I. A first cultural assumption in the Modern West
is the belief in individualism -- the notion that
the part is prior to the whole.
A first cultural assumption in
the East (and also among traditional peoples and ancient West) is that
the whole is prior to the parts.
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II. A second cultural assumption in the (ancient
and modern) West concerns a notion of
time
and
progress
and the virtue of striving.
A second cultural assumption in the (ancient
and modern) East concerns a notion of
surface
and
depth
and the virtue of letting go.
IDEAL DEFECT REMEDY
WEST:
A) Imagery:
In-the-Garden
Out-of-the-Garden
Return to Garden
state
state
state
Story from Genesis is shared by the religions of the Book: Judaism, Christianity
and Islam
B) Language:
What OUGHT --
What " IS" --
STRIVING
in modern
TO BE
(when pathological)
times
Time and Steps
"OUGHT vs. IS"
(when balanced)
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IDEAL
DEFECT
REMEDY
What "ought to be"
is situated in
is taken to
is projected into future
present
be a form of
striving
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IDEAL DEFECT REMEDY
EAST:
A) Imagery: Being Awake Being Asleep Waking Up
Story is that of Gotama Siddhartha who became the Buddha -- the One who
Awakened
B) Language:
What IS -- present
What IS -- present
Letting Go
a double IS --
at the DEPTH
at the SURFACE
of sole
small-minded vs.
identification with
large-minded way
surface
of relating
(when unbalanced,
the "letting go"
is a kind of mushy
"go with flow"
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TWO ANCIENT MASTERS
Lao
Tzu (the Old Master)
K’ung Tzu (Master K’ung)
reputed
author of the
whom we know as Confucius
Tao Te Ching or
author of the
Analects
Classic of the Power of the
Way
and preserver of the ancient
Chinese classics
It is said: Everyone is a Confucian in his or her public life and a Taoist in retirement.
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THE
WAY OF LAO TZU
THE WAY OF K'UNG TZU
The Way of Nature and Wilderness The Way of the City and Culture
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Insight:
How to move beyond revenge or "tit for tat" action-reaction
Return to one's
Seek a
original nature (pu)
common culture
Learn from nature's rhythms Learn from the virtue of the ancients
Practice Wei Wu Wei =
Act as
Chün-tzu -- the noble
acting without producing
or large-minded person
adverse reaction
not as Hsiao-jen -- the
non-noble, small-minded person
____________________________________________________________________________
Nature of the Path
DIS-IDENTIFICATION
RE-IDENTIFICATION
from the artificial/ conventional
with the best ideals of the
and a return to nature
common culture
which involves
which involves
a process of simplification
an awakening of aspiration
(radical letting go)
(becoming large minded)
Giving up desires and giving
Giving to others the example
up concern
for the views of
of humane conduct;
others
goodness shaped by
(becoming like a fool)
ritual/ ceremony
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Reality Grounding
NATURE FIVE RELATIONSHIPS
Think of
Leader-Follower
cycles
(+ other relations in world beyond family)
of
Day and
Night
Father/Mother - Daughter/Son
Moon’s
Phases
Husband-Wife
Seasons
of Year
Elder to Younger Brother/Sister
Friend-Friend
Think of
Think of the
energy manifest in
central social virtues of
Martial Arts or Acupuncture
Filial Piety & Brotherly/Sisterly Regard
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Still, both are sages and, as such, both have a place for YIN and YANG.
YIN as the downward and inward movement of meditative stillness;
YANG as the upward and outward movement of service in the world.
What we find in examining the two sages is a difference in foreground and background.
LaoTzu places K’ung Tzu places
Sagely Stillness in Foreground
Sovereign Service in Foreground
Sovereign Service in Background
Sagely Stillness in Background
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