[MD] Taoism

Dwaipayan Lahiri dlahiri at realsysadmin.com
Tue Jan 8 14:35:43 PST 2008 

Hi dmb,

The name is Dwai (can't water it down any more than that) ...

I whole-heartedly agree that women need to be given their rightful  
place in the order of things.
But this discussion has nothing to do with Feminism. It transcends  
all gender barriers/divides.

As far as Emerson is concerned, he was hugely influenced by Vedanta.

http://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/i_es/i_es_gordo_emerson.htm

So it isn't surprising that there were overlaps with Lao Tzu --  
Taoism and Vedanta are very identical.
That doesn't mean I am taking anything away from Emerson...

Regards,

Dwai




On Jan 8, 2008, at 3:18 PM, david buchanan wrote:

>
> Marsha, Dawi and all MOQers:
>
> As I see it, patriarchy is about as old as civilization. If Joseph  
> Campbell is right, the alternative was stamped out entirely by 1750  
> B.C., long before the Tao Te Ching was written. In the West women  
> have been blamed for everything wrong by everyone from Freud to the  
> author of Genesis, so I certainly agree with Marsha's complaints.
>
> But I wanted to tell everybody about a book I picked up the other  
> day. Its called "The Tao of Emerson". It doesn't have an author so  
> much as an editor (Richard Grossman). Except for a brief  
> introduction, the book simply puts Lao Tse and Emerson side by side  
> to show the parallels between them. The harmony of these two  
> thinkers is all the more striking because they are separated by 25  
> centuries and half of a planet. In fact, the Tao Te Ching was not  
> translated into the English language until about 9 years after  
> Emerson had died. And yet, there it is. I think its quite alright  
> if a person would rather approach the perennial philosophy from the  
> perspective of their own culture and language and Emerson is about  
> as American as a guy can be. Hope that sounds as delicious to you  
> as it does to me.
>
> Along the same lines, I have a chart or map of Western  
> philosophies. It shows which schools grew from which. I think its  
> very interesting that traces a line from the mystery cults and  
> religions of the ancient world directly to the transcendentalists,  
> a line that goes AROUND everything between them. The same chart  
> shows pragmatism as the next step out of transcendentalism. I  
> happen to know that James and Dewey were both HUGE fans of Emerson.  
> That chart is in a frame, nailed to my office wall, and has a tiny  
> statue of Buddha resting on top. That makes me smile almost every  
> time.
>
> Thanks,
> dmb
>
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------
>> Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2008 15:39:55 -0500
>> To: moq_discuss at moqtalk.org
>> From: marshalz at charter.net
>> Subject: Re: [MD] Taoism
>>
>>
>> Greetings,
>>
>> I have finished reading 'Nine Nights with the Taoist Master', by
>> Master Waysun Liao.  I have thought about it and tried to find an
>> approach that would illicit understanding.  Reading this book has
>> been very helpful.  I had read two versions of the Tao Te Ching and
>> did not get a clear understanding of text.  I had also read a little
>> bit on the Internet, but still did not understand.
>>
>> It seems there are 100s of translations of the Tao Te Ching, all
>> different, with different interpretations.  Mostly wrong according to
>> Waysun Laio.  It seems this is a tradition based on some highly
>> ambiguous text and secret transmissions.
>>
>> I think it most reflects the MOQ in that Quality and the Tao are the
>> same.  Waysun Liao writes, "... one must work on his mind, life
>> energy (Chi), and engage in the systematic practice that brings a
>> qualitative change to one's mind and body." (p.276)  I totally agree
>> with this.  And, I've always loved the Yin-Yang symbol, I have it
>> tattooed on my spine at my 2nd chakra.  Intuitively it has always
>> seemed perfect.
>>
>> As far as the text goes, I can agree where it points to the Tao being
>> indivisible, undefinable and unknowable.  Most of the text, though,
>> is so ambiguous to me that I am not sure what it means.  Which, of
>> course, is exactly why Waysun Liao wrote his book.  And I am sure it
>> has been helpful to many.  It did clear away some of the confusion.
>>
>> I am a skeptic. I don't much like dogma of any sort (this is a
>> personal attribute).  I have had instructions on meditation,
>> pranayama, and Hatha yoga.  There are many traditions teaching these
>> techniques, and they all have value.  I don't believe there is one
>> true way.  I'm far too skeptical for that.
>>
>> I am a feminist.  And as a feminist I found the interpretation of the
>> teachings disturbing.  I think that this world needs far more Yin
>> energy.  It is way out of balance.  This text was a man talking to
>> men.  You can say it represents something universal, but I don't buy
>> it just because of some general statement that it is implied.  I
>> found far more value in the words of Isabel Allende.  And could
>> anything survive in this sick culture without the ironic humor of
>> someone like Ms. McKay?
>>
>> So while the practices may have benefit, the teachings are not for
>> me.  For me they do not address the Universal Feminine.  Not even
>> remotely.  To me, it's one-sided and laughable.  As Jack Nickolson
>> said in the movie 'Witches of Eastwick', "Good for the man, bad for
>> the woman".
>>
>> Now the thing is, I cannot prove I'm right.  But neither can you
>> prove you're right.  So why don't we just leave it at:
>>
>> "While sustaining biological and social patterns
>> Kill all intellectual patterns.
>> Kill them completely
>> And then follow Dynamic Quality
>> And morality will be served."
>>                     (LILA, Chapter 32)
>>
>>
>> Marsha
>>
>> p.s.  I hope this does not personally offend anyone.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars...
>>
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>
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