TAOISM: VITALITY, ENERGY AND SPIRIT OF THE WAY

Thomas Cleary, Vitality, Energy, Spirit: A Taoist Sourcebook (Shambhala Dragon Edition), translated from the Chinese and edited by Thomas Cleary (Boston & London: Shambhala, 1991) ("Taoists often call their study the 'science of essence and life' to represent their cultivation of those arts. The science of essence deals with mind; the science of life deals with the body. Their object is to groom and enhance what Taoists call the three bases or three treasures of human existence: vitality, energy, and spirit." "Vitality, energy, and spirit are envisioned as three centers of the individual and collective organism...." "Vitality is primarily associated with creativity, temporarily associated with sexuality. Energy is primarily associated with movement, heat, and power, temporary associated with breath, magnetism, and strength. Spirit is primarily associated with the essence of mind and consciousness, temporally associated with thought and reflection. As the three centers interact, the quality and proportion of their mutual influence relate directly to the total state of mental and physical well-being." Id. at ix. "The present anthology contains variety of traditional Taoist educational materials dealing with the theory and practice of the 'inner achemy' by which vitality, energy, and spirit are unified, groomed, refined, and purified, a process believed by the Taoists to restore the original wholeness and health of the natural human being." Id. at xxiv. Huai-nan-tzu: "When the mind neither sorrows nor delights, that is supreme attainment of virtue. To succeed without changing is supreme attainment of calm. To be unburdened by habitual desires is supreme attainment of emptiness. To have no likes and dislikes is supreme attainment of equanimity. Not getting mixed up with things is supreme attainment of purity." "Those who can accomplish these five things reach spiritual illumination. Those who reach spiritual illumination are those who attained the inward." "Therefore when you master the outward by means of the inward, all affairs are unspoiled." "If you can attain this within, then you can develop it outwardly." Id. at 22. Ancestor Lu, "Sayings": "Dissipation: The human body is only vitality, energy, and spirit. If you do not care about your vitality and waste it arbitrarily, that is like putting water into a leaking cup; it will not fill the cup, but will gradually leak away. Finally it will be all gone, not a drop left. If you do not care about your energy but let it go whichever way it will, that is like placing incense on a red-brazier, letting it burn away; add more fuel and fire, and the incense will become ash. If you do not care about your spirit and dissipate it arbitrarily, that is like placing a lone lamp in the wind, letting it be blown by the wind, uncovered, so that it goes out." Id. at 82. "The True Eternal Tao: Whenever I see those whom the vulgar call devotees of the Tao, I find that all of them seek to be taken in spirits and immortals, or they seek lasting life and preservation of wealth by the practice of material alchemy or sexual yoga. When it comes to the great Tao of true eternity pure and open, tranquil and dispassionate, there are few who are interested in it." Id. at 103. "Entering the Tao: The Tao is entered by way of sincerity. When you reach complete sincerity, the Tao is not far off. Therefore a classic says, 'Before practicing the way of immortality, first practice the way of humanity.' What does practicing the way of humanity mean? The Tao is fundamentally empty, yet it fills the universe. People should embody the Tao in action, making the extent of their minds reach everywhere and encompass everything, so that all living creatures are embraced within the mind of the individual. Also one should investigate the root of consciousness and the nature of intelligence, from time to time looking inward and using the mind to ask the mind whether one's actions are in accord with truth, and whether one is really contributing positively to society.." Id. at 103. Be a Taoist lawyer. Pop Quiz: Who said, to paraphrase, there are two types of lawyers. Those who are social engineers, and those who are parasites?  From "Records of Sayings of Banshan": "People engaged in self-cultivation should avoid discussing others' strengths and weaknesses or right and wrong, as well as the ups and downs of society and all worldly affairs." Id. at 159. I agree with the first part, but disagree with the latter. Those who are engaged in self-cultivation should be engaged in addressing issues such a global warming, poverty, overpopulation. They are the only one who can bring some humanity to the discussion. "Do not speak or think about what does not concern you--as soon as you start making judgments, you have obscured your self." "If you concentrate on refining your mind, you should always search out your own faults. Why should you be concerned with others' personal affairs?" Id. at 160. I need to take that to heart!!).