from The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 4, Mêng / Youthful Folly
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Our task
as humans is to find
the few principles that will calm the
infinite anguish of free souls. We must mend
what has been torn apart, make justice imaginable
again in a world so obviously unjust, give happiness
a meaning once more to peoples poisoned by
the misery of the century. Naturally, it is
a superhuman task. But superhuman
is the term for tasks we take
a long time to accomplish,
that’s all.
Let us
know our aims then,
holding fast to the mind, even if
force puts on a thoughtful or a comfortable
face in order to seduce us. The first thing is not to
despair. Let us not listen too much to those who proclaim
that the world is at an end. Civilizations do not die so easily,
and even if our world were to collapse, it would not have
been the first. It is indeed true that we live in tragic
times. But too many people confuse tragedy with
despair. “Tragedy,” D.H. Lawrence said,
“ought to be a great kick at misery.”
This is a healthy and immediately
applicable thought. There are
many things today
deserving such
a kick.
If we are
to save the mind we must
ignore its gloomy virtues and celebrate
its strength and wonder. Our world is poisoned
by its misery, and seems to wallow in it. It has utterly
surrendered to that evil which Nietzsche called
the spirit of heaviness. Let us not add to this.
It is futile to weep over the mind,
it is enough to labor
for it.
But where
are the conquering virtues
of the mind? The same Nietzsche listed
them as mortal enemies to heaviness of the spirit.
For him, they are strength of character, taste, the “world,”
classical happiness, severe pride, the cold frugality of
the wise. More than ever, these virtues are
necessary today, and each of us can
choose the one that suits
him best.
Before the
vastness of the undertaking,
let no one forget strength of character.
I don’t mean the theatrical kind on political
platforms, complete with frowns and threatening
gestures. But the kind that through the virtue of its purity
and its sap, stands up to all the winds that blow in
from the sea. Such is the strength of character
that in the winter of the world
will prepare the
fruit.
Weapons are tools of evil,
shunned and avoided by everything
in nature. Because people of tao follow
nature, they want nothing to
do with weapons.
Un-evolved people are eager
to act out of strength, but a person of tao
values peace and quiet. He knows that every being
is born of the womb of tao. This means that his
enemies are his enemies second, his own
brothers and sisters first.
Thus he resorts to weapons
only in the direst necessity, and then uses
them with utmost restraint. He takes no pleasure in victory,
because to rejoice in victory is to delight in killing.
Whoever delights in killing will not
find success in this world.
Observe victories as
you observe a death in the
family: with sorrow and mourning.
Every victory is a funeral
for kin.
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No teacher
or master is in possession of
your enlightenment. Ultimately only
you can free yourself. Just shed your delusions
like a sweaty shirt and slip into the stream of
zen and tao, empty minded, quiet hearted,
at rest in the midst of everything
and at peace with all
that occurs.
Polish yourself
on your own over and over
until you disappear, and you’ll wake up
right where you are. You’ll see straight
through the snares of the world and
pass freely into complete
realization.
☯️
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In a great
storm the wise bird
returns to her nest and
waits patiently.
The way of the superior person faced with difficulty is that of nonaction rather than action. She does not strive after recognition or resolution or attempt to gain a higher position by conquering others. Instead, she retreats into her center and cultivates humility, patience, and conscientiousness. On the path of acceptance, self-inquiry, and self-improvement we obtain the aid of the Creative and meet with success after the storm has passed.
from The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 62, Hsiao Kuo /Preponderance of the Small
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