The ultimate unpopular opinions

[Mark Foote]

On 10/28/2025 at 6:18 AM, liminal_luke said:

Maybe the beauty of having all these "brains" is that we can change what we think without staying strictly in our head.  There´s a gut-brain axis?  Good!  Let me change my thoughts by eating differently.  Movement works too as well as various cultivation practices.  Getting the right kind of sunshine can have a profound effect on the kind of thoughts associated with a bad mood.  It´s often easier to change thoughts indirectly -- by working with the systems that effect the various brains -- than trying to strongarm thoughts on a cognitive level.

Along those lines. The couple in this video got serious scientific support, but a double-blind study will take funds they haven't secured yet.

P.S.--as they say in the video, don't try this at home!
 

 

 

Edited October 29 by Mark Foote

[Mark Foote]

On 10/27/2025 at 5:42 PM, Nungali said:

 

 

17. ... The material act is but the outward expression of thy thought, and therefore hath it been said that “the thought of foolishness is sin.” Thought is the commencement of action, and if a chance thought can produce much effect, what cannot fixed thought do?
 

…I say that determinate thought is action. When one determines, one acts by deed, word, or thought. 

 

(AN 6.63, tr. Pali Text Society vol III p 294)

 

 

And what… is the ceasing of action? That ceasing of action by body, speech, and mind, by which one contacts freedom,–that is called ‘the ceasing of action’.  

 

(SN 35.146, tr. Pali Text Society vol IV p 85)

 

 

Fixing thought, nix, nix:

 

That which we will…, and that which we intend to do and that wherewithal we are occupied:–this becomes an object for the persistance of consciousness. The object being there, there comes to be a station of consciousness. Consciousness being stationed and growing, rebirth of renewed existance takes place in the future, and here from birth, decay, and death, grief, lamenting, suffering, sorrow, and despair come to pass. Such is the uprising of this mass of ill.

 

Even if we do not will, or intend to do, and yet are occupied with something, this too becomes an object for the persistance of consciousness… whence birth… takes place.

 

But if we neither will, nor intend to do, nor are occupied about something, there is no becoming of an object for the persistance of consciousness. The object being absent, there comes to be no station of consciousness. Consciousness not being stationed and growing, no rebirth of renewed existence takes place in the future, and herefrom birth, decay-and-death, grief, lamenting, suffering, sorrow and despair cease. Such is the ceasing of this entire mass of ill.

 

(SN 12.38; © Pali Text Society SN vol. II p 45)

 

 

Let the mind be present without an abode.

 

(Diamond Sutra; translation Venerable Master Hsing Yun, from “The Rabbit’s Horn: A Commentary on the Platform Sutra”, Buddha’s Light Publishing pg. 60)

 

[Taomeow]

1 hour ago, Nungali said:

 

I support that right  and will fight against the suppression of cast iron cookware  .... once it 'gets out '  *  they will , no doubt,   try to suppress it and replace it with new super dooper high tech inferior crappy products with in built problems . 

 

* its long lasting,  sturdy ,  can  go on a heating element , in an oven or on a fire , one can use it to have an 'oven' on a fire, when  'cured' and treated  properly it is entirely 'non- stick ' - which will also make it rust proof , its thick and holds the heat well for better cooking  ... and of course , packs a much more solid whallop  than a light  aluminium one  .  

 

 

I am very fond of my frying pans.  They are decades old (the oldest one is 70) and take heavy use in stride.  In addition to cast iron I have copper and copper-over-steel ones.  It's true that my 12-inch copper beauty* lost all the tin, but to re-tin it costs hundreds of dollars in our parts, so I just don't use it for anything acidic it might react with.  I could give a reason and rationale for the fact that I have 7 frying pans and none are decorative or the outcome of hoarding.  I use all of them interchangeably -- each of them knows what its purpose in life is and does not infringe upon another frying pan's territory.  But If I was limited to just one (as I used to be), that one would be cast iron.             

 

*beauty: I mean its performance, not appearance, since it shines from thorough polishing maybe once a year and then it's all downhill for it.  Scrubbing and polishing to a beautiful uniform shine is for decorative copper, not for the workhorse of the kitchen.)

[old3bob]

23 hours ago, bradley said:

 

A well regulated Kitchen, being necessary to the appetite of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Cast Iron Cookware shall not be infringed

 

there are tips on how to properly use your iron skillet with skill, along with related iron palm training that one can practice in the comfort of their own kitchen... (which is good if using skillet as a weapon of for cooking) 

 

 

Edited October 30 by old3bob

[old3bob]

On 10/29/2025 at 3:47 PM, Nungali said:

 

That makes more sense than using a steak knife on one !  

 

 

if pepper spray works on grizzlies maybe it would work on gators?

[Nungali]

frypan works better   ( ask a gorilla ) 

[Cobie]

‘The ultimate unpopular opinions’ thread has gone very bland; look, the OP is not pleased

 

Edited November 2 by Cobie

[Cobie]

Daoism is dual (yin and yang), therefore all ‘the Dao bums’ are dual. 

 

 

Edited November 2 by Cobie

[Nungali]

1 hour ago, Cobie said:

‘The ultimate unpopular opinions’ thread has gone very bland; look, the OP is not pleased

 

 

No wonder .... someone stole his pupils 

[Nungali]

1 hour ago, Cobie said:

Daoism is dual (yin and yang), therefore all ‘the Dao bums’ are dual. 

 

 

 

Mmmmm ..... only at one specific stage though . 

 

The Tao gives birth to One.

One gives birth to Two.

Two gives birth to Three.

Three gives birth to all things.

 

Daoism is Null

Daoism is singular

Daoism is dual

Daoism is tripartite 

Daoism is all things . 

 

 

[Mark Foote]

[Nungali]

My dog actually did eat my homework once  .....  

 

Subject was 'Home Science'  

 

 

Spoiler

It covers areas like nutrition, food preparation, textiles, child development, financial literacy, and housing, and is now less common as a mandatory subject but may be offered as an elective. 

 

 

[Taomeow]

On 11/3/2025 at 9:00 PM, Nungali said:

My dog actually did eat my homework once  .....  

 

Subject was 'Home Science'  

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

It covers areas like nutrition, food preparation, textiles, child development, financial literacy, and housing, and is now less common as a mandatory subject but may be offered as an elective. 

 

 

 

Dogs will eat anything.

 

Your 'Home Science" sounds like a very useful subject (unless botched by useless teachers.)  We had something similar, gender segregated -- boys were doing something in the mechanical shop and girls were knitting and sewing.  I had neither the talent nor the patience for either, so my knitted goods self-limited to a scarf just big enough for a cat (should a cat agree to wear a scarf), and I also sewed a pretty nightgown that would probably fit someone very asymmetrical, with one arm three times the circumference of the other and one leg about a foot longer.  

[Apech]

It is impossible to know the real truth.

[Cobie]

 

3 hours ago, Apech said:

It is impossible to know the real truth.

 

Definitely.  A mature person knows it’s unknowable and takes responsibility - chooses what to belief in.

 

 

Edited November 5 by Cobie

[Nungali]

5 hours ago, Taomeow said:

 

Dogs will eat anything.

 

Your 'Home Science" sounds like a very useful subject (unless botched by useless teachers.)  We had something similar, gender segregated -- boys were doing something in the mechanical shop and girls were knitting and sewing.  I had neither the talent nor the patience for either, so my knitted goods self-limited to a scarf just big enough for a cat (should a cat agree to wear a scarf), and I also sewed a pretty nightgown that would probably fit someone very asymmetrical, with one arm three times the circumference of the other and one leg about a foot longer.  

 

 

 

[old3bob]

7 hours ago, Apech said:

It is impossible to know the real truth.

 

Party pooper...

[old3bob]

3 hours ago, Nungali said:

 

 

 

 

cute little cato

[Cobie]

The standard translation of the DDJ is a forgery!

 

Spoiler

At least according to Herbert Giles (British sinologist and diplomat (1845–1935). He said the received version of the tao te Ching was a forgery. “The work,” he says, “is undoubtedly a forgery. It contains, indeed, much that Laozi did say, but more that he did not.”   I agree. 

 

 

Edited Saturday at 11:52 PM by Cobie

[Great Energy Qigong]

I absolutely love this topic! It comes up all the time in our classes. I think there are as many approaches to meditation as there are humans on this Earth. And what's happened is a few charismatic or powerful or popular teachers have said this was said or that was said and so therefore it must be true.

 

A really long time ago minds were different, Society was different, culture was different everything was different. And meditation techniques adapt to the times. If you sat on a cushion long enough I think you'd find the meditation technique that's perfect for you. And likely there would be lots and lots and lots of thoughts along the way.

 

Sending you all blessings on your chosen path,

 

Christopher

 

[ChiDragon]

On 11/8/2025 at 2:23 PM, Cobie said:

The standard translation of the DDJ is a forgery!

 

  Reveal hidden contents

At least according to Herbert Giles (British sinologist and diplomat (1845–1935). He said the received version of the tao te Ching was a forgery. “The work,” he says, “is undoubtedly a forgery. It contains, indeed, much that Laozi did say, but more that he did not.”   I agree. 

Where is this standard translation of the DDJ?

 

 

[Nungali]

I'd love to know where it is too !   ..... Cobie's bookcase ?  

[Cobie]

 

10 hours ago, ChiDragon said:

Where is this standard translation of the DDJ?

 

surely it's here https://terebess.hu/english/tao/amb.pdf  

 

Edited Tuesday at 01:05 PM by Cobie

[Nungali]

That 'standard' translation gives lots of possible translations and meanings ..... but I like that . 

 

let's see what my fav chapter reveals ; 

 

The Dao generates oneness, oneness generates twoness, twoness generates threeness, threeness generates all things (1). Everything shoulders yin and embraces yang1 (2), surging qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] forms a harmony (3). {What people hate [to be], is the orphan, the widower, the unworthy, and kings and rulers take them as their names. Thus things are sometimes diminished as they are benefited, or are benefitted as they are diminished. What people teach I also teach. The overly bold do not get their [timely] death, I use them as fathers of teaching.}
 

Spoiler

Commentary and Explanation 1) The Dao generates oneness, oneness generates twoness, twoness generates threeness, threeness generates all things: This is Laozi’s famous cosmogony. Here the process whereby Dao generates all things is described. In this process we see the move from the simple to the complex, which is why Laozi uses the numbers one, two, and three as substitutive references. Laozi’s use of the numbers one, two, and three are not necessarily indicative of something specific. As Chiang Hsi-Chang (Jiang Xichang) 蒋锡昌 (d. 1974) states, “The Laozi’s one, two, and three, are just three numbers that represent the Dao generating all things, they show that more generation begets more things.” (Laozi jiao gu 老子校诂 [Collation of the Laozi]) This section is about the process whereby the Dao generates all things. If we compare it with Chapter 40, then we can take “the Dao” in “the Dao generates oneness” as “non-presence (无),” and “oneness” can thereby be explained as “presence (有).” (In his Daode zhenjing lun 道德真经论 [On 1 Tr. note: Fu 负 means to carry something behind you, or on one’s back, bao 抱 means to hold, hug, or carry something in one’s arms.

 

the Authentic Daodejing] Sima Guang 司马光 (d. 1086) writes, “The Dao generates oneness, from non-presence entering presence”). The presence and non-presence in Chapter 40 (“All the things in the world are generated from presence, presence is generated from non-presence”) and the presence and non-presence in Chapter 1 (“Wu 无 [non-presence, non-being] is the name of the beginning of heaven and earth. You 有 [presence, being] is the name of the mother of all things”), are all indicative of the Dao. Accordingly, “twoness” here speaks to metaphysical “non-presence (无)” and “presence (有).” (The idea of the Dao generating all things in Chapter 40 precisely indicates the process whereby the metaphysical Dao moves into the concrete, in terms of the notions of “non-presence (无)” and “presence (有)”). When the metaphysical “nonpresence (无)” and “presence (有)” move into the concrete and become non-metaphysical they then became what Chapter 2 records as “You 有 [presence, having, being] and wu 无 [non-presence, lacking, non-being] are mutually generative,” and what is generated thereby becomes “threeness.” While this explanation might not be clear enough, it does fit what Laozi originally means. Distinctions of levels or tiers in Laozi’s time were relatively simple. For example, social classes were mostly distinguished in two levels, people were either part of the ruling class or not, which is similar to the distinction between the Dao and everything else. An intermediary is lacking here, it was not until after Zhuangzi’s 庄子 (d. 295 BCE) time that theories concerning the transformation of qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] were developed to describe how the Dao and all things are related. In fact, there are some hints at using “non-presence (无)” and “presence (有)” to describe oneness, twoness, and threeness in the Qi wu lun 齐物论 [Equalizing Things and Arguments] chapter of the Zhuangzi 庄子 [Writings of Master Zhuang] in which it is written: “Oneness and language make twoness, twoness and oneness make threeness ness and language make twoness, twoness and oneness make threeness, carrying on like this, the most skillful chronicler could not get [to the end of it]…. Therefore from non-presence (无) we get to presence (有), and go on to threeness.” Here, the last line, “from non-presence (无) we get to presence (有) …” describes the oneness, twoness, and threeness. Accordingly, we can take this part of Chapter 42 as saying: The Dao is independent and without a complementary partner (“the Dao generates oneness”), a chaotic and undifferentiated mixture that contains both “non-presence (无)” and “presence (有)” (“oneness generates twoness”). The Dao goes from being formless to having form, thus presence and non-presence generate one another and form new thing(s) (“twoness generates threeness”), and all things are products of this state where presence and non-presence generate one another (“threeness generates all things”). In the past there have been various exegeses of this passage in the Laozi, but most use notions that came about after the Han Dynasty to explain it. For example, using “original qi (元气)” to explain “oneness”, and the “heavens and earth (天地) or yin yang (阴阳)” to explain “twoness”, and “harmonization (和气)” to explain “threeness”. Of course this type of explanation is relatively clear, however, “original qi (元气)” and “harmonization (和气)” are common words in Han writings (using yin yang generated from the heavens and earth to explain the generation of all things is already found earlier in the Zhuangzi 庄子 [Writings of Master Zhuang]). The Han Dynasty text Huainanzi 淮南子 [Writings of Master Huainan] provides a relatively clear explanation of Chapter 42. In the chapter Tian wen 天文 [Patterns of Heaven], the Huainanzi 淮南 子 [Writings of Master Huainan] records, “The Dao begins in oneness. As oneness cannot generate [things], thereby, it divides to yin and yang. Yin and yang harmoniously combine and all things are generated, thus it is said ‘the Dao generates oneness, oneness generates twoness, twoness generates threeness, threeness generates all things’.” Here the Huainanzi 淮南子 [Writings of Master Huainan] uses yin and yang to explain “twoness;” the harmonious combination of yin and yang to explain “threeness”; and “the Dao begins in oneness” says that Dao and “oneness” are one and the same concept. The Yuan dao 原道 [Investigating the Dao] chapter of the Huainanzi 淮南子 [Writings of Master Huainan] records: “That which is called formless, can also be called oneness, that which is called oneness has no match in the world.” Clearly “oneness” is used to explain the formless Dao, and it is taken as unique and without any match. Taking “oneness” as a name for the Dao is found over and over in the Laozi (for example, in Chapter 14 we have “they are muddled and one [混 而为一],” in Chapter 39 we have “The heavens s get oneness and are thus clear; the earth gets oneness and is thus tranquil”). Chiang Hsi-Chang (Jiang Xichang) 蒋锡昌 (d. 1974) writes: “Oneness is the Dao, nominally it is named the Dao, numerically it is named oneness.” There is little doubt about taking “oneness” as a number to represent the Dao. But as to what “twoness” indicates, there are many disparate discussions. As mentioned above, “non-presence (无)” and “presence (有)” have been used. While this fits with the original meaning of the Laozi, it still cannot adequately describe how the metaphysical “non-presence (无)” and “presence (有)” can be brought into the actual world. Since in the phrase “presence (有) and non-presence (无) generated one another” [which appears in Chapter 2], presence and non-presence are already concrete things in the phenomenal world, the question of how they are produced from formless metaphysical presence (有) and non-presence (无) cannot be concretely expounded. Thereby, most scholars rely upon the Huainanzi’s 淮南子 [Writings of Master Huainan] explanation in which he uses “yin and yang” to describe “twoness”. However, looking at the entire Laozi besides this chapter in which we have “everything shoulders yin and embraces yang”, we do not find yin and yang anywhere else (it is only starting with the Zhuangzi 庄子 [Writings of Master Zhuang] that yin and yang become important and are frequently used). Yet the words “the heavens and earth (天地)” are seen frequently in the Laozi, and “the heavens and earth (天地)” and “Dao” are often mentioned together. For example, Chapter 6 records: “The gate of xuan 玄 [dark, deep, profound] pin 牝 [female], it is called the root of heaven and earth.” And in Chapter 25 we have “There is a thing formed undifferentiatedly, born before heaven and earth (有物 混成，先天地生).” Thereby we can also find evidence for reading “twoness” as “the heavens and earth (天地)” in Laozi’s own writings. Regarding the difficulty in explaining “threeness”, it is probably best to use the Tian zi fang 田子方 [Tian Zifang] chapter of the Zhuangzi 庄子 [Writings of Master Zhuang] as the basis for our understanding. Here the qi气 [energy, vital energy, material] of yin and yang is distributed from the heavens and earth. In this way, we can read this section of Chapter 42 as: The Dao is independent and without match, this chaotic undifferentiated mixture unified as one body produces (“twoness is generated from oneness,”), the heavens and earth generate the qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] of yin and yang (“threeness is generated from twoness”), and the interactions of yin and yang’s respective qis 气 [energy, vital energy, material] form various new things (“all things are generated from threeness”). Various pre-Qin factions of Daoism continued the discussion of cosmogony given here in Chapter 42, some of the more important ones are the following: First, in the Tian di 天地 [The Heavens and Earth] chapter of the Zhuangzi 庄子 [Writings of Master Zhuang] we find “In the great beginning there was non-presence (无), without presence (有) and without name. Oneness then arose, there was oneness but still no form, depending on it, things thereby were generated. This is called de 德. The formless was differentiated, but without space. This is called ming 命. Movement continued and things were generated, things generated patterns (理), and this is called form.” Here “non-presence (无)” is used to explain the Dao. “Oneness but still no form” obviously has “oneness” representing the formless Dao. The formless “oneness” begins to “have differentiation”, however, the Tian di 天地 [The Heavens and Earth] chapter does not tell us what “differentiation” means. According to the explanation of later scholars, it is “differentiating yin and yang” (see Xuan Ying’s 宣颖 (Qing Dynasty) Nan hua jing jie 南华经解 [Explanation of the Zhuangzi]. This type of interpretation is also evidenced by what we find in the Tian zi fang 田子方 [Tian Zifang] chapter of the Zhuangzi 庄子 [Writings of Master Zhuang]. Second, in the Tian zi fang田子方 [Tian Zifang] chapter of the Zhuangzi 庄子 [Writings of Master Zhuang] we find: “The utmost yin is cold and quiet, the utmost yang is hot and flourishing. Cold and quiet comes from the heavens, hot and flourishing comes from the earth. The two interact and harmoniously unite and there is the generation of things.” This idea clearly continues the thought we have here in Chapter 42 of the Laozi. Here the idea is that yang qi气 [energy, vital energy, material] comes from the heavens, and yin qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] comes from the earth, these two qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] (i.e. “twoness”) “two interact and harmoniously unite”, which correspond with what Laozi says, “surging qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] forms a harmony”, things are transformed and generated under these conditions. Third, the Mawangdui Huangdi Sijing 黄帝四经 [The Yellow Emperor’s Four Classics] record: “Assembling and gathering X X X X X X2 to form a round granary [i.e. accumulation]. Neither bright nor dark, there is no yin or yang. Before yin and yang are determined, I have nothing to name. Then it starts to divide into two, differentiating between yin and yang, and distinguishing between the four [seasons]. (Guan 观 [Observation] of the Shi da jing 十大经 [The Ten Great Classics])” is a theory from the Warring States period Huang-Lao Daoist tradition The numbers expressed in the process of things being generated are one, two, and four. The Tian wen 天文 [Patterns of The Heavens] chapter of the Huainanzi 淮南子 [Writings of Master Huainan] develops on this theory: “The concentrated essence [of qi] of yin and yang becomes the four seasons, the dispersed/diluted essence [of qi] of the four seasons becomes all things.” Fourth, the Da yue 大乐 [Great Music] chapter of the Lü Shi Chunqiu 吕氏春秋 [The Annals of Lü Buwei] records: “From the great oneness two standards come forth, from the two models yin and yang come forth, yin and yang change and transform, one is upper one is lower, united they form patterns (Gao You 高诱 (d. 212) comments: “Patterns (章) is like form or shape”).” “Great oneness” is the Dao. Gao You explains “two models” as the heavens and earth. Yin and yang come from the heavens and earth, which is completely consistent with Zhuangzi’s explanation. The production of all things is “yin and yang change and transform, one is upper one is lower,” they harmoniously unite and form things with form or shape. 2) Everything shoulders yin and embraces yang: Yin is to their backs and face yang to their front. Lü Jifu 吕吉甫 (d. 1111): “Hidden and unmeasurable, that is yin; bright and observable, that is yang. Those generated all have the hidden and unmeasurable yin on their backs and face the bright and observable yang, therefore it is said: Everything shoulders yin and embraces yang. Shoulders means to carry on one’s back, and embraces means one is facing it.” 3) Surging qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] forms a harmony: Yin and yang, these two qi 气 [energy, material], mutually surge into one another and come into a balanced blended harmonious state. “Surging (冲)” is the intersecting surge and swash. The Shuowen jiezi 说 文解字 [Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters] records: “Surging (冲) means surge and swing (涌摇).” “Surging qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material]” indicates the surging and swashing of yin and yang, the two qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material]. Many explanations read “surging qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material]” as “empty qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material].” Chiang HsiChang (Jiang Xichang) argues that this explanation does not work. He writes, “In Chapter 4 we have: ‘The Dao is chong 冲 [surging, swash, empty3], but use it [and it] huo 或 [perhaps] might not ying 盈 [fill up, full].’ Here the character ‘chong 冲 [surging, swash, empty]’ is treated as ‘zhong 盅 [a handless small cup],’ whereas in this chapter the character ‘chong 冲 [surging, swash, empty4]’ is used just as itself. The Shuowen 说 文 [Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters] records: ‘A small handless cup (盅), is an empty vessel.’ It further records: ‘Surging (冲) means surge and swing (涌摇).’ The meaning of these two words is different. The Dao’s fullness is empty and thus the metaphor of a vessel, or ‘a small handless cup (盅)’ is used [for interpreting the character 冲]. The essence of qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] of yin and yang swishes and surges into a harmony, and thus the word ‘surge’ is used. This is the difference [between the two places where the same character 冲 was used].” “Harmony (和)” can be understood in two ways. First, it describes yin and yang uniting harmoniously in a balanced blended harmonious state. For example, the Tian zi fang 田子方 [Tian Zifang] chapter of the Zhuangzi 庄子 [Writings of Master Zhuang] states: “The utmost yin is cold and quiet, the utmost yang is hot and flourishing, cold and quiet comes from the heavens, hot and flourishing comes from the earth, the two interact and harmoniously unite and there is the generation of things.” In the chapter Tian wen 天文 [Patterns of The heavens], the Huainanzi 淮南子 [Writings of Master Huainan] records, “The Dao begins in oneness. Oneness does not generate [things], and thus it divides into yin and yang. Yin and yang harmoniously combine and all things are generated.” According to this understanding, “surging qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] forms a harmony” should be indicating a state in which yin and yang harmoniously unite. Wu Cheng 吴澄 (d. 1333) thus writes, “ ‘Harmony (和)’ indicates the fitting equality of yin and yang where neither is partial towards overcoming the other.” A second way to understand what is being said here is as indicating something outside of yin and yang, that there is another kind of qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material], called ‘harmonious (和) qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material]’. Gao Heng 高亨 (d. 1986) writes: “ ‘Surging qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] forms a harmony’ means that yin and yang, the two qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] swish and swash, interacting to form ‘harmonious (和) qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material]’. Contemporary Translation The Dao is independent and without match, the chaotic undifferentiated mixture unified as one body produces the heavens and earth, the heavens and earth produce yin and yang, the two qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material], these two qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] interact with one another and form various types of new things. All things shoulder yin and face yang, the two qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] yin and yang come together swishing and swashing to form new harmonious bodies. {People hate [to be] “the orphan”, “the widower”, and “the unworthy”, and yet kings and rulers actually use these terms to refer to themselves. It is true of all things and affairs that sometimes they are lessened, and thereby gain, sometimes they gain and are thereby lessened. What others use to instruct me, I also use to instruct others. Those who are violent do not meet nice deaths. I take this as the ground for my teaching. Argument This chapter is Laozi’s cosmogony. Here “oneness,” “twoness” and “threeness” indicate the process by which the Dao formed all things. The Dao which [Chapter 14 describes as] “they are muddled and one (混而为一)” is, for the miscellaneous phenomena, independent and matchless, absolutely without parallel and dependence. Laozi uses “oneness” to describe the undifferentiated state of the Dao as it moves into the first level of concreteness. The mixed and undifferentiated Dao actually already constitutes the two qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] of yin and yang. The Yi zhuan 易传 [Book of Changes] says that once yin and once yang is called “the Dao”. “Twoness” indicates that the Dao contains yin and yang, and these two qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material] constitute the most basic elements (原质) of all things. As the Dao continues to become concrete and differentiated, the interaction of yin and yang also gets more and more frequent. “Threeness” shows how yin and yang, these two qi 气 [energy, vital energy, material], mutually surge into one another and come into a balanced blended harmonious state. Every new harmonious body is produced from this type of state. This chapter is broken into two paragraphhs. The second paragraph states, “What people hate [to be], is the orphan, the widower, the unworthy, and kings and rulers take them as their names. Thus things are sometimes diminished as they are benefited, or are benefitted as they are diminished. What people teach I also teach. The overly bold do not get their [timely] death, I use them as fathers of teaching.” Chiang Hsi-Chang (Jiang Xichang), in his Laozi jiao gu 老子校诂 [Collation of the Laozi], suspects that “the first and second paragraphs here do not seem to connect.” Gao Heng, Cheng Zhu 陈柱 (d. 1944), Yan Lingfeng 严灵峰 (d. 1999), and many others suspect that the second paragraph was [mistakenly] relocated here from Chapter 39. Note: The lines began with “what people hate” are to remind people not to be conceited or vain, but rather be modest and self-observant. Judging by its meaning, this paragraph seems to be mistakenly relocated to this chapter from Chapter 39.

 

[Cobie]

If it needs a commentary, it’s a mistranslation.