Phoenix3

Is ‘Dao’ more easily translated as ‘God’, or ‘Nature’?

Recommended Posts

5 hours ago, Lost in Translation said:

… and make it much easier to follow your meaning.

Sometimes that's not possible but you can try anyhow.

 

I forgot what is being discussed here.

 

Are the concepts "Dao" equal to "God"?  I think not.  Dao existed before there were any gods.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, Marblehead said:

Sometimes that's not possible but you can try anyhow.

 

I forgot what is being discussed here.

 

Are the concepts "Dao" equal to "God"?  I think not.  Dao existed before there were any gods.

 

 

 

It is not really so different if you take a look at these words from the Gospel of Thomas...

 

50. Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where have you come from?' say to them, 'We have come from the light, from the place where the light came into being by itself, established [itself], and appeared in their image.' If they say to you, 'Is it you?' say, 'We are its children, and we are the chosen of the living Father.' If they ask you, 'What is the evidence of your Father in you?' say to them, 'It is motion and rest.'"

 

The place where the light came into being by itself and established by itself, is the same as the One emerging from the Dao. 

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
8 minutes ago, Jeff said:

The place where the light came into being by itself and established by itself, is the same as the One emerging from the Dao. 

Fair enough.

 

Was Singularity (One) Light?  I would say yes.  But then, there was nothing to see or feel its effect even if there were any as the was only One.

 

So I suppose that if we equate the Abrahamic God to Light then there would be no contradiction between the Christian God and the Daoist's Dao.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just now, Marblehead said:

Fair enough.

 

Was Singularity (One) Light?  I would say yes.  But then, there was nothing to see or feel its effect even if there were any as the was only One.

 

So I suppose that if we equate the Abrahamic God to Light then there would be no contradiction between the Christian God and the Daoist's Dao.

 

 

 

That could be challenging with the Abrahamic God. I was taking about the “truth” that Jesus brought, not the old stuff from Moses. :) 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just now, Jeff said:

 

That could be challenging with the Abrahamic God. I was taking about the “truth” that Jesus brought, not the old stuff from Moses. :) 

Well, please understand that it has been a very long time since I have read the Bible.  I do still have my King James version that was given to me in 1954 though.  No, I'm not going to look to see if the Old Testament speaks of Light or just God.

 

So, yes, we can restrict my response above to only the New Testament.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
6 minutes ago, Jeff said:

Much easier with the teachings of Jesus.

Sure.  If we restrict it to what you quoted above I doubt I would fine any argument.

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
11 minutes ago, Marblehead said:

Sure.  If we restrict it to what you quoted above I doubt I would fine any argument.

 

 

Actually, if you read the Gospel of Thomas, I think you will not find much to disagree with the Tao Te Ching. :) 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
5 minutes ago, Jeff said:

 

Actually, if you read the Gospel of Thomas, I think you will not find much to disagree with the Tao Te Ching. :) 

No, I really wouldn't like to do that.  I will just gladly accept your opinion.

 

I have said before that a Christian could be a Daoist and there wouldn't be any direct conflict.

 

 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

An ancient immortal said: ‘Shape is formed by Tao (immortality) and life is made eternal through alchemy which consists of borrowing boundless prenatal vitality to continue (the existence of) limited bodily form;

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 8/11/2018 at 4:42 PM, Marblehead said:

I forgot what is being discussed here.

 

Is ‘Dao’ more easily translated as ‘God’, or ‘Nature’?

 

th?id=OIP.dpsCxQ1ce9Kx33J2d_MfuAHaIV&pid=15.1&P=0&w=300&h=300

 

All is X and X is All.

 

 

 

Edited by Limahong
  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 2018/8/4 at 4:16 AM, Phoenix3 said:

@awaken thank you, but I’m referring to the metaphysical Dao, which seems to be a noun. That is, from the Dao came one (Wuji), from the one came two (yin and yang), from the two came three (yin, yang and taiji), and from the three came 10,000 things.

 

The Dao you discribe is not the meaning of dao.

道生一,一生二,二生三,三生萬物。
萬物負陰而抱陽,沖氣以爲和。
人之所惡,唯孤、寡、不谷,而王公以爲稱。
故物或損之而益,或益之而損。
人之所教,我亦教之。
強梁者不得其死,吾將以爲教父。

 

There are two meanings of dao道,way and say.

道可道,the way can be talked. 非常道,but the way is not the normal way you know.

 

Therefore, 道生一,一生二,二生三,三生萬物,it means "this way can procuce one, one produce two, two produce three, three produce millions of things."

 

When we follow the dao to practice, we produce 陽 at first. This is 道生一。Then 陽極生陰 yan to the end will produce yin. This is 一生二。Then 陰極生陽yin to the end will produce yan. This is 二生三. Then the second yan is called 一陽生. Because it is produced by the end of yin. 一陽生will produce many insight version. This is 三生萬物.

 

All the dan dao follow this way to achieve 陽神or 谷神

This is a standard procedure.

Laozi spread the concept to other things.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites