Chuang and earlier Zen living

**View that one cannot train people to change**  A frog in a well cannot discuss the ocean [therefore first we need to show the "frogs" the ocean. But can frogs ever come to understand ocean?] How do we do that in a modern situation, to those who suffer poverty of spirit, to those with the arrogance of power, etc? A narrow-minded scholar cannot discuss the Tao. [Therefore don't engage in discussion with them. eg. The Entrepreneurial professor at the Hunter Centre. They only see from their narrow perspective. The expert's mind sees few options. The beginner's mind sees all.] **Accept humility that we are insignificant in the big picture of the Universe** We receive the life-breath from the universe, but we are just a little stone or tree set on a great hill compared to this world and beyond. How can we be so arrogant when we are so insignifcant? **All liviing things, all living species are equally important, actually equally trivial, don't harm them** When spea...

When knowledge and calm nurture each other, harmony and order emerge as from innate nature. The Tao is order. When someone tries to correct others it destroys everyone's innate nature. Follow the path of simplicity and silence. The people had knowledge but they did not use it; all this was perfect Oneness. Ruling by decrees and grand plans, they polluted the purity of nature and destroyed simpicity. The Tao was abaondoned and Good sutbstituted. As a result innate nature was abandoned. Heart linked with knowledge but were unable to give the world peace. Pomp and ceremony were added to this knowledge. This displaced simplicity resulting in the people being confused and disobedient. Perceiving this we can see how the world has lost the Tao. How can the world come to appreciate the Tao? Even if the wise do not retreat to the forests, their virtue is still hidden, whether they like it or not. When the times are not favourable for the wise, and it is not possible for them to do great thi...

To live amongst the wilds and lakes; to dwell in isolated places; actionless action; he leaves this generation be, and is in no hurry. To lose everything and yet to have all; to drift calmly and endlessly; this is the Tao of Heaven and Earth. Calm, detachment, silence, quiet, emptiness and actionless action, these are what maintain Heaven and Earth, the Tao and Virtue. The sage rests, truly rests, and is at ease. He ignores knowledge and nostalgia, following only the pattern of Heaven.So he risks no disaster from Heaven, nor complications from things, no accusation from anyone. In life he floats; at death he rests. He does not consider and plot, nor design for the future. He shines but is not seen. His spirit is pure and without blemish. Empty, selfless, calm and detached, he is in harmony with Heaven's Virtue. For the heart to be without sadness and happiness, is to have perfected Virtue. To be one and changeless, this is to have perfected stillness; to encounter no opposition is ...

 Is there some hidden cause that makes things as they are, whether they wish or not? Or is it just that everything moves and turns beause it has no choice? Who, [or what], doing nothing, brings all this joyful excess into being? Who, doing nothing, creates all trhis activity? Perfect nobility disregards the honours of state. Perfect fulfilment ignores fame and glory. Alone of all, the Tao never alters. The efforts and works of one age cannot, without great contortions, be made to fit another age.  Fame is something sought by all, but don't go for too much of it. Someone who believes wealth is the most important thing cannot give up their income; someone who seeks pre-eminence cannot give up the hunt for fame; those who love power cannot hand it over to others. Those who cling to things like these are usually fearful. Benevolence and righteousness, when forced upon you, disturb your heart and produce great distress. Why do you exert yourself so much, banging a big drum? Fame an...

NOT: telling lies backbiting, slander talk that may bring about hatred, enmity, disunity, and disharmony harsh, rude, impolite, malicious and abusive language idle, useless, and foolish babble or gossip speaking carelessly IS speak the truth use words tht are friendly and benevolent, words that are pleasant and gentle words that are meaningful and useful speak at the right time and the right place If one cannot say anything useful one should keep noble silence.

Those who comprehend are spontaneous, seeming not to know but being centred in stillness. Sages are quiescent, not because of any value in quiescence, they simply are still. Not even the multitude of beings can disturb them, so they are calm. Empty, still, calm, plain, quiet, silent, non-active, this is the centredness of Heaven and Earth and of the Tao and of Virtue. Through actionless-action they are very happy. Being very happy they are not afflicted by cares or worries, so their years of life are prolonged. Actionless action brings honour. The beauty radiated, since it arises from simplicity, outshines the rest of the world. Be in harmony with all people. He is generous to multitudes of generations but does not think this benevolent. He is older than the oldest but does not think himself old. His heart is one with all living things Through action rulers cannot even begin to fulfil what the world requires The ancient wise had no designs; even though they understood the whole of life...

Although there are ten thousand forms of life, they are one in their order. Look at anything in the light of the Tao and you will see that the response of all life is fulfilling. Stirring all life is the Tao. They practice non-action and the whole of life is transformed. They were immensely deep in their stillness and the families of the world were calm. Remain true to the One and all manner of tasks will be completed. Be without emotions and the ghosts and spirits will submit. Love all humanity and bring success to them Unite that which is not united Go beyond barriers and boundaries To be aligned with the Tao is completion [Skillfully and without causing harm do what you can to improve and sustain life, but accept the fortunes and flow of the Universe] To refuse to allow anything external which distracts you is called perfection Leave the gold in the mountain and the pearls in the deep. He has no wish to rule the world as his private domain His honour is clarity of understanding that...

One should accept leaving the world open to its own way and not interfering. Don't try to control the world. Let the world be, fearful of spoiling its innate nature. People have become restless, moving here, moving there, planning to no purpose, travelling for no good reason or result. The consequence is that humanity becomes concerned with mightly goals and plots, ambition and hatred. People cannot therefore find time to rest quietly in the essential qualities of their innate nature. Our society celebrates quibblers. The world gets worse when humanity honours and values things like arts, rituals, famous people, wise people, heroes, music, morality, knowledge. [It's all cause and effect. If we want peace and contentment we need to reduce the causes that we create eg. by watching the news or discussing politics, art, music, etc. so that we don't create the next effect. Peace is absence of constant effects.] Actionless action is the best course. By non-action we can rest in t...

The sage brings little to the world but inflicts much harm Create weights and measures to judge by and people will steal by weight and measure. Create contracts and legal agreements to inspire trust and people will steal by contracts and legal agreements. One person steals a buckle and he is executed. Another steals a country and becomes a ruler. If sages and wisdom were abandoned great robbers would cease. Burn the accounts and rip up the contracts and the people will return to simplicity. Break up the weights and the measures and people will no longer argue. Throw away the six tones and destroy the pipes then every person in the world would for the first time be able to hear properly. If adornments were abolished everyone in the world would be able to see clearly for the first time. Get rid of the tech and for the first time everyone in the world will have and use real skills. The greatest art in the world is like foolishness. When people have true, clear vision, no one in the world ...

Heightened visual perception will cause confusion. One will be overwhelmed by interesting designs and dazzled by the bright and luminous shades. The result is that someone like this destroys their inner self in a quest for novelty and ever-greater beauty. It is the same with the quest for ever-greater fame and fortune - the pursuit of the unobtainable. Others delight in pointless, nitpicking debate, spouting nonsense. All of these types of people walk a complex road, with little to do with the true way of the world. That which is united presents no problem. Thay which is divided is all right. (EU v Brexit; UK v Scotland). What is long is not too long. That which is short is not too short. Many ignore the inbuilt principles of existence. Everything has its innate nature. [No free will]. Everything achieves what is intended, but does not understand why or how. This has always been so and nothing [!!] can affect it. There is no point in holding to benevolence and righteousness [!!] like a...

Sleep the sleep of innocence and awake in calm collectedness "I wish to ask you about governing everything under Heaven." "Get lost! What an unpleasant question! I ride the bird of ease and emptiness and go beyond the compass of the world and wander in the land of nowhere and the region of nothing." Let your heart journey in simplicity. Be one with that which is beyond definition. Let things be what they are. Have no personal views. His work affects all under Heaven, yet he seems to do nothing. There in no fame or glory for him but everything fulfils itself. In the midst of everything he remained enclosed with the One and that is how he remained until the end. Do not hanker for fame Do not make plans Do not try to do things Do not try to master knowledge Work with all that comes from Heaven, but do not seek to hold it. Just be empty The wise person's heart does not seek knowledge, just responds. As a result he can handle weverything.

The wise person does not hold onto life, nor do they fear death. They arrive without expectation and leave without resistance. They came calmly, went calmly, and that was that. They are not interested in what becomes of them. Their kindness enriches generations yet they have no great love for people. They do what they want. They are not judgemental. Cheerfully smiling, they are content. When calm, they appear to be one with the world. Their inner nature seems unknowable. They get on well with society. They follow the natural course of events. Death and birth are fixed. They are beyond the control of humanity. This is just how things are. People praise and criticise leaders and thinkers but it would be so much better if they just follow the Tao. To have a human form is a joyful thing but in a universe full of possible forms there are others just as good. The sage rests contented with all things. They take pleasure in early death, old age, in the origin and in the end, and sees them all ...