Te
Pick up a piece of shell.
Can you look at it,
wonder at its delicate beauty,
without saying how pretty it is,
or what animal made it?
Can you look without the movement of the mind?
(Krishnamurti)
Te
If you consider a dog...
The indefinable essence of the dog is what we refer to as 'tao'.
The characteristics of the dogs nature are te (pronounced 'day').
These characteristics are considered to be the dogs virtue.
They are the substance of the dog.
The virtues of a dog are what
makes a dog a dog, and should not be confused with temperament or
personality.
A dog is seen as being powerful because its behaviour is consistent with
being a dog.
Being what you are is the source of strength.
If a dog behaved like a cat, it would reflect an inner confusion and lead to
problems.
The inherent qualities of tai chi are softness,
looseness of muscles and joints at all times,
unseen
strength that does not rely on muscular
contraction or brute force, fluid movement in accord with others,
optimal use of your own physical body and
yielding to force at all times.
Conduct
Another way of understanding virtue is 'conduct'.
It may be seen as what a person is required to do in order to be in accord
with tao, and with the innate 'humanness' of our species.
Animals are naturally in accord with their own nature, whereas humans are
tainted by thought, and by reasoning.
Humans must unlearn.
Only by shedding what you think is right and wrong can you begin to develop
a harmonious relationship with existence.
Bonseki
Zen flourished in Japan, and with it came the
appreciation of virtue.
The skill of the
Japanese
made virtue an art form.
From tea ceremony to the costumes of samurai, the understanding of virtue
can be seen.
Some Japanese people seek out rocks that look more like a rock than other
rocks...
They want nothing contrived or manmade; a natural rock that demonstrates the
virtue of being a rock.
The rock must be mossy and rock-like.
This appreciation cannot be accomplished through thought or contrivance; it
requires a state of mind that is not measuring, comparing or calculating.
Is-ness
The appreciation of virtue has long been applied to people.
Dance and fashion make use of virtue constantly.
The femaleness of women is accentuated by costume and poise.
A flamenco dancer represents femininity, passion, elegance and strength.
There is nothing masculine about the expression, body language, voice and
mannerisms.
By expressing the characteristics of woman-ness, the dancer is true to her
nature.
More...
Page created 26 December 1998