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i lean toward Lao Tzu, the Tao Te Ching is probably one of the most important books i have read, in fact i carry a pocket sized version constantly.



Just to clearify, do you mean "important" in a general cultural literary context by your estimation, or "important" in that it has specifically impacted your life in a remarkable way for better or for worse? I imagine youll chime in "both" in your new cretinous hubristic fashion, but I'm only really interest if it's the latter. I'm wondering whether you Chinged before or after your ill advised sojourn into the pornography and how the insight you attained while Chinging is reconciled with such decision either forwardfs or backwards.




Aside to board proper: where is that one picture that Ceara's bunny friend remarked about Rob's "baby hands"?



To be perfectly honest, while the Tao is culturally significant to it's time and to its impact on the development of other philosophies and Traditional Chinese Medicine... I was referring to it being significant to ME and my life. while it has some import in todays society I feel unfortunately too few are familiar enough with it for it to count as important.

I became a Taoist when i was quite young after having a conversation with my Sifu (Chinese for teacher <actually teacher-father> in this case my Kung-Fu instructor, who also acted as a surrogate father for me up until about the age of 21) about religion and he turned me on to the Tao and the I-ching.

Taoism is about balance and relativism. What I do for a living, and following along whatever path I follow is just taking the path that was provided for me. Have there been times when I have forgotten all of this... yes, whenever I don the image of the "evil man" for some reason" it always ends up making me miserable because it is not in my nature to be that way, that has caused me to fall down paths that did me no good.

Tao (dao) merely means the natural way of the universe, and in reflection the natural way of yourself. To me monogamy and such is not the natural way of the universe. Life is about balance and flow, if you disrupt either you throw everything off, that is the essence of Wu Wei. Hence why I am a technological progressive, in my view of the Tao it is the natural flow of civilization to progress and to change. One of the biggest aspects of Taoism is the ability to change, the ability to adapt, the ability to adjust.

If you want real fun ask me about my flirtations and infatuations with both Ch'an and Tibetan Buddhism.


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The Way is the fate of men,
The treasure of the saint,
And the refuge of the sinner.

Fine words are often borrowed,
And great deeds are often appropriated;
Therefore, when a man falls, do not abandon him,
And when a man gains power, do not honour him;
Only remain impartial and show him the Way.

Why should someone appreciate the Way?
The ancients said, "By it, those who seek may easily find,
And those who regret may easily absolve"
So it is the most precious gift.



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Do not control the people with laws,
Nor violence nor espionage,
But conquer them with inaction.

For:
The more morals and taboos there are,
The more cruelty afflicts people;
The more guns and knives there are,
The more factions divide people;
The more arts and skills there are,
The more change obsoletes people;
The more laws and taxes there are,
The more theft corrupts people.

Yet take no action, and the people nurture each other;
Make no laws, and the people deal fairly with each other;
Own no interest, and the people cooperate with each other;
Express no desire, and the people harmonize with each other.

_________________________
"You're disgusting, you Caligula-esque mother fucker. But I like your avatar, so you get a pass. "-Chilledstoli If you're normal, people will accept you... but if you're DERANGED... they will make you their leader! -Christopher Titus