𝌸 "constancy" 常
The substrate & essential characteristic of the universe
The character originally referred to a "lower garment",
before being phonetically borrowed to mean "long-lasting; frequently".
The original sense is now represented by the character 裳 (OC *djaŋ, “lower garment”).
- normal; general; common 正常 ― zhèngcháng ― normal
- constant; invariable 常駐 / 常驻 ― chángzhù ― to be stationed in
- often; frequently 經常 / 经常 ― jīngcháng ― often
- 51st tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "constancy" (𝌸)
尚 ㄕㄤˋ from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(z)rjaŋ (“uncle, superior”) (STEDT; cf. Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-tjaŋ (“, upper part, rise, raise, top, summit”)). Cognate with 丈 (OC *daŋʔ) "gentleman, older man, husband", Tibetan ཨ་ཞང (a zhang, “maternal uncle”), Burmese အရှင် (a.hrang, “master, lord”), etc.
Cosmic Tree of Life, Diana van Denberg
Thursday, September 9
"Attunement is made when the conscious mind is at rest, as in meditation or in sleep.
This is also an illustration of the ability of those in the spiritual realm to see the future."
(ECRL 136-48)
《道德經 第十六章》
致虛極，守靜篤。
萬物並作，吾以觀復。
夫物芸芸，各復歸其根。
歸根曰靜，是謂復命。
復命曰常，知常曰明。
不知常，妄作凶。
知常容，容乃公，公乃王，王乃天，天乃道，道乃久，沒身不殆。
Dao De Jing Chapter Sixteen ― Alan B. Taplow 16 THE CYCLE OF ALL THINGS
Let the mind be empty of preconceptions and distraction -
Permit a meditative quietness to prevail.
Observe the cycle of All Things —
Their birth and rise to activity,
A flourishing,
And ultimate return to their generative roots.
Quietness, repose and tranquillity characterize the return to the roots of creation.
Knowing it as the destiny of All Things —
An unchanging cycle, An eternal law of nature —
Is to be enlightened.
To know it not is to court misfortune.
Knowing the eternal law is to be all-embracing.
All-embracing is to be impartial.
Impartial is to be noble.
Being noble is to be one with nature.
Being one with nature is to be in accord with the Tao.
Being in accord with the Tao —
Essence is everlasting.
Tho' body/self demise, the self is eternal.
Dao De Jing Chapter Sixteen ― James Legge 16 (Returning to the root)
The (state of) vacancy should be brought to the utmost degree, and that of stillness guarded with unwearying vigour. All things alike go through their processes of activity, and (then) we see them return (to their original state). When things (in the vegetable world) have displayed their luxuriant growth, we see each of them return to its root. This returning to their root is what we call the state of stillness, and that stillness may be called a reporting that they have fulfilled their appointed end. The report of that fulfilment is the regular, unchanging rule. To know that unchanging rule is to be intelligent; not to know it leads to wild movements and evil issues. The knowledge of that unchanging rule produces a (grand) capacity and forbearance, and that capacity and forbearance lead to a community (of feeling with all things). From this community of feeling comes a kingliness of character; and he who is king-like goes on to be heaven-like. In that likeness to heaven, he possesses the Dao. Possessed of the Dao, he endures long; and to the end of his bodily life, is exempt from all danger of decay.
Dao De Jing Chapter Sixteen ― Arthur Waley 16
Push far enough towards the Void,
Hold fast enough to Quietness,
And of the ten thousand things none but can be worked on by you.
I have beheld them, whither they go back.
See, all things howsoever they flourish
Return to the root from which they grew.
This return to the root is called Quietness;
Quietness is called submission to Fate;
What has submitted to Fate has become part of the always so.
To know the always-so is to be Illumined;
Not to know it, means to go blindly to disaster.
He who knows the always-so has room in him for everything;
He who has room in him for everything is without prejudice.
To be without prejudice is to be kingly;
To be kingly is to be of heaven;
To be of heaven is to be in Tao.
Tao is forever and he that possess it,
Though his body ceases, is not destroyed.
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