Each Thing's Way, by Ray Grigg

Wenn man meint, klug genug zu sein, um die Dinge zu verbessern, verursacht man oft genug Schwierigkeiten. Zunächst bemüht man sich. Wenn man dann auf Widerstand stößt, versucht man die vermeintliche Verbesserung mit Gewalt zu erzwingen, bis die ursprüngliche Absicht in Kampf und Zwietracht verloren geht. List und Einfallsreichtum machen es nur schlimmer.

Gehen wir auf sanfte Weise um mit der Welt. Stellen wir das Geringe, das wir wissen, in die Perspektive des Ungeheuerlichen, das wir nicht wissen. Begreifen wir die Welt mit Bescheidenheit. Ehren wir das Verstandene. Ehren wir noch mehr, was wir nicht verstehen. Vertrauen wir dem natürlichen Verlauf der Dinge. Vertrauen in die Einfachheit ist nie verkehrt.

Erlauben wir allen, den eigenen Weg zu finden. Lehren wir mit Zurückhaltung. Das selbe Geheimnis ist für jeden anders. Belehren wir niemanden, aber behalten wir auch keine Geheimnisse für uns.
Die Lebenszeit ist beschränkt, nicht aber die Mysterien, die eine Lebenszeit enthält. Wie dumm also der Versuch, das Unbegrenzte innerhalb des Begrenzten zu fassen. Wie anmaßend die Vorstellung, zu verstehen. Das Verstehen darf niemals dem natürlichen Lauf die Dinge im Wege stehen.

Über den Autor: Aus dem Tao des Seins, eine moderne Darstellung von Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching von Ray Grigg
Übersetzung: Manuel Lendorfer

From The Tao of Being, a modern rendering of Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching by Ray Grigg

Seed Questions for Reflection

What do you make of the notion that "understanding should not get in each thing's way?" Can you share a personal story of a time when the greatness of what is not known gave you perspective on the smallness of what you knew? How do you reconcile the "foolishness (of) trying to catch the unlimited in the limited" with a piece a few weeks back pointing out that "each passionate being who dares to explore beyond the fragmentary and superficial into the mystery of totality helps all humanity perceive what it is to be fully human?"

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Add Your Reflection

6 Past Reflections

Kasturi G

Aug 21, 2017

For people brought in Hindu philosophical background and Saiva Siddhantha teachings / Vaishnava school, they are aware of all that is written in this blog. But, even here in India a large majority of people have totally forgotten all these fundamentals and they are a forlorn lot chasing the Maya of MONEY. So, in the larger context of world community i am sure this piece of writing will make people to sit up, take note of what is said and reflect on them and learn to live in peace with themselves . Written with deep understanding and caring concern for the benefit of fellow traveller's on this Planet Earth.
Thanks
Kasturi G

Jagdish P Dave

Aug 12, 2017

There is nothing wrong in understanding what is knowable by our mind. I want to understand what you mean. I want to understand what is this and how it works. Understanding expands and enriches my knowledge.It is important that we honor and appreciate known what is known. But it is more important to honor and appreciate what is unknown.

What iI know has a limit. What is unknown is limitless like the sky.It is fathomless, boundless and infinite.It is filled with mystery-the unknown and the unknowable by the mind. When I look at the sky, my being is filled with wonderment (!) and not with a question (?). Love is a mystery, life is a mystery, death is a mystery and God is a mystery to me. I let the river of mystery flow. I do not resist it, do not push it and do not make an effort to capture it. When my mind is quiet and when my heart is open, mystery dawns upon and my being is filled with awe and wonderment. Lao Tzu describes it in one word- Tao!

"There is a limit to a life time but not to the mystery in a life time. What foolishness then trying to catch the unlimited in the limited." These words deeply resonate with me.

May we keep our inner eyes open to receive the blessings of the unfolding of mystery!

Namaste.
Jagdish P Dave

Life has two faces-the face of understanding and the face of wondering. Both are necessary. I want to understand what I am reading. I wan to know what I don't know. I use my mind to expand and enrich my knowledge.I have this known world in me. This world is limited. But there is another world- the unknown world- the world of mystery. This world is beyond time and boundary. It is timeless and limitless.It is unknowable and mysterious.

To me, life is a mystery, nature is a mystery, love is a mystery, and God is a mystery. It is like the sky with no limits or boundaries.When my mind is quiet and when my heart is open, mystery dawns upon me and creates a sense of awe and wonderment.It feels like the sparkling of light, blossoming of a flower, smiling of a child, dancing of leaves, caring touch of a mother.

We overly use our face of understanding, wandering on the same familiar and old tracks of life, missing the trails of mystery and wonderment. What a loss? We need to awaken ourselves from our conditioned and habitual ways of living to experience the wonders of living.

" There is a limit to a lifetime but not to the mystery in a lifetime.What foolishness then tying to catch the unlimited in the limited." These words deeply resonate with me.

May we keep our mind and heart open to receive the amazing grace of the mystery of living!

Namste!
Jagdish P Dave

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Amy Aug 17, 2017

Beautiful ... An absolute AMEN from me!

david doane

Aug 12, 2017

Trouble is not necessarily caused by people who think they are smart enough to improve things. Resolution, peace, and happiness are also caused by people who think they are smart enough to improve things. Being smart enough isn't necessarily a problem. The author has a limited definition of people who think they are smart enough and of what they will do. He also says that cunning and ingenuity make things worse -- they may make things better -- you never know. Understanding can be a problem when the need for it dominates the process and gets in the way of being open to see and learn. Realizing that the vast majority of all that is is not known, and most of it is not even knowable, gives me perspective on the smallness of what we know, and I feel awe in reflecting on that. Staying in the box of the fragmentary and superficial is trying to catch the unlimited in the limited, and that is foolishness. Going outside the box of the fragm... View full comment

Kristin Pedemonti

Aug 11, 2017

This is a deep one! :) Each statement could be its own reading. For me, the greatness of what is not known reminds me of my own smallness in a good way. Yes, I can have significance in changing my corner of the world, at the same time, there is much I do not understand and that is OK. The smallness reminds me of the awe of the world and the universe. The smallness of what I do know also gives perspective that I definitely do not have all the answers, or anywhere close to the answers. It brings humility into the equation or situation. In keeping with the smallness of what I know, I shall end here today, <3

Amy Aug 17, 2017

Amen Kristin! It's all about HUMILITY. God is a God and we are not. Divine knowledge and understanding are His alone. Blessings to thee!