Taoists accepted the naturalistic conception of the universe, but in their system, by a peculiar combination, there is still place for God, immortality, and freedom; man is still one with the universe, if only he can “see things under the form of eternity”
(1975: 5). Yu-Lan Fung. 1975. Chuang Tzu: A new selected translation with an exposition of the philosophy of Kuo Hsiang. New York: Gordon Press
—————————————————————————————
The term “God” or “Heaven” is commonly found in Chuang Tzu’s works. However I think his notion of God is different with religious God as in Christianity, Islam and other religions, which generally means the Creator. “God” termed by Chuang Tzu is not explicit in meaning. However it bears the meaning of the unseen force that governs the nature by a set of eternal and absolute law. The following passages found in Chuang Tzu’s works hint us on this:
The Tao of God operates ceaselessly; and all things are produced… (126: 157)
…your life is not your own. It is the delegated harmony of God; your individuality is not your individuality is not your own, It is the delegated adaptability of God; your posterity is not your own. It is the delegated exuviae of God; you move, but know not how. You are at rest, but know not how. You are at rest, but know not why. You taste, but know not the cause. These are the operation of God’s laws. How then should you get Tao as to have it for your own? (1926: 282)
…what is it to be embraced in the obliterating unity of God? It is this. With reference to positive and negative, to that which is so and that which is not so, ---- if the positive is really positive, it must necessarily be different from its negative: there is no room for argument. And if that which is so really is so, it must necessarily be different from that which is not so: there is no room for argument. (1926: 31)
However God in Chuang Tzu’s sense is not the Creator of the universe that created all the beings, nor image of the Creator who passes divine passages he wants to produce. For Chuang Tzu, beings spontaneously produce themselves and natural means everything spontaneously becomes what it is. As Chuang Tzu’s great commentator Kuo Tsiang puts it, “everything is as it is by nature, not made to be so. Therefore, when Chuang Tzu spoke of heaven (t’ien，天, also translated as God by other translators，like Giles from Cambridge University), he meant the natural, not the blue sky… T’ien is the general name of all things. There is nothing that can be specifically called t’ien. Who can be the Lord that commands things? Everything produces itself and it not created by others. This is the way of nature.” (1975: 45)
Chuang Tzu’s notion of God is not religious nor it sacred. Perhaps this is the reason why Chinese prominent philosopher Yu-lan Fung tends not to translate the Chinese term “天” as God but heaven and nature (1975: 44). Meanwhile another translator Burton Watson translates the character as “heaven” or “heavenly” in most cases (1968: 25). Chuang Tzu’s notion of God or heaven is definitely very different with Francis Bacon’s notion of God. Bacon was a Christian who believed in Christian God. For Bacon, God is the Creator of the universe who set the law of na 天, pronounced as “tian” (t’ien)in Chinese. 天道is translated as “the Tao of God” by Herbert A. Giles in Chuang Tzu: Mystic, Moralist, and Social Reformer (1926: 157). However the word 天is also translated as heaven and nature, see 1975: 44.
16.12.07
The World, we are
Just you and me, we can make a better world, believe not?
I received an email from my friend Weng San just now. I opened it, and found this. It tells me that I alone is the world, and I can make a change. And you too. You are the world, you can do something to make it better.
Yeah, this words sound idealistic. However we were all idealistic before, weren't we? Have you lost your ability to be idealistic?
Most of the times, it is the most simple belief that makes things happen. I am glad I still believe. As I believe, I celebrated Yellow Saturday again by giving out free bananas at Taman Bahagia yesterday. I couldn't reach many people by doing this. But at least I reached some.
This song is dedicated to the Africans by American singers. They are linked up, although there is a big ocean between them. There is no ocean between us, shall we lend our hands to our 31 Indian friends who are now in lockups because of joining peaceful assembly? Shall we come together and say NO to ISA detention of 5 HINDRAF leaders?
Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA will organise a peaceful assembly at SUHAKAM office tomorrow (17 DEC)10.30am to send SUHAKAM a memorandum on ISA detention. SUARAM will also organise another peaceful assembly to uphold right to peaceful assembly at the same venue Wednesday 11am. Give your support if you can.
I received an email from my friend Weng San just now. I opened it, and found this. It tells me that I alone is the world, and I can make a change. And you too. You are the world, you can do something to make it better.
Yeah, this words sound idealistic. However we were all idealistic before, weren't we? Have you lost your ability to be idealistic?
Most of the times, it is the most simple belief that makes things happen. I am glad I still believe. As I believe, I celebrated Yellow Saturday again by giving out free bananas at Taman Bahagia yesterday. I couldn't reach many people by doing this. But at least I reached some.
This song is dedicated to the Africans by American singers. They are linked up, although there is a big ocean between them. There is no ocean between us, shall we lend our hands to our 31 Indian friends who are now in lockups because of joining peaceful assembly? Shall we come together and say NO to ISA detention of 5 HINDRAF leaders?
Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA will organise a peaceful assembly at SUHAKAM office tomorrow (17 DEC)10.30am to send SUHAKAM a memorandum on ISA detention. SUARAM will also organise another peaceful assembly to uphold right to peaceful assembly at the same venue Wednesday 11am. Give your support if you can.
12.12.07
Ops Lalang Reborn
2007.12.11. Sitting in front of my computer, kept receiving sms and calls updating news at Parliment. Tian Chua arrested, Khalid Ibrahim arrested, a 13 year-old boy arrested, and finally my friends Chin Huat, Swee Seng, Gayatry arrested. My feeling is that, Operasi Lalang reborn today, after buried for 20 years. After 20 years, our history repeats, dictatorship is still dictatorship, it is only the face of the dictator changed.
4.12.07
Banana's Day
I have a yellow singlet with some powerpuff girls flying on it. So I put it on on a hot Saturday. I unparked my car, grasped a yellow birthday girl, and rushed to Chin Huat at OUG shopping mall. Bananas were there, awaiting us.
"Free banana, free banana", if you happened to pass by, you got a free banana and a free smile. People looked at me with "???" on their faces. Some people took a banana from me, and walked away from me. Some asked me a question before plucking a banana, "are you going to sell something after this?" One specified the question, "are you asking people to sign for Digi after this?"
"No no no, I am not selling anything, I am celebrating yellow Saturday."
"What is that, yellow Saturday?""Oh you remember there was a demonstration in town calling for electoral reform? After that people wear something yellow on every Saturday to keep the momentum." ...... (some more some more explanation)
Most of the people knocked their head after listening to my lecture. One audience asked for another banana after listening. An aunty happened to thank me, after knowing I am not from the opposition and I bought the bananas by my own money. She is one of many Malaysians that believe there are a lot of lopholes in our electoral system and there is a need to reform. She took a banana from me, and took another one for her husband.
Beside me, there were some guys promoting credit cards. No kidding, our business was far better than them. 150 bananas were given away in just an hour, according to Chin Huat. :-) There were only 5 of us.
30.11.07
Me, standing among Indian Malaysians
I am proud of you, many many Indians in the country. You have finally stood up to reclaim your rights.
I reached KLCC 7 something in the morning. I reached, without expecting such a big crowd. Thousands of your faces passed me by, every face seems to have something to tell. Life has never been easy for you, I know. And so you came, bringing pictures of Gandhi and banners claiming your own rights, as a Malaysian, and as a humanbeing with dignity.
You stood peacefully under some billboards of Petronas. Children from different races playing happily together in the advertisements. "One legacy, one destiny", one of the billboards said. A peaceful multiracial country, this is the image they always try to portrait. There was happiness projected in the images. However it seems to me boring, and surreal. There you stood peacefully below those images. Your dark skin, your smiles, your courage and even your fear deep inside your heart making you so real, and so energetic.
To tell the truth, I was in fear standing among you, thousands of you. But after a while I knew that that feeling had no justification. Each and everyone of you I met was so nice to me, you talked to me in such a way that you never ever worried I was not a real journalist but someone from special branch. You were just simple and nice. And yet, people call you thugs.
Hi guys, I did not enjoy much peaceful moments with you, for the water cannon and tear gase came fiercefully after a while. Doses of tear gase fired directly toward your bodies. My tears dropped seeing you been dispersed in such a manner, it must be a result of the mixture of tear gase, anger and feeling of simpathy.
In a few occasions, I caught too much tear gase and could not stand properly. You offered help without hesitation. You could spare water in your bottle for yourself but you chose to pass it to me without asking who I am, where I come from. I must thank you. Thank you for treating me nice, without looking at the colour of my skin. Certainly, I felt more secure among you, than among the police.
The police fired tear gases again. Again, and again. Are those doses of tear gase going to expired? I heard someone wondered. I rather believe that it was, because I see no reason the police had to use such heavy force to disperse you, and me.
It was a sad day for me. And after reading newspapers the next day, I know there are many sad things to come. Are you going to run away from this? No, I think you are going to prove me that you are going to face this with courage and wisdom, together with other ethnic groups in the country.
P/S: I understand that some people are uneasy with the rally for it only focuses on Indian rights in the country. I do not see problem minority groups stand up for their own rights. Just as I do not think there is any problem the indigenius come out and fight for their land. If there are problems of discrimination in the country and there are certain groups being marginalised in this country, let us admit it. Let us be realistic also, if this is another rally calling for equality of all Malaysians, Indians' problems can never be highlighted.
However I do agree that HINDRAF the organiser of the rally should engage other civil society groups and other races to join and support the appeals of the Indians. If the appeals are rational and put properly, it can surely gain supports from other ethnic groups. My point is that, if there is a way to stop politicians from labelling you as a racist, why not? Nevertheless leadership of HINDRAF seems does not really care about choosing a better strategy. The Sunday rally also seems to me less organised.
Question now: how is HINDRAF going to lead such a big crowd? I hope HINDRAF can guide its followers to the root of the problems and find out facts about other ethnic groups in the country. While a big number of Indians living in poor conditions, a number of Malays and Chinese also not living easily. Besides discriminative policies of the government, problems lie on selfish government politicians who utilise such policies for their own purposes (money, power, women etc).
The leadership of the country is the problem creator, not the Malay people, HINDRAF, please make this very clear to those nice people I met in the rally.
I reached KLCC 7 something in the morning. I reached, without expecting such a big crowd. Thousands of your faces passed me by, every face seems to have something to tell. Life has never been easy for you, I know. And so you came, bringing pictures of Gandhi and banners claiming your own rights, as a Malaysian, and as a humanbeing with dignity.
You stood peacefully under some billboards of Petronas. Children from different races playing happily together in the advertisements. "One legacy, one destiny", one of the billboards said. A peaceful multiracial country, this is the image they always try to portrait. There was happiness projected in the images. However it seems to me boring, and surreal. There you stood peacefully below those images. Your dark skin, your smiles, your courage and even your fear deep inside your heart making you so real, and so energetic.To tell the truth, I was in fear standing among you, thousands of you. But after a while I knew that that feeling had no justification. Each and everyone of you I met was so nice to me, you talked to me in such a way that you never ever worried I was not a real journalist but someone from special branch. You were just simple and nice. And yet, people call you thugs.
Hi guys, I did not enjoy much peaceful moments with you, for the water cannon and tear gase came fiercefully after a while. Doses of tear gase fired directly toward your bodies. My tears dropped seeing you been dispersed in such a manner, it must be a result of the mixture of tear gase, anger and feeling of simpathy.
In a few occasions, I caught too much tear gase and could not stand properly. You offered help without hesitation. You could spare water in your bottle for yourself but you chose to pass it to me without asking who I am, where I come from. I must thank you. Thank you for treating me nice, without looking at the colour of my skin. Certainly, I felt more secure among you, than among the police.
The police fired tear gases again. Again, and again. Are those doses of tear gase going to expired? I heard someone wondered. I rather believe that it was, because I see no reason the police had to use such heavy force to disperse you, and me.
It was a sad day for me. And after reading newspapers the next day, I know there are many sad things to come. Are you going to run away from this? No, I think you are going to prove me that you are going to face this with courage and wisdom, together with other ethnic groups in the country.
P/S: I understand that some people are uneasy with the rally for it only focuses on Indian rights in the country. I do not see problem minority groups stand up for their own rights. Just as I do not think there is any problem the indigenius come out and fight for their land. If there are problems of discrimination in the country and there are certain groups being marginalised in this country, let us admit it. Let us be realistic also, if this is another rally calling for equality of all Malaysians, Indians' problems can never be highlighted.
However I do agree that HINDRAF the organiser of the rally should engage other civil society groups and other races to join and support the appeals of the Indians. If the appeals are rational and put properly, it can surely gain supports from other ethnic groups. My point is that, if there is a way to stop politicians from labelling you as a racist, why not? Nevertheless leadership of HINDRAF seems does not really care about choosing a better strategy. The Sunday rally also seems to me less organised.
Question now: how is HINDRAF going to lead such a big crowd? I hope HINDRAF can guide its followers to the root of the problems and find out facts about other ethnic groups in the country. While a big number of Indians living in poor conditions, a number of Malays and Chinese also not living easily. Besides discriminative policies of the government, problems lie on selfish government politicians who utilise such policies for their own purposes (money, power, women etc).
The leadership of the country is the problem creator, not the Malay people, HINDRAF, please make this very clear to those nice people I met in the rally.
13.11.07
Again, the ministry bans reports on BERSIH
Here I quote Merdeka Review's exclusive report published at 5:58pm today:
"After Ministry of Internal security had verbally instructed mainstream media not to give any media coverage to BERSIH at the beginning of this month, the ministry called up a meeting with the editor of various news agency again today to deliver another instruction: do not publish too much news about BERSIH."
Che Din bin Yusoh, Secretary of Bahagian Kawalan Penerbitan Dan Teks Al-Quran told Merdeka Review today, the ministry gathered editor in-chief from various newspaper to "exchange views" on how should the media play their role objectively and be responsible.
He further mentioned, the instruction given by the ministry was to give less coverage to BERSIH, and papers should seek comments on this issue from "reliable bodies", such as Majlis Keselamatan Negara.
He then told the online Chinese media there were 20 representatives from newspapers turned up. Another source revealed, the meeting was headed by Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, chief secretary of the ministry.
"After Ministry of Internal security had verbally instructed mainstream media not to give any media coverage to BERSIH at the beginning of this month, the ministry called up a meeting with the editor of various news agency again today to deliver another instruction: do not publish too much news about BERSIH."
Che Din bin Yusoh, Secretary of Bahagian Kawalan Penerbitan Dan Teks Al-Quran told Merdeka Review today, the ministry gathered editor in-chief from various newspaper to "exchange views" on how should the media play their role objectively and be responsible.
He further mentioned, the instruction given by the ministry was to give less coverage to BERSIH, and papers should seek comments on this issue from "reliable bodies", such as Majlis Keselamatan Negara.
He then told the online Chinese media there were 20 representatives from newspapers turned up. Another source revealed, the meeting was headed by Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, chief secretary of the ministry.
8.11.07
Long to
I cannot see star here. And the night is long. I had a long day in a stupid meeting. And yet you leave me such a long night. I am living a long life. There will be another long day. Another long night.
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