This is #10 (Tao #41) in a Series of Posts that share Synchronistically-Timely chapters from
Stephen Mitchell's Auspicious book
The Second Book of The Tao
Stephen Mitchell's Auspicious book
The Second Book of The Tao
12/25/14
Close your eyes,
let your hands and nerve-ends drop,
stop breathing for three seconds,
listen to the silence inside the illusion of the world,
and you will remember the lesson you forgot,
which was taught
in immense milky way soft cloud innumerable worlds long ago
and not even at all.
—Jack Kerouac
(see full Kerouac quote at end)
let your hands and nerve-ends drop,
stop breathing for three seconds,
listen to the silence inside the illusion of the world,
and you will remember the lesson you forgot,
which was taught
in immense milky way soft cloud innumerable worlds long ago
and not even at all.
—Jack Kerouac
(see full Kerouac quote at end)
#41
In the beginning, there was nothing.
From nothing arose the One.
All things return to it.
In the beginning, there was nothing.
From nothing arose the One.
All things return to it.
Because it is without form,
there is no way to name it.
there is no way to name it.
It doesn’t exist and doesn’t
not-exist. When we call it “the Tao,”
we define nothing as a something.
not-exist. When we call it “the Tao,”
we define nothing as a something.
The Tao is beyond words.
The more you talk about it,
the farther away from it you get.
The more you talk about it,
the farther away from it you get.
Only when you are truly unattached
to words or to silence
can you express the truth.
The Second Book of The Tao
Stephen Mitchell
to words or to silence
can you express the truth.
The Second Book of The Tao
Stephen Mitchell
O That which Exhales me into form,
Inhales me gently Home!
ew
Godseed
2003
(slight edit from original below)
O One that Exhaled me into form
Inhales me gently Home!
Inhales me gently Home!
ew
Godseed
2003
(slight edit from original below)
O One that Exhaled me into form
Inhales me gently Home!
COMMENTARY
Ah, the Tao, the Tao.
When we talk about it, the vast isn’t vast enough,
and the subtle seems ludicrously crude.
The only way to approach it is through paradox:
to step out of the way until language bites its own tail.
And a little chutzpah doesn’t hurt.
Ah, the Tao, the Tao.
When we talk about it, the vast isn’t vast enough,
and the subtle seems ludicrously crude.
The only way to approach it is through paradox:
to step out of the way until language bites its own tail.
And a little chutzpah doesn’t hurt.
Chutzpah is usually defined as “effrontery,” but it’s more than that.
It’s effrontery with a feather in its cap,
it’s the sound of three hands clapping,
it’s a garlic bagel crashing a party of champagne flutes.
It’s not a good thing or a bad thing,
but we tend to smile or gasp when we encounter it.
Though there’s no Chinese ideogram for chutzpah,
this chapter is a perfect case study.
It’s effrontery with a feather in its cap,
it’s the sound of three hands clapping,
it’s a garlic bagel crashing a party of champagne flutes.
It’s not a good thing or a bad thing,
but we tend to smile or gasp when we encounter it.
Though there’s no Chinese ideogram for chutzpah,
this chapter is a perfect case study.
So: if the more we talk about the Tao, the farther away from it we get,
why would we talk about it at all?
But okay, let’s talk.
why would we talk about it at all?
But okay, let’s talk.
We begin with the beginning, which equals zero,
a nice round number that is the absence of numbers.
From this absence, the One arises.
Are you reeling yet?
a nice round number that is the absence of numbers.
From this absence, the One arises.
Are you reeling yet?
But there’s more.
If zero transmutes into one, zero equals one.
(So much for the foundations of mathematics.)
If zero transmutes into one, zero equals one.
(So much for the foundations of mathematics.)
Then, from the One, after a fraction of a nano-instant,
with a bang, the infinitely many arise.
Ultimately infinity return to the One, which equals zero.
with a bang, the infinitely many arise.
Ultimately infinity return to the One, which equals zero.
But the One doesn’t not-exist.
It doesn’t exist either; you can’t limit it to either category of mind.
So when we say, “All things are one,”
we’re lying through our teeth.
Since reality is beyond conception,
how can we dare to talk about it?
It doesn’t exist either; you can’t limit it to either category of mind.
So when we say, “All things are one,”
we’re lying through our teeth.
Since reality is beyond conception,
how can we dare to talk about it?
But we do.
And there’s something endearing about the daring of that.
If nothing else, it makes us think.
And there’s something endearing about the daring of that.
If nothing else, it makes us think.
Even better, it makes us not-think,
which could be the point of it all.
The Second Book of The Tao
Compiled and adapted
from the
Chuang-tze and the Chung Yung,
with commentaries
by
Stephen Mitchell
which could be the point of it all.
The Second Book of The Tao
Compiled and adapted
from the
Chuang-tze and the Chung Yung,
with commentaries
by
Stephen Mitchell
It’s all like a dream.
Everything is ecstasy, inside.
We just don’t know it because of our thinking-minds.
But in our true blissful essence of mind is known that everything is alright
forever and forever and forever.
Close your eyes,
let your hands and nerve-ends drop,
stop breathing for three seconds,
listen to the silence inside the illusion of the world,
and you will remember the lesson you forgot,
which was taught
in immense milky way soft cloud innumerable worlds long ago
and not even at all.
It is all one vast awakened thing.
I call it the golden eternity.
It is perfect.
We were never really born, we will never really die.
It has nothing to do with the imaginary idea of a personal self,
other selves, many selves everywhere:
Self is only an idea, a mortal idea.
That which passes into everything is one thing.
It’s a dream already ended.
There’s nothing to be afraid of and nothing to be glad about.
—Jack Kerouac
http://peacefullpresence.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-golden-eternity.html
Everything is ecstasy, inside.
We just don’t know it because of our thinking-minds.
But in our true blissful essence of mind is known that everything is alright
forever and forever and forever.
Close your eyes,
let your hands and nerve-ends drop,
stop breathing for three seconds,
listen to the silence inside the illusion of the world,
and you will remember the lesson you forgot,
which was taught
in immense milky way soft cloud innumerable worlds long ago
and not even at all.
It is all one vast awakened thing.
I call it the golden eternity.
It is perfect.
We were never really born, we will never really die.
It has nothing to do with the imaginary idea of a personal self,
other selves, many selves everywhere:
Self is only an idea, a mortal idea.
That which passes into everything is one thing.
It’s a dream already ended.
There’s nothing to be afraid of and nothing to be glad about.
—Jack Kerouac
http://peacefullpresence.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-golden-eternity.html
All photos below are early evening 6/29/15
See Read More below for additional photos and all of Tao #41
#41
In the beginning, there was nothing.
From nothing arose the One.
All things return to it.
Because it is without form,
there is no way to name it.
It doesn’t exist and doesn’t
not-exist. When we call it “the Tao,”
we define nothing as a something.
The Tao is beyond words.
The more you talk about it,
the farther away from it you get.
Only when you are truly unattached
to words or to silence
can you express the truth.
The Second Book of The Tao
Stephen Mitchell
In the beginning, there was nothing.
From nothing arose the One.
All things return to it.
Because it is without form,
there is no way to name it.
It doesn’t exist and doesn’t
not-exist. When we call it “the Tao,”
we define nothing as a something.
The Tao is beyond words.
The more you talk about it,
the farther away from it you get.
Only when you are truly unattached
to words or to silence
can you express the truth.
The Second Book of The Tao
Stephen Mitchell
COMMENTARY
Ah, the Tao, the Tao.
When we talk about it, the vast isn’t vast enough,
and the subtle seems ludicrously crude.
The only way to approach it is through paradox:
to step out of the way until language bites its own tail.
And a little chutzpah doesn’t hurt.
Chutzpah is usually defined as “effrontery,” but it’s more than that.
It’s effrontery with a feather in its cap,
it’s the sound of three hands clapping,
it’s a garlic bagel crashing a party of champagne flutes.
It’s not a good thing or a bad thing,
but we tend to smile or gasp when we encounter it.
Though there’s no Chinese ideogram for chutzpah,
this chapter is a perfect case study.
So: if the more we talk about the Tao, the farther away from it we get,
why would we talk about it at all?
But okay, let’s talk.
We begin with the beginning, which equals zero,
a nice round number that is the absence of numbers.
From this absence, the One arises.
Are you reeling yet?
But there’s more.
If zero transmutes into one, zero equals one.
(So much for the foundations of mathematics.)
Then, from the One, after a fraction of a nano-instant,
with a bang, the infinitely many arise.
Ultimately infinity return to the One, which equals zero.
But the One doesn’t not-exist.
It doesn’t exist either; you can’t limit it to either category of mind.
So when we say, “All things are one,”
we’re lying through our teeth.
Since reality is beyond conception,
how can we dare to talk about it?
But we do.
And there’s something endearing about the daring of that.
If nothing else, it makes us think.
Even better, it makes us not-think,
which could be the point of it all.
The Second Book of The Tao
Compiled and adapted
from the
Chuang-tze and the Chung Yung,
with commentaries
by
Stephen Mitchell
Ah, the Tao, the Tao.
When we talk about it, the vast isn’t vast enough,
and the subtle seems ludicrously crude.
The only way to approach it is through paradox:
to step out of the way until language bites its own tail.
And a little chutzpah doesn’t hurt.
Chutzpah is usually defined as “effrontery,” but it’s more than that.
It’s effrontery with a feather in its cap,
it’s the sound of three hands clapping,
it’s a garlic bagel crashing a party of champagne flutes.
It’s not a good thing or a bad thing,
but we tend to smile or gasp when we encounter it.
Though there’s no Chinese ideogram for chutzpah,
this chapter is a perfect case study.
So: if the more we talk about the Tao, the farther away from it we get,
why would we talk about it at all?
But okay, let’s talk.
We begin with the beginning, which equals zero,
a nice round number that is the absence of numbers.
From this absence, the One arises.
Are you reeling yet?
But there’s more.
If zero transmutes into one, zero equals one.
(So much for the foundations of mathematics.)
Then, from the One, after a fraction of a nano-instant,
with a bang, the infinitely many arise.
Ultimately infinity return to the One, which equals zero.
But the One doesn’t not-exist.
It doesn’t exist either; you can’t limit it to either category of mind.
So when we say, “All things are one,”
we’re lying through our teeth.
Since reality is beyond conception,
how can we dare to talk about it?
But we do.
And there’s something endearing about the daring of that.
If nothing else, it makes us think.
Even better, it makes us not-think,
which could be the point of it all.
The Second Book of The Tao
Compiled and adapted
from the
Chuang-tze and the Chung Yung,
with commentaries
by
Stephen Mitchell
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