Marblehead Posted February 20, 2017 Lipless Clubfoot Scattered offered his counsels to Duke Ling of Wey. The duke was so pleased with him that he looked upon people whose bodies were whole as having spindly shins. Jar Goiter offered his counsels to Duke Huan of Ch'i. The duke was so pleased with him that he looked upon people whose bodies were whole as having scraggy necks. Thus, when one's integrity is outstanding, the physical form will be forgotten. If people do not forget what they usually forget, but instead forget what they usually do not forget, that may be called true forgetting. Therefore, the sage has a place where he wanders, and considers knowledge as a curse, convention as glue, virtue as a social grace, and craft as commerce. The sage hatches no schemes, so what use has he for knowledge? He does no splitting, so what use has he for glue? He has no deficiency, so what use has he for virtue? He does no peddling, so what use has he for commerce? These four are the gruel of heaven. The gruel of heaven is sustenance from heaven. Since he receives sustenance from heaven, what use has he for man? He has a human form, but is without human emotions. Because he has a human form, he groups together with other men. Because he is without human emotions, "right" and "wrong" have no effect upon him. How insignificant and small is that part of him which belongs to humanity! How grand and great is his singular identification with heaven! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taoist Texts Posted February 21, 2017 Therefore, the sage ...These four are the gruel of heaven. The gruel of heaven is sustenance from heaven. Since he receives sustenance from heaven, what use has he for man? Is ZZ saying that the sage literally is fed by heaven and has no use for human food? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted February 21, 2017 Is ZZ saying that the sage literally is fed by heaven and has no use for human food? I don't think he is talking about the physical but rather the spiritual. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted February 21, 2017 Ezzacaria IIV , " And Lo ! the menu of heaven ith gruel, and its song ith Manilow." 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taoist Texts Posted February 22, 2017 I don't think he is talking about the physical but rather the spiritual. Yeah probably so The sage hatches no schemes, so what use has he for knowledge? He does no splitting, so what use has he for glue? He has no deficiency, so what use has he for virtue? He does no peddling, so what use has he for commerce? These four are the gruel of heaven. The gruel of heaven is sustenance from heaven. Since he receives sustenance from heaven, The four are described in negative terms. It is not clear what he receives then. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted February 22, 2017 The four are described in negative terms. It is not clear what he receives then. It is my thought that he begged for alms. But then he may have been independently wealthy, perhaps his parents' wealth? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted February 22, 2017 (edited) Funny, I didnt notice that, strictly reading , the point is indeed lost,, but putting it into words, he is enriched because he becomes unburdened. He doesnt have to fix the world, change minds, promote Tao ,or post on here only to suffer the slings and arrows of rebuttal. Edited February 22, 2017 by Stosh 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dawei Posted February 22, 2017 Yeah probably so The four are described in negative terms. It is not clear what he receives then. I think this translation is not clear but the meaning akin to: 'these four sentiments/traits/qualities of the sage' are heavens substance. They are described as negative but represent positive qualities. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taoist Texts Posted February 22, 2017 I think this translation is not clear but the meaning akin to: 'these four sentiments/traits/qualities of the sage' are heavens substance. They are described as negative but represent positive qualities. Yes, like four non doing. Interesting that this heavenly sustenance is in both Heshanggong and Suwen 天食人以五气，地食人以五味 Heaven feeds people with 5 qi, Earth feeds people with Five Tastes http://ctext.org/pre-qin-and-han/ens?searchu=%E5%A4%A9%E9%A3%9F 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rara Posted February 23, 2017 Ahhh...blending with man but having simplicity, little (or no) care - isn't involved in the earth-realm affairs. That was my morning...I took the whole day off to cultivate alone. Reality strikes when I'm back to work though! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
