DIVISION 15 (第十五)

Of old he who was well versed in the Dào
Were subtle, mysterious, dark, penetrating.
They were deep beyond knowing,
So deep beyond knowing,
We can only describe their appearance:
Hesitant was he! Like someone crossing a river in winter.
And perfectly watchful, as if neighbors threatened.
Reverent, like being guests.
Dissolving, like ice beginning to melt.
Perfectly simple, as if uncarved wood.
Vacant, like a valley.
Murky, like muddy water.
Who can make the muddy water clear?
Who can be at rest and yet, stirring, come to life?
Those who keep this Dào,
Do not want to be filled to the full.
Because they are not full,
That they can be worn and yet newly made.

COMMENTARY by Koeng S. Wan:
The shèng rén (sage) appears to be hesitant, perfectly watchful, reverent, dissolving, perfectly simple, vacant, and murky. The shèng rén understands the usefulness of emptiness within things (Division 11), but the Lǎo Zǐ admonishes him to not want to be "filled to the full" so as to not lose the ability to transform himself, i.e. focus qì into softness to become a newborn again (Division 10).

“Were subtle, mysterious, dark, penetrating” is the appearance of someone who believes nothing can be completely known (Division 1), distrusts words (Division 2), practices the teaching that uses no words (Division 2), refrains from making judgments (Division 7), and believes knowledge promotes social conflict (Division 3).

“Deep beyond knowing” is the depth that is the quality of mind (Division 8), and the understanding of Xuán (Division 1).

“Hesitant... Like someone crossing a river in winter” is appearing prudently cautious as one confronts a natural, known, and dangerous natural impediment on a journey. The image nearly matches the Judgment for hexagram 64 of the Yi Jīng (or I Ching) (易經), The Book of Changes, which is Wèi Jì (未濟 ), variously translated as “not yet complete” or “not yet forded"^[1], in which a young fox attempts to cross a half-frozen stream^[2]. The Yi Jīng describes the young fox as, “Thinking on with his feet, he tests the ice before he commits his weight, keeping three points on the known and one for new knowledge.”^[3]

“And perfectly watchful, as if neighbors threatened” is appearing vigilant and wary of people, associations, nations and states. This is the demeanor of the young fox described in the Wèi Jì hexagram of the Yi Jīng.

“Reverent, like being guests” is appearing humble when in the presence of others (Division 8).

“Dissolving, like ice beginning to melt” is appearing to become more and more selfless (Division 7). However, water in transforming from solid to liquid, reduces the ice and disperses drops of water to the earth. The shèng rén, like ice, a form of water which symbolizes the greatest good (Division 8), gives of himself to benefit others even though it may reduce himself in some manner as Division 42 says, “Thus, a thing is sometimes added to by being diminished and diminished by being added to.”

“Perfectly simple, as if uncarved wood” is appearing plain and unadorned (Division 19), small (Division 32), and desireless (Division 37).

“Vacant like a valley” is appearing receptive to the One, which can fill a valley (Division 39).

“Murky, like muddy water” is appearing unsure or equivocating and, consequently, not smart (Division 20). The shèng rén, of course, understands why he is murky, and so can make the muddy water clear.

"...be at rest and yet, stirring, come to life" is the appearance of someone who is always seeking fulfillment and carefully plans the steps he takes in life in order to achieve fulfillment as the young fox trying to cross the frozen stream in the Wèi Jì hexagram of the Yi Jīng.

FOOTNOTES
[1] Hatcher, Bradford, The Zhouyi and the First Four Wings of the Yijing In Simple, Literal Translation With the Rogue River Commentaries and Miscellaneous Notes, accessed April 27, 2009.

Hexagram 64:
Wèi Jì (未濟), Not Yet Complete

Fulfillment
The little fox (is) almost across the (half-frozen) stream
To soak that tail
Is not the direction of merit.

Nearly half way across the half-frozen stream, the wary, young fox is dauntless but careful. He is also not done growing older and wiser, and knows this. He continues to follow his plan. His plan, however, has already crossed, and now relaxes on that far shore in the sun. Such a plan may drown itself many times over, yet come back as lively as ever. The tangible fox is unable to do this and so he wants to keep all of his trouble in theory, and to keep his loose ends together. Thus far from safety, with just as far forward as back, he cannot afford to even dampen his tail. His nearest home or resting place may be all the way at the end. Nothing is granted but givens, as he can find and claim them. The sequences are uncertain, the problems are unknown. And yet he wants certain, not probably, outcomes. Thankfully, only three out of four feet really need to be sure. Thinking on with his feet, he tests the ice before he commits his weight, keeping three points on the known and one for new knowledge. Almost all the tension and stresses increase his chance for success. Thoughts of ice cold water, thoughts of the warm sunny shore: a tension pulls on to the other.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

DIVISION 14 (第十四)

Looked at but never seen,
It takes the name invisible.
Listened to but never heard,
It takes the name ethereal.
Held tight but never felt,
It takes the name gossamer.
You can't unravel these three,
Blurred so utterly they've become one.

“One” – there is nothing more encompassing above it,
And nothing smaller below it.
Boundless, formless! It cannot be named,
Again it reverts to nothing.
This is called the Formless Form,
The image that is without substance.
Therefore, it is said to be elusive and evasive.
Come toward it, one does not see its head.
Follow behind it, one does not see its rear.
Abiding in the ancient Dào
To master what now has come to be
And fathom its ancient source:
It is to know the thread of Dào.

COMMENTARY by Koeng S. Wan:
The One is a creation of the Dào (Division 42) that is gazed at but can't be seen, listened to but can't be heard, and is held on to but not felt, and so is perceived as a singularity which is an image called the Formless Form. The One is "elusive and evasive" yet it can be approached, embraced (Division 10), and possessed (Division 39). Abiding by the Dào is "To master now what has come to be" which is understanding of the nature of all things, an understanding needed for one to become enlightened (Division 16).

Among the source translations of the Lǎo Zǐ, only the Mǎ Wáng Duī texts identify the three named things as the "One"^[1]. As Henricks points out the designation seems appropriate since the text immediately after designation of the "One" seems to appropriately describe it as "there is nothing more encompassing above it / And nothing smaller below it."

The One is presented as a great mystery. This division in combination with Divisions 10, 14, 39, and 42 provides clues to this great puzzle though its characterization within the Lǎo Zǐ seems sometimes to be indistinguishable from the Dào. To this point in the Lǎo Zǐ, it should be noted that the One is not the same thing as the Dào since Division 42 says that the Dào gave birth to it.

FOOTNOTES
[1] Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, translated by Robert G. Henricks, The Modern Library, New York, NY, 1993, 221pp.

[2] Ibid.

DIVISION 12 (第十二)

The five colors blind a person's eyes.
The five musical notes deafen a person's ears.
The five tastes injure the palate.
Horse racing, hunting, and chasing
Makes a mind go wild with excitement.
Goods hard to come by
Serve to hinder (one's) progress.
That is why the shèng rén tends to the belly, not the eye,
Always ignores that and choses this.

COMMENTARY by Koeng S. Wan:
The shèng rén (sage) is admonished to tend to his physical needs and avoid sensual pleasures and luxuries.

The Lǎo Zǐ warns that constant exposure to pleasurable sights, sounds, tastes, exciting experiences, and luxuries can make a person less sensitive or aware of what is happening around him – causes for kinds of blindness, deafness, tastelessness, confusion, or plain senselessness. As mentioned in the commentary in Division 10, the Sù Wèn described these kinds of losses in awareness as a kind of sleep. The admonishment may be motivated by the need for people to be sensitive and vigilant to detect changes that will help them avoid future troubles (Division 63), and to enable them to attain a state of quietude necessary to achieve enlightenment (Division 16).

DIVISION 10 (第十)

In bringing together your spiritual and bodily souls to embrace the One,
Can you not let go?
Can you focus qì into such softness you are a newborn again?
Can you polish the Xuán mirror to a clarity beyond stain?
Can you love the people and govern the state without resorting to action?
In opening and closing Heaven's Gate,
Can you play the part of the female?
In understanding all within the Four Reaches – Can you do it without using knowledge?
Give birth and nurture.
To give birth without possessing and foster without dominating,
This is called Xuán Dé.

COMMENTARY by Koeng S. Wan:
Because people are intelligent and clever (Divisions 3 and 33), they follow some other dào, such as the teachings of Confucius (Division 18), or otherwise become separated from the Dào (Divisions 12, 18, 26, 33, 55). In order for people to follow the Dào they must commit their minds and souls to “embrace the One (一)” – the imperceptible aspect of the Dào that can be approached (Division 14) and attained (Division 39). People are admonished to keep their spirits unadulterated and tranquil like a newborn's, and practice Xuán Dé, which is to raise children and let them develop without controlling or dominating them. They are also admonished to perceive their own Xuán (Division 2) so clearly they understand themselves well; govern other people like a shèng rén (sage) (Division 3); and come to know the world without knowledge (Division 47).

In following the One so close as to "embrace" it, people learn to acquire, or rather, reacquire, the kind of cháng dé (constant dé) everyone displays when they are just born (Divisions 28 and 55) but then lose as they develop;

Qì and the Gates of Heaven. Ancient Chinese commonly believed that a living person normally has ten souls – three hún (魂) and seven pò (魄)^[1]. When a person dies the ten souls disintegrate – the hún find there way to heaven and permanently become spirits called shén (神), but the pò lose their existence^[2]. While alive, a person receives qì (氣) as nourishment from Heaven by breathing them in through the nostrils^[3], which are the Gates of Heaven^[4]. Thus, “playing the part of the female” while “embracing the One” with respect to receiving qì means that the person is receptive to the Dào of Heaven.

Significantly, one's anatomical Gates of Heaven corresponds to the Xuán Pìn Gate, the feminine valley spirit that serves as the root of Heaven (and Earth) (Division 6).

Cháng dé and becoming newly born. Among the Lǎo Zǐ's approximately five thousand words, qì (氣) appears only thrice -- once here, and once in divisions 42 and 55. Here, the Lǎo Zǐ says that one can focus qì in such as way as to become a newborn again. While this is not a total physical transformation, the result and benefit is important in two ways.

The first is that an adult, like a newborn, is totally dependent on its mother, which is the Dào, being mother of all things (Division 25) which is beneficial (Division 52). This relationship is instinctual, i.e., beyond trust, since a newborn has no understanding of trust, which is one aspects of a newborn's cháng dé, the highest form of dé (Divisions 28 and 55).

While a person cannot become a newborn again, a person who has embraced the One can attain the dé like that of newborn's by focusing qì into “softness”, a state of spiritual purity and tranquility, which is the second transformational results and benefit. The Sù Wèn says, “The orb of the liver is the root of all extremes and the residence of the hún"^[5]. (The Sù Wèn (素問) or Basic Questions is one of the two books that compose the Huáng Dì Nèi Jīng (黃帝內經), the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine. Like the Lǎo Zǐ, the Huáng Dì Nèi Jīng is composed of 81 divisions within two books, the second being the Líng Shū Jīng (靈樞 經) or variously translated as the Classic of the Divine or Spiritual or Numinous Pivot. The Huáng Dì Nèi Jīng became a Jīng during the Han dynasty, though some scholars believe the Sù Wèn existed at the time the Lǎo Zǐ was being formulated^[6]). These extremes are kinds of adulterations accumulated through life as the Sù Wèn explains in the following anecdote^[7]:

Oxen and horses when led properly can easily wade through the marsh. When let loose, however, they will sink deeper and deeper and can never get out again by themselves. So they have to die. People are just like this. When first born their original spirit is pure and tranquil, profound and unadulterated. But then people gradually take in shaped objects. Those in due course define the six senses.

The eyes will covet color.
The ears will be obstructed by sound.
The mouth will be addicted to flavors.
The nose will always take in smells.
The mind will be intent on refusing and coveting.
The body will desire to be slimmer or fatter.

From all these ups and downs of life, no one is able to wake up by himself. Thus, the sages with compassionate consideration established the doctrine to each people reform. They made them use inner observation of the self and body in order to purify the mind.

Division 12 addresses the plight of adulterated senses and spirit head on.

The Xuán Mirror. Xuán is the unified mystery of a particular thing in which the thing is perceived two different ways depending on whether the observer is in a state with or without desire (see Division 1). Looking into the Xuán mirror, the observer examines himself with and without desire in order to gain understanding of oneself. Division 33 says:

To understand others is to be knowledgeable;
To understand yourself is to be wise.

To "polish the Xuán mirror to a clarity without stain" is to examine oneself impartially, the approach others should use to understand the observer (Division 7).

FOOTNOTES:
[1] "Hun", Encyclopedia Britannica Online . Accessed March 28, 2009.

[2] Mura, Kunio, “Gui”, The Encyclopedia of Taoism, A-Z, Volume 1, edited by Fabrizio Pregadio, pp.458-9.

[3] Kohn, Livia, The Taoism Experience: An Anthology, State University of New York Press, 1993, p.165.

[4] Wile, Douglas, The Art of the Bedchamber: The Chinese Sexual Yoga Classics Including Women's Solo Meditation Texts, State University of New York Press, 1992, p.142.

[5] Kohn, Livia, The Taoism Experience: An Anthology, State University of New York Press, 1993, p.166.

[6] "Huangdi Neijing", Wikipedia. Accessed March 28, 2009.

[7] Kohn, Livia, The Taoism Experience: An Anthology, State University of New York Press, 1993, pp.172-173.