#TTC Chapter 14

Another long one today! Let me know what you think it means in the comments.

Accept disgrace willingly.
Accept misfortune as the human condition.

Look, it cannot be seen - it is beyond form.
Listen, it cannot be heard - it is beyond sound.
Grasp, it cannot be held - it is intangible.
These three are indefinable;
Therefore they are joined in one.

From above it is not bright;
From below it is not dark:
An unbroken thread beyond description.
It returns to nothingness.
The form of the formless,
The image of the imageless,
It is called indefinable and beyond imagination.

Stand before it and there is no beginning.
Follow it and there is no end.
Stay with the ancient Tao,
Move with the present.

Knowing the ancient beginning is the essence of Tao.

#taoism #taoteching #philosophy

In the beginning, at the time of the great flood, Noah went thru his ark after it landed, and found two small snakes huddled in a corner. Noah looked at these poor specimens - and said "I told you to go forth and multiply - why haven't you?"

The poor snakes looked up at Noah and replied "We can't because we are adders....."

Noah looked a bit perplexed, and then proceeded to tear bits of planking from his ark. He went on to build a beautiful wooden platform. He gathered up the snakes and placed them on the platform, and joyfully told the snakes - "Now go forth and multiply, because even adders can multiply on a log table"

#maths #shouldntbefunnybutis

My submission for today's #BritainInADay : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs51DSL3p6c

Warning! Contains scarily speedy guitar construction and cheesy intro (I have to give them some context, or they wouldn't have a clue what's going on).

#lutherie #timelapse #ipad #video

#TTC Chapter 13

Thirteenth Chapter of the #TaoTeChing. Let me know what you think it means in the comments!

Accept disgrace willingly.
Accept misfortune as the human condition.

What do you mean by "Accept disgrace willingly"?
Accept being unimportant.
Do not be concerned with loss or gain.
This is called "accepting disgrace willingly."

What do you mean by "Accept misfortune as the human condition"?
Misfortune comes from having a body.
Without a body, how could there be misfortune?

Surrender yourself humbly;
then you can be trusted to care for all things.
Love the world as your own self;
then you can truly care for all things.

#taoism #philosophy

#TTC Chapter 12

Here's the twelfth chapter of the #TaoTeChing. Let me know what you think in the comments or at http://dia.so/18b

The five colors blind the eye.
The five tones deafen the ear.
The five flavors dull the taste.
Racing and hunting madden the mind.
Precious things lead one astray.

Therefore the sage is guided by what he feels and not by what he sees.
He lets go of that and chooses this.

#taoism #philosophy

Is anyone else here doing AI Class online?

#TTC Chapter 11 Sorry for the delay people! Here's the eleventh chapter of the #TaoTeChing. Let me know your thoughts in the comments or at http://waterpigs.co.uk/tao-te-ching/chapters/11/

Thirty spokes share the wheel's hub;
It is the center hole that makes it useful.
Shape clay into a vessel;
It is the space within that makes it useful.

Cut doors and windows for a room;
It is the holes which make it useful.
Therefore benefit comes from what is there;
Usefulness from what is not there.

#Taoism #philosophy

#TTC Chapter 10

Longer one today! Also at http://waterpigs.co.uk/tao-te-ching/chapters/10/

Carrying body and soul and embracing the one,
Can you avoid separation?
Attending fully and becoming supple,
Can you be as a newborn babe?
Washing and cleansing the primal vision,
Can you be without stain?
Loving all men and ruling the country,
Can you be without cleverness?
Opening and closing the gates of heaven,
Can you play the role of woman?
Understanding and being open to all things,
Are you able to do nothing?
Giving birth and nourishing,
Bearing yet not possessing,
Working yet not taking credit,
Leading yet not dominating,
This is the Primal Virtue.

#taoism #philosophy #taoteching

#TTC Chapter 9

Here's chapter nine of the #TaoTeChing. Let me know what you think it means in the comments or at http://waterpigs.co.uk/tao-te-ching/chapters/9/

Better to stop short than fill to the brim.
Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.

Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it.
Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow.

Retire when the work is done.
This is the way of heaven.

#taoism #philosophy

#TTC Chapter 8

Here's chapter eight (my favourite!) of the #TaoTeChing. Let me know what you think it means in the comments or at http://waterpigs.co.uk/tao-te-ching/chapters/8/

The highest good is like water.
Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.

In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In daily life, be competent.

#taoism #philosophy

#TTC Chapter 7

Here's the 7th chapter of the #TaoTeChing. Let me know what you think it means in the comments or at http://waterpigs.co.uk/tao-te-ching/chapters/7/

Heaven and Earth last forever.
Why do heaven and Earth last forever?
They are unborn, So ever living.

The sage stays behind, thus he is ahead.

He is detached, thus at one with all.
Through selfless action, he attains fulfillment.

#Taoism #philisophy

#TTC Chapter 6

Here's the sixth chapter of the #TaoTeChing. Let me know what you think it means in the comments, or at http://waterpigs.co.uk/tao-te-ching/chapters/6/

The valley spirit never dies;
It is the woman, primal mother.

Her gateway is the root of heaven and Earth.
It is like a veil barely seen.
Use it; it will never fail.

Nice and short today!

#taoism #philosophy

#TTC Chapter 5

Here's the fifth chapter from the #TaoTeChing. Let me know what you think it means in the comments, or at http://waterpigs.co.uk/tao-te-ching/chapters/5/

Heaven and Earth are impartial;
They see the ten thousand things as straw dogs.
The wise are impartial;
They see the people as straw dogs.

The space between heaven and Earth is like a bellows.
The shape changes but not the form;
The more it moves, the more it yields.
More words count less. Hold fast to the center

#taoism #philosophy

#TTC Chapter 4

Here's the fourth chapter. Let me know what you think it means in the comments, or at http://waterpigs.co.uk/tao-te-ching/chapters/4/

The Tao is an empty vessel; it is used, but never filled.
Oh, unfathomable source of ten thousand things! Blunt the sharpness, Untangle the knot,
Soften the glare, Merge with dust.
Oh, hidden deep but ever present! I do not know from whence it comes.
It is the forefather of the gods.

#TaoTeChing #taoism #philosophy

#TTC Chapter 3

Here's chapter three. Let me know what you think it means in the comments or at http://waterpigs.co.uk/tao-te-ching/chapters/3/

Not exalting the gifted prevents quarreling. Not collecting treasures prevents stealing.
Not seeing desirable things prevents confusion of the heart.
The wise therefore rule by emptying hearts and stuffing bellies, by weakening ambitions and strengthening bones.
If men lack knowledge and desire, then clever people will not try to interfere.
If nothing is done, then all will be well.

#taoism #philosophy

#TTC Chapter 2

Here's today's chapter. Let me know what you think it means in the comments or at http://waterpigs.co.uk/tao-te-ching/chapters/2/

Under heaven all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness.
All can know good as good only because there is evil.

Therefore having and not having arise together.
Difficult and easy complement each other.
Long and short contrast each other:
High and low rest upon each other;
Voice and sound harmonize each other;
Front and back follow one another.

Therefore the sage goes about doing nothing, teaching no-talking.
The ten thousand things rise and fall without cease,
Creating, yet not possessing.
Working, yet not taking credit.
Work is done, then forgotten.
Therefore it lasts forever

#taoism #philosophy

#TTC Chapter 1

Here it is people, the first chapter from the #TaoTeChing! Have a read and let me know what you think it means.

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.

The nameless is the beginning of heaven and Earth.
The named is the mother of the ten thousand things.

Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring, one sees the manifestations.

These two spring from the same source but differ in name;
this appears as darkness.

Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery.

#taoism #philosophy

So, @{David Morley; davidmorley@diasp.org}, what's new in this update?