This is #13 (Tao #36) 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
FullMoonSet in the West
#36
Whatever happens or doesn’t happen,
can you center yourself in the Tao?
Whatever happens or doesn’t happen,
can you center yourself in the Tao?
Can you stop looking to others
and focus on your innermost self?
and focus on your innermost self?
Can you return to the beginning of the world
and be like a newborn baby?
and be like a newborn baby?
It can scream its head off all day,
yet it never becomes hoarse.
yet it never becomes hoarse.
It can clench its fist for hours,
yet its fingers never get cramped.
yet its fingers never get cramped.
It can stare all day without blinking,
yet its yes never grow tired.
yet its yes never grow tired.
Free from concerns and worries,
unaware of itself,
unaware of itself,
it moves without thinking,
doesn’t know why things happen,
doesn’t need to know.
doesn’t know why things happen,
doesn’t need to know.
To act without needing a reason,
to sit still without knowing how,
to sit still without knowing how,
to ride the current of what is--
this is the primal virtue.
The Second Book of The Tao
#36
Stephen Mitchell
this is the primal virtue.
The Second Book of The Tao
#36
Stephen Mitchell
COMMENTARY
People think that entering the kingdom of heaven
has something to do with good and evil.
But as Jesus implied,
every mother’s child wakes up in the kingdom of heaven.
People think that entering the kingdom of heaven
has something to do with good and evil.
But as Jesus implied,
every mother’s child wakes up in the kingdom of heaven.
Heaven is intimacy: the world before separation.
It looks exactly like earth,
but without the thoughts that branch out in a thousand directions
too heavy for us to bear.
It looks exactly like earth,
but without the thoughts that branch out in a thousand directions
too heavy for us to bear.
Our first parents were not the good children in a morality tale.
They were enchanted with each other and with themselves,
Adam staring into the mirror of phenomena,
Eve singing as she plaited a wreath.
They were enchanted with each other and with themselves,
Adam staring into the mirror of phenomena,
Eve singing as she plaited a wreath.
The tree they ate from was not called the Tree of Evil:
it was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
They become mere grown-ups the moment they bit into that bitter fruit.
They opened their eyes and thought that they knew something.
it was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
They become mere grown-ups the moment they bit into that bitter fruit.
They opened their eyes and thought that they knew something.
They heard the voice of guilt and punishment
walking in the garden in the cool of the day.
walking in the garden in the cool of the day.
They imagined that they were naked,
when all the while they were clad in all earthly abundance,
and crowned with the moon and stars.
The Second Book of The Tao
Compiled and adapted
from the
Chuang-tze and the Chung Yung,
with commentaries
by
Stephen Mitchell
when all the while they were clad in all earthly abundance,
and crowned with the moon and stars.
The Second Book of The Tao
Compiled and adapted
from the
Chuang-tze and the Chung Yung,
with commentaries
by
Stephen Mitchell
The Life-Energy and
Awareness arrive.
In due course,
The instrument’s purpose is fulfilled
The Life-Energy and
Awareness depart.
The cycle is completed.
Understand this thoroughly and
There is nothing else to do.
–Wu Hsin
Awareness arrive.
In due course,
The instrument’s purpose is fulfilled
The Life-Energy and
Awareness depart.
The cycle is completed.
Understand this thoroughly and
There is nothing else to do.
–Wu Hsin
#36
Whatever happens or doesn’t happen,
can you center yourself in the Tao?
Can you stop looking to others
and focus on your innermost self?
Can you return to the beginning of the world
and be like a newborn baby?
It can scream its head off all day,
yet it never becomes hoarse.
It can clench its fist for hours,
yet its fingers never get cramped.
It can stare all day without blinking,
yet its yes never grow tired.
Free from concerns and worries,
unaware of itself,
it moves without thinking,
doesn’t know why things happen,
doesn’t need to know.
To act without needing a reason,
to sit still without knowing how,
to ride the current of what is--
this is the primal virtue.
The Second Book of The Tao
#36
Stephen Mitchell
Whatever happens or doesn’t happen,
can you center yourself in the Tao?
Can you stop looking to others
and focus on your innermost self?
Can you return to the beginning of the world
and be like a newborn baby?
It can scream its head off all day,
yet it never becomes hoarse.
It can clench its fist for hours,
yet its fingers never get cramped.
It can stare all day without blinking,
yet its yes never grow tired.
Free from concerns and worries,
unaware of itself,
it moves without thinking,
doesn’t know why things happen,
doesn’t need to know.
To act without needing a reason,
to sit still without knowing how,
to ride the current of what is--
this is the primal virtue.
The Second Book of The Tao
#36
Stephen Mitchell
COMMENTARY
People think that entering the kingdom of heaven
has something to do with good and evil.
But as Jesus implied,
every mother’s child wakes up in the kingdom of heaven.
Heaven is intimacy: the world before separation.
It looks exactly like earth,
but without the thoughts that branch out in a thousand directions
too heavy for us to bear.
Our first parents were not the good children in a morality tale.
They were enchanted with each other and with themselves,
Adam staring into the mirror of phenomena,
Eve singing as she plaited a wreath.
The tree they ate from was not called the Tree of Evil:
it was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
They become mere grown-ups the moment they bit into that bitter fruit.
They opened their eyes and thought that they knew something.
They heard the voice of guilt and punishment
walking in the garden in the cool of the day.
They imagined that they were naked,
when all the while they were clad in all earthly abundance,
and crowned with the moon and stars.
The Second Book of The Tao
Compiled and adapted
from the
Chuang-tze and the Chung Yung,
with commentaries
by
Stephen Mitchell
People think that entering the kingdom of heaven
has something to do with good and evil.
But as Jesus implied,
every mother’s child wakes up in the kingdom of heaven.
Heaven is intimacy: the world before separation.
It looks exactly like earth,
but without the thoughts that branch out in a thousand directions
too heavy for us to bear.
Our first parents were not the good children in a morality tale.
They were enchanted with each other and with themselves,
Adam staring into the mirror of phenomena,
Eve singing as she plaited a wreath.
The tree they ate from was not called the Tree of Evil:
it was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
They become mere grown-ups the moment they bit into that bitter fruit.
They opened their eyes and thought that they knew something.
They heard the voice of guilt and punishment
walking in the garden in the cool of the day.
They imagined that they were naked,
when all the while they were clad in all earthly abundance,
and crowned with the moon and stars.
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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