When a superior man hears of the Tao,
he immediately begins to embody it.
When an average man hears of the Tao,
he half believes it, half doubts it.
When a foolish man hears of the Tao,
he laughs out loud.
If he didn't laugh,
it wouldn't be the Tao.
Thus it is said:
The path into the light seems dark,
the path forward seems to go back,
the direct path seems long,
true power seems weak,
true purity seems tarnished,
true steadfastness seems changeable,
true clarity seems obscure,
the greatest art seems unsophisticated,
the greatest love seems indifferent,
the greatest wisdom seems childish.
The Tao is nowhere to be found.
Yet it nourishes and completes all things.
-- Stephen Mitchell, Chapter 41, Tao Te Ching
"What do you think of weapons and the use of weapons?" I asked Jesus and Lao Tzu.
"I stick by what I wrote so long ago," said Lao Tzu.
"Weapons are the tools of violence. All decent men detest them."
Jesus said, "Physical power always fails. Spiritual power is the path to follow."
"The Marine Corps Manual agrees with you," I said to Jesus.
"What does it say?" asked Lao Tzu.
"Unless you conquer the spirit of people, you have not won the war," I said.
"You can never conquer the spirit of people," said Jesus.
"The Way and its power seems weak to the foolish," said Lao Tzu.
"But it always wins. And why? Because it does not play the win- lose game."
"Embodying the spirit of the Life Force means you have no death to die," I said.
"When you have no death to die, you have no fear," said Jesus.
"No fear, no need for a weapon," said Lao Tzu.
"Many laugh at this as a way to live," I said.
"They see this as unsophisticated, childish, and weak."
"They create their own hell," said Jesus.
"A baby is more powerful," said Lao Tzu. "It can cry all day and not be hoarse, can grab your finger and not let go. How does it do this? It is in harmony with the Tao."
"Aiki," I said.
"Yes," said Jesus. "Spiritual power.
"Those who flow as life flows know they need no other force," said Lao Tzu.
"They feel no wear, they feel no tear, they need no mending, no repair," I said.
He looked at me with surprise.
Jesus grinned.
he immediately begins to embody it.
When an average man hears of the Tao,
he half believes it, half doubts it.
When a foolish man hears of the Tao,
he laughs out loud.
If he didn't laugh,
it wouldn't be the Tao.
Thus it is said:
The path into the light seems dark,
the path forward seems to go back,
the direct path seems long,
true power seems weak,
true purity seems tarnished,
true steadfastness seems changeable,
true clarity seems obscure,
the greatest art seems unsophisticated,
the greatest love seems indifferent,
the greatest wisdom seems childish.
The Tao is nowhere to be found.
Yet it nourishes and completes all things.
-- Stephen Mitchell, Chapter 41, Tao Te Ching
"What do you think of weapons and the use of weapons?" I asked Jesus and Lao Tzu.
"I stick by what I wrote so long ago," said Lao Tzu.
"Weapons are the tools of violence. All decent men detest them."
Jesus said, "Physical power always fails. Spiritual power is the path to follow."
"The Marine Corps Manual agrees with you," I said to Jesus.
"What does it say?" asked Lao Tzu.
"Unless you conquer the spirit of people, you have not won the war," I said.
"You can never conquer the spirit of people," said Jesus.
"The Way and its power seems weak to the foolish," said Lao Tzu.
"But it always wins. And why? Because it does not play the win- lose game."
"Embodying the spirit of the Life Force means you have no death to die," I said.
"When you have no death to die, you have no fear," said Jesus.
"No fear, no need for a weapon," said Lao Tzu.
"Many laugh at this as a way to live," I said.
"They see this as unsophisticated, childish, and weak."
"They create their own hell," said Jesus.
"A baby is more powerful," said Lao Tzu. "It can cry all day and not be hoarse, can grab your finger and not let go. How does it do this? It is in harmony with the Tao."
"Aiki," I said.
"Yes," said Jesus. "Spiritual power.
"Those who flow as life flows know they need no other force," said Lao Tzu.
"They feel no wear, they feel no tear, they need no mending, no repair," I said.
He looked at me with surprise.
Jesus grinned.
Right on brother!
ReplyDeletegeo. this is worth a few digestions. lots of meat and potatoes. thanks for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and after dinner mint.
ReplyDelete