November 2023
Daily Taoist 1_33 – Buddha Zhen Discusses TAO #18e about Rules, Responsibilites, and Corruption
YouTube Video TRANSCRIPT: Daily Taoist 33
Alright. Well I talked to Bear. He said we’ve gotta keep going. We’re just gonna finish this last one. He’s not gonna get off my lap. He’s purring away here.
So okay. Here we go. #18e
“Bear. Hello my buddy. Hello my friend.”
Okay. Here we go. #18e
Tao #18e
Artificial natures equal artificial rules.
Abstract realities equal abstract definitions.
Enforced responsibilities equal corrupt rule makers.
Duty / obligation equals unnatural conduct. Promises equal distrust.
Alright. Let’s read those again. That’s a lot of information there. I kind of go slowly. I’ll pause after each sentence. Think of them.
Artificial natures equal artificial rules.
‘Natures’ can be like a ‘Tao’ is too. But I’m. I edited it in the lower case, so when I’m saying, “artificial natures,” I think I’m thinking of artificial ways of thinking and behaving and living. Lifestyles. Not Mother Nature, but our nature, individually.
Artificial natures of people equal artificial rules.
Abstract realities equal abstract definitions.
Enforced responsibilities equal corrupt rule makers.
Duty / obligation equals unnatural conduct,
Promises equal distrust.
Alright. Here we go. Let’s blast through this page and then I can go hang out with my kitty cat.
“Okay? Does that sound good Bear? We’ll go hang out.”
What abstract realities are you involved in? Why, and how do they affect you?
Let’s ask that question again. I’m not going to elaborate. Hurry a little bit more.
What abstract realities are you involved in? Why, and how do they affect you?
Once again, Lao Tzu seems to be differing from Confucius. How can this be utilized WITH the concepts of Confucius?
Cuz remember, these abstract realities, natures and rules and things like being a government official… Having to wear a tie. And having to talk nicely… These are all artificial. These are enforced natures.
So Lao Tzu is maybe complaining about it and saying, “Ahhh. I’m done being a court official. And having to kiss that guy’s butt all the time.” So he didn’t like those artificial natures. So he’s right. Those are artificial and some of them were not nice and that’s why we’re asking, how many of them are you involved in. But that doesn’t mean that the concept of being nice, and wearing a tie, or being civil to people is bad. It might just be bad in a certain environment.
How are you living by rules that you plan to escape?
Read this again. How are you living by rules, you plan to escape?
Do you allow people to be corrupt? Relatives, employees, your friends?
Corruption is everywhere. All over the place. You see it all the time. You might even be participating. But anyway–What’s your influence? What do you do when you notice it? What do you say?
Do you allow people to be corrupt? Your relatives, employee or friends?
Are you 100% honest? [LAUGHS]
It’s tough. I’d like to think I am. I’m kinda– rather than be honest I kind of do what Jordan Peterson says, which is– I– I’m not like Pence. Our Vice President who’s a professional liar. He skirts around the issues so beautifully. He’s the most amazing liar. You want to learn how to lie? Watch Mike Pence. He does it with… such a poker face. He’s a professional. He’s one of the best– I mean there’s a lot of good liars in the Senate. There’s some amazingly good liars. But some of them don’t have to lie. They’re just corrupt. They say as little as possible. Probably the best for them. The more they talk the more you can see how dishonest they are. But Mike Pence: Oh my goodness!
[BLOWING NOISE] Hairs everywhere.
Anyway, that guy just lies through his– He’s amazing. I mea like nh, I kind of thought he was nice and I tried to like him but now that we’ve seen him in some controversies and cover-ups… Man, he is, like I said, He’s a really, really, really proficient liar.
And if he doesn’t it. I’ll talk to him face to face about it. We’ll talk. If he wants to talk to me and say–and prove that that he’s wrong. We’ll go over the videotapes and I’ll show you where he’s a liar.
Okay, here we go. Where were we. Let’s get out of this.
Do you work differently when your boss is watching?
Do you work differently when your boss is watching?
Last question: What does it take for you to do your best work?
What does it take for YOU to do your best work?
Hey, The Daily Taoist here. Richard Del Connor. Better known as Buddha Zhen. Or… I don’t know. Maybe I’m not better known by any name. [laughs]
But I’d like to be known by something. And I want it to be good. And I want it to be positive of an influence on the world.
So let’s read what Lao Tzu said and end this.
Artificial natures equal artificial rules.
Abstract realities equal abstract definitions.
Yeah, like, “Make America great.”
Enforced responsibilities equal corrupt rule makers.
Like telling people how to vote. That is so corrupt! No party should ever tell people how to vote. Everyone should be voting for the right person.
We shouldn’t be hiring people to play football with our governement. And our Constitution. That’s all theyre doing. They’re playing games. It’s team games. It’s team sports. They’re playing team sports with our democracy.
Duty / obligation equals unnnatural conduct.
Yes. But do it for the right reason. Maybe it is unnatural t owear a tie and be polite and sit there for a long time. And be quiet–because that’s your job.
Okay. Promises equal distrust.
And that’s what I tell my friends. In fact somebody asked me about a movie I’ve been trying to make for five years. Kung Fu Cowboy movie which I wrote. It got a first place in a contest at one of those film festivals. He was calling me saying, “Hey I still want to pert of your movie.
And I say, “Yeah. My word’s good. You’re in there.” And we wer talking and I said, “I don’t make promises because my word is a promise. If I had to make a promise that means my words’ no good. I don’t make a promise–I just keep my word
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Tao of Taoism — Using the Dao Te Ching to Improve Your Life by Buddha Zhen (Richard Del Connor)
AUDIOBOOKS and PAPERBACKS and Kindle eBOOKS by Buddha Zhen from Amazon .com
Buddha Z Official Blog (Heavy Metal “Buddhist Rapper,” Buddhist Poet, Shaolin Flutist)
Buddha Zhen (Shifu Zhen Shen-Lang: Zen Kung Fu Master and Chinese Music Composer)
YouTube Channel of Shaolin Chi Mantis Traditional Buddhist Kung Fu (“Daily Taoist” EPISODES)
Shaolin Chi Mantis traditional Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi Chuan classes
Produced by Richard Del Connor for Shaolin Records
Daily Taoist 1_32 – Buddha Zhen Discusses TAO #18d of Political Corruption, Trump and Republicans
YouTube TRANSCRIPT: Daily Taoist 32:
Okay. I’m blasting along. I’ve got two more to do. ‘d’ and ‘e.’ #18d and #18e. I’m on page 32. And then 33.
Okay, the TAO OF TAOISM – USING THE DAO TE CHING TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE. Lao Tzu wrote the original. Buddha Zhen here. I wrote the — this weird variation of it, in which I use his quote and then we answer all these questions that integrate that wisdom into our life.
Here we go. #18d.
TAO #18d
When oaths and promises are required of workers,
government officials, and members: deceit and corruption are already out of control.
Oh my goodness! The first thing Trump did was a landmark. He was asking for people to kiss his ring and swear loyalty and things to him. And you see: deceipt and corruption were already out of control the moment he entered there. When he was trying to do that–it was already out of control. It’s not that we had to see it. That, that… WOW!
When oaths and promises are required of workers, government officials– (Remember, that’s what Trump did. He wanted oaths from government officials.) –and members: then deceit and corruption are are already out of control.
Wow. That’s beautiful Lao Tzu. 2,200 years ago, and he predicted what we are so stupid–we put in power. We put in power exactly what he said to never do.
Okay. Here we go.
What oaths and promises have you made or required of others?
One more time: What oaths and promises have you made or required of others?
Well I can tell you one oath. I have taken that many oaths, but I swore an oath. And I remember all my oaths. And I remember all my Freemason oaths. Any oath I’ve made is an important oath. Those are like, in threat of life and death. An oath is.
So anyway, one of the oaths I made was that I would never ever support the Communist Party. And I had to swear that oath in order to become a Union Carpenter back in 1972 I think. So back in 1972 when I was sworn into the Carpenter’s Brotherhood. It’s the Union. It’s called actually, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners. Joiners are the people who work in wood shops. So, when I joined them I had to swear not only an oath of allegiance–some sort of whatever it was… But the only thing that stood out to me was: I had to swear that I would never support or be a Communist.
Now I don’t like to make promises that I’m not gonna guarantee, but I just kind of went along with it. Because I’d been conditioned through the Cold War and everything to not be a Communist. But I still had to think twice. But what if I decide it’s a good idea or something. I swore an oath that I would never do that.
So that’s why it really kind of irritates me to see that we’ve elected a Communist into–as our President. Our President is doing everything that I was told that a Communist would do if they took power… or could influence our government. We never actually thought of a Communist actually running our country. We always thought that a Communist would just merely kind of influence our government. Influence it to be corrupt. Influence it to be just evil, deceitful, or do something bad.
So that’s what I was raised to think Communism was. It was somethiyng that was trying to influence our government to not work properly. Wow! And then we elect somebody in there whose–he’s the most incredible Communist we’ve ever had in our government. He has disrupted our government and caused it to not function and fired more people and created more vacancies in our government than Communists have ever ever been able to do since I was born. As far as I know. I’ve never seen anything close to this. He has caused more damage that the CoImmunists would have applauded than any other human that I know of.
Anyway, that’s kind of interesting.
So, where was I? I got distracted because that was so poignant.
When do you make agreements you do not intend to keep?
When do you make agreements you do not intend to keep?
When do you require agreements from others you don’t expect them to keep?
When do you reequire agreements from others that you don’t expect them to keep?
Now Bear, you’re making it hard to read here. You’re gonna get your butt in the picture. [laughs] Okay.
How do you know you can trust someone?
How do you know that you can trust someone?
Well somebody wanted my attention. Hello Bear. Hello my little buddy. If I raise you up, can I get your head in the camera a little? Okay. Hello my buddhy. Purring away here.
He needed my attention. I guess he thought I was giving you too much attention. Hello my little friend. Okay. I’ve gotta kind of scoot him aside so I can read the next one.
When you say, “I promise,” is that different from when you say, “I will.”
Or, “I will do that.” “I promise I will do that.” So, how are those different to you?
When is it okay to break a promise?
When is it okay to break a promise?
Remember, marriage is supposed to be a promise. People break marriages.
When is it okay to break a marriage promise?
Hairs all over the place. [blowing noises]
Do you obey your father?
Do you obey your father?
Bear, do you obey me?
I have to create– Remember I was talking about rules? And ways to influence him, so that he’ll… avoid danger or… I have to sometimes NOT let him do what he wants to do or he’ll get run over. So I have to stop him from doing things. Was that a cat fart?
Okay. Here we go.
Do you obey your mother?
Okay. There’s two questions there. Do you obey your father? Do you obey your mother?
Okay. So answer both those and compare those answers. Now there’s another question to ask: Why is there a difference if there is one?
Do you obey your big brother?
Now we’re getting into Confucius. Now according to Confucius you should obey you should obey your mother as you’d obey your father. And you’d obey your big brother as you’d obey your mother. See. It’s a kind of chain of command.
But your brother, your older brother actually represents your father.
And your mother’s job is to put your older brother in his position. So she wants to train him to be the father that you’ll always have. So if ‘gone, there’s still a father in the family and the kids will still look at him–up to him as the father. When there’s no longer a father, the older brother takes over.
Okay? That’s the Confucian system.
Do you obey your employer or your boss? (That’s a good question.)
Do you obey your employere or your boss?
If your boss says, “Go do that.” Do you obey him? If he says, Idon’t know, “Go get me a cup of coffee.” Whatever’s within your job description. But if he says something, do you obey him? If he tells you what to do– Do you obey him?
Do you obey your spouse?
So if you’re a husband or a wife– Do you obey your parnter?
Do you obey ourself?
When you make rules for yourself, or tell yourself you’re going to do something– Do you obey yourself?
Hello there Bear. My little love bug. Just down here in my lap. [whispers to cat] Kind of putting his head up where you can see it. Ears at least. Yeah. Hello my little buddy. Yeah, he really just wants my attention right now. I think everyday we spend some time and I cuddle with him and hug him and play with him a little bit. I think maybe we didn’t do as much today as we usually do.
So he just came in and demanded his love. I’ve gotta appreciate that.
So he’s right here in the middle of my notebook. He’s got those binder rings here. He sleeps in uncomfortable positions. Bear. Let me see if I can get you more comfortable.
See you guys. Daily Taoist out of here. This was, oh, this was the one that is very poignant. This represents thte failing in our government and our America. America. America needs to learn #18d by Lao Tzu.
Lao Tzu said,
When oaths and promises are required of workers, government officials, and members:
deceit and corruption are already out of control.
Daily Taoist here.
=============================================
Tao of Taoism — Using the Dao Te Ching to Improve Your Life by Buddha Zhen (Richard Del Connor)
AUDIOBOOKS and PAPERBACKS and Kindle eBOOKS by Buddha Zhen from Amazon .com
Buddha Z Official Blog (Heavy Metal “Buddhist Rapper,” Buddhist Poet, Shaolin Flutist)
Buddha Zhen (Shifu Zhen Shen-Lang: Zen Kung Fu Master and Chinese Music Composer)
YouTube Channel of Shaolin Chi Mantis Traditional Buddhist Kung Fu (“Daily Taoist” EPISODES)
Shaolin Chi Mantis traditional Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi Chuan classes
Produced by Richard Del Connor for Shaolin Records
Daily 1_31 – Buddha Zhen Discusses TAO #18c about Rules, Nature and Obedience to Society
Alright. Daily Taoist here. I told you I was gonna try to finish these 18s, and I’m on #18c. And I’ve g5 mileote ined a ‘d’ and an ‘e’ to do. Let’s see if I can blast you.
I’m reading from my book, TAO OF TAOISM – USING THE DAO TE CHING TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE based on Lao Tzu’s book, The DAO TE CHING.
Okay, let’s see. Where are we? We’re on #18c page 31 of my book.
And I’m claiming Lao Tzu said,
Tao #18c
When families are organized and maintained by following rules:
Nature is ignored.
Ah darnit. This is where people put that battle between Confucius and Lao Tzu out there. Because this seems like its at all odds with him. Most of the translations were of course like this. But I’ve come to have a broad understanding and realize the two were completely in harmony.
Okay. Here we go. But it’s the same as like a speed limit. It’s obeying the speed limits on the freeway. You can say, “Well I don’t want a speed limit. I want to go 100 miles per hour.) Well, it doesn’t matter. You’ve got to realize that organization is important. Rules, and following and maintaining those rules is important. Okay? And that’s all that Confucius is saying is that rules are better than not having any rules.
And it’s saying that Nature is ignored. And that’s true. We’re ignoring Nature when we go 65 miles an hour. You should be walking. [laughs] You’re defying Nature in that car. But anyway the Nature of that car is to only go so fast. And the Nature of the turns is to only go so fast. And the Nature of the traffic is to not go too fast and run into the car in front of you. l
So there’s all these Natures. All these Taos going on all the time. So even when we can change and create a mechanical Nature we’re still creating a mechanical Tao. A new Nature withing the real big natural Tao. Building a city on this planet is an unnatural environment but it’s still connected to the Tao. And within the environment of the city there’s a different kind of Tao when you are in the city, and sleep in the forest as opposed to sleep between two buidlings. It’s a little different, I mean two trees and two buildings. There’s all– but anyway.
So.. this is not the battle between Confucianism and Taoism everybody makes it out to be. They are in harmony.
When families are organized and contained by following rules Nature is ignored. That’s not all true. Because Nature requires harmony. If you go to a pack of wolves there’s certain rules that they have to keep the cubs from wandering off and getting eaten by another animal. So all Nature has rules. And this translation needs– Well you can see how it misleads people.
We’ll say Nature is ignored. Okay, so in that sense we’ll say it’s kind of right. So, I’m not gonna have to rewrite this but– We’re saying we’re ignorning the Nature that says we’re supposed to be walking. We’re saying we’re in a car going 65 miles an hour. When you born I don’t think that was predicted. You know, saying oh this guy’s gonna be cruising at 65 miles an hour in a machine sometime. So anyway, you define Nature. That’s something you created and imposed on Nature.
So you’re ignoring Nature when you’re in that car. You’re ignoring the wind. You’re rolling up the windows so you don’t even feel the air that’s outside. You are ignoring Nature.
So in that sense you’re right. But it’s not saying that it’s a problem–it’s a bad thing…
Just remember that some people– Don’t react to this information. Try to figure out how to use it. See, that’s why I’m here. Okay? I’ll show you how to use it.
Here we go.
What rules were you raised by that seemed unfair but simplified your parent’s control?
I’ve been a parent. I know this. You made rules that the kids don’t like but it makes your life simpler. Like, keep them in the house. Don’t let them run out where you can’t see where they’re at. So you make all kinds of rules that keep life simpler for YOU. That the kids may not appreciate at all. [laughs]
What rules do you employ that simplify life?
That’s a bit general. I didn’t say whose. I guess I’m saying the whole life around you.
What rules do you employ that simplify life?
I know of one woman who liked to simplify her life by having the kids watch TV. So that’s how she simplified here life was by having the kids watch TV.
Although a contemporary of Confucius, why does it appear he conflicts [LAUGHS] just remember I was already talking about this with Confucius and Lao Tzu.
What does it take to keep a family organized?
Rules. You can’t do it without rules.
I’m sorry. I shouldn’t answer your questions.
What does it take to keep a family organized?
There’s all kinds of answers.
I said, “I’m sorry.” I’ll interject again.
When should parents get a divorce?
When should parents get a divorce?
I got scolded a year ago. Sommadebody actually doesn’t like me and got mad at me about that I’ve been divorced. A fellow Catholic. Weird. That anybody’d get mad at you for being divorced. But anyway, he was saying, “You should get back!” She’s already remarried somebody else.
The whole concept of getting ge a divorce. When SHOULD parents get a divorce?
What is an ideal family in your opinion?
What is an ideal– You should write that down on a piece of paper and say, “Oh, when I get up in the morning my family does this… My wife does this…My kids or dogs are…Maybe you family doesn’t have any– it’s all pets. I don’t know. But whour at is your ideal family? YOUR ideal family.
Not the one– well actually, if you start writing it–you’ll realize, “Hey, this is my parent’s idea of an ideal family. But I don’t know if I buy into this.”
That might be good for you to realize. So anyway, just write it douuu’ve bwn right now and see what it is. Okay? Because you might actually realize you’ve been fooling yourself.
What is an ideal family? (In your opinion.) I put that in parentheses. So I guess I was trying to lead you to your own answer.
What do you know about filial piety?
Huh? Americans don’t know anything about that. It’s so embarrassing how Americans… Filial piety is one of the most ikmportant things you can learn in family structure. That’ll answer one of your questions from earlier.
What do you know about filial piety?
Filial piety is the one thing in the Eurd aop– In the Asian cultures: has proven to provide success–and huge success. it’s the filial– Filial piety I think has created has created an amazing amount of success. Obviously, there’s a down side to it too
If you’re– When I was– Like I said, I’ve been buying Kung Fu weapons since the seventies in Chinatown. I got to know a lot of store owners. Really personal over the years going there on a regular basis. And their kids grew up. I watched their kids in the store. Then they grow up, go to college and then they leave. And, I haven’t seen them– well, ten years ago, the last times I was visiting there buying weapons with my students–I was talking to them and they were like–these people are old and older than me and, they’re retired and their kids don’t want to have anything to do with the stores. They’ve gone on to their own businesses or other careers… whatever it is. But by filial piety their kids would run that store and take it over but– See, that would be more like a prison to put them in that position to take over that store. And they don’t want to. “I want to go to college. I want to go to Europe.” Don’t want to run a Chinese merchandise store.
So filial piety can unfortunately go astray In my own kids. I was– I pushed that on my own kids. I wanted them to run the school but realized, No, this wasn’t right for them, to take over my Kung Fu school. But that’s the normal thing in Chinese and even the martial arts thing is: your kids grow up and take it over. KIn fact a lot of martial artists who’ve passed away, have died and they say, “Where are their kids? ” And they didn’t do their martial arts. Like Bruce Lee’s daughter never did any Kung Fu. And she’s running the orgainzation. And Parker. I think Ed Parker maybe. I think he’s very famous as a martial artist. But his kid didn’t graduate the system. So since then I think they’ve tried to beef him up so he could kind of keep that thing going to represent the lineage of these other people who followed him
There’s all these things about propping people up into that filial piety thing that didn’t even exist. So it’s kind of an interesting thing.
How would your family be structured the same as your parents’ family?
Oh I’m gonna hurry and see if I can make my ten minute mark.
How would your family be structured the same as your parent’s family?
In other words, are you following– And if your parents have a good family and it’s going good and you follow it–That’s great.
See, that’s the problem with President Trump. He followed into the soup but he wasn’t suited for it. He didn’t have the acumen, the talent, the ability, or the honesty to do real estate business. He’s a crook. He’s a liar and a cheat. That’s not the kind of person you want to do business when you’re doing real estate. Especially big money like that. Cheating people out of little money’s bad, horrible… But cheating people out of millions of– well, it’s the same thing.
Okay. Here we go. Describe someone’s family that you envy or respect.
There you go. So you can start over. Maybe you were born in the wrong family. “Oh, I wish I was born in that family.”
Look at that and structure that. Just decide what your reality–your Tao.
Remember? This is the TAO of TAOISM.
There’s always different realities. And none of them are wrong. Unless you’re in the wrong place, at the wrong time, in the wrong Tao. They can’t be right.
That’s what your goal is: to make the RIGHT TAO.
Should a wife obey her husband?
There’s a question that will open up a lot of understandings for you because this is very important.
Should a wife obey her husband?
Remember I wrote this thirty years ago. Before i actually learned Confucianism and everything.
If you’re a Methodist, they took it out of the vows. A wife never says she will obey her husband.
Should a husband obey his wife?
I’m not sure what your other answer was but what’s your answer to this one?
Should a husband obey his wife?
Who should the children obey?
The mother? The father? Nobody?
Who should the children obey?
How do you teach children to be obedient?
Ooops. Ten minutes.
How do you teach children to be obedient?
Or do you? Should you? Some people think you shouldn’t.
So okay, there’s your questions.
And now let’s go back to the very beginning of it and see what Lao Tzu said. See if I kind of led you to integrate that into your life.
When families are organized and maintained by following rules. Nature is ignored.
Ah! Let’s look at that as a positive. If people’s Nature is to be selfish and greedy and do terrible things and run out in the street and get run over–
Then we want to basically ignore their Nature and say, “No. This is the new Tao and this is what you should do. Forget your Nature and your wants and your desires to fit into this Tao. Artificial Nature I’m creating– which is my Tao.”
Okay. So hey. There’s the positive of this. IS that sometimes you need to ignore Nature. You need to ignore your desire in order to get something accomplished correctly.
Daily Taoist outta here. In 10:59.
Whoops. I missed the button.
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Tao of Taoism — Using the Dao Te Ching to Improve Your Life by Buddha Zhen (Richard Del Connor)
AUDIOBOOKS and PAPERBACKS and Kindle eBOOKS by Buddha Zhen from Amazon .com
Buddha Z Official Blog (Heavy Metal “Buddhist Rapper,” Buddhist Poet, Shaolin Flutist)
Buddha Zhen (Shifu Zhen Shen-Lang: Zen Kung Fu Master and Chinese Music Composer)
YouTube Channel of Shaolin Chi Mantis Traditional Buddhist Kung Fu (“Daily Taoist” EPISODES)
Shaolin Chi Mantis traditional Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi Chuan classes
Produced by Richard Del Connor for Shaolin Records