Comments on: A snippet of prayer http://www.puredoxyk.com/index.php/2009/01/02/a-snippet-of-prayer/ Polyphasic Sleep and Better Thinking Wed, 8 Sep 2010 17:33:18 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Sabbath http://www.puredoxyk.com/index.php/2009/01/02/a-snippet-of-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-38333 Sabbath Sat, 03 Jan 2009 01:47:22 +0000 http://www.puredoxyk.com/index.php/2009/01/02/a-snippet-of-prayer/#comment-38333 If Tao can't do it, may I suggest "Logos" for the Western Mind? I can't believe a Johnny spent a year learning something without the original language! If Tao can’t do it, may I suggest “Logos” for the Western Mind?

I can’t believe a Johnny spent a year learning something without the original language!

]]> By: puredoxyk http://www.puredoxyk.com/index.php/2009/01/02/a-snippet-of-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-38332 puredoxyk Sat, 03 Jan 2009 01:15:02 +0000 http://www.puredoxyk.com/index.php/2009/01/02/a-snippet-of-prayer/#comment-38332 I hear you. To answer, though: a) I don't know the Chinese, and so have to go on my Sifu's translation. b) The actual term would be "Tao" probably, which basically means "that thing that you can't put into words without really screwing it up": Because of this, the word used really ISN'T that important, and is probably different in many interpretations. I plan on writing other posts on this part of the topic, but it really wouldn't fit here. c) While most people might interpret "God" as a personal being, it's also the closest the (strictly) Western mind is going to get to what's being referred to here. I'll just have to take a shot at explaining the non-personal-beingness of it later. However, I did add a disclaimer to this effect, on your recommendation; thanks for pointing that out. I'm definitely a philosopher and not a theologian. ;) I hear you. To answer, though:
a) I don’t know the Chinese, and so have to go on my Sifu’s translation.
b) The actual term would be “Tao” probably, which basically means “that thing that you can’t put into words without really screwing it up”: Because of this, the word used really ISN’T that important, and is probably different in many interpretations. I plan on writing other posts on this part of the topic, but it really wouldn’t fit here.
c) While most people might interpret “God” as a personal being, it’s also the closest the (strictly) Western mind is going to get to what’s being referred to here. I’ll just have to take a shot at explaining the non-personal-beingness of it later.

However, I did add a disclaimer to this effect, on your recommendation; thanks for pointing that out. I’m definitely a philosopher and not a theologian. ;)

]]> By: Sabbath http://www.puredoxyk.com/index.php/2009/01/02/a-snippet-of-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-38331 Sabbath Sat, 03 Jan 2009 01:01:44 +0000 http://www.puredoxyk.com/index.php/2009/01/02/a-snippet-of-prayer/#comment-38331 We don't translate terms which have no English equivalent, we just transliterate them. The problem is that any word other than the term we want will have implications we don't mean, and we have a lot of words like that. Instead of "God", transliterate the term and then in footnotes explain what you mean. Misleading translations will only be an obstacle to comprehension later. That word is the most crucial in the whole meditation, and you are using a word most English readers will interpret as a personal being? We don’t translate terms which have no English equivalent, we just transliterate them. The problem is that any word other than the term we want will have implications we don’t mean, and we have a lot of words like that. Instead of “God”, transliterate the term and then in footnotes explain what you mean. Misleading translations will only be an obstacle to comprehension later. That word is the most crucial in the whole meditation, and you are using a word most English readers will interpret as a personal being?

]]>