{"id":50,"date":"2017-08-18T06:33:51","date_gmt":"2017-08-18T14:33:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/?p=50"},"modified":"2023-08-29T20:53:04","modified_gmt":"2023-08-30T04:53:04","slug":"stable-gaze-a-look-at-ding-guan-%e5%ae%9a%e8%a7%80","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/2017\/08\/18\/stable-gaze-a-look-at-ding-guan-%e5%ae%9a%e8%a7%80\/","title":{"rendered":"Stable Gaze: A Look at \u201cDing-Guan\u201d (\u5b9a\u89c0)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Now let\u2019s look at the term \u201cding-guan\u201d.\u00a0 This is an interesting term that is quite similar to \u201cqing-jing\u201d (see\u00a0Clear & Calm<\/a>\u00a0post).\u00a0 In fact, it\u2019s just a different way of describing the same energetic experience, although I think it provides additional perspective.<\/p>\n

Laozi did not use this term, but he did use each character individually.\u00a0 Chapter 37: \u201cWithout desire, there is calm, and all under Heaven will settle (ding) of itself.\u201d\u00a0 Chapter 16: \u201cRemaining utterly calm, the myriad things merge together; I thereby observe (guan) returning.\u201d\u00a0 The Tang-Dynasty Ding-Guan scripture describes a gradual method of settling into calm observance.<\/p>\n

The character for ding (\u5b9a) shows correct-alignment under a roof.\u00a0 It means to put something in its place, to confine or fixate.\u00a0 Ding is sometimes used to translate the Buddhist word Samadhi \u2013 one-pointed concentration.\u00a0 So it also means to concentrate, to focus, or to reach a state of non-arising pure awareness.\u00a0 I can\u2019t think of a single word to perfectly translate ding, but how about \u201cstability\u201d.<\/p>\n

The character for guan (\u89c0) shows a heron watching something.\u00a0 Perhaps a fish, perhaps open space.\u00a0 Like its sharp bill, its awareness is penetrating.\u00a0 So guan means to adeptly observe or notice phenomena.\u00a0 Guan is also the term for Daoist temple \u2013 a platform for observing reality.\u00a0 Let\u2019s translate it as \u201cgaze\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ding & guan individually describe opposing poles of awareness \u2013 we can subdue the fire or we can direct it outward; together they describe a state of stable, uncontrived awareness.\u00a0 Neither held down nor projected outward but nevertheless stable & open.\u00a0 Calm & clear.<\/p>\n

While it is possible to treat ding as a goal, in Laozi\u2019s wuweidao we see it as something that just happens of itself when we calm down.\u00a0 We don\u2019t want to approach ding with effort.\u00a0 When it arises of its own, it\u2019s an easy, reliable base, providing root-power to our practice.\u00a0 My Zen teacher (Zen Master Seung Sahn) always said pursuing one-pointed concentration is a mistake.\u00a0 Too much focus obstructs our view.\u00a0 When we calm down and relax into our base, qi effortlessly stabilizes and gathers into a nice ground for sitting.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also possible to over-emphasize observing as a method \u2013 like\u00a0pro-active \u201cmindfulness\u201d.\u00a0 From the perspective of Laozi’s tradition, observing is not something we have to \u201cdo\u201d \u2013 if we remain calm and present, we cannot help but notice the myriad activity in our senses, emotions, and mind.\u00a0 Things come & go of themselves; we don\u2019t have to actively watch them come & go.<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s helpful to look at ding & guan separately, in reality they are different ways of describing a singular experience.\u00a0 If this sounds like a precarious balancing act, then I have not described it well.\u00a0 From the perspective of our tradition, ding-guan is not something we achieve by effort.\u00a0 Actually effort obstructs our experience of ding-guan.\u00a0 Laozi\u2019s method requires neither intense concentration nor compulsive mindfulness.\u00a0 We settle into our posture, breathe naturally, and maintain an open gaze.\u00a0 This is our formal method of sitting meditation. \u00a0Practicing regularly over a period of time, this method reveals the inherent presence of ding-guan.\u00a0 We don\u2019t have to reach to get there \u2013 just stay where we actually are.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Now let\u2019s look at the term \u201cding-guan\u201d.\u00a0 This is an interesting term that is quite similar to \u201cqing-jing\u201d (see\u00a0Clear & Calm\u00a0post).\u00a0 In fact, it\u2019s just a different way of describing the same energetic experience, although I think it provides additional perspective. Laozi did not use this term, but he did use each character individually.\u00a0 Chapter … Continue reading “Stable Gaze: A Look at \u201cDing-Guan\u201d (\u5b9a\u89c0)”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1297,"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50\/revisions\/1297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}