Tao Te Ching 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 emperors.
4 (my version)
Tao is indescribable, but can never be used up.
Unfathomably deep, it's a source of all things!
It's sharpness blunt, knots untangled, glare hidden,
And with dust it commingles.
It is so void, formless, indiscriminating.
Whence was it born and whence comes it?
I only know that the Gods come afterward.
posted by Jorielle @ 7/18/2004 08:45:00 AM
1 Comments:
Not being able to read the original script, I'm at a distinct disadvantage, but I'm curious as to where 'empty vessel' became 'indescribable'. I read the use of the word Tao in that context as the practice of the way, rather than the way itself.
A story goes how a sage was consulted by a western philosopher who spent a lot of time saying how his way of thinking was all that he needed to know. The sage said nothing, but poured tea. When the cup was full, he continued pouring until the tea ran over the floor.
"Stop!" cried the Westerner, "The cup is already full."
"Then empty your cup," replied the sage, "for how else can I teach you anything?"
The usefulness of a cup is in its emptiness, said Bruce Lee (probably from somewhere else). So the Way is, in part, keeping your cup (mind) empty.
My thoughts, anyway.
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