YouTube Video TRANSCIPTION: Daily Taoist 52
Alright. Hey, I’m back.
This is great stuff to talk about. I’m just wondering how much to say sometimes.
But here we are. The Daily Taoist back. Buddha Zhen here. And we’re reading from my TAO OF TAOISM. How to improve your life using the DAO TE CHING. The BOOK OF CHANGES by Lao Tzu about 2,200 years ago.
Anyway, we’re on #31a. And #31a of the Tao of Taoism, my interpretation of the Dao Te Ching.
Now I love Confucianism. Now you’ve gotta remember I’ve gone from being a Hippie– I’m still a hippie. An enlightened hippy.
Us hippies were just kids. Kids rebelling against our parents. Yeah. [LAUGHS] We were a bunch of kids rebelling against our parents. But we were doing it with art. We were looking at a lot of things we disagreed with. And I still disagree with. We had some great core values to being a hippie. In terms of wanting to do music and stop the war. The free love thing got a little out of control. But it was about marriage. Because marriage was required–and all this type stuff. And for women who had sex before marriage–they were “ruined.” They were like soiled goods. So they were lowered in society so we needed to kind of change the way society thought. So that’s what the hippies did. We changed all that. Before that, a woman couldn’t have sex before marriage or she was called all kinds of things forever.
Obviously, that’s not the case anymore. So we changed that.
So anyway, “Thank you hippies!”
But anyway, as a hippy I’ve come to realize that a lot of the structure and the rules… We burned down the R.O.T.C. buildings because that was basically where they were trying to sign up kids to go kill them over in Vietnam. And I totally agree with that and the fact that we pushed so hard. I mean we shouldn’t have to push so hard. And you push hard like that and then you should get a response. The response we got from our government was horrible.
You’d think that if you had a revolution and you revolt, then the government should go, “Oh. These people have something important to say.” No. The louder you scream about things being wrong the more the government is often times going to turn around and actually look at you as being a foreign enemy and start killing and shooting your kids. Just because you’re making too much noise. That’s what they did.
Kent State Murder Day is coming up and–I started that last year. I got booked for that accidentally and then realized what it was and made that the focus of my whole show. And every year I’d like to do a show. And this year, I’ll try to do an online show. I mean, I’ve got to plan it. I… think.. I would… I feel kind of obligated to.
So anyway. Getting back to this. I’m a hippy, but I’m an enlightened hippy. I see things from a bigger picture than I did when I was a kid.
So here we go. #31a.
The celebration of victory and love of weapons– ‘kay.
The celebration of victory and the love of weapons–
(tanks, rockets, stealth bombers)
–are vile lusting for death.
Is it “A vile lusting for death?” or is it just, “vile lusting for death?”
So in other words, every one of those things you’re saying is beautiful–was designed to kill people.
That’s it. Not even for hunting. Not even for animals. Not where you could actually use the carcass of whatever you kill. No. It’s to obliterate. It’s just destruction. The buildings. Not like, “Oh let’s just kill the people, and not hurt the buildings…” No. It’s destruction. Totally. So as we worship these things we’re worshipping total destruction. So that’s why “VILE LUSTING FOR DEATH.”
“Those people gotta die!” You can’t just take away their buildings and bodies and not have them die. That’s why death is so important.
So when you celebrate victory and the love of weapons you’re celebrating your desire to kill something. Wow!
Let’s– one more sentence. This is Lao Tzu. This is why him and Confucius may not have gotten along. They SAY they didn’t. But that’s because most people can’t harmonize these things. But you can. You can totally. I’m totally into Lao Tzu, I’m a hunter and totally into Confucianism. You can balance all these things. If you can get the proper perspective and proper intentions.
Military parades are funeral processions in advance.
This is written by Lao Tzu. Remember? Over two thousand years ago. The Emperor would have little parades you know. All his soldiers and their weapons…
Military parades are funeral processions in advance.
In other words whenever you put those things out there, it’s always because you’re showing, “Hey! This is what we’re going to use to kill some people with.” And everybody goes [gasp and clapping]. “Oh great! I can’t wait for you to dispose of them.” And in people’s backyards–you know, and kill them.
But that’s what we do. That’s what the world is. And that’s what the government tells all the people. To all the people it’s like a football team. “Yeah! I’m rooting for that team.” Even though that team’s carrying a nuclear bomb–they’re going to blow it up and kill you in the arena. “It’s my team though! And…” It’s just stupid.
Anyway. Like I said, we’re all cattle and so the cattle are excited by these parades. “Oh yeah! Let’s go kill some people!” “Who we gonna kill?” “Uh– We’ll find somebody.” [SIGH]
Okay. Let’s go down this page. Ready?
What sports do you enjoy most and why?
What sports do you enjoy most and why?
How do you celebrate victory?
How do YOU celebrate victory?
How do you feel or disregard the loser?
If you’ve ever played any game there’s always a loser. From soccer to chess.
How do you feel or disregard the loser?
Interesting. If I was to reword that– I don’t know. I haven’t read down this whole page.
How do you feel or disregard yourself?
If you were the loser– that would be an important question to ask here.
How much effort is expended to befriend the loser after the competition?
So after the competition you’ve won, how much effort do you spend to be friends with the person you just conquered? (Won, defeated… whatever.)
Explain the importance of winning.
Explain the importance of winning.
Remember, these are your words. Don’t try to answer the question the way that I want or your teachers taught, or your parents taught… Well, it might be what your parents taught, but anyway these are hopefully– These are supposedly your words. So make them your words. This whole thing. Okay? That’s important.
If you put other people’s words in you’re just fooling yourself, lying to yourself, cheating, creating a false image. Looking in a mirror that’s not reflecting your true image back. You’re lying to yourself. You’re cheating. You’re hiding… Okay… You’re a normal person.
But hopefully, by reading this book you’re going to able to not be a normal person. You can stop hiding from yourself. Start seeing the truth.
How–okay. What do you do with your winnings and trophies?
Okay, so if you’re in a competition: and you win something, and you get a trophy or whatever: What do you do with it? Where are they? All your winnings and trophies. What have you done. Explain your thing in your life. Where are they?
Do you celebrate with liquor? And what else?
Do you celebrate with liquor? And what else?
Do you take time off after a contest and rest from training?
Do you take time off after a contest and rest from training?
Shifu suggestions:
That last one was a setup too. It was to see if actually, when you have a contest, if it’s unnatural. You were having to push yourself into an unnatural reality. Compete. Because in our Kung Fu school our goal is to just always have you ready to compete all the time. Anytime. That’s it.
Explain your interest in weapons.
Explain your interest in weapons.
Can you guys see my weapons?
I don’t know if this may really jack off–make the camera go wonky, but let me see– I’ll try to move the whole stand. If we move down here and we turn–There’s a couple. There’s some more. Whoops. See that wall down there. There’s swords down below. See some whip chains, rope darts and meteor hammers. Way down there towards the end near the top there’s a couple of tiger hook swords, and there’s a whole bunch of swords there. Oh, at the very end looking at us down there is some certificates and flags of mine.
As you can see, there’s some weapons on the wall. And if you come over here there’s actually another weapon over here. Yeah, a couple. In fact way on the very top of this thing, which you can’t see, if you were to go up here, across here hanging… Is one of my first staffs I ever got. And I’ve got it in a black sash. Make it kind of sacred or whatever. Didn’t like people to touch it. It’s weird because it’s slick. It looks like it’s varnished but it’s all my sweat and oil that’s like built this varnish onto it. So I don’t like people to touch it. I pick it up– and pick it up it’s like glass. It’s amazing.
But that’s what happens when you use these staffs for a long time. They become a personal thing. Because you wear them down and they actually–I’ll show you later. But yeah, that’s the Chinese style. We’re much different.
When I was in Utah and the’d never even seen them, the Karate guys. Quite a few of them bought them from me. Because I was buying them for my students because I teach staff. In fact, a couple of them wanted me to teach a staff class at their school. But I just couldn’t coordinate between all my classes and Mr. Mom and everything else I was doing. I couldn’t fit it in. But I did work out the program to do it. I came real close.
But yeah, they were amazed at those staffs. They thought they were–the whole concept–because mostly you get a piece of wood, it’s a dowel. Just a little spinter from a big tree. But this is the whole tree. When you look at my staffs there. The whole tree and the branches come out all the sides. It’s really amazing. It’s called White Waxwood. Look it up on the internet.
Here we go. How many minutes we got. Ten? Let’s finish this thing. How we doing.
Explain your interest in weapons.
Oh, that’s what I did.
How do these weapons portray you?
Well for me they represent all the different things I was exploring. Exploring the body and possibilities. So these weapons–I don’t think there’s anything else you can do.
How do these weapons portray you?
They portray me because all of these weapons require mastery and a certain kind of focus. Like musical instruments, each one requires a certain kind of relationship. You have to understand that in its own terms. In an intimate way. Each of these weapons. That kind of represents how I am. I tend to be very intimate in each of my projects. And each of my weapons. And each of my musical instruments. So I get a relationship with it. So that I’m not forcing it to just do what I want it to do–I’m figuring out how to — from what its Tao is, its’ Nature — how I can extract of harmonize with it. To create this other third thing. The instrument plus me creates the third thing.
Okay. How do you feel when using your weapons?
I get out here at night when its all dark . I need more room. And I’d just spin them around a little more. The chains kind of rattle a lot. [LAUGHS] In the dark’s cool too. Just come out here in the dark. It’s two in the morning. “Can’t sleep.” [swish swish] Alright. Then I go back to bed.
Okay. Explain how you imagine using these weapons?
That was a long time ago. But that’s gory. That’s why I enjoy playing with them so much now. That’s because I’ve gotten past that. But no, you’ve got to imagine lopping off arms and legs and stabbing… You’ve got to go through that phase. You have to learn the weapon. What they were designed for. And then I can play with them and use imaginary monsters…
But yeah, you’ve got to get past that gory stuff. I had nightmares for a few years. That was back in the mid-eighties. But I did. I’d have nightmares about them–actually using these weapons. Hurting, killing people. Death. So I had to get past that. Now I realize how dangerous they are. Like shooting a gun. You’ve got to realize this gun can shoot somebody. You’ve gotta, you’ve gottta accept that fact. You cannot like say, “Oh that’s not gonna hurt somebody because I’m not gonna touch it.” The moment you touch it–it can kill somebody. You’ve gotta come to grips with that. And then you’ve got to decide never to do it. See? So you’ve gotta go past that part. You know, I think that’s the problem with a lot of young people. They haven’t gotten past that. They haven’t learned the weapon. They haven’t learned to shoot it. They haven’t felt the power of the weapon. And then the respect for the weapon. It’s kind of got to go in that order.
A motorcycle. Well the first thing you’ve got to do is learn how to drive it without killing yourself. Then you get cocky on it. Then you’ve gotta get past cocky and get safe. And that’s the same with a gun. Just like a motorcycle. It’s got those LEVELS OF LEARNING. That’s what I call them. And I do. I teach the “8 LEVELS OF LEARNING.” And that does it.
Okay. Here we go.Are we going to finish? I’ve got thirteen minutes. I’ve got a make it in fifteen.
Explain how you imagine using these weapons.
I already did.
Explain your peer group and circle of friends.
Wooow. I’m not sure…Well, because we’re talking about celebrations. So your peer group are all the people you celebrate with. And do things together.
Explain your peer group and circle of friends and then think of them in terms of military and processions and I don’t know. Plug them into this. You’re in the army, those are your fellow soldiers. If you’re not in the army they’re still your fellow warriors and citizens who believe in war and see the parade and think of bombing people.
Describe any membership requirements and dress codes you enjoy.
This is where people say Confucius and Lao Tzu– Lao Tzu says kind of like a hippie, “I don’t want to dress in all these things…” But if you’re in the court and you’ve got to do this. And you’ve got people coming from other countries–you’ve gotta impress them. You can’t go in there in a T-shirt. You know, you’ve got to look like–anyway.
So there’s a harmony. There’s a natural Tao to being in government. Different than when you’re working in the field. You wouldn’t wear a tuxedo when you’re out there working in the rice paddies. So you’ve gotta harmonize with each of these situations. And that’s what people got confused with when they read this stuff.
Oh, real fast: Explain your loyalties.
And like we said earlier, when Trump asked for loyalties in the government–that meant that they were already corrupt. Because no government would ever give loyalties to its ruler when he asked for it. So that means that all those people who bowed to him were already the people who were corrupt. So everyone who liked Trump in the beginning–that’s your swamp. Those are the people you’ve got to get rid of if you ever want to end the war.
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Tao of Taoism — Using the Dao Te Ching to Improve Your Life by Buddha Zhen (Richard Del Connor)
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Shaolin Chi Mantis traditional Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi Chuan classes
Produced by Richard Del Connor for Shaolin Records
