Taoism - Misfortune comes from having a body.

[Onkara]

What is your philosophical understanding of the bold line below? Why does a body result in misfortune from a Taoist perspective?

Thirteen
Accept disgrace willingly.
Accept misfortune as the human condition.
What do you mean by "Accept disgrace willingly"?
Accept being unimportant.
Do not be concerned with loss or gain.
This is called "accepting disgrace willingly."

What do you mean by "Accept misfortune as the human condition"?
Misfortune comes from having a body.
Without a body, how could there be misfortune?

Surrender yourself humbly; then you can be trusted to care for all things.
Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things

Source: Tao Te Ching, English by Gia-fu Feng and Jane English, Terebess Asia Online (TAO)

 

[Twilight Hue]

Im thinking man in oil.

 

[Onkara]

Hi Nowhere Man
Not sure I understand your answer "man in oil". Wish to elaborate a little for me?

 

[Twilight Hue]

Hi Nowhere Man
Not sure I understand your answer "man in oil". Wish to elaborate a little for me?

There was a scene in circle of iron. Unfortunately i can find only the Italian version on the tube.

[youtube]ltzIny0w6G4[/youtube]
Un rimedio a tutti i problemi - YouTube

Basically it involves a man ( played by eli wallach)who thinks problems can be solved by dissolving the lower half along with a certain body part that causes so much grief. Cord ( played by jeff cooper )makes a realisation and walks away laughing.

It's a good scene that fits your op well methinks.

I'll try to find the english unless you know Italian.

 

[Twilight Hue]

To give my 2 cents........ Trying to correct what is natural leads to imbalance. In a nutshell.

 

[Onkara]

Thank you! I found the English:

Circle of Iron / The Silent Flute - "Man in Oil" scene (flv video) | (Free File Download, File Backup, File Sharing and Publishing) fliiby.com

"a mere pimple" is the cause of our misfortune... lol

 

[Twilight Hue]

Thank you! I found the English:

Circle of Iron / The Silent Flute - "Man in Oil" scene (flv video) | (Free File Download, File Backup, File Sharing and Publishing) fliiby.com

"a mere pimple" is the cause of our misfortune... lol

I know. That brought out a chuckle as well. That and " You should see a doctor". Cord. "I am one". Eli

 

[SageTree]

I think it's basically saying the body is fallible and impermanent.
And that once you get over that, you've overcome a hindrance.
You are accepting imperfection, which is the only thing that is paradoxically truly perfect.

 

[Onkara]

I know. That brought out a chuckle as well. That and " You should see a doctor". Cord. "I am one". Eli

Yes, great stuff I want to see the whole movie now.

I think it's basically saying the body is fallible and impermanent.
And that once you get over that, you've overcome a hindrance.
You are accepting imperfection, which is the only thing that is paradoxically truly perfect.

Your thoughts ring true with me. It is perhaps impermanence and impermance is a misfortune. Seems a bit negative if I word it like that as if life is a misfortune, don't you think, bro or am I missing something?

 

[SageTree]

It is perhaps impermanence and impermance is a misfortune.

Seems a bit negative if I word it like that as if life is a misfortune, don't you think, bro or am I missing something?

I think I'm the one missing something now?
Could you restate that?

 

[bobhikes]

I think you answer is in ONE

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]One
The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and Earth.
The named is the mother of the ten thousand things.
Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring, one sees the manifestations.
These two spring from the same source but differ in name; this appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery. [/FONT]

The mind can be desire less but the body is desiring. It is in desiring that we get misfortune.

 

[Straw Dog]

Sometimes that which appears to only be bad may have long-term ripple effects that bring about that which appears to be good. Likewise, that which appears to only be good may be the catalyst for unforeseen negative effects down the road. Either way, we're left exactly where we are in the moment.

 

[Jainarayan]

I think it's basically saying the body is fallible and impermanent.
And that once you get over that, you've overcome a hindrance.
You are accepting imperfection, which is the only thing that is paradoxically truly perfect.

Somewhat Buddhist and Hindu, I'd say. Particulary the Bhagavad Gita verses about the impermanence of the body and attachments.

 

[SageTree]

Somewhat Buddhist and Hindu, I'd say. Particulary the Bhagavad Gita verses about the impermanence of the body and attachments.

I think Winnie the Pooh said it best in 'The Tao of Pooh'....

"Same thing"

 

[Jainarayan]

I really have to read that book again.

 

[SageTree]

I really have to read that book again.

It's short So it won't impede your stack too much

Heck.... you might be able to pass a few of those books on instead after you re-read this one.

 

[Jainarayan]

Heck.... you might be able to pass a few of those books on instead after you re-read this one.

No... no... mine, mine, mine. Go, go, go. Down, down, down...

[youtube]rcCXnXDiKoQ[/youtube]
Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck the Happy Miser Ali Baba Bunny - YouTube

 

[SageTree]

LoL... classic.

 

[Jainarayan]

We were in Target one day, and there was a mother with a young boy. He was acting up, so the mother said "stop, or there will be consequences!" My partner and I looked at each other and said "consequences schmonsequences". We don't think the mother heard us, but we started laughing like two nuts.

 

[SageTree]

And then she said that to you both?