A Closer Look at the Golden Rule

January 7, 2011 · Posted in Tao · Comment

Rating: +2 (from 2 votes)

A popular saying is “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. From the Bible( KJV), Jesus is quoted as saying, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”

While on the surface, this sounds like solid advice, I believe its intrinsic flaw in logic has been the cause of much suffering through the ages. The problem is not everyone else wants to be treated the way you want to be treated.

A poem by Chuang Tzu expresses this idea.

Tags: Bible, Chuang-Tzu, golden rule

Movement and Stillness

January 1, 2011 · Posted in Health, Tao · Comment

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As with many things in Taoism, an interdependent duality is expressed about things which seem opposite of each other. Darkness has no meaning without light. Beauty cannot exist without ugliness present for comparison. While these seem to easily appeal to the logically minded, the idea that movement is defined by stillness causes some to pause.

Tags: duality, Movement, stillness

The Line Between Good and Evil

November 23, 2010 · Posted in Tao · Comment

Rating: +2 (from 2 votes)

Tags: Video Tao

An Essential Part of Being

November 12, 2010 · Posted in Tao · Comment

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It’s not an unusual observation to note the similarities between solar systems and atoms. From the enormous to infinitesimally small, things in the universe have an order to their actions. Order, however, doesn’t equate to peace and tranquility. The universe is an extremely violent place, after all. We have asteroids crashing into moons and planets, massive fission stars, super-novas, black holes, even galaxies crashing into each other. There are ongoing storms on Jupiter that are larger than planets. There are destructive electrical storms, tornadoes and hurricanes right here at home.

Within our own bodies are conflicts as blood cells fight off invaders, our immune systems in regular battles against foreign organisms, viruses, contaminants, etc.

Tags: being, universe, war

Restrictions, Laws and Poverty

April 12, 2010 · Posted in Social, Tao · Comment

Rating: +6 (from 6 votes)

The Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) is the second most translated book in the world today. Let’s take a look at a handful of translations of a particular part of Chapter 57 and see if we can determine what is being expressed:

Beck: The more restrictions there are, the poorer the people.

Chan: The more taboos and prohibitions there are in the world, The poorer the people will be.

Hansen: The more the social world has to elude, the more the people are impoverished.

Legge: In the kingdom the multiplication of prohibitive enactments increases the poverty of the people.

Mitchell: The more prohibitions you have, the less virtuous people will be.

Ta-Kao: The more restrictions and avoidances are in the empire, The poorer become the people.

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