The Secret Teachings of the Tao Te Ching by Mantak Chia

Author:Mantak Chia
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Taoism/Eastern Philosophy
ISBN: 9781594777882
Publisher: Inner Traditions / Bear & Company
Published: 2011-03-16T16:00:00+00:00

Relaxing the body, the body comes to the fore.

Beyond the body, the body comes to the fore.

Beyond the body, the body exists of itself.

Not even relying on selflessness

Enables the self to be fulfilled.

(7:3–4)

The sage is the individual and universal persona in which the Tao, the meaning of virtuous action (Te), and the role of human being are embodied and characterized.

Through extensive cultivation of the Taoist transformational path, the sage’s body becomes an androgynous Chi body. The sage’s body is in unity with the mind, and the body and mind are no longer in tension or a mutual burden. Because of this total harmony, a sage’s body is a friend of life, not an object to be displayed. With its unique ability to rejuvenate, a sage’s body is a womb for producing the zhenren, the pure person.

The idea of relaxation in the verse above is comparable to the Buddhist idea of readiness: no sickness, no frustration, no restraint, and no expectation. It is the overall meaning of presence. [Coming] to the fore is permitting the body to bypass mental calculation and expectation, being free to move with its own rhythm, at its own pace, measured with its own strength, and in its own time. Thus, the mind reaches beyond the body, yet the stillness within holds it at bay.

Lao Tzu says that In the world, the sage inhales (49:3). This sentence characterizes the manner in which the sage lives his life. In order to live in the world, the sage gathers Chi through inhalation, through physical and cosmic breath. This inhalation is not the shallow and surface breathing done through the nostrils. It is the embryonic and total body breathing learned by Taoist practitioners. This breath of life is the nutrition, energy, information, and wisdom that sustain the body and mind.

The sage knows the world without stepping out of the door (the gate of life), knows the Tao without peering through the window (eyes) (47:1), and smiles like a child (49:4). This is called unifying the world of in and out. The world of in is the source and the world of out is the mechanism. They exist as matter and energy, structure and motion, process and outcome. Source is the breath of life, the nutrition of vitality, and the energy of light. Breath is the state of vapor, vitality is the state of fluid, and light is the state of solid. Light is the central focal point, vitality is the generating force, and air is the inclusive space. By inhaling in this embryonic way, the vast space and cosmic presence are instilled in the flesh, the awareness, and interaction of the body. The world is known, the self is charged, and action is pure and simple in itself.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.