Verse Thirty Four

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From: jimclatfelter
Posted: Sun May 25, 2008

Verse Thirty Four
Herrymon Maurer, 1985

The great Tao flows everywhere:
It can go to the right or the left.
The ten thousand things draw life from it,
And it does not deny them.
It completes its work
But takes no title.
It clothes and feeds the ten thousand things,
But does not own them.
You can call it small.
The ten thousand things return to it,
But it does not own them.
You can call it great.
Because it does not seek to be great,
Its greatness is accomplished.

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From: jimclatfelter
Posted: Wed May 28, 2008

I like this verse. The Tao gives life but needs no credit for what it does. Its greatness is in not claiming greatness. As we've said before, it's the plainest and humblest of appearances. In fact, it's more of a disappearance, the plainness in which all else appears. And we can locate this "great Tao." We can point to and see this ground in which all appears.

Jim

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From: simon
Posted: Fri May 30, 2008

That is nicely put, Jim
Quote:
it's more of a disappearance, the plainness in which all else appears

Very difficult to pin down with words, very "ease-full" to see as it is always present...

Also
Quote:
The ten thousand things draw life from it,
And it does not deny them.

No playing games - pretence and preference, here!

Out of this (whatever one calls it) arises everything, which then thrusts towards survival - even plants and insects - all seeking eternity via reproduction... Well, spring here and a riot of colour, song and activity - animal, vegetable and perhaps even mineral (though less perceptible movement!)
Happy stillness in activity, one and all
simon

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From: jimclatfelter
Posted: Fri May 30, 2008

Hi Simon,

Yes, the birds are singing and nesting here too. There are blackbirds in the guava tree. They eat the petals of the guava flowers. I like them too. They are very sweet tasting--the flowers, not the blackbirds.

"seeking eternity via reproduction"

That's a nice way to think about what motivates life. Finding eternity via Seeing has its place too. Springtime does show off all of life a a single family of being.

Jim

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