清靜經 Qing Jing Jing - Quiet Calm Weave Final

Since the sentences of #33+ are tightly related to the other, then it is mete to appraise them as a group.

The first sentences relate to some of the main ideas within Dao De Jing. The latter sentences appear to be the Qing Jing Jing author's additional opinions of Dao De Jing along with added ideas of acquiring 'quiet calm'.

Most everyone on earth agrees that all things are the products of their ingredients (bread, wine, cars, music, organic bodies, etc.), but most everyone on earth also believes that a person's external behaviors have no ingredients; the people believing that all inner ingredients can be created by external behaviors. Western philosophy does similarly when claiming that 'virtue' is an external behavior. Academicians do similarly when claiming that emotions are caused by brain chemicals.

Everyone can see that bread and everything else in Nature are the products of their ingredients, but still all ideologies claim that there are no ingredients in virtue, quietude, calmness, nor centeredness. The Qing Jing Jing book also does not speak of ingredients, nor does the book mention anything about 經 (weaving) the ingredients.

Of the several ideas given within Qing Jing Jing, three stand-out strongly: [1] there is no mention of how quiet and calm occur, [2] there is no description of how the 'Great Way' allegedly comes into existence, and [3] all topics are focused on external measures.

As a comparison to what Qing Jing Jing speaks of, some known individuals occasionally self-chose a self-manifested 'quiet calm' centeredness as infants (and sometimes continue to do so as adults). Individuals who have mental control over their minds and bodies, are able to easily choose the 'quiet calm' state. There is nothing magical, mystical, nor 'enlightened' about being 'centered'; it is merely the self-chosen act to self-choose one's own manner of consciousness. If Qing Jing Jing is speaking of the same 'quiet calm' that all known Buddhist books have spoken of for over forty years, then the book's metaphors are reasonably accurate, but, still, not especially unique.

The core importance here is that Qing Jing Jing and all other known Buddhist and Taoist teachings focus on external teachings that followers are to physically mimic. The result of mimicking is that the follower's 'attainment' is trained from the outside, and is not the product of one's inner ingredients. He who enters 'quiet calm' by his own inner qualities, he glows radiantly strong. He who enters 'quiet calm' by selfishly following teachings, has no glow. It is Nature's Way, and no quantity of teachings can supersede Nature's Way.

Briefly, some authors have interpreted 清 to imply 'pure' and 'purity'. Purity does not exist, nor can exist. Each individual was impure prior to conception. No quantity of adding additional ingredients can ever make an impure thing pure. All teachings of purity are incorrect.

With the book now having been given a quick overview, as well as 清 and 靜 being better clarified of intention, now can begin a serious word-per-word investigation of what the author may have hoped to convey.

A public domain translation: "Lord Lao said: High masters do not fight, while low masters are fond of fighting. High virtue is without “virtue,” while low virtue grasps after virtue. Those who grasp at such things do not understand the virtue of the Dao. Therefore it is impossible for living beings to attain the true Dao with deluded minds. Since they have deluded minds, their spirits are frightened; because their spirits are frightened, they are attached to the myriad phenomena. Because they are attached to the myriad phenomena, they give birth to greedy seeking; due to the birth of this greedy seeking, they encounter confusion and anger. With these afflictions and delusions, they concern themselves with the pains of the body and mind. Since they easily encounter impurity and disgrace, they wander aimlessly in birth and death, constantly submerged in the sea of suffering, and perpetually missing the true Dao. If one awakens to the constant true Dao, they will attain it. One who attains and awakens to the Dao has constant purity and stillness indeed!