unfamiliar - the dao de jing

I continued teaching about unfamiliar texts and teachings at church this week. I shared from the Dao de Jing, the text that formed the basis for Daoism. Daoism emphasizes harmony, balance, non-action, and complementary forces. It uses the idea of the “Dao,” which means some form of “way, path, direction, pattern,” like a way of life or force of nature. It’s mysterious, and that’s part of what I love about it (also that it inspired the Force in Star Wars, of course).

Here are some of the teachings we reflected in this week, and a few extra.

1: A dao that may be spoken is not the enduring Dao. A name that may be named is not an enduring name.

No names – this is the beginning of heaven and earth. Having names – this is the mother of the things of the world.

2: Being and non-being create each other.

• Difficult and easy support each other.

• Long and short define each other.

• High and low depend on each other.

• Before and after follow each other. 

34: The Great [D]ao is universal like a flood. / How can it be turned to the right or to the left? / All creatures depend on it, / And it denies nothing to anyone. / It does its work, But it makes no claims for itself. / Constantly without desire, It clothes and feeds all, / But it does not lord it over them: / Thus, it may be called "the Little." / All things return to it as to their home, / But it does not lord it over them: / Thus, it may be called "the Great." / It is just because it does not wish to be great / That its greatness is

fully realised. (DDJ Ch. 34)

81: True words are not fine-sounding; 

   Fine-sounding words are not true.  

A good person does not argue; 

   he who argues is not a good person.  

the wise one does not know many things; 

   The person who knows many things is not wise.  

The Sage does not accumulate.

   [S]he lives for other people, 

And grows richer h[er]self; 

   [S]he gives to other people, 

And has greater abundance. 

77: The Dao of Heaven, / Is it not like the bending of a bow? / The top comes down and the bottom-end goes up...It is the way of Heaven to take away from those that have too much / And give to those that have not enough. / Not so with man's way: / He takes from those that have not / And gives it as tribute to those that have too much. / Who can have enough and to spare to give to the entire world? / Only the man of Dao. / Therefore the Sage acts, but does not possess, / Accomplishes but lays claim to no credit, / Because he has no wish to seem superior.