“Suddenly Alan jumped to his feet and joyously danced a t’ai chi improvisation, shouting, ‘Ah-ha, t’ai chi is the Tao, wu-wei, tzu-jan, like water, like wind, sailing, surfing, dancing with your hands, your head, your spine, your hips, your knees…with your brush, your voice…Ha Ha ha Ha…La La Lala ah ah Ah…”
– Alan Watts, Tao: The Watercourse Way
I have also found t’ai chi to be a kind of physical practicing of wu-wei. And I think it can help one live wu-wei in ordinary life . . . like water.
In the practice of Tao, every day something is dropped.
Less and less you need to force things, until finally you arrive at non-action.
–Tao Te Ching, 48
“Tao is obscured when men understand only one of a pair of opposites, or concentrate only on a partial aspect of being. Then clear expression also becomes muddled by mere wordplay, affirming this one aspect and denying all the rest. Hence the wrangling of Confucians and Mohists; each denies what the other affirms, and affirms what the other denies. What use is this struggle to set up ‘No’ against ‘Yes,’ and ‘Yes’ against ‘No’? Better to abandon this hopeless effort and seek true light!
There is nothing that cannot be seen from the standpoint of the ‘Not-I.’ And there is nothing which cannot be seen from the standpoint of the ‘I.’ If I begin by looking at anything from the viewpoint of the ‘Not-I,’ then I do not really see it, since it is ‘not I’ that sees it. If I begin from where I am and see it as I see it, then it may also become possible for me to see it as another sees it. Hence the theory of reversal that opposites produce each other, depend on each other, and complement each other.
… Life is followed by death; death is followed by life. The possible becomes impossible; the impossible becomes possible. Right turns into wrong and wrong into right – the flow of life alters circumstances and thus things themselves are altered in their turn. But disputants continue to affirm and to deny the same things they have always affirmed and denied, ignoring the new aspects of reality presented by the change in conditions.
The wise man therefore, instead of trying to prove this or that point by logical disputation, sees all things in the light of direct intuition. He is not imprisoned by the limitations of the ‘I,’ for the viewpoint of direct intuition is that of both ‘I’ and ‘Not-I.’ …
When the wise man grasps this pivot, he is in the center of the circle, and there he stands while ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ pursue each other around the circumference. The pivot of Tao passes through the center where all affirmations and denials converge. He who grasps the pivot is at the still-point from which all movements and oppositions can be seen in their right relationship. Hence he sees the limitless possibilities of both ‘Yes’ and ‘No.’Abandoning all thought of imposing a limit or taking sides, he rests in direct intuition.”
– Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu
If I can’t be happy regardless of circumstances, I have nothing real to offer the world. All that’s left is an endless quest to momentarily alter our ever-changing circumstances in our favor. Happiness needs to come from a place deeper than our changing conditions.
Just live the selfless-self. It is a blessing to simply live the selfless-self.
“I am serious when I say that this work demands a relaxed, healthy, and vigorous disposition of both body and spirit. For the love of God, discipline yourself in body and spirit so that you preserve your health as long as you can.”
– The Cloud of Unknowing, 41
Preserve your health, not for vanity, but so that you can complete your work fully in the world.
“The secret of the way proposed by Chuang Tzu is therefore not the accumulation of virtue and merit taught by Ju, but wu wei, the non-doing, or non-action, which is not intent upon results and is not concerned with consciously laid plans or deliberately organized endeavors… If one is in harmony with Tao – the cosmic Tao, ‘Great Tao’ – the answer will make itself clear when the time comes to act, for then one will act not according to the human and self-conscious mode of deliberation, but according to the divine and spontaneous mode of wu wei, which is the mode of action of Tao itself, and is therefore the source of all good… For Chuang Tzu, the truly great man is therefore not the man who has by a lifetime of study and practice accumulated a great fund of virtue and merit, but the man in whom ‘Tao acts without impediment,’ the ‘man of Tao.’”
– Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu
The Classical Taoist Tradition and Xinzhai, Zuowang pages on the site have been updated.
To me, a true contemplative, over time, develops a certain look.
Pravrajika Divyanandaprana has it here.
Thomas Keating has it here.
Thich Nhat Hanh has it here.
Eckhart Tolle has it here.
Atmananda Udasin has it here.
Consistent inner joy. Light fully in their eyes.
“What gathered within the True One put a glow on the face.”
– Zhuangzi, 6
The following audio is an excerpt from a lecture given by Shinzen Young who has taught, and written, from a Buddhist perspective. This excerpt can also be found with the site Audio Files.
The following audio is an excerpt from a Dharma Talk given by Thich Nhat Hanh on October 20th, 2003. This excerpt can also be found with the site Audio Files.
The following audio is an excerpt from a lecture given by Pravrajika Divyanandaprana at Duke University Chapel on April 7, 2023. This excerpt can also be found with the site Audio Files.
The following audio is an excerpt from an Andre Duqum interview of Sam Harris. This excerpt can also be found with the site Audio Files.
The following audio is an excerpt from a Russell Brand interview of Eckhart Tolle. This excerpt can also be found with the site Audio Files.
experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-ethical-as-beautiful-part-3-beauty.
“Do those people, the mass of strangers, receive from you the beautiful gesture?”
Individuals growing up in traditional religious structures find themselves within a MetaNarrative. They are given a way of understanding the world which has been life-giving, or at least functional, for millions of people for thousands of years. A MetaNarrative gives one a structure of values and a structure of meaning within which to understand their life.
Some version of the traditional Christian MetaNarrative was my working understanding of the world for many years. I was made in the image of God, but fallen and sinful. I needed redemption by the work of Christ. When I accepted Christ’s sacrifice, my mission was to spread the Gospel and live for God to the best of my abilities through the power of the Holy Spirit. Life had eternal meaning, because, in the end, I (and others) would attain everlasting life. My values were rooted in Scripture and my action in the world had felt meaning.
I no longer find myself within that Narrative and losing it was a complete upending of my entire understanding of life.
Many young people today, especially those growing up in multi-cultural communities, are either never given a religious MetaNarrative, or find their tradition unconvincing in an absolute sense. We live in cities and rub elbows with people from an astounding variety of cultural and religious backgrounds, each with their own understandings of the world. If any one of these traditions is correct in some absolute sense, it’s hard to know which one. Scientific materialism, mixed with religious and cultural relativism, seems to underly much of modern thought.
And so we float. We do the best we can, because life keeps coming whether you have it all figured out or not. Many adopt some form of agnosticism about questions of Ultimate Meaning.
One can adopt a meditative path without strictly committing to a MetaNarrative or framework of thought. One can “taste and see” – by their direct experience – whether a spiritual path they have chosen is life-giving. One can make ethical decisions, live in a certain way, adopt a meditative practice, and see if it leads to greater real happiness for themselves and others.
For me, it helps to have a tentative understanding of what I am trying to achieve. A tentative understanding of the world and how I understand my practice. I still think in Theistic terms. I think about things like forming my soul toward the Good, the True, and the Beautiful and then handing it back to God. I think about developing Purity of Heart. I think about seeking and opening myself to a transformation that comes from God, the Source, the Absolute.
But I don’t know. Other metaphors and other images, perhaps from completely different systems of thought, might also strike me as helpful along the way.
A plant grows toward the sun because it has to or it will wither and die. Maybe we can just be plants growing toward the Sun, even if we don’t understand it all.
Miss you already buddy. I hope you’re enjoying a green tea latte somewhere.
At Savatthi.
King Pasenadi of Kosala sat to one side, and the Buddha said to him, “So, great king, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”
“Sir, there are anointed aristocratic kings who are infatuated with authority, and obsessed with greed for sensual pleasures. They have attained stability in the country, occupying a vast conquered territory. Today I have been busy fulfilling the duties of such kings.”
“What do you think, great king? Suppose a trustworthy and reliable man were to come from the east. He’d approach you and say: ‘Please sir, you should know this. I come from the east. There I saw a huge mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures. So then, great king, do what you must!’
Then a second trustworthy and reliable man were to come from the west… a third from the north… and a fourth from the south. He’d approach you and say: ‘Please sir, you should know this. I come from the south. There I saw a huge mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures. So then, great king, do what you must!’
Should such a dire threat airse – a terrible loss of human life, when human birth is so rare – what would you do?”
“Sir, what could I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”
“I tell you, great king, I announce to you: old age and death are advancing upon you. Since old age and death are advancing upon you, what would you do?”
“Sir, what can I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”…
– Pabbatopama Sutta, Samyutta Nikaya 3.25
I don’t consider myself a Theravada Buddhist. Of the eastern traditions, I tend to resonate more with what might be considered “freer-flowing” frames of thought such as Vedanta or even other forms of Buddhist practice such as Zen/Zazen and Dzogchen. Specifically, in regards to meditative practice and seeking a direct experience of the Absolute, I believe that there is something which must be done in us, something which we can open ourselves to, but are not in control of. In the terms of Vedanta, “In the still mind, in the depths of meditation, the Self reveals itself” (Bhagavad Gita 6:20). Most spiritual traditions tend to emphasize this passivity or dependence, while the Theravada tradition, at least explicitly, does not. I also continue to resonate more with traditions which have a more balanced view of the world in contrast to Theravada’s emphasis on Experience as Dukkha.
But there is much from the Theravda tradition which has stuck with me. And what I consider to be a weakness (extreme emphasis on our own ability to develop ourselves toward Nibbana), in some respects can also be seen as a strength. The following are some elements of Theravada which have been helpful for me on my own journey.
The Noble Eightfold Path as a helpful grid through which to think about the spiritual life and the development of the self. I don’t see the Noble Eightfold Path as some kind of absolute system of spirituality. I just don’t think you can systematize the spiritual life (however one thinks about that concept) or meditative experience as much as the Theravada tradition seems to try to do. Nevertheless, it is helpful to have a grid. It is helpful to have categories through which to think about our own personal development. Specifically regarding ethics, even just having the broad categories of Right Speech and Right Action in one’s head feels beneficial as one navigates life. Is my piece of this conversation Right Speech? Is this activity I’m engaging in Right Action? Is it leading to greater contentment, happiness, and peace for myself and those around me? It seems to me that the presence of the categories themselves is a strength of the Theravada path. At a minimum, the Noble Eightfold Path has been a useful tool for millions of spiritual seekers since the time of Siddhartha. I find myself spontaneously thinking about various categories from the Path as I live my life and it has been edifying to have been exposed to this broad grid. There is a sense that it has sunk into me and I am thankful for that.
Right Speech. I probably think about Right Speech more than any other element of the Path. I want my speech to be helpful and edifying. I want my speech to lead to unity within my communities. I want my speech to serve a purpose. I often think about my work context. At work, daily chit chat among colleagues is edifying. It connects people. It helps us share life. But sometimes there also comes a point where it feels like we are just talking to talk. Talking to fill the silence. At that point I think it’s best to stop. Maybe if our speech is natural and comfortable, then our silence will be natural and comfortable as well. I feel the same way about engaging with the radio, tv, and podcasts. Sometimes I’m listening or watching to actually learn something. Sometimes it’s edifying. And sometimes, we really do just need to relax and be entertained. But there is also a time to cut all the noise. It’s endless. At some point it just becomes infinite undigested clutter in our head. I guess maybe you could call that Right Listening, Right Watching, or Right Silence.
Right Intention | Metta. The concept of Right Intention, specifically the intention of Good-Will toward all life, has also been helpful for me, especially when dealing with anger. If I am angry with someone, and I am in the right mindset, I will try to “pray a Metta” for them. It helps me let go of my anger and continue to attempt the cultivation of an honest wish for the well-being of all people and all life. I was a vegetarian before studying Theravada and thinking about Right Intention has led me further down that path. It seems to me that there is something about meditative practice which naturally leads one to see themselves in the other, both human and non-human. We all have the same light on. It feels like part of my own development to respect that light in all things.
Right Effort. Right Effort for me represents the ethos of the Theravada meditation tradition and the Theravada Path in general. It has the vibe of an As a Man Thinketh. It is about willfully forming oneself toward the Good. In the practice of Right Effort, one, in the midst of daily living, strives to: 1. prevent the arising of unwholesome states, 2. abandon unwholesome states which have arisen, 3. arouse wholesome states which have not yet arisen, and 4. maintain and perfect wholesome states which have already arisen. Broadly, Right Effort entails being aware of your thoughts and cultivating wholesome or skillful thoughts while abandoning unwholesome or unskillful thoughts. I need to hear this. I need to hear that I am in charge of developing my own character. I am in charge of letting anger go. I am in charge of abandoning unhealthy selfishness. I am in charge of being present in the moment to serve people. I need to take personal responsibility for my own mental state. Right Effort helps me by reminding me of this responsibility. Even if I think the Theravada meditative tradition could be more balanced by interpreting Arising along the lines of how Grace is understood in other traditions, and placing at least some emphasis on our dependence on something outside of ourselves, it is still a strength of the tradition that is reminds us we must form ourselves. For me, it’s “Both/And.” I need to consciously form myself, and I feel the need or dependence to open myself to a formation which comes from beyond myself.
The Middle Way. Not too much asceticism, not too much comfort. Not too little food, not too much food. Not too little sleep, not too much sleep. Not too little social involvement, not too much social involvement. The concept of the Middle Way brings to mind a passage from The Cloud of Unknowing:
“Now if you ask me what sort of moderation you should observe in the contemplative work, I will tell you: none at all. In everything else, such as eating, drinking, and sleeping, moderation is the rule. Avoid extremes of heat and cold; guard against too much and too little in reading, prayer, or social involvement. In all these things, I say again, keep to the middle path. But in love [the contemplative work] take no measure. Indeed, I wish that you had never to cease from the work of love… Perhaps by now you are wondering how to determine the proper mean in eating, drinking, sleeping, and the rest. I will answer you briefly: be content with what comes along. If you give yourself generously to the work of love, I feel sure you will know when to begin and end every other activity. I cannot believe that a person wholeheartedly given to contemplation will err by excess or default in these external matters…”
Maybe, if we are consistent with our practice, all of life – including how to engage with tools such as the Eightfold Path – will be natural.
I sometimes think of the Theravada concept of Sati as an “extra layer” of consciousness or awareness. It’s the difference between being a thought and understanding that you are experiencing a thought. Being angry vs. experiencing anger. The difference seems to be that you do not feel completely identified with a mental state. There is a distance between “you” and what you are experiencing.
The Theravada tradition distinguishes between two primary forms of meditation. In one of the primary forms – Mindfulness Meditation – one explicitly works on the development of Sati/Mindfulness. In the other primary form – Jhana Meditation – one develops the skill of concentration.
Not all Buddhist meditative traditions recognize this distinction in meditative practice. For instance, Zen meditative practice is typically much more simplified. Just sit and follow your breath. Or even “just sit.” Let whatever unfolds unfold.
I believe that during my practice of Centering Prayer, I am also developing Sati. When I sit, recognize that I am lost in thought, and then use my prayer word/mantra to release the thought to return to an “openness to God” – it seems that I am, as a byproduct, developing Sati. I am recognizing thoughts as thoughts. I am recognizing thought patterns and emotions as thought patterns and emotions. The difference between Centering Prayer and Mindfulness Meditation is that, during Centering Prayer, my primary aim is not to develop Sati. But I believe it “just happens,” as a byproduct.
One of the strengths of the Theravada tradition is the practicality of the Eightfold Path. You are given a concrete list of instructions for how to form your soul.
You want to experience less interpersonal suffering? Speak in a way that is kind, gentle, and brings unity.
You want to be at peace about how you earn your living in this world? Don’t profit off of what hurts other beings.
You want to harbor less anger? Develop the intention of lovingkindness toward all life.
Whether or not one thinks the Eightfold Path is the way to end suffering or some kind of absolute spiritual path, it at least provides a concrete, practical framework for how to develop yourself toward the Good. Following it can lead to less suffering, in practical ways.