Tao Speaks: Dao de jing 1.3

Dao de jing 1.3

Posted by Thomas on 3/24/2012, 9:36 am
92.141.27.x

µL(wu)¦W¤Ñ¦a¤§©l¡Q
¦³(you)¦W¸Uª«¤§¥À

Bradford:
"Nothing¡¨ names the origin of heaven and earth
"Being¡¨ names the mother of the myriad beings

Hansen:
"Absence" names the cosmic horizon
"Presence" names the mother of the 10,000 natural kinds
- Hansen translates tiandi ¤Ñ¦a "as cosmic horizon", he thinks that this is a paradox, (like a koan I would say): it shows that the absence/presence distinction is not constant naming:
"trying to think of being and nonbeing (arguably the most basic distinctions in a language) as opposites based on a single distinction leads to deep paradox. It is puzzling in a way that shows the distinction is inconstant. If you and wu mark a distinction in the kapok, where could that distinction lie? Surely the entire kapok belongs on the you side, so there is no distinction. If there were a distinction, it would be part of what there is and should be included within you. Wu names the beginning -the logical edge-of the universe. The implicit distinction cannot be drawn-it can distinguish nothing." (A Daoist Theory of Chinese Thought p. 220)

Hall & Ames:
The nameless is the fetal beginnings of everything that is happening
While that which is named is their mother
-H&A follow the older Mawangdui text that has wanwu ¸Uª« instead of tiandi ¤Ñ¦a in the first line. They translate: wuming µL¦W as nameless, and wanwu ¸Uª« dynamically as "everything that is happening" to avoid the Western static, fixed meaning we would apply to "kinds" or "beings". What happens is at the beginning not well caught by naming, it is still nameless.

Hansen is reading Laozi, deliberately through the language theories of Zhuangzi. Whereas Hall & Ames are interested in emphasizing the impermanent, dynamic aspect of Dao-ing, way-making.
Thomas

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Dao de jing 1.3 - Thomas 3/24/2012, 9:36 am
- Re: Dao de jing 1.3 - back 11/3/2012, 12:47 am
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--Previous Message-- : µL(wu)¦W¤Ñ¦a¤§©l¡Q : ¦³(you)¦W¸Uª«¤§¥À : : Bradford: : "Nothing¡¨ names the origin of heaven : and earth : "Being¡¨ names the mother of the myriad : beings : : Hansen: : "Absence" names the cosmic horizon : "Presence" names the mother of the : 10,000 natural kinds : - Hansen translates tiandi ¤Ñ¦a "as : cosmic horizon", he thinks that this is : a paradox, (like a koan I would say): it : shows that the absence/presence distinction : is not constant naming: : "trying to think of being and nonbeing : (arguably the most basic distinctions in a : language) as opposites based on a single : distinction leads to deep paradox. It is : puzzling in a way that shows the distinction : is inconstant. If you and wu mark a : distinction in the kapok, where could that : distinction lie? Surely the entire kapok : belongs on the you side, so there is no : distinction. If there were a distinction, it : would be part of what there is and should be : included within you. Wu names the beginning : -the logical edge-of the universe. The : implicit distinction cannot be drawn-it can : distinguish nothing." (A Daoist Theory : of Chinese Thought p. 220) : : : : Hall & Ames: : The nameless is the fetal beginnings of : everything that is happening : While that which is named is their mother : -H&A follow the older Mawangdui text that : has wanwu ¸Uª« instead of tiandi ¤Ñ¦a in the : first line. They translate: wuming µL¦W as : nameless, and wanwu ¸Uª« dynamically as : "everything that is happening" to : avoid the Western static, fixed meaning we : would apply to "kinds" or : "beings". What happens is at the : beginning not well caught by naming, it is : still nameless. : : Hansen is reading Laozi, deliberately : through the language theories of Zhuangzi. : Whereas Hall & Ames are interested in : emphasizing the impermanent, dynamic aspect : of Dao-ing, way-making. : Thomas :

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