What does it mean, "Be wary of both honor and disgrace?" Honor is founded on disgrace and disgrace is rooted in honor. Both should be avoided. Both bind a man to this world. That's why it says, "Be wary of honor and disgrace."
- Honor and disgrace are two sides of the same manmade coin
- They should serve as a means rather than an end
- They are abstract labels that are not applied to nature
- Do things in the way of nature rather than in the way of man
Application: This is a contradiction to the beliefs of Confucianism and many religions--being wary of honor. Honor is a label invented by humanity to control people, binding them to their word. If an authority figure doesn't like what a subordinate did, he can say that it was not honorable. When there is no real relationship between people, the seal of honor can keep them tolerant of one another. Personally, I can apply this but I should be silent about it. Announcing that you have no honor or you honor no one can quickly make you an outcast from society. But most Taoist sages and spiritual leaders were social outcasts, so the choice is mine.
What does it mean, "Endess affliction is bound to the body?" Man's true self is eternal, yet he thinks, "I am this body. I will soon die." This false sense of self is the cause of all sorrow. When a person does not identify himself with the body, tell me, what troubles could touch him?
- Only the individual endures suffering because it desires
- We are both individual and unity. And there is no suffering in unity.
- When you see yourself as a part of the universal process then you know your resources are unlimited.
- Find yourself in others and live forever
Application: This another one of my favorite parts of the Tao Te Ching--realizing that you are more than just your body, your physical image. If you want to look at it through the Western mind/body dichotomy, then we can say that the body is limited and the mind unlimited. The body is ours alone and the mind is shared with all. Love is the expression of feeling and sharing the mental connection. This gets easily confused with sex which is the expression of feeling and sharing the physical connection. Marriage is the union of both mind and body with a partner. When in deep meditation, I have come to the sensation of being connected to the whole world. That feeling generated an incredible feeling of love and peace. It goes away at the moment the connection is severed--like when you begin to worry about something. This message of universal love is found in every single religion. Check it and see.
One who sees himself as everything is fit to the be the guardian of the world. One who loves himself as everyone is fit to be the teacher of the world.
- Avoid focus on the self along with selfish matters and the world is you
- The guard and the teacher do not discriminate when all are one as one
Application: If I am able to keep the aforementioned mental/spiritual connection with the world, then I could be the guardian of the world because I feel what everyone feels. As for being a universal teacher, I can be entrusted because I am invested in universal love. I don't think I am able to do this at this time in my life. I still believe I have to work out things as an individual with my own fears and desires.
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