Tao Te Ching Theory

[a random hack]

Here's a theory; That the Tao te Ching's chapters have been deliberately shuffled and rearranged, perhaps according to some key (I Ching perhaps ), to hide some deeper meaning?

This struck me after the realisation that Chapter Twenty,

...Is there a difference between yes and no?
Is there a difference between good and evil?
Must I fear what others fear? What nonsense!
Other people are contented, enjoying the sacrificial feast of the ox.
In spring some go to the park, and climb the terrace,
But I alone am drifting, not knowing where I am.
Like a newborn babe before it learns to smile,
I am alone, without a place to go.
Others have more than they need, but I alone have nothing.
I am a fool. Oh, yes! I am confused.
Others are clear and bright,
But I alone am dim and weak.
Others are sharp and clever,
But I alone am dull and stupid.
Oh, I drift like the waves of the sea,
Without direction, like the restless wind.
Everyone else is busy,
But I alone am aimless and depressed.
I am different.
I am nourished by the great mother.


would make a better, IMO, first chapter than the present one.

But then again, perhaps I'm just displaying my ignorance? :D

[sahyo]

is 'meaning' important? :)

[a random hack]

What do you mean by 'important'?

[sahyo]

perhaps according to some key ( ), to hide some deeper meaning?

[a random hack]

Whoops, just noticed the () :o :lol: (so thanks :) )

But I stll don't get what you mean by 'important'?
Important to 'me', yes currently, or I wouldn't have asked.

[sahyo]

thanks :)

is reading meaning 'meaning'?
can reading meaning 'meaning'?

[sahyo]

is 'meaning'?

;)

[a random hack]

is reading meaning 'meaning'?

Ok, by 'meaning' you mean the meaning of, in this case, Tao te Ching (TTC), yes?
Or the meaning of 'important'?

I'm so confused!!
HOWL!!!


:o :blink: :huh:

[sahyo]

HOWL!!!



emptfulmooning, perhaps? :lol: ;)

is important ttc 'meaning'?, or "deeper meaning"?

can reading, which may seem meaning, 'meaning' ?

is 'meaning'?

[a random hack]

is 'meaning'?

You mean does meaning exist, or is it real, or what?

Well. I can't hand you a plate of it, but I can define it's meaning.

[sahyo]

ok....listening...........

[a random hack]

using a dictionary... Is it that type of listening, or some other?

[sahyo]

[a random hack]

well, I guess there ain't a deeper meaning than that. :D

[sahyo]

"meaning"? ;) :D

[Thomas Knierim]

a random hack: Here's a theory; That the Tao te Ching's chapters have been deliberately shuffled and rearranged, perhaps according to some key (I Ching perhaps ), to hide some deeper meaning?

The Tao Te Ching is much like an anthology; each chapter is an independent unit that expresses a single thought or two. The chapters are not necessarily related to each other. There is no story line, no build-up, no structure. For this reason some scholars doubt that the book was actually written by Lao Tse. It almost seems like a collection of sayings of Lao Tse put together by his students. Either that, or Lao Tse was being intentionally sketchy.

Maybe the work was deliberately rearranged later, a la Nostradamus. Who knows? I guess I would have to become rather fluent in Chinese to find out. Despite my obvious lack of knowledge of ancient Chinese, I can't see any special reason for moving chapter 20 to the beginning. To my mind the first chapter should never be moved, since it's the most elegant and most profound of the whole book.

One should always put first things first. :-)

Cheers, Thomas

[sylph]

Originally posted by asheera@Aug 12 2003, 04:48 PM









asheera :D

[sylph]

Originally posted by a random hack@Aug 12 2003, 05:15 PM
well, I guess there ain't a deeper meaning than that. :D
no, there isn't. :D

[sahyo]

:D sylph

[a random hack]

Asheera,

:D

"meaning",



















[...]

Thomas,
One should always put first things first. :-)


Agreed. From here / now appears that I was stirred / expressing when this thread was started, with no really discernable purpose. Could call it a voice from God... :lol:

[sahyo]

:D

hacking

....was meaning?,

or just

[a random hack]

meaning "meaning"














[...]
'just'?

[sahyo]

wasn't saying 'just' :)


did think





















meaning?

[sahyo]

tao te ching, meaning?

[a random hack]

My Webpage (http://www.thebigview.com/tao-te-ching/)

[sahyo]

yes :) ....but, meaning?

if not thinking, is 'meaning'?

[a random hack]

"meaning" not (wasn't :lol: (I think))

meaning

[sahyo]

:D hehe


but












meaning?

[sahyo]

if not think tao te ching meaning?,
and not think












meaning?

[a random hack]

think?

[sahyo]

think?



Here's a theory; That the Tao te Ching's chapters have been deliberately shuffled and rearranged, perhaps according to some key (I Ching perhaps ), to hide some deeper meaning?

[sahyo]

think?



well, I guess there ain't a deeper meaning than that.



;)

[a random hack]

Here's a theory; That the Tao te Ching's chapters have been deliberately shuffled and rearranged, perhaps according to some key (I Ching perhaps ), to hide some deeper meaning?


Yep, that looks like thinking...

'I-here-now' thinks so anyway ;)

A-shhhhh-hearer. :D

[sahyo]

:o
"er"?, hack'ing :D

hehe

[rich]

Originally posted by a random hack@Aug 14 2003, 08:42 AM
My Webpage (http://www.thebigview.com/tao-te-ching/)
Dear Random,

Just a quick note to commend you for My Webpage on this quoted post. Good stuff. :)

Cordially,
Rich :D

[a random hack]

err, 'er' :lol: :rolleyes: :mellow:

[sahyo]

ahhh...ahha...errering :D

[a random hack]

:)

[fu*]

Random, you are a hoot :D

[rich]

fu*/asheera, in this thread are
hooting and hacking a random hack. B) ;)

[sonrisa]

and he's luvvin it! :D

[venom mama]

with the tao,





by not knowing,




you know more.

[passage]

I believe there is no "right" meaning, if there was than Lao Tzu would give us a simple easier answer. Each person has their own way of translating the verses and their own way of applying it to aspects of their life. IMO.