then noticing your life is suddenly over?

Bump! It happened again....lol. Just doing this so I can refind this thread at a later date. Ignore me!