Book 29 was of the books that caught my attention most. "Do you think you can take over the universe and improve it? I do not believe it can be done. If you try to change it, you will ruin it. If you try to hold it, you will lose it". In this passage, I found there to be a very regrettful truth. As we attempt to change the world to satisfy our whims, we destroy it. And as we try even harder to hold it and control it, it escapes from our grasp.
Book 33 is also a very intriguing one. "he who knows he has enough is rich...To die but not to perish is to be eternally present." These are such extraordinary thoughts, I think they mean to say that when we stop seeking and being greedy, we will be rich. When we are completely satisfied with who we are, what we have and what we do, we will be whole. As to the second passage, I think it means that if you have done good in your life, then you will live in those who remember and in that way, dead yet not perished, you will always be there.
In book 36, there was a passage that I took in mind. "Before recieving, there must be giving." What is being said here is that some things must be done before others, some things come first. And in order to be happy, we must put others first.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Tao Te Ching 13-28
3 of these 16 books caught my attention. "Accept disgrace willingly. Accept misfortune as the human condition."(13). This passage I found most intriguing, for it is most ironic. We as humans are proud and greedy, and are not often humble. But as it is mentioned in this passage, we are meant to be imperfect and unfortunate, which is precisely all that we deny, defeat.
"When there is no peace within the family, Filial piety and devotion will arise."(18). In this passage, it is shown how one bad thing leads to a good one. I believe this to be a very true part of life. When something bad happens to us, there is something good to come from it, only we most times forget to look for it.
"Not boasting, they recieve recognition. Not braggin, they never falter. They do not quarrel, So no one quarrels with them."(22). I believe that this passage brings together both previous books. Its ironical because its saying that through wu and wu-wei you achieve what you want. This I find is something that at first may seem ironic, but in the end, it is just logical. Only we humans have turned logic to irony because it doesn't seem to benefit us, for who would have ever thought that by not doing or not being, one would recieve something in return? We have always live under the idea that we may only achieve what we want by acting upon it. But the truth is that there is more than one way of getting what we want, as it is manifested throughout the theories of the Tao.
"When there is no peace within the family, Filial piety and devotion will arise."(18). In this passage, it is shown how one bad thing leads to a good one. I believe this to be a very true part of life. When something bad happens to us, there is something good to come from it, only we most times forget to look for it.
"Not boasting, they recieve recognition. Not braggin, they never falter. They do not quarrel, So no one quarrels with them."(22). I believe that this passage brings together both previous books. Its ironical because its saying that through wu and wu-wei you achieve what you want. This I find is something that at first may seem ironic, but in the end, it is just logical. Only we humans have turned logic to irony because it doesn't seem to benefit us, for who would have ever thought that by not doing or not being, one would recieve something in return? We have always live under the idea that we may only achieve what we want by acting upon it. But the truth is that there is more than one way of getting what we want, as it is manifested throughout the theories of the Tao.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Analects Final Entry
Books 18 through 20 were those that finalized this amazing work of writing. In 18.6 when the Master says: "If the way were realized in the world, then I would not need to change anything." This passage said that those of us who feel that what s being done in the world is worng, instead of resigning ourelves from it and ignoring it completely, what we should try tp do is change the way things are viewd in modern life. In book 19, the passage where Zigong says: "A gentleman's errors are like an eclipse of the sun and the moon: when he errs, everyone notices it, but when he makes amends, everyone looks up to him." I find this metaphor quite intriguing. I believe it is saying that when a good person has done something wrong, although it is notable to everyone, so is his progress when he tries to make it better. The very last passage, 20.3 I believe is the perfect way to wrap up these Analects. It says: "One who does not understand fate, lacks the means to become a gentleman. One who does not understand ritual, lacks the means to take his place. One who does not understand words lacks the means to evaluate others." What is said here is too profound to clearly explain, everyone has a different way of interpreting such thoughts, but here's what I think. One must have a thorough knowledge and understanding of not one but all virtues in order to fulfill what is required form a Good person.
These Analects I believe were a window to a small part of Chinese culture. It showed us how similar and different we are to these amazingly insightful, brigth and talented people. Such ideas about life are, I believe, worth having in mind. And they are definately a tool of guidance for those of us who struggle to know right from wrong, in both ourselves and others.
These Analects I believe were a window to a small part of Chinese culture. It showed us how similar and different we are to these amazingly insightful, brigth and talented people. Such ideas about life are, I believe, worth having in mind. And they are definately a tool of guidance for those of us who struggle to know right from wrong, in both ourselves and others.
Analects 15-17
In these books I saw swvweral passages that caught my attention. The first one was 15.2 where it says: "Of course the gentle man encounters hardship. The difference is that the pretty man, encountering hardship, is overwhelmed by it." This I believe to be a ver insightful idea. For most superficial people, are surprised by having to go through suffering, as I did at one point. But opposite to pretty people, those who are profound, when facing suffering know how to deal with it. 16.9 is another passage that caught my attention. It says: "People who find it difficult to understand but do not even try to learn are the worst of all." I agree intirely with this. I believe then when not comprehending, one must do what's best to understand, if all one does is either ignore it or try to run away from it, are cowards. Finally 17.3 was a passage that really amazed me. I believe there are several ways to interpret this. "Only the very wise and the very stupid do not change." I think what is trying to be said here is that only those who too much cannot change, because they find themselves too absorbed in what they are to ever find a way to make a difference.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Analects 1-3
In these chapters I honestly found a lot less compared to other chapters. "A clever tounge and fine appearance are rarely signs of Goodness." (1.3) I think this line is partly true. I personally a gree that a clever tounge is more commonly used for bad than for good, sharp remarks are those that come from such a tounge. But on the other hand, I believe having pride in one's appearance is no sin, as long as it doesn't go to the point of becoming vain and conceded.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Tao Te Ching 1-12
In these chapters, I noticed that wu-wei is the most evident. In some passages such as in chapter 3, lines 1-3 and line 6 are perfect examples of how wu-wei manifests itself throughout these chapters. Here, it is saying that not doing, not seeing, and not having are the key to being all right; "If nothing is done, then all will be well." Sometimes we believe this statement to be true, we wait for things to come to us instead of taking the initiative and going to them. These chapters, I can see, are completely against ambition. It shows us that being humble is the key to true happiness. But sadly, I don't think it is. People often confuse ambition with greed. These are two very different things. When you are ambitous, you go for what you want and fight for it. Yet, ambition in an ecxessive matter turns into greed. When you begin to go by the theory "the needs justify the means", then you cease to be ambitous and become greedy and self centered. You think that your path to greatness is worth making others' miserable, bu that is not the point either. You must learn how to balance. Seeking happiness is in my opinion a very complicated matter. You will not be happy when everyone but you gets what they want, as it is suggested in wu-wie; but you won't be happy either if you make everyone suffer because you want to succeed.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Night
In the book Night by Elie Wiesel, I noticed thoughts I considered to be very interesting. "He (Moshe) explained to me with great insistence that every question possessed a power that did not lie in the answer." (p2) This I believe to be a powrful statement. But there are many ways to interpret it. I think it means that there is more to a question than its answer, when we ask a question, even if we don't realize it, we are looking for more than just an answe. We want to know the reason for that answer, but most of all, the reason for the question. Sometimes the truth of matters does not lie with these answers but with the questions themselves, as I believe it is mentioned here. What is even harder still to understand is the fact that these questions are the answers. Within every question we ask, lies an answer we dare not turn to, for fear of it being the worng one. But the truth is there is no right or wrong answer in life; all we have to do is dig deeper and look closer, and then, only then, will we find the one that will take us down the better path.
"I pray to the God within me that He will give me the strength to ask Him the right questions." (p3) I find this to be a real life situation. I pray to God to answer my questions, but I never wonder wether what I'm asking Him is right. This is why we most times dont know wether its worth believing or not in God, because we ask God for favors and answers, but what if these are not it? What if these questions He cannot answer, but its us who must? God's job is to guide us down the right path, but not do the path for us. The right way through life will obviously never be the easy one. God will lead us through a deep, dense forest full of temptations and decisions, but it is us who have to solve our problems and answer our questions. God has given us the otion of taking this path, wether we take it or not, is entirely up to us.
"I pray to the God within me that He will give me the strength to ask Him the right questions." (p3) I find this to be a real life situation. I pray to God to answer my questions, but I never wonder wether what I'm asking Him is right. This is why we most times dont know wether its worth believing or not in God, because we ask God for favors and answers, but what if these are not it? What if these questions He cannot answer, but its us who must? God's job is to guide us down the right path, but not do the path for us. The right way through life will obviously never be the easy one. God will lead us through a deep, dense forest full of temptations and decisions, but it is us who have to solve our problems and answer our questions. God has given us the otion of taking this path, wether we take it or not, is entirely up to us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)