Talks on Fragments from Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching . Originally the “Three Treasures” series was published as two volumes, later republished as four volumes.
Talks given from 11/06/75 am to 20/06/75 am English Discourse series
1 On The Absolute Tao2 Ordinariness3 On The Character of Tao4 Emptiness5 On The Danger Of Overweening Success6 There Is No Meaning7 On The Utility Of Not Being8 Attaining Absolute Indifference9 On The Wise Ones Of Old10 Wisdom And Understanding
< Previous | Contents | Next > CHAPTER 1 On The Absolute Tao 11 June 1975 am in Buddha Hall ON THE ABSOLUTE TAO THE TAO THAT CAN BE TOLD OF IS NOT THE ABSOLUTE TAO ON THE RISE OF RELATIVE OPPOSITES WHEN THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH ALL KNOW BEAUTY AS BEAUTY, THERE ARISES (THE RECOGNITION OF) UGLINESS. WHEN THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH ALL KNOW GOOD AS GOOD, THERE ARISES (THE RECOGNITION OF) EVIL....
< Previous | Contents CHAPTER 10 Wisdom And Understanding 20 June 1975 am in Buddha Hall The first question: Question 1 DO WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING INCREASE GRADUALLY OR DO THEY COME AS EXPLOSIONS? UNDERSTANDING NEVER COMES, neither as a sudden phenomenon nor as a gradual one, because it is always there. You have it right now. It is not going to happen somewhere in the future. You are carrying it within you, just as a seed carries the tree, a woman carries a child....
< Previous | Contents | Next > CHAPTER 2 Ordinariness 12 June 1975 am in Buddha Hall The first question: Question 1 HAVE I COME TO THE WRONG PLACE? I JUST WANT TO BE ORDINARY AND HAPPY. I WANT A WOMAN TO LOVE, AND TO LOVE ME; FRIENDS TO SPEND TIME WITH AND ENJOY. I DON’T WANT ENLIGHTENMENT. HAVE I COME TO THE WRONG PLACE? CENTURIES OF WRONG upbringing have completely confused your mind about enlightenment....
< Previous | Contents | Next > CHAPTER 3 On The Character of Tao 13 June 1975 am in Buddha Hall ON THE CHARACTER OF TAO: TAO IS A HOLLOW VESSEL, AND ITS USE IS INEXHAUSTIBLE, FATHOMLESS. ON THE SPIRIT OF THE VALLEY: THE SPIRIT OF THE VALLEY NEVER DIES. IT IS CALLED THE MYSTIC FEMALE. THE DOOR OF THE MYSTIC FEMALE IS THE ROOT OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. CONTINUOUSLY, CONTINUOUSLY,...
< Previous | Contents | Next > CHAPTER 4 Emptiness 14 June 1975 am in Buddha Hall The first question: Question 1 DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? NO Sir, NOT AT ALL. Because you are not. You are an emptiness – anatta. No sir. On the surface you may be somebody, but I am not concerned with your surface. In the deepest core you are simply a nobodiness, not even a nobody – nobodiness....
< Previous | Contents | Next > CHAPTER 5 On The Danger Of Overweening Success 15 June 1975 am in Buddha Hall ON THE DANGER OF OVERWEENING SUCCESS STRETCH A BOW TO THE VERY FULL AND YOU WILL WISH YOU HAD STOPPED IN TIME. TEMPER A SWORD TO ITS VERY SHARPEST, AND THE EDGE WILL NOT LAST LONG. WHEN GOLD AND JADE FILL YOUR HALL, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM SAFE....
< Previous | Contents | Next > CHAPTER 6 There Is No Meaning 16 June 1975 am in Buddha Hall The first question: Question 1 YOU HAVE SAID THAT EVERY GESTURE FROM A MASTER IS SIGNIFICANT, AND OFTEN THE ANSWER IS GIVEN IN WHAT IS NOT SAID RATHER THAN WHAT IS SAID. BUT OFTEN WHEN YOU LOOK OR GLANCE AT ME, AND I FEEL THERE IS A MESSAGE, I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY THE MESSAGE WITHOUT USING MY MIND....
< Previous | Contents | Next > CHAPTER 7 On The Utility Of Not Being 17 June 1975 am in Buddha Hall ON THE UTILITY OF NOT-BEING: THIRTY SPOKES UNITE AROUND THE NAVE; FROM THEIR NOT-BEING (LOSS OF THEIR INDIVIDUALITY) ARISES THE UTILITY OF THE WHEEL. MOLD CLAY INTO A VESSEL; FROM ITS NOT-BEING (IN THE VESSEL’S HOLLOW) ARISES THE UTILITY OF THE VESSEL. CUT OUT DOORS AND WINDOWS IN THE HOUSE (WALL), FROM THEIR NOT-BEING (EMPTY SPACE)...
< Previous | Contents | Next > CHAPTER 8 Attaining Absolute Indifference 18 June 1975 am in Buddha Hall The first question: Question 1 YOU HAVE SAID MUCH LATELY ABOUT INNER SILENCE AND EMPTINESS. AFTER TWO YEARS AS YOUR DISCIPLE, MUCH OF THE TIME, PARTICULARLY DURING THE MEDITATIONS AT THE ASHRAM, MY MIND SEEMS MORE THAN EVER TO BE OUT OF CONTROL AND WORKING LIKE A COMPUTER GONE MAD. I TRY TO BE A WITNESS TO THE WHOLE ABSURDITY, BUT THE MONSTER GOES ON AND ON!...
< Previous | Contents | Next > CHAPTER 9 On The Wise Ones Of Old 19 June 1975 am in Buddha Hall ON THE WISE ONES OF OLD THE WISE ONES OF OLD HAD SUBTLE WISDOM AND DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING, SO PROFOUND THAT THEY COULD NOT BE UNDERSTOOD AND BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT BE UNDERSTOOD, PERFORCE MUST THEY BE SO DESCRIBED: CAUTIOUS, LIKE CROSSING A WINTRY STREAM, IRRESOLUTE, LIKE ONE FEARING DANGER ALL AROUND, GRAVE, LIKE ONE ACTING AS GUEST,...