View allAll Photos Tagged nonaction,
(noun) - lack of action where some is expected or appropriate - #dormancy, #idleness, #inactivity, #inertness, #nonaction, #quiescence #Norfolk #pup #seal
无为，是《道德经》中的重要概念。道家所宣扬的“无为”无不为，不争是老子对君王的告诫，不是普遍性的道德准则，而是指君主不与民争。
《道德经》中有十二处提到无为。第三章称“为无为，则无不治”。《南华经》中有六十八处提到无为。《庄子·应帝王》称“顺物自然而无容私焉”。
道家的无为是指要君主不与民争，顺应民众，不妄为的意思。杜光庭《道德经注疏》称：“无为之理，其大矣哉。无为者，非谓引而不来，推而不去，迫而不应，感而不动，坚滞而不流，卷握而不散也。谓其私志不入公道，嗜欲不枉正术，循理而举事，因资而立功，事成而身不伐，功立而名不有。”
由此可见，道家的无为，并非要君主不求有所作为，只是指君主凡事要“顺天之时，随地之性，因人之心”，而不要君主违反“天时、地性、人心”，不能仅凭主观愿望和想象行事。
《云笈七签·七部语要》引《妙真经》轶文:：“欲求无为，先当避害。何者？远嫌疑、远小人、远苟得、远行止；慎口食、慎舌利、慎处闹、慎力斗。常思过失，改而从善。又能通天文、通地理、通人事、通鬼神、通时机、通术数。是则与圣齐功，与天同德矣”。
道家的“无为”，并非要君主消极避世，而是应该努力学习，积极进取，通晓自然和社会，善于处理人际关系。
所以说，“无为”并非要君主无所作为，什么事情都不做；而是要君主应该按“道”行事，处世立命，君主必须摒弃妄自作为，远祸慎行，追求朴素节俭、清静寡欲的境界。
庄子多方面地思考了人所面临的生存困境。庄子认为，人的生命异常短促，在短促的生命过程中，又会受到各种社会事物的束缚和伤害。特别是在庄子生活的时代，残暴的统治者使人民大量地受刑和死亡：“今世殊死者相枕也，桁杨者相推也，刑戮者相望也” （《庄子·在宥》）。庄子强调的“无为”是君主“顺物自然而无容私焉”。(《庄子·应帝王》)就是说，庄子除了强调君主的作为必须因循事物的自然本性及其发展趋势之外，还强调要做到不夹杂君主个人的私心和成见。所谓“私心”主要是指私欲之心，逞强争竞之心，好大喜功之心。老子说的“圣人常无心”(四十九章)的“心”，大抵就是指的这种“心”。这一点也是很重要的，因为如果夹杂君主个人的私心和成见，就难以做到因循事物的自然本性及其发展趋势而为，甚至难以认识和把握事物的自然本性及其发展趋势。在今亦是如此，比如有的领导干部在有些问题上之所以不能做到实事求是，其中一个重要的原因恐怕就是考虑到其结果与个人的或单位的或部门的或地区的利益相抵触。
“善恶若无报,乾坤必有私。”总之，作为老子政治哲学范畴的“无为”，是指君主的一种指导思想、行为原则和行为方式。他把这种行为方式也叫做“为无为”，{六十三章)即以无为的方式去“为”。作为行为方式的“无为”有三个要点:一是要因循事物的自然本性及其发展趋势而为，要做到这一点，则必须以正确地认识和把握该事物的自然本性及其发展趋势为前提(比如人的自然本性是一要求生存，二要图发展，只是有思想、不愿受奴役，这是必须认识、不可违逆的);二是要“以辅万物之自然而不敢为”，即按照因循事物的自然本性和总的发展趋势的基本要求，以道所体现的柔弱的方式加以辅助或引导，使其向着有利于事物和实践主体的方向发展;共是在这个过程中要出以公心，并尽力涤除君主个人的主观成见，以客观公正的态度去作为。因此，如果给“无为”下一个定义的话，似乎可以这样讲:作为老子政治哲学范畴的“无为”，绝不是无所作为之意，而是指人的这样一种行为原则和行为方式，即按照因循事物的自然本性和总的发展趋势的基本要求，以客观公正的态度。以道所体现的柔弱的特点和方式加以辅助、引导或变革，使其向着既有利于客观事物又有利于实践主体的方向发展。
应当看到，老子当初提出“无为”概念，主要针对的是侯王等统治者的”有为”。当时的情况是:列国争城掠地，贵族骄奢淫逸，苛政甚于猛虎，法令多如牛毛，人民怨声载道，暴动彼伏此起，这些都是统治者的“有为”所致。所以老子说:“民之饥，以其上食税之多，是以饥:民之难治。以其上之有为，是以难治;民之轻死，以其上之求生之厚，是以轻死。”(七十五章)可见老子在此所说的“有为”(在《老子》书中，’‘有为”只此一见)，与我们今所理解的“有所作为”根本不同，它是指统治者从自己和本阶级的私利出发，根本违逆人民的利益、愿望和要求，倚仗武力和权势的强行所为，恣意妄为。老子提出’‘无为”的概念，旨在告诫侯工等统治者不要违逆人民的利益、愿望和要求而强行所为和恣意妄为，期望他们能够效法道的无为和圣人的“以辅万物之自然而弗敢为”，从而为人民的自为、自化、自成即人民和社会自治的实现创造良好的社会环境和条件。因为在老子看来，“我(按:指贤明的君王)无为而民自化，我好静而民自正，我无事而民自富，我无欲而民自朴。”(五十七章) [2-3]
春秋战国时期中国较早的演化到了“全球化”的阶段，地缘政治上早于全世界。所以尚未覆盖全球的各种费米大过滤器，在概率上几乎必然更早的覆盖中国。像一二战这样全民动员的总体战在春秋战国已经出现、像核大战这样导致人口十不存一的毁灭性战争在汉末三国已经出现。而儒家思想统治下的中国在“突破”一个个大过滤器的时候发生了什么。三国人口十不存一，东晋人口十不存一，五代人口减半，宋亡人口减半，明末人口减半。中国从来没有真的突破大过滤器，而是一次次冲击大过滤器失败，然后卷土重来。——直到遇到工业革命。
汉唐是农耕社会发展的顶峰，到了宋朝以后整个儒家理学社会反过来造就了中国内卷化，直到工业革命。
“去人之廉以快号令，去人之耻以崇高其身，一夫为刚，万夫为柔”。此语出自是清代龚自珍《古史钩沉论》一文。自由出强悍，专制出奴才。为自己人当奴隶和为侵略者当奴隶并没有本质的区别，如果统治者不把老百姓当人看待，纷乱就会层出不穷，主权也是保不住的，如元末、明末、清末。
工业革命出现是在半农半牧半商的商业发达的航海地区，这些条件战国时期齐国道家和秦汉道家就已经提出，齐国、燕国、秦汉也有了很好实践。 [4] 商业发达的前提是工业，殷商的工艺已经够了：失蜡铸造的青铜器，油浸棉纱(麻布)盘根密封，滑动轴承，这些一直用到20世纪。但还要下游产业应用环境：大量普及的水力生产机械、马车+木轨道的“铁路”、帆船大航海，或者大型战舰。而把技术视为奇技淫巧的儒家即使到了后世的朝代也没富到过使用马车“铁路”。而儒家不止反对科技还反对民众自组织，导致北方民众遇到漠北骑兵不能和当地守军协防，儒家的华夷、防民立场反对民众学习漠北的自组织与骑射。
与儒家相反，道家却提出了《六韬·六守》 ：“太公曰：‘大农、大工、大商谓之三宝。’”此以农、工、商为国之三宝。黄老道家的另一部巨著《管子》更是对无为而治下的自化过程和动力机制进行了生动的阐述：“夫凡人之情，见利莫能勿就，见害莫能勿避。其商人通贾，倍道兼行，夜以续日，千里而不远者，利在前也。渔人之入海，海深万仞，就彼逆流，乘危百里，宿夜不出者，利在水也。故利之所在，虽千仞之山，无所不上；深渊之下，无所不入焉。故善者势利之在，而民自美安，不推而往，不引而来，不烦不扰，而民自富。如鸟之覆卵，无形无声，而唯见其成。”司马迁亦认同黄老道家的说法：“人各任其能，竭其力，以得所欲，道之所符、自然之验。故待农而食之，虞而出之，工而成之，商而通之，此宁有政教发征期会哉？严复：夫黄老之道,民主之国所有也,故长而不宰，无为而无不为;君主之国,未能用黄老者也。汉之黄老，貌袭而取之耳.君主之利器,其惟儒术乎！
法家提倡君本位，注重强君弱民，其君主专制的结果就是一夫为刚万夫柔，面对君主专制对百姓的压制，儒家认为君主不宜行苛政，应当约法省刑、轻徭薄赋、举贤任能、推重德治，使君主和百姓都有良好的德性和担当，道家则认为君主不应有任何仁义礼的作为，而应彻底的无为，所谓天地不仁以万物为刍狗，圣人不仁以百姓为刍狗，圣人是君主的理想化人格，君主要效法天地不对万物（百姓）有任何的干预，而只是任百姓如刍狗般自相演化，所谓我无为而民自化，就是这个道理。
单就“无为”而论本无所谓对错。强者对弱者“无为”可以理解为宽容，弱者对强者“无为”就沦于苟且。权力对权利“无为”意味着自由，而权利对权力“无为”则意味着奴役。弱者对强者无为这就把无为等同于苟且了，犬儒而已。
首先，道家无为非常注重君主的德行，认为作为君主，最重要的是要遵循为君之道。正如《吕氏春秋·似顺论·分时篇中所说:“武王取非其有，如己有之，通乎君道也。”而遵循为君之道的首要任务就是遵循“道”。《管子·心术上》中有:“道也者，动不见其形，施不见其德，万物皆以得，然莫知其极。”它们都承认“道”是天地万物的根本，也是君主所应遵守的最为重要的准则。关于“道”，《吕氏春秋·慎大览·下贤》篇中有:“莫知其始，莫知其终，莫知其门，莫知其端，莫知其源。其大无外，其小无内。”《审分览·君守》篇中有:“得道者必静。静者无知，知乃无知，可以言君道也。故日中欲不出谓之扁，外欲不人谓之闭。既扁而又闭，天之用密。有准不以平，有绳不以正。天之大静，既静而又宁，可以为天下正。”《管子·心术上》中有“道在天地之间也。其大无外，其小无内。”对于“道”的“其大无外，其小无内”的特质的概括，在这两部典籍中是相同的。
如何才能够正确地遵循“道”呢?《吕氏春秋》与《管子》又给出了相同的答案，即取法天地。《吕氏春秋·序意》中写道:“爱有大圈在上，大矩在下，汝能法之，为民父母。盖闻古之清世，是法天地。”《管子·版法》篇中也有:“法天合德，象地无亲，参于日月，伍于四时。”《管子·内业》篇中也有“能戴大圈而履大方”。“大方”即为“大矩”。可见这两部典籍中对于天、地的称谓都是统一的。
这两部古籍都一致认为，只要君主取法天地之道，天下就会自然而然地治理好了。而且，取法天地之道的关键在于君主本人身体力行“德”、“义”、“仁”等准则。《吕氏春秋·季秋纪·精通》篇中说:“圣人形德乎己，而四方咸饰乎仁。”《离俗览·上德》篇中写道:“为天下及国，莫如以德，莫如行义。以德以义，不赏而民劝，不罚而邪止”，又有:“故古之王者，德回乎天地，澹乎四海，东西南北，极日月之所烛，天覆地载，爱恶不减，虚素以公。”天下万物纷纷纭纭，万民熙熙攘攘，归根结底，治理天下根本还是君主自行修身。如果君主自己修养好了，天下就治理好了。所以《吕氏春秋·审分览·执一》篇中写道:“为国之本在于为身，身为而家为，家为而国为，国为而天下为。故曰以身为家，以家为国，以国为天下。此四者，异位同本。故圣人之事，广之则极宇宙、穷日月，约之则无出乎身者也。”《管子·君臣下》中也表达了同样的思想:“君之在国都也，若心之在身体也。道德定于上，则百姓化于下矣。戒心形于内，则容貌动于外矣。正也者，所以明其德。知得诸己，知得诸民，从其理也。知失诸民，退而修诸己，反其本也。”
君主自身的修养是决定性的因素，君臣之间的“名”与“分”也至关重要。《吕氏春秋·先识览·正名》中有“名正则治，名丧则乱”，《审分览·审分》篇中有“故至治之务，在于正名”;《管子·枢言》中有“有名则治，无名则乱。治者以其名”。与“名”相对应的另一个极为重要的词就是“分”。“名”就是所谓的“职称”，而“分”就是具备各种“职称”的人应该担当的“职责”。关于君臣的“名”与“分”，两部著作都给出了近似的界定，即《吕氏春秋》与《管子》中反复倡导的“方圆”之论。《吕氏春秋·季春纪·圈道》中写道:“天道圆，地道方，圣王法之，所以立上下。何以说天道之圆也?精气一上一下，圈周复杂，无所稽留，故曰天道圆。何以说地道之方也?万物殊类殊形，皆有分职，不能相为，故曰地道方。主执圈，臣处方，方圆不易，其国乃昌。”《管子》强调“君处圆而臣处方”，如“君臣下”中有:“主劳者方，主制者圈。圆者运，运者通，通则和。方者执，执者固，固则信。”
两部典籍都由“方圆”之论引申到了“规矩”之论。“规矩”可以理解为法制而非儒家的人治，儒家人治即是秩序 [5] 。法律是维护任何国家政权的最为有力的武器。《吕氏春秋·似顺论·处方》篇中写道:“今有人于此，擅矫行则免国家，利轻重则若衡石，为方圆则若规矩，此则工矣巧矣，而不足法。法也者，众之所同也，贤不肖之所以其力也。谋出乎不可用，事出乎不可同，此为先王之所舍也。”这就是说，法律是裁断一切是非曲直的依据，因而一定要依法行事。如果不依照法律行事，哪怕能取得实效，也是断然不可取的。《管子》中也表述了同样的思想。《法法》篇中有:“规矩者，方圆之正也。虽有巧目利手，不如拙规矩之正方圆也。故巧者能生规矩，不能废规矩而正方圆，虽圣人能生法，不能废法而治国。”依法治国在任何时候、任何地方都是维护政权、维持统治的关键。
作为君主，应该寻求贤人，委以重任，而避免事必躬亲。《吕氏春秋·季冬纪·士节》中有“贤主劳于求人，而佚于治事”，《审分览·勿躬》通篇讲述了圣明的君主应该充分利用贤人进行发明创造，治理国家。《似顺论·分职》篇中写道:“夫君也者，处虚素服而无智，故能使众智也;智反无能，故能使众能也;能执无为，故能使众为也。无智、无能、无为，此君主所执也。”也就是说，只要君主能做到摒弃自己的智慧、才能与作为，就能够充分调动众人的智慧、才能与作为。《管子·形势解》中也有:“明主不用其智，而任圣人之智，不用其力，而任众人之力。故以圣人之智思虑者，无不知也。以众人之力起事者，无不成也。”
君主还应该广开言路，察纳雅言。《吕氏春秋·不苟论·自知》篇中写道:“尧有欲谏之鼓，舜有诽谤之木，汤有司过之士，武王有戒慎之靶，犹恐不能自知。”《管子·桓公间》中有:“黄帝立明台之议者，尧有衙室之问者，舜有告善之族，禹立谏鼓于朝，汤有总街之庭，武王有灵台之复。”傅山响亮地提出“市井贱夫最有理”的观点,认为“市井贱夫可以平治天下。讲究一点强者对弱者的“无为”，权力对权利的“无为”，讲究一点宽容与自由，决不能借“兼济”之名对“天下”滥用强制，要记住：再高尚的人，其权力也要有制约；再平庸的人，其权利也应受保障。
道家不反对保卫人民与国家的战斗。《道德经》第67章：天下皆谓我道大，似不肖。夫唯大，故似不肖。若肖，久矣其细也夫！吾有三宝，持而保之。一曰慈，二曰俭，三曰不敢为天下先。慈故能勇；俭故能广；不敢为天下先，故能成器长。今舍慈且勇，舍俭且广，舍后且先，死矣。夫慈以战则胜，以守则固。天将救之，以慈卫之。又如，在讲到“义兵”时，《吕氏春秋·季秋纪·怀宠》篇中写道:“故义兵至，则邻国之民归之若流水，诛国之民望之若父母，行地滋远，得民滋众，兵不接刃而民服若化。”“行地滋远，得民滋众”《管子·小匡》:“是故天下之于桓公，远国之民望如父母，近国之民从如流水。故行地滋远，得人弥众。”老百姓“望之若父母”、“从之若流水”。
强者对弱者的无为是宽容，弱者对强者的无为，就是沦于苟且。权利对权力无为，意味着奴役，权力对权利无为，意味着自由。所以道家要君候无为而臣民有为，从而民众发展出自组织，相辅相成。
为什么当时会出现这两支主张呢？显然当时的社会有非常严重的弊病。就是一方面有些人不守规矩，为所欲为，蛮不讲理，随便乱来，造成很多问题；另一方面，老百姓又被束缚得很厉害，举手投足，动辄得咎，很多事情都不准他们做。那么这两种意见当然是冲着这两种东西来的。那么大家知道，多一点自由也好，多一点管束也好，跟道家有为无为一样，就看你是对谁而言。其实很容易理解，最大的问题就是统治者太自由，他的权力不受制约，可以为所欲为，而老百姓太不自由，他们被管束得无所措手足，被束缚得很厉害。
胡适：最高领袖的任务是自居于无知，而以众人之所知为知；自处于无能，而以众人之所能为能；自安于无为，而以众人之所为为为。凡察察以为明，琐琐以为能，都不是做最高领袖之道。1932年3月29日，蒋介石和胡适、陈布雷、陈立夫、顾孟馀等人晚餐，胡适送了一本《淮南王书》，此书不一定适合蒋介石的胃口，蒋介石喜读韩非子、墨子以及儒家经典，《四书》中的《大学》、《中庸》等。胡适于1935年7月26日致罗隆基的信中，谈了他送蒋介石《淮南子》书的意图：说据他观察，蒋管的事太多，“微嫌近于细碎，终不能‘小事糊涂’”。送蒋《淮南王书》“意在请他稍稍留意《淮南》书中的无为主义的精义”
胡适发掘《淮南子》政治思想的三大要义，最注重的是“充分的用众智众力”，他说“众智众力”的政治，“颇含有民治的意味”，于是以《主术训》为个案，对《淮南子》的民治主义精神作了精辟论述。胡适论《淮南子》“民治主义”有四大特色，即发见其“民治主义”四大基本要义：一是将《淮南子》与《吕氏春秋》作比较，《吕氏春秋》不主张民主政治，而到了《淮南子》时期，封建社会已完全崩溃了，故此书对群众的知识能力，比较有进一步认识，所以书中屡屡指出“积力之所举无不胜也，而众智之所为无不成也”，胡适说“这便是民治主义的基本理论”。胡适发现民治主义的第二个基本要义即是“无愚智贤不肖，莫不尽其能”，贤主用人“无大小修短，各得其所宜，规矩方圆各有所施。”民治主义的第三个基本要义，即是尊重人民的舆论，《主术训》说：“人主者，以天下之目视，以天下之耳听，以天下之智虑，以天下之力争。是故号令能下究，而臣情得上闻。……聪明光万里不弊，法令察而不苛，耳目达而不暗。善否之情日陈于前而无所逆。是故贤者尽其智而不肖者竭其力。”民治主义第四个基本要义是承认统治者与被统治者是对等的，只有相互的报施，而没有绝对服从的义务。〔3〕胡适发掘《淮南子》无为主义政治，民治主义思想之要义，并在30年代出版此书。
谈论《淮南子》的政治思想，可能用“无为”来概括之，但“无为”有哪些精义呢？胡适认为：“此书的政治思想有三个要义：一是虚君的法治，一是充分的用众智众力，一是变法而不知故常。”《泛论训》、《修务训》、《齐俗训》中都有主张变法的议论，强调“与时推移，应物变化”，而这个变化要靠民众的努力，同时变法应反对崇古的迷信，“绝圣弃智，大盗乃止”。
baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%97%A0%E4%B8%BA/25933?fr=aladdin
Wu wei (Chinese: 無為; pinyin: wúwéi) is an ancient Chinese concept literally meaning "inexertion", "inaction", or "effortless action"[a].[1][2] Wu wei emerged in the Spring and Autumn period, and from Confucianism, to become an important concept in Chinese statecraft and Taoism. It was most commonly used to refer to an ideal form of government, including the behavior of the emperor. Describing a state of unconflicting personal harmony, free-flowing spontaneity and savoir-faire, it generally also more properly denotes a state of spirit or mind, and in Confucianism accords with conventional morality. Sinologist Jean François Billeter describes wu-wei as a "state of perfect knowledge of the reality of the situation, perfect efficaciousness and the realization of a perfect economy of energy", which in practice Edward Slingerland qualifies as a "set of ('transformed') dispositions (including physical bearing)... conforming with the normative order"...Sinologist Herrlee Creel considers wu wei, as found in the Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi, to denote two different things. An "attitude of genuine non-action, motivated by a lack of desire to participate in human affairs" and
A "technique by means of which the one who practices it may gain enhanced control of human affairs". The first is quite in line with the contemplative Taoism of the Zhuangzi. Described as a source of serenity in Taoist thought, only rarely do Taoist texts suggest that ordinary people could gain political power through wu wei. The Zhuangzi does not seem to indicate a definitive philosophical idea, simply that the sage "does not occupy himself with the affairs of the world". The second sense appears to have been imported from the earlier governmental thought of "legalist" Shen Buhai (400 BC – c. 337 BC) as Taoists became more interested in the exercise of power by the ruler. Called "rule by non-activity" and strongly advocated by Han Fei, during the Han dynasty, up until the reign of Han Wudi rulers confined their activity "chiefly to the appointment and dismissal of his high officials", a plainly "Legalist" practice inherited from the Qin dynasty. This "conception of the ruler's role as a supreme arbiter, who keeps the essential power firmly in his grasp" while leaving details to ministers, has a "deep influence on the theory and practice of Chinese monarchy", and played a "crucial role in the promotion of the autocratic tradition of the Chinese polity", ensuring the ruler's power and the stability of the polity. Only appearing three times in the first (more contemplative) half of the Zhuangzi, early Taoists may have avoided the term for its association with "Legalism" before ultimately co-opting its governmental sense as well, as attempted in the Zhuangzi's latter half. Thought by modern scholarship to have been written after the Zhuangzi, wu wei becomes a major "guiding principle for social and political pursuit"[9] in the more "purposive" Taoism of the Tao Te Ching, in which the Taoist "seeks to use his power to control and govern the world"....Sinologist Herrlee G. Creel believed that an important clue to the development of wu wei existed in the Analects, in a saying attributed to Confucius, which reads: "The Master said, 'Was it not Shun who did nothing and yet ruled well? What did he do? He merely corrected his person ("made himself reverent" – Edward Slingerland) and took his proper position (facing south) as ruler'". The concept of a divine king whose "magic power" (virtue) "regulates everything in the land" (Creel) pervades early Chinese philosophy, particularly "in the early branches of Quietism that developed in the fourth century B.C." Edward Slingerland argues wu wei in this sense has to be attained. But in the Confucian conception of virtue, virtue can only be attained by not consciously trying to attain it.The manifestation of Virtue is regarded as a reward by Heaven for following its will – as a power that enables them to establish this will on earth. In this, probably more original sense, wu wei may be regarded as the "skill" of "becoming a fully realized human being", a sense which it shares with Taoism. This "skill" avoids relativity through being linked to a "normative" metaphysical order, making its spontaneity "objective". By achieving a state of wu wei (and taking his proper ritual place) Shun "unifies and orders" the entire world, and finds his place in the "cosmos". Taken as a historical fact demonstrating the viable superiority of Confucianism (or Taoism, for Taoist depictions), wu wei may be understood as a strongly "realist" spiritual-religious ideal, differing from Kantian or Cartesian realism in its Chinese emphasis on practice. The "object" of wu wei "skill-knowledge" is the Way, which is – to an extent regardless of school – "embodying" the mind to a "normative order existing independently of the minds of the practitioners". The primary example of Confucianism – Confucius at age 70 – displays "mastery of morality" spontaneously, his inclinations being in harmony with his virtue. Confucius considers training unnecessary if one is born loving the Way, as with the disciple Yan Hui. Mencius believed that men are already good, and need only realize it not by trying, but by allowing virtue to realize itself, and coming to love the Way. Training is done to learn to spontaneously love the Way. Virtue is compared with the grain seed (being domesticated) and the flow of water. On the other hand, Xun Kuang considered it possible to attain wu wei only through a long and intensive traditional training.Following the development of wu wei by Shen Buhai and then Mencius, Zhuangzhi and Laozi turn towards an unadorned "no effort". Laozi, as opposed to carved Confucian jade, advocates a return to the primordial Mother and to become like uncarved wood. He condemns doing and grasping, urging the reader to cognitively grasp oneness (still the mind), reduce desires and the size of the state, leaving human nature untouched. In practice, wu wei is aimed at through behaviour modification; cryptically referenced meditation and more purely physical breathing techniques as in the Guanzi, which includes just taking the right posture.
When your body is not aligned [形不正],
The inner power will not come.
When you are not tranquil within [中不靜],
Your mind will not be well ordered.
Align your body, assist the inner power [正形攝德],
Then it will gradually come on its own.
Though, by still needing to make a cognitive effort, perhaps not resolving the paradox of not doing, the concentration on accomplishing wu wei through the physiological would influence later thinkers. The Dao De Jing became influential in intellectual circles about 250 BCE (1999: 26–27), but, included in the 2nd century Guanzi, the likely older Neiye or Inward Training may be the oldest Chinese received text describing what would become Daoist breath meditation techniques and qi circulation, Harold D. Roth considering it a genuine 4th-century BCE text
When you enlarge your mind and let go of it,
When you relax your [qi 氣] vital breath and expand it,
When your body is calm and unmoving:
And you can maintain the One and discard the myriad disturbances.
You will see profit and not be enticed by it,
You will see harm and not be frightened by it.
Relaxed and unwound, yet acutely sensitive,
In solitude you delight in your own person.
This is called "revolving the vital breath":
Your thoughts and deeds seem heavenly.
Verse 13 describes the aspects of shen "numen; numinous", attained through relaxed efforts.
There is a numinous [mind] naturally residing within [有神自在身];
One moment it goes, the next it comes,
And no one is able to conceive of it.
If you lose it you are inevitably disordered;
If you attain it you are inevitably well ordered.
Diligently clean out its lodging place [敬除其舍]
And its vital essence will naturally arrive [精將自來].
Still your attempts to imagine and conceive of it.
Relax your efforts to reflect on and control it.
Be reverent and diligent
And its vital essence will naturally stabilize.
Grasp it and don't let go
Then the eyes and ears won't overflow
And the mind will have nothing else to seek.
When a properly aligned mind resides within you [正心在中],
The myriad things will be seen in their proper perspective.
Shen Buhai argued that if the government were organized and supervised relying on proper method (Fa), the ruler need do little – and must do little. Apparently paraphrasing the Analects, Shen did not consider the relationship between ruler and minister antagonistic necessarily,[31] but still believed that the ruler's most able ministers his greatest danger, and is convinced that it is impossible to make them loyal without techniques. Sinologist Herrlee G. Creel explains: "The ruler's subjects are so numerous, and so on alert to discover his weaknesses and get the better of him, that it is hopeless for him alone as one man to try to learn their characteristics and control them by his knowledge... the ruler must refrain from taking the initiative, and from making himself conspicuous – and therefore vulnerable – by taking any overt action."Emphasizing the use of administrative methods (Fa) in secrecy, Shen Buhai portrays the ruler as putting up a front to hide his weaknesses and dependence on his advisers.[35] Shen therefore advises the ruler to keep his own counsel, hide his motivations, and conceal his tracks in inaction, availing himself of an appearance of stupidity and insufficiency. Shen says:
If the ruler's intelligence is displayed, men will prepare against it; if his lack of intelligence is displayed, they will delude him. If his wisdom is displayed, men will gloss over (their faults); if his lack of wisdom is displayed, they will hide from him. If his lack of desires is displayed, men will spy out his true desires; if his desires are displayed, they will tempt him. Therefore (the intelligent ruler) says 'I cannot know them; it is only by means of non-action that I control them.' Acting through administrative method (Fa), the ruler conceals his intentions, likes and dislikes, skills and opinions. Not acting himself, he can avoid being manipulated. The ruler plays no active role in governmental functions. He should not use his talent even if he has it. Not using his own skills, he is better able to secure the services of capable functionaries. Creel argues that not getting involved in details allowed Shen's ruler to "truly rule", because it leaves him free to supervise the government without interfering, maintaining his perspective.[38] Seeing and hearing independently, the ruler is able to make decisions independently, and is, Shen says, able to rule the world thereby. The ruler is like a mirror, reflecting light, doing nothing, and yet, beauty and ugliness present themselves; (or like) a scale establishing equilibrium, doing nothing, and yet causing lightness and heaviness to discover themselves. (Administrative) method (Fa) is complete acquiescence. (Merging his) personal (concerns) with the public (weal), he does not act. He does not act, and yet the world itself is complete.
— Shen Buhai
This wu wei (or nonaction) might be said to end up the political theory of the "Legalists" , if not becoming their general term for political strategy, playing a "crucial role in the promotion of the autocratic tradition of the Chinese polity". The (qualified) non-action of the ruler ensures his power and the stability of the polity....Shen Buhai insisted that the ruler must be fully informed of the state of his realm, but couldn't afford to get caught up in details and in an ideal situation need listen to no one. Listening to his courtiers might interfere with promotions, and he does not, as Sinologist Herrlee G. Creel says, have the time to do so. The way to see and hear independently is the grouping together of particulars into categories using mechanical or operational method (Fa). On the contrary the ruler's eyes and ears will make him "deaf and blind" (unable to obtain accurate information).[43][44][45][46] Seeing and hearing independently, the ruler is able to make decisions independently, and is, Shen says, able to rule the world thereby. Despite this, Shen's method of appointment, "Ming-shih", advises a particular method for listening to petitioners in the final analyses, which would be articulated as Xing-Ming by Han Fei. In the Han Dynasty secretaries of government who had charge of the records of decisions in criminal matters were called Xing-Ming, which Sima Qian (145 or 135 – 86 BC) and Liu Xiang (77–6 BC) attributed to the doctrine of Shen Buhai (400 – c. 337 BC). Liu Xiang goes as far as to define Shen Buhai's doctrine as Xing-Ming. Rather than having to look for "good" men, ming-shih or xing-ming can seek the right man for a particular post by comparing his reputation with real conduct (xing "form" or shih "reality"), though doing so implies a total organizational knowledge of the regime. More simply though, one can allow ministers to "name" themselves through accounts of specific cost and time frame, leaving their definition to competing ministers. Claims or utterances "bind the speaker to the realization a job (Makeham)". This was the doctrine, with subtle differences, favoured by Han Fei. Favoring exactness, it combats the tendency to promise too much. The correct articulation of Ming ("name", "speech", "title") is considered crucial to the realization of projects. Shen resolved hair-splitting litigation through wu wei, or not getting involved, making an official's words his own responsibility. Shen Buhai says, "The ruler controls the policy, the ministers manage affairs. To speak ten times and ten times be right, to act a hundred times and a hundred times succeed – this is the business of one who serves another as minister; it is the not the way to rule."[52] The correlation between wu wei and ming-shih likely informed the Taoist conception of the formless Tao that "gives rise to the ten thousand things."
Yin (passive mindfulness)
Adherence to the use of technique in governing requires the ruler not engage in any interference or subjective consideration.[54] Sinologist John Makeham explains: "assessing words and deeds requires the ruler's dispassionate attention; (yin is) the skill or technique of making one's mind a tabula rasa, non-committaly taking note of all the details of a man's claims and then objectively comparing his achievements of the original claims."A commentary to the Shiji cites a now-lost book as quoting Shen Buhai saying: "By employing (yin), 'passive mindfulness', in overseeing and keeping account of his vassals, accountability is deeply engraved." The Guanzi similarly says: "Yin is the way of non-action. Yin is neither to add to nor to detract from anything. To give something a name strictly on the basis of its form – this is the Method of yin."Yin also aimed at concealing the ruler's intentions, likes and opinions.
Shen Dao
Shen Dao espouses an impersonal administration in much the same sense as Shen Buhai, and argued for wu wei, or the non action of the ruler, along the same lines, saying. The Dao of ruler and ministers is that the ministers labour themselves with tasks while the prince has no task; the prince is relaxed and happy while the ministers bear responsibility for tasks. The ministers use all their intelligence and strength to perform his job satisfactorily, in which the ruler takes no part, but merely waits for the job to be finished. As a result, every task is taken care of. The correct way of government is thus. Shen Dao eschews appointment by interview in favour of a mechanical distribution apportioning every person according to their achievement. Linking administrative methods or standards to the notion of impartial objectivity associated with universal interest, and reframing the language of the old ritual order to fit a universal, imperial and highly bureaucratized state,[60] Shen cautions the ruler against relying on his own personal judgment,[61] contrasting personal opinions with the merit of the objective standard as preventing personal judgements or opinions from being exercised. Personal opinions destroy standards, and Shen Dao's ruler therefore "does not show favoritism toward a single person". When an enlightened ruler establishes [gong] ("duke" or "public interest"), [private] desires do not oppose the correct timing [of things], favoritism does not violate the law, nobility does not trump the rules, salary does not exceed [that which is due] one's position, a [single] officer does not occupy multiple offices, and a [single] craftsman does not take up multiple lines of work... [Such a ruler] neither overworked his heart-mind with knowledge nor exhausted himself with self-interest (si), but, rather, depended on laws and methods for settling matters of order and disorder, rewards and punishments for deciding on matters of right and wrong, and weights and balances for resolving issues of heavy or light...The reason why those who apportion horses use ce-lots, and those who apportion fields use gou-lots, is not that they take ce and gou-lots to be superior to human wisdom, but that one may eliminate private interest and stop resentment by these means. Thus it is said: 'When the great lord relies on fa and does not act personally, affairs are judged in accordance with (objective) method (fa).' The benefit of fa is that each person meets his reward or punishment according to his due, and there are no further expectations of the lord. Thus resentment does not arise and superiors and inferiors are in harmony. If the lord of men abandons method (Fa) and governs with his own person, then penalties and rewards, seizures and grants, will all emerge from the lord's mind. If this is the case, then those who receive rewards, even if these are commensurate, will ceaselessly expect more; those who receive punishment, even if these are commensurate, will endlessly expect more lenient treatment... people will be rewarded differently for the same merit and punished differently for the same fault. Resentment arises from this."
Han Fei
Devoting the entirety of Chapter 14, "How to Love the Ministers", to "persuading the ruler to be ruthless to his ministers", Han Fei's enlightened ruler strikes terror into his ministers by doing nothing (wu wei). The qualities of a ruler, his "mental power, moral excellence and physical prowess" are irrelevant. He discards his private reason and morality, and shows no personal feelings. What is important is his method of government. Fa (administrative standards) require no perfection on the part of the ruler. Han Fei's use of wu wei may have been derivative of Taoism, but its Tao emphasizes autocracy ("Tao does not identify with anything but itself, the ruler does not identify with the ministers"). Sinologists like Randall P. Peerenboom argue that Han Fei's Shu (technique) is arguably more of a "practical principle of political control" than any state of mind.[64][65] Han Fei nonetheless begins by advising the ruler to remain "empty and still": Tao is the beginning of the myriad things, the standard of right and wrong. That being so, the intelligent ruler, by holding to the beginning, knows the source of everything, and, by keeping to the standard, knows the origin of good and evil. Therefore, by virtue of resting empty and reposed, he waits for the course of nature to enforce itself so that all names will be defined of themselves and all affairs will be settled of themselves. Empty, he knows the essence of fullness: reposed, he becomes the corrector of motion. Who utters a word creates himself a name; who has an affair creates himself a form. Compare forms and names and see if they are identical. Then the ruler will find nothing to worry about as everything is reduced to its reality.
Tao exists in invisibility; its function, in unintelligibility. Be empty and reposed and have nothing to do-Then from the dark see defects in the light. See but never be seen. Hear but never be heard. Know but never be known. If you hear any word uttered, do not change it nor move it but compare it with the deed and see if word and deed coincide with each other. Place every official with a censor. Do not let them speak to each other. Then everything will be exerted to the utmost. Cover tracks and conceal sources. Then the ministers cannot trace origins. Leave your wisdom and cease your ability. Then your subordinates cannot guess at your limitations. Han Fei's commentary on the Tao Te Ching asserts that perspectiveless knowledge – an absolute point of view – is possible, though the chapter may have been one of his earlier writing
These lawn chairs aren't going anywhere fast, at least not for a couple more weeks. They are definitely inactive, unmoved, waiting. But they had occupants at one time, and perhaps those occupants sat like sages, contemplating the mysteries of the universe, as the river, not more than thirty feet from them, slipped silently by. Calm, stillness, tranquility, rest. I think sometimes we could use more of that in the busyness of the world.
The non-action of the wise man is not inaction.
It is not studied. It is not shaken by anything.
The sage is quiet because he is not moved,
Not because he wills to be quiet.
—from "Action and Non-Action," by Chuang Tzu (translated by Thomas James Merton)
(for Poetography, Theme 158—Action; Literary Reference in Pictures; ODT—Waiting)
The lower heart moves like a strong, powerful commander who despises the Heavenly ruler because of his weakness, and has seized for himself the leadership of the affairs of state. But when the primordial castle can be fortified and defended, then it is as if a strong and wise ruler sat upon the throne. The two eyes start the Light circulating like two ministers at the right and left who support the ruler with all their might. When the ruler in the center is thus in order, all those rebellious heroes will present themselves with lances reversed ready to take orders.Master Lu Tzu said: In comparison with Heaven and earth, man is like a mayfly. But compared to the Great Meaning, Heaven and earth, too, are like a bubble and a shadow. Only the primordial spirit and the true essence overcome time and space.
The power of the seed, like Heaven and earth, is subject to mortality, but the primordial spirit is beyond the polar differences. Here is the place whence Heaven and Earth derive their being. When students understand how to grasp the primordial spirit, they overcome the polar opposites of Light and darkness and tarry no longer in the three worlds. But only he who has looked on essence in its original manifestation is able to do this.
When men are set free from the womb the primordial spirit dwells in the square inch (between the eyes), but the conscious spirit dwells below in the heart. This lower fleshly heart has the shape of a large peach: it is covered by the wings of the lungs, supported by the liver, and served by the bowels. This heart is dependent on the outside world. If a man does not eat for one day even, it feels extremely uncomfortable. If it hears something terrifying it throbs; if it hears something enraging it stops; if its is faced with death it becomes sad; if it sees something beautiful it is dazzled. But the Heavenly Heart in the head, when would it have been in the leased moved? Dost thou ask: Can the Heavenly Heart not be moved? Then I answer: How could the true thought in the square inch be moved? If it really moves, it is not well. For when ordinary men die, then it moves, but that is not good. It is best indeed if the Light has already fortified itself in a spirit body and its life force gradually penetrated the instincts and movements. But that is a secret which has not been revealed for thousands of years.
The lower heart moves like a strong, powerful commander who despises the Heavenly ruler because of his weakness, and has seized for himself the leadership of the affairs of state. But when the primordial castle can be fortified and defended, then it is as if a strong and wise ruler sat upon the throne. The two eyes start the Light circulating like two ministers at the right and left who support the ruler with all their might. When the ruler in the center is thus in order, all those rebellious heroes will present themselves with lances reversed ready to take orders.
The way to the Elixir of life recognizes as supreme magic, seed-water, spirit-fire, and thought-earth; these three. What is seed-water? It is the true, one power (eros) of former Heaven. Spirit-fire is the Light (logos). Thought-earth is the Heavenly Heart of the middle house (intuition). Spirit-fire is used for effecting, thought-earth for substance, and seed-water for the foundation. Ordinary men make their bodies through thoughts. The body is not only the 7 ft. tall outer body. In the body is the anima. The anima, having produced consciousness, adheres to it. Consciousness depends for its origin on the anima. The anima is feminine, the substance of consciousness. As long as this consciousness is not interrupted, it continues to beget from generation to generation, and the changes of form of the anima and the transformations of substance are unceasing.
But, besides this, there is the animus in which the spirit shelters. The animus lives in the daytime in the eyes; at night it houses in the liver. When living in the eyes, it sees; when housing itself in the liver, it dreams. Dreams are the wanderings of the spirit through all nine Heavens and all the nine earths. But whoever is dull and moody on waking, and chained to his bodily form, is fettered by the anima. Therefore the concentration of the animus is effected by the circulation of the Light, and in this way the spirit is protected, the anima subjected, and consciousness is annulled. The method used by the ancients for escaping from the world consisted in burning out completely the slag of darkness in order to return to the purely creative. This is nothing more than a reduction of the anima and a bringing to perfection of the animus. And the circulation of the Light is the magical means of limiting the dark powers and gaining mastery of the anima. Even if the work is not directed toward bringing back the creative, but confines itself to the magical means of the circulation, one returns to the creative, If this method is followed, plenty of seed-water will be present of itself; the spirit-fire will be ignited, and the thought-earth will solidify and crystallize. And thus can the holy fruit mature. The scarab rolls his ball and in the ball there develops life as the effect of the undivided effort of his spiritual concentration. If now and embryo can grow in manure, and shed its skin, why should not the dwelling place of our Heavenly Heart also be able to create a body if we concentrate the spirit upon it?
The one effective, true essence (logos united with life), when it descends into the house of the creative, divides into animus and anima. The animus is in the Heavenly Heart. It is of the nature of light; it is the power of lightness and purity. It is that which we have received from the great emptiness, that which has form from the very beginning. The anima partakes of the nature of darkness. It is the power of the heavy and the turbid; it is bound to the bodily, fleshly heart. The animus loves life. The anima seeks death. All sensuous pleasures and impulses to anger are effects of the anima; it is the conscious spirit which after death is nourished on blood, but which, during life, is in direst need. Darkness returns to darkness and like things attract each other. But the pupil understands how to distill the dark anima so that it transforms itself into Light.
Despite the varieties of impressions, interpretation and opinion expressed by translators, the meditation technique described by The Secret of the Golden Flower is a straightforward, silent method; the book's description of meditation has been characterized as "Zen with details". The meditation technique, set forth in poetic language, reduces to a formula of sitting, breathing, and contemplating.[citation needed] Sitting primarily relates to a straight posture. Breathing is described in detail, primarily in terms of the esoteric physiology of the path of qi (also known as chi or ki), or breath energy. The energy path associated with breathing has been described as similar to an internal wheel vertically aligned with the spine. When breathing is steady, the wheel turns forward, with breath energy rising in back and descending in front.[1] Bad breathing habits (or bad posture, or even bad thoughts) may cause the wheel not to turn, or move backward, inhibiting the circulation of essential breath energy. In contemplation, one watches thoughts as they arise and recede. The meditation technique is supplemented by descriptions of affirmations of progress in the course of a daily practice, suggesting stages that could be reached and phenomenon that may be observed such as a feeling of lightness, like floating upward or slight levitation. Such benefits are ascribed to improved internal energy associated with breath energy circulation, improvements that alleviate previously existing impediments. Several drawings portray imagery relevant to the personal evolution of a meditation practitioner, images that may be somewhat confusing in terms of pure rational analysis. "Only after one hundred days of consistent work, only then is the light genuine; only then can one begin to work with the spirit-fire." The first such illustration represents the first one hundred days, or "gathering the light". The second one represents an emergence of meditative consciousness. The third stage represents a meditative awareness that exists even in mundane, daily life. Stage four represents a higher meditative perception, where all conditions are recognized. Then, varied conditions are portrayed as separately perceived, yet each separate perception is part of a whole of awareness.yoga practice. The followers of this method, in contradistinction to the European " yogis " to whom these Eastern practices are only a form of sport, achieve almost without exception the central experience. Thus it can be said that, as far as the Chinese mentality is concerned, a completely assured method of attaining definite psychic experiences is commanded. (It must be noted that, as C. G. Jung very correctly points out, Chinese mentality, at least up to very recent times, has been essentially different in some fundamental respects from that of Europeans.) Besides the release from the fetters of an
illusory outer world, there are many other goals striven
for by the different sects. Those on the highest level
use this release by meditation, for the purpose of seeking
the Buddhist Nirvana, or, as for example in the present
book, they teach that by the union of the spiritual principle
in men to the correlated psychogenetic forces one can
prepare for the possibility of life after death, not only
as a shadow-being doomed to decay, but as a conscious
spirit. In addition, and often in connection with this
idea, there are schools of thought which try by means
of this meditation to exert a psyehic influence on certain
vegetative animal processes. (As Europeans we w r ould
speak here of the endocrine gland-system.) This influence
is intended to strengthen, rejuvenate, and normalize the
life-processes, so that even death will be overcome in
such a way that it fits in as a harmonious ending of life.
The spiritual principle, now fitted for an independent
continuation of life in the spirit-body, created out of its
own forces, deserts the earthly body, which remains
behind as a drying shell like that abandoned by a cicada.
The lower strata of these sects sought in this way to
acquire magic powers, the ability to banish evil spirits
and disease, and here talismans, word and written charms yoga practice. The followers of this method, in contra-
distinction to the European " yogis " to whom these
Eastern practices are only a form of sport, achieve almost
without exception the central experience. Thus it can
be said that, as far as the Chinese mentality is concerned,
a completely assured method of attaining definite psychic
experiences is commanded. (It must be noted that, as
C. G. Jung very correctly points out, Chinese mentality,
at least up to very recent times, has been essentially
different in some fundamental respects from that of
Europeans.) Besides the release from the fetters of an
illusory outer world, there are many other goals striven
for by the different sects. Those on the highest level
use this release by meditation, for the purpose of seeking
the Buddhist Nirvana, or, as for example in the present
book, they teach that by the union of the spiritual principle
in men to the correlated psychogenetic forces one can
prepare for the possibility of life after death, not only
as a shadow-being doomed to decay, but as a conscious
spirit. In addition, and often in connection with this
idea, there are schools of thought which try by means
of this meditation to exert a psyehic influence on certain
vegetative animal processes. (As Europeans we w r ould
speak here of the endocrine gland-system.) This influence
is intended to strengthen, rejuvenate, and normalize the
life-processes, so that even death will be overcome in
such a way that it fits in as a harmonious ending of life.
The spiritual principle, now fitted for an independent
continuation of life in the spirit-body, created out of its
own forces, deserts the earthly body, which remains
behind as a drying shell like that abandoned by a cicada.
The lower strata of these sects sought in this way to
acquire magic powers, the ability to banish evil spirits
and disease, and here talismans, word and written charms yoga practice. The followers of this method, in contra-
distinction to the European " yogis " to whom these
Eastern practices are only a form of sport, achieve almost
without exception the central experience. Thus it can
be said that, as far as the Chinese mentality is concerned,
a completely assured method of attaining definite psychic
experiences is commanded. (It must be noted that, as
C. G. Jung very correctly points out, Chinese mentality,
at least up to very recent times, has been essentially
different in some fundamental respects from that of
Europeans.) Besides the release from the fetters of an
illusory outer world, there are many other goals striven
for by the different sects. Those on the highest level
use this release by meditation, for the purpose of seeking
the Buddhist Nirvana, or, as for example in the present
book, they teach that by the union of the spiritual principle
in men to the correlated psychogenetic forces one can
prepare for the possibility of life after death, not only
as a shadow-being doomed to decay, but as a conscious
spirit. In addition, and often in connection with this
idea, there are schools of thought which try by means
of this meditation to exert a psyehic influence on certain
vegetative animal processes. (As Europeans we w r ould
speak here of the endocrine gland-system.) This influence
is intended to strengthen, rejuvenate, and normalize the
life-processes, so that even death will be overcome in
such a way that it fits in as a harmonious ending of life.
The spiritual principle, now fitted for an independent
continuation of life in the spirit-body, created out of its
own forces, deserts the earthly body, which remains
behind as a drying shell like that abandoned by a cicada.
The lower strata of these sects sought in this way to
acquire magic powers, the ability to banish evil spirits
and disease, and here talismans, word and written charms play their part. Sometimes this sort of thing results in
mass-psyehoses which then find expression in religious
or political unrest, as, for example, the Boxer movement.
Recently, the unmistakable syncretist tendency of
Taoism is shown in the fact that within its institutions
members of all of the five world-religions (Confucianism,
Taoism, Buddhism, Mohammedanism, and Christianity —
even Judaism comes in occasionally for special mention)
are included without having to break away from their
respective religious communities. Master Lii Tzu said : That which exists through itself is called Meaning (Tao). Meaning has neither name nor force. It is the one essence, the one primordial spirit.
Essence and life cannot be seen. It is contained in the
Light of Heaven. The Light of Heaven cannot be seen.
It is contained in the two eyes. To-day I will be your
guide and will first reveal to you the secret of the Golden
Flower of the Great One, and, starting from that, I will
explain the rest in detail.
The Great One is the term given to that which has
nothing above it. The secret of the magic of life consists
in using action in order to achieve non-action. One must
not wish to leave out the steps between and penetrate
directlv. The maxim handed down to us is to take in
hand the work on the essence. In doing this it is important,
not to follow the wrong road.
The Golden Flower is the Light. What colour has
the Light ? One uses the Golden Flower as an image.
It is the true power of the transcendent Great One. The
phrase, " The lead of the water-region has but one taste,"
refers to it. In the Book of Changes it is said r : Heaven created water through the One. That is the true power of the Great One. If a man attains this One he becomes alive ; if he misses it he dies.
But even if a man lives in the power (air, prana) he does not see the power (air), just as fishes live in water but do not see the water. A man dies when he has no life-air, just as the fishes are destroyed when deprived of water. Therefore the adepts have taught the people to hold fast to the primal and to guard the One ; it is the circular course of the Light and the protection of the centre. If one guards this true power, one can prolong the span of life, and can then apply the methods of creating an immortal body by " melting and mixing ".
The work on the circulation of the Light depends
entirely on the backward-flowing movement, so that the
thoughts are gathered together (the place of Heavenly
Consciousness, the Heavenly Heart). The Heavenly
Heart lies between sun and moon (i.e. the two eyes).
The Booh of the Yellow Castle says : In the field
of the square inch of the house of the square foot, life
can be regulated. The house of the square foot is the
face. The field of the square inch in the face : what
could that be other than the Heavenly Heart ? In the
middle of the square inch dwells the splendour. In the
purple hall of the city of jade dwells the god of utmost
emptiness and life. The Confucians call it the centre
of emptiness ; the Buddhists, the terrace of life ; the
Taoists, the ancestral land, or the yellow castle, or the
dark pass, or the space of former Heaven. The Heavenly
Heart is like the dwelling place, the Light is the master.
Therefore when the Light circulates, the powers of
the whole body arrange themselves before its throne, just
as when a holy king has taken possession of the capital
and has laid down the fundamental rules of order, all
the states approach with tribute; or, just as when the
master is quiet and calm, men-servants and maids obey
his orders of their own accord, and each does his work.
Therefore you only have to make the Light circulate :
that is the deepest and most wonderful secret. The Light
is easy to move, but difficult to fix* If it is allowed to
go long enough in a circle, then it crystallizes itself : that
is the natural spirit-body. This crystallized spirit is
formed beyond the nine Heavens. It is the condition of which it is said in the Book of the Seal of the Heart :
Silently in the morning thou fiiest upward.
In carrying out this fundamental truth you need to
seek for no other methods, but must only concentrate your
thoughts on it. The book Ling Yen (2) says : By
collecting the thoughts one can fly and will be born in
Heaven. Heaven is not the wide blue sky, but the
place where the body is made in the house of the creative.
If one keeps this up for a long time, there develops quite
naturally in addition to the body, yet another spirit-body.
The Golden Flower is the Elixir of Life (Chin Tan,
literally, golden ball, golden pill). All changes of spiritual
consciousness depend upon the Heart. Here is a secret
charm, which, although it works very accurately, is yet
so fluent that it needs extreme intelligence and clarity,
and complete absorption and calm. People without
this highest degree of intelligence and understanding do
not find the way to apply the charm ; people without this
utmost capacity for concentration and calm cannot keep
fast hold of it.
This section explains the origin of the Great Meaning of the world (Too). The Heavenly Heart is the germinal root of the Great Meaning. If a man can be absolutely quiet then the Heavenly Heart will manifest itself. When the feeling springs up and flows -out in the natural course, the person is created as primordial creature. This creature abides between conception and birth in* true space. When the One note of individuation enters into birth, essence and life are divided in two. From this time on, if the utmost peace is not achieved, essence and life never see each other again.
Therefore it is said in the plan of the Great Pole : The Great
One includes within itself true power (prana), seed, spirit, animus, and anima. If the thoughts are absolutely quiet so that the Heavenly Heart can be seen, the spiritual intelligence reaches the source unaided. This essence lives indeed in true space, but the splendour of the Light dwells in the two eyes. Therefore the Master teaches the circulation of the Light so that the true essence may be reached. The true essence is the primordial spirit. The primordial spirit is precisely essence and life, and if one accepts what is real in it, it is the primordial power. And the Great Meaning is just this thing. Master Lu Tzii said : In comparison with Heaven and Earth, man is like a mayfly. But compared to the Great Meaning, Heaven and Earth, too, are like a bubble and a shadow. Only the primordial spirit and the true essence overcome time and space.
The power of the seed, like Heaven and Earth, is
subject to mortality, but the primordial spirit is beyond the polar differences. Here is the place whence Heaven
and Earth derive their being. When students under-
stand how to grasp the primordial spirit they overcome
the polar opposites of Light and Darkness and tarry
no longer in the three worlds (3). But only he who has
looked on essence in its original manifestation is able
to do thisl
When men are set free from the womb the primordial
spirit dwells in the square inch (between the eyes), but
the conscious spirit dwells below in the heart. This lower
fleshly heart has the shape of a large peach : it is covered
by the wings of the lungs, supported by the liver, and
served by the bowels. This heart is dependent on the
outside world. If a man does not eat for one day even,
it feels extremely uncomfortable. If it hears something
terrifying it throbs ; if it hears something enraging it
stops ; if it is faced with death it becomes sad ; if it sees
something beautiful it is dazzled. But the Heavenly
Heart in the head, when would it have been in the least
moved ? Dost thou ask : Can the Heavenly Heart not be
moved ? Then I answer : How could the true thought
in the square inch be moved ? If it really moves, it is
not well. For when ordinary men die, then it moves,
but that is not good. It is best indeed if the Light has .
already fortified itself in a spirit-body and its life-force
gradually penetrated the instincts and movements. But
that is a secret which has not been revealed for thousands
of years.
The lower heart moves like a strong, powerful com-
mander who despises the Heavenly ruler because of his
weakness, and has seized for himself the leadership of the
affairs of state. But when the primordial castle can be
fortified and defended, then it is as if a strong and wise
ruler sat upon the throne. The two eyes start the Light circulating like two ministers at the right and the left
who support the ruler with all their might. When the
ruler in the centre is thus in order, all those rebellious
heroes will present themselves with lances reversed ready
to take orders. The way to the Elixir of Life recognizes as supreme magic, seed-water, spirit-fire, and thought-earth : these three. What is seed- water ? It is the true, one power
(eros) of former Heaven. Spirit-fire is the Light (logos).
Thought-earth is the Heavenly Heart of the middle house
(intuition). Spirit-fire is used for effecting, thought-earth
for substance, and seed- water for the foundation. Ordinary
men make their bodies through thoughts. The body is
not only the 7 ft. tall outer body. In the body is the anima. The anima, having produced consciousness, adheres to it. Consciousness depends for its origin on the anima. The anima is feminine (yin), the substance of consciousness. As long as this consciousness is not interrupted, it continues to beget from generation to generation, and the changes of form of the anima and the transformations of substance are unceasing.
Master Lu Tzu said: Since when has the expression “circulation of the Light” been revealed? It was revealed by the “true men of the beginning of form”. When the Light is allowed to move in a circle, all the powers of Heaven and earth, of the light and the dark, are crystallized. That is what is described as seed-like, or purification of the power, or purification of the concept. When one begins to apply this magic, it is as if, in the middle of one’s being, there was a non-being. When in the course of time the work is finished, and beyond the body is another body, it is as if, in the middle of the non-being, there were a being. Only after a completed work of a hundred days will the Light be real, then only will it become spirit-fire. After a hundred days, there develops by itself in the middle of the Light, a point of the true Light-pole. Suddenly there develops a seed pearl. It is as if man and woman embraced and a conception took place. Then one must be quite still in order to await it. The circulation of the Light is the epoch of fire.
In the midst of primal becoming, the radiance of the Light is the determining thing. In the physical world it is the sun; in man the eye. The emanation and dissemination of spiritual consciousness is chiefly brought about by this power when it is directed outward (flown downward). Therefore the meaning of the Golden Flower depends wholly on the backward-flowing method.
Circulation of the Light is not only a circulation of the seed-blossom of the body, but it is, in the first place, a circulation of the true, creative, formative powers. It has to do, not with a momentary fantasy, but with the exhaustion of the circular course (soul wanderings) of all the eons. Therefore a breath-pause means a year – according to human reckoning – and a hundred years measured by the long night of the nine paths (of reincarnation).
After a person has the one tone of individualization behind them, they will be born outward according to the circumstances, and not until he is old will he turn a single time to the backward-flowing way. The force of the Light exhausts itself and trickles away. That brings the nine-fold darkness (of rebirths) into the world. In the book Leng Yen it is said: By concentrating the thoughts, one can fly; by concentrating the desires, one falls. When a pupil takes little care of his thoughts and much care of his desires, he gets into the path of depravity. Only through contemplation and quietness does true intuition arise; for that, the backward-flowing method is necessary.
In the book of the Secret Correspondences, it is said: Release is in the eye. In the Simple Questions of the Yellow Ruler, it is said: The seed-blossom of the human body must be concentrated upward in the empty space. That refers to it. Immortality is contained in this sentence and also the overcoming of the world is contained in it. That is the common goal of all religions.
life is an enigma. one moment, i'm sitting, crying tears of joy with my father about barack obama. the next, crying tears of laughter at stephen colbert ("does barack obama's presidency signal the end of racism? and if so, does it mean that i can stop pretending to like spike lee movies?"). the next, crying about the terror in mumbai, the terror in the world at large. sometimes you're caught in this twister of emotion and events, none of which you seem to have much - if any - control over at all. you just kind of go along with it. be complacent, put your best face and foot forward. of course we can make our little differences in our immediate environment, but i'm hard pressed to find how we can even reduce the influx of bad things. there are, simply, bad people. maybe we need them in order to recognize how lucky we really are. if we are saddened by these events, well, good. we ought to be empathetic creatures. even if we can't control the course of events, we mustn't throw up our hands and admit futility. there are always lives we can touch in the simplest of ways. i'm not talking about altruism -- that is the practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others. in evolutionary terms, it's behavior that benefits another at its own expense. self-sacrifice (but not for one's kin). an evolutionary snag. it's a snag because it doesn't make any sense. you can't remain disinterested from your actions. disinterest leads to nonaction. for every act that you do for another person, enjoy it with the knowledge that you're helping someone, in some way, feel better about themselves or be a healthier and more productive individual. and so what if it's not entirely selfless, if you gain satisfaction (even happiness) from helping others? frankly, i think that's how it ought to be.
[cue kevin spacey]
I had always heard your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one second isn't a second at all, it stretches on forever, like an ocean of time... For me, it was lying on my back at Boy Scout camp, watching falling stars... And yellow leaves, from the maple trees, that lined my street... Or my grandmother's hands, and the way her skin seemed like paper... And the first time I saw my cousin Tony's brand new Firebird... And Janie... And Janie... And... Carolyn. I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me... but it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life... You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry... you will someday.
for fgr.
i'm giving thanks to a wonderful friend, tim (super g) for many reasons, but especially for this post as it reminded me, after last night's photo, of beauty and hope. no, he's not a fugger, but guess what? fgr is already too exclusive. so i'm doing my own thing and hoping that you'll all accept it, being that it's thankgiving.
This morning I turned on the morning news first thing because I wanted to know what was happening in Kiev. To me, this is a very important story -- especially when compared to how the US has handled/responded to its last two elections.
And do you know that not ONE of the network shows were talking about it. Do you know what they were talking about? TRAVELING.
Traveling and all the people traveling. And hello, it's Thanksgiving and more Americans are traveling and blah blah blah blah... did we mention the traveling?
I was shocked. I still am I guess. To me this choice in reporting represented something that is wrong with our country: pandering to the lowest common denominator. Going for the easy. News as a jello mold.
But Kiev... THIS is the real deal: democracy in nonaction with people demanding something better. Like truth. Like real democracy. THIS is the people speaking up and being heard.
Being heard everywhere except in the "land of the free" where people are way more interested in what's going to happen as they sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic just like they do every year on this day.
Part of my sims 2 tarot serie: n°12 - The Hanged Man
*photoshopped*
Sacrifice ----- Letting go ----- Surrendering ----- Passivity
Suspension ----- Acceptance ----- Renounce ----- Patience
New point of view ----- Contemplation ----- Inner harmony
Conformism ----- Nonaction ----- Waiting ----- Giving up
This video series is about Lao Tzu's Theory of Everything. Do not worry. It is all very simple, because Lao Tzu (Lao Zi) abhors complexity. Video 101 demystifies Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) and reveals the hidden brilliance of his book. Lao Tzu's Shengren (sages) are ordinary mortals with extraordinary skills. They simply apply his principles to maximize their success. The aim of Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) is to maximize your success right here and now. Success is to obtain what you seek and to escape what you suffer. Cheers Auke Schade.
Keywords: Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Tao, Te, Lao Zi, Dao De Jing, Tao, Dao, Taoism, Daoism, Auke, Schade, physics, cosmology, way of nature, theory of everything, principle of the universe, sum-zero-creation, genesis, creation, Big Bang, parallel universe, balance, Chi, Qi, vital force, matter, antimatter, Yin, Yang, electro-magnetic, nuclear, gravity, quantum entanglement, Newton, Schrödinger, Einstein, Dirac, Hawking, DDT, food-chain, CFC, ozone layer, CO2, climate change, global warming, nature, environment, Te, psychology, thinking, virtue, way of people, success, shengren, sage, chuang tzu, chuang zi, supernatural, spiritual, immortal, focus, efficient, proactive, Static, dynamic, Franklin, predictions, wu wei, wei wu wei, non-action, action, effort, positioning, video, free, download,
Video 102 describes the manifestations and characteristics of Tao. Tao means: The Way, The Way of Nature, or Physics. Tao is the core of Lao Tzu's Theory of Everything. His ancient theory surpasses modern Physics and Psychology. This video shows the links between Lao Tzu's theory and ideas contributed to Newton, Dirac, Schrodinger, Einstein, and Hawking. Nevertheless, you do not have to know his theory to become a Shengren. You only have to remember that balance is the principle of the Universe and that Chi is the vital force that restores that balance. It is that simple. Cheers Auke Schade.
Keywords: Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Tao, Te, Lao Zi, Dao De Jing, Tao, Dao, Taoism, Daoism, Auke, Schade, physics, cosmology, way of nature, theory of everything, principle of the universe, sum-zero-creation, genesis, creation, Big Bang, parallel universe, balance, Chi, Qi, vital force, matter, antimatter, Yin, Yang, electro-magnetic, nuclear, gravity, quantum entanglement, Newton, Schrödinger, Einstein, Dirac, Hawking, DDT, food-chain, CFC, ozone layer, CO2, climate change, global warming, nature, environment, Te, psychology, thinking, virtue, way of people, success, shengren, sage, chuang tzu, chuang zi, supernatural, spiritual, immortal, focus, efficient, proactive, Static, dynamic, Franklin, predictions, wu wei, wei wu wei, non-action, action, effort, positioning, video, free, download,
Video 105 is about Te (De), which means Virtue, The Way of People, or Psychology. Not surprisingly, in Lao Zi's Theory of Everything, the Way of People (Te) is subject to the Way of Nature (Tao). Shengren are ordinary people who maximize their success by taking advantage of balance and its restoring force Chi. Therefore, they adhere to four principles: Focus, Balance, Efficiency, and Proactivity.
Keywords: Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Tao, Te, Lao Zi, Dao De Jing, Tao, Dao, Taoism, Daoism, Auke, Schade, physics, cosmology, way of nature, theory of everything, principle of the universe, sum-zero-creation, genesis, creation, Big Bang, parallel universe, balance, Chi, Qi, vital force, matter, antimatter, Yin, Yang, electro-magnetic, nuclear, gravity, quantum entanglement, Newton, Schrödinger, Einstein, Dirac, Hawking, DDT, food-chain, CFC, ozone layer, CO2, climate change, global warming, nature, environment, Te, psychology, thinking, virtue, way of people, success, shengren, sage, chuang tzu, chuang zi, supernatural, spiritual, immortal, focus, efficient, proactive, Static, dynamic, Franklin, predictions, wu wei, wei wu wei, non-action, action, effort, positioning, video, free, download,
Video 104 explains the working of our Universe as predicted by Lao Tzu's Theory of Everything. Due to the constancy of Nothingness, the balance between Matter and Antimatter is the inevitable principle of our Universe. That principle manifests itself in nature as a multitude of interacting Yin-Yang balances. That system of Yin-Yang balances is maintained and restored by the vital force Chi. Cheers Auke Schade.
Keywords: Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Tao, Te, Lao Zi, Dao De Jing, Tao, Dao, Taoism, Daoism, Auke, Schade, physics, cosmology, way of nature, theory of everything, principle of the universe, sum-zero-creation, genesis, creation, Big Bang, parallel universe, balance, Chi, Qi, vital force, matter, antimatter, Yin, Yang, electro-magnetic, nuclear, gravity, quantum entanglement, Newton, Schrödinger, Einstein, Dirac, Hawking, DDT, food-chain, CFC, ozone layer, CO2, climate change, global warming, nature, environment, Te, psychology, thinking, virtue, way of people, success, shengren, sage, chuang tzu, chuang zi, supernatural, spiritual, immortal, focus, efficient, proactive, Static, dynamic, Franklin, predictions, wu wei, wei wu wei, non-action, action, effort, positioning, video, free, download,
Video 103 explains the origin and formation of the Universe within the context of Lao Tzu's Theory of Everything. Lao Tzu proposes that the origin of our Universe is an undivided Nothingness. During the formation (Big Bang), that Nothingness was divided into two equal opposites. Hence, Lao Tzu's Theory of Everything is a Sum-Zero-Creation-Theory. That means that the sum of the parts is still zero or Nothingness. Hence, Lao Tzu's idea does not violate the laws of modern mathematics and physics. Cheers Auke Schade.
Keywords: Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Tao, Te, Lao Zi, Dao De Jing, Tao, Dao, Taoism, Daoism, Auke, Schade, physics, cosmology, way of nature, theory of everything, principle of the universe, sum-zero-creation, genesis, creation, Big Bang, parallel universe, balance, Chi, Qi, vital force, matter, antimatter, Yin, Yang, electro-magnetic, nuclear, gravity, quantum entanglement, Newton, Schrödinger, Einstein, Dirac, Hawking, DDT, food-chain, CFC, ozone layer, CO2, climate change, global warming, nature, environment, Te, psychology, thinking, virtue, way of people, success, shengren, sage, chuang tzu, chuang zi, supernatural, spiritual, immortal, focus, efficient, proactive, Static, dynamic, Franklin, predictions, wu wei, wei wu wei, non-action, action, effort, positioning, video, free, download,
Lefroy House, Dublin, Ireland 2001
Lefroy House is a project for teenagers owned and run by The Salvation Army in Dublin, Ireland.
Fig. 23 in: HARRISON, Peter D. (1999). The Lords of Tikal. Rulers of an Ancient Maya City. Thames and Hudson Ltd., London. ISBN 0-500-05094-5
---
Quadralectic Architecture - Marten Kuilman (2011) p. 162/163:
Peter D. HARRISON (1999) pointed in his book ‘The Lords of Tikal’ to the ancient history of the Mundo Perdidio Complex, with the emphasis on war (’Star Wars’) and battles. His approach is typical for the way archaeology can respond to popular demand. The so-called Hiatus, for instance, was a period of hundred-and-twenty-five years (AD 557 – AD 682) with little recorded history available ‘largely due to warfare between Tikal and its neighbours'. It marked, according to Harrison, the beginning of the Mayan ‘star wars’ or battles timed to astronomical events. He concluded that ‘the absence of surviving monuments and texts is assumed to be the result of domination or the intense conflict of the period’.
This conclusion must be amended from a quadralectic point of view. It is a given fact that most cultural entities are punctuated by struggles, wars and battles, which are typical for inter-human relationships. However, these times of heightened activity nearly always leave traces if not to say scars. War, by its very nature, is an expression of oppositional thinking and duality, resulting in material visibility: burned villages, dead people, destruction, but also a search for resources, inventions and new life. In fact, most history of the classical type is written along lines of wars and conflicts. These events seemed to be the stuff that really mattered in the confinement of lower division thinking.
The absence of recorded history does, in a classical approach, hardly point to people at war or under foreign occupation. A different solution is proposed here and is worth further study: people living during the Hiatus were totally at peace with their own personality, their government and their neighbours. There was no need to record a state of almost complete material and spiritual well-being. Life is taken as it is, in a state known by the philosophical Taoists as wei-wu-wei. This notion can be translated as ‘the action of nonaction’ or ‘act without doing’ (Stephen Mitchell). The paradox - as mentioned in the opening words of Chapter 63 of the Tao Te Ching - is central in Taoism and only second in importance to the Tao itself (David LOY, 1988; p. 97).
The Mayans might have found this state of mind in their tetradic thinking, occupying themselves with the meaning of life on a supra-material level. They did not leave visible traces for the fact-hungry archaeologists of the nineteenth and twentieth century. The ‘collapse’ of the southern Mayan area at the end of the nine-century AD, including such cities as Palenque, Tikal and Copan could be explained in the same way. Researchers looked for great acts of nature, disease, soil exhaustion or any sort of internal trouble, but could not come up with a convincing argument. Maybe the reason of the ‘decline’ was the absorption of the people with matters that did not translate into visible visibility.
This fading-away is not as heroic as a gigantic battle or an act of nature of the Pompeii-type, but cannot be excluded. The waning visibility of the southern cities within the context of a (quadralectic) communication is worth a closer look, assuming that the CF-graph of the Meso American cultural period (p. 147) holds some truth.
The Hiatus (557 – 682) is situated at the Pivotal Point (650 AD). This point (PP) is often regarded – in lower division thinking - as a ‘midlife crisis’, where the oppositional character of a communication becomes (painfully) aware. The extreme ideas and facts of the past, present and future ‘fight’ for supremacy and existential questions can be asked. The four-fold mind reacts different. The Pivotal Point (PP), in the middle of the visibility period (X), loses its specific character as the whole of the communication cycle (V) is taken into account. The position within this wider context (10/16 or 5/8.V) is of no particular significance.
The ‘end’ of southern lowland cities towards the year 900 AD can be situated (in fig. 107) towards the middle of the fourth part of the Third Quadrant (of the Meso American cultural period). This stretch of time is in most communications an apogee of visibility, but also a time of distinct changes pursuant to an increased awareness. The approaching width of thinking (of the Fourth Quadrant) casts its shadow before. The southern cities might have opted out for further prominence. A modern approach to history suggests that this choice can be made in a fully voluntary way, leaving the struggle for survival and visibility to the more northern representatives of their civilization.
See also: quadralectics.wordpress.com/3-contemplation/3-2-temples/3...