Chapter Twelve
Translation by Hua-Ching Ni
The five basic colors
can be made into countless combinations
to perplex the eyes.
The five basic tones
can be made into infinite compositions
to bewilder the ears.
The five basic flavors
can be made into numerous stimulations
to confuse the tongue.
The pursuit of worldly pleasures
can make the mind wild and uncontrollable.
The one who sees the deep nature of life
would rather embrace
the simple subtle essence of life.
Ripples…
Brian Browne Walker: “Relinquish what is without. Cultivate what is within. Live for your center, not your senses.”
Wang Bi: “The ears, the mouth and the heart should all follow their nature. Instead of following their nature and destiny, they wound their natural spontaneity, which is why we speak of blindness, deafness, disorientation and madness.”
Stephen Mitchell: “The Master observes the world but trusts her inner vision. She allows things to come and go. Her heart is open as the sky.”
Li Yueh:: “The eyes are never satisfied. The stomach knows when it is full.”
“For me, resting the mind in the simplicity of sensing is to see without reaching, taste without craving and listen without grasping. —Yamin
Living the Way
This chapter reminds me that our very capacity for wonder needs space to breathe. Sometimes, the more we take in through the windows of the eyes, ears, and mouth, the less we wonder.
Where has abundance tipped into excess for you?
How do you know when enough is enough? Which sense tells you first?
If you notice sense-bombardment, find a dark, quiet corner where you can receive the gift of total relaxation and rest your mind in the simplicity of just being.
Rest-filled,
Yamin
