Asian Philosophy is Eloquent

[paigetheoracle]

The soft overcomes the hard,

The yielding overcomes the strong;

Every person knows this,

But no one can practice it.

- Lao Tze -

 

This is the basis of Chinese martial arts based on Kung Fu, not Japanese Karate though. Why don't people practice it? Simply because they are afraid it wouldn't work or they wouldn't appear macho enough if they gave into these feminine ways.

[Turtle]

Both praise and blame cause concern,

For they bring people hope and fear.

The object of hope and fear is the self -

For, without self, to whom may fortune and disaster occur.

 

-Lao Tze -

[paigetheoracle]

Both praise and blame cause concern,

For they bring people hope and fear.

The object of hope and fear is the self -

For, without self, to whom may fortune and disaster occur.

 

-Lao Tze -

 

So very true - addiction to the self, there's the rub! (Rub your enemies but not up the wrong way!).

 

We live in a world addicted to the self and attention addiction, which is probably the most pernicious form of addiction there is, rules supreme through celebrity.

[Symbology]

This is the basis of Chinese martial arts based on Kung Fu, not Japanese Karate though. Why don't people practice it? Simply because they are afraid it wouldn't work or they wouldn't appear macho enough if they gave into these feminine ways.

 

I would say that for anyone who is in martial arts, and has been thrown on a regular basis as part of training, they know that you better learn to bend with the force - otherwise you will be in alot more pain.

 

Also when you deliver the punches and throws you can instantly feel the difference between the resistance of a colored belt vs. your instructor. Trying to apply a technique on the master is like pushing through butter. They just aren't even there.

[Turtle]

~Disorder came from order, fear came from courage, weakness came from strength.

~ Disorder coming from order is a matter of organization, fear coming from courage is a matter of force, weakness coming from strength is a matter of formation.

~Therefore, those skilled in moving the enemy use formations to which the enemy must respond.

~They offer bait that which the enemy must take, manipulating the enemy to move while they wait in ambush.

~ Those skilled in warfare seek victory through force and do not require too much from individuals.

 

- Sun Tzu -

[paigetheoracle]

I would say that for anyone who is in martial arts, and has been thrown on a regular basis as part of training, they know that you better learn to bend with the force - otherwise you will be in alot more pain.

 

Also when you deliver the punches and throws you can instantly feel the difference between the resistance of a colored belt vs. your instructor. Trying to apply a technique on the master is like pushing through butter. They just aren't even there.

 

That's brilliant! I couldn't have put it better. It's also why they say you lose a fight as soon as you get angry - because you want to be there, in someones face, rather than stay distant. Sadly I have personal knowledge of this in a roundabout way - not through actual combat but the cycle of panic (fear that I am going to be too slow to react), anger, chemical imbalance in the body and lastly migraine. Again as they say, the greatest enemy is the self and self defeating thoughts, leading to self defeating actions as with this causal chain. If I gave up trying, I'd be free of the migraines but a little provocation (trying to achieve something in this world/ holding on tenaciously) and it starts all over again...

 

By the way, your Mingus quote - visit Lulu.com, look up my book 'Logic Lists English' under Education anmd Language, in 'Buy' section and see if the preview material fits into that category. I personally believe that the only reason people make the simple complicated, rather than the other way round, is to 'appear' clever as opposed to 'be' clever (inferiority complex). Probably I've got a superiority complex and it is this that baffles people, showing up their ignorance and stopping them using my methods (book sales nil).

[Turtle]

If birds gather, the enemy is not there. ~Sun Tzu

[Symbology]

Strategy without Tactics is the slowest route to victory.

Tactics without Strategy is the noise before defeat.

- Sun Tsu

[Turtle]

The Way takes no action, but leaves nothing undone. ~ Lao Tze

[Symbology]

The Way takes no action, but leaves nothing undone. ~ Lao Tze

 

Can someone please explain this one? I recognize The Way as Tao, and that it seems in line with the "no resistance" approach. But I'm not getting how it leaves nothing undone.

 

Thanks,

Symbohopper

[Turtle]

The Way takes no action, but leaves nothing undone.

Can someone please explain this one? I recognize The Way as Tao, and that it seems in line with the "no resistance" approach. But I'm not getting how it leaves nothing undone.

 

Thanks,

Symbohopper

 

:doh: That Lao & his double-speak! I did take it out of context to, erh...put some lipstick on the pig so to speak. :hihi: Her'e the whole of the stanza:

 

37. Tranquillity

The Way takes no action, but leaves nothing undone.

When you accept this

The world will flourish,

In harmony with nature.

 

Nature does not possess desire;

Without desire, the heart becomes quiet;

In this manner the whole world is made tranquil.

LaoTze - TaoDeJing

 

Turtle's purport :If the River is the Way, it goes to stay. The River does not desire to take action on things because every thing comes its way sooner or later.

 

Mostly, ol' Lao figures if we're busy trying to figure out what he meant, we're not up to no good. Damn that River!

[InfiniteNow]

The Way is shaped by use,

 

But then the shape is lost.

 

Do not hold fast to shapes

 

But let sensation flow into the world

 

As a river courses down to the sea.

 

 

~Lao Tze

[Kriminal99]

mixing philosphy and art is a no no in my opinion. It's just a way to leverage a small amount of understanding into a large amount of influence on people by purposely leaving your claims vague enough that people always think there might be more to them.

 

When you create formal arguments from what poets are trying to say, the arguments are often naive and just wrong... which is why the authors are poets and not philosophers. If you actually understand something it takes just as much effort to explain it and it is just as "enlightening" to read.

[InfiniteNow]

All the world says,

"I am important;

I am separate from all the world.

I am important because I am separate,

Were I the same, I could never be important."

 

Yet here are three treasures

That I cherish and commend to you:

The first is compassion,

By which one finds courage.

The second is restraint,

By which one finds strength.

And the third is unimportance,

By which one finds influence.

 

 

~Lao Tze

[Turtle]

It is because words cannot be clearly heard in battle, drums and gongs are used;

it is because troops cannot see each other clearly in battle, flags and pennants are used.

Therefore, in night battles use torches and drums;

in day battles use flags and pennants.

Drums, gongs, flags, and pennants are used to unite men's eyes and ears.

When the men are united, the brave cannot advance alone, the cowardly cannot retreat alone.

Sun Tzu.

[Turtle]

:shrug: It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. ~Confucius