Introduction

Establishing the Precept is an explicit frame of reference for one of the critical components of Weaving the Way.

The rhetorical device used invites us into a transcendent perspective by balancing opposites. Without conscious engagement, we vacillate between extremes (dualism) instead of synthesizing those extremes into a single picture (nondualism). Ultimately, this is the only precept – reconcile the whole as the basis of your being, also known as “the middle way.”

Contentment is an excellent indicator of whether or not we are on “the Way” and is a theme throughout the text, for example, in verses 3, 12, 19, 22, and 33.

If you’re interested in some extra reading on the middle way, feel free to check out Faith in Mind by Master Seng Can. Faith in Mind is an essential text of Ch’an (the Chinese precursor to Zen) and demonstrates a syncretism with Daoism. You can find a variety of translations on terebess.hu.

Translation

Which is dearer,
your reputation or your body?

Which is more important,
your character or your wealth?

Which produces more anxiety,
gain or loss?

Loving deeply has a great cost.
Acquisition demands a loss.

Therefore,
Know what is enough without humiliation.
Know when to stop without danger.

Commentary

Which is dearer,
your reputation or your body?

Which is more important,
your character or your wealth?

Which produces more anxiety,
gain or loss?

When reflecting on these questions, I notice an uncertainty between what is dearer, more important, and more anxiety-producing. Focusing on one aspect over another induces clear shifts in how I approach my day. Becoming conscious of how those shifts correlate to my priorities is central to my overall well-being.

Please spend some time with this thought experiment before moving on to the following couplet.

Identify any pair of choices that lie in opposition to each other and feel how each influences your behavior. You can use any of the ones mentioned above, of course.

A common, modern “paradox” that many struggle with is the relationship between self-care and obligations to others (work, family, etc.). A more charged one, but equally beneficial to contemplate, is the harmonization of forgiveness and boundary setting.

Ready? Moving on.

Loving deeply has a great cost.
Acquisition demands a loss.

Humans love to think in dualistic this or that almost as much as we like to have our cake and eat it too. To walk the middle way, we must acknowledge that every action has consequences. Even more importantly, we must accept those consequences as an integral part of our decision-making processes to Weave the Way. The language of the verse hits right at the heart of the issue: caring deeply for something means making sacrifices, and getting what you’re going after usually means letting something else go.

These statements are accurate in the most profound ways. Engaging with this truth until we naturally incorporate the totality of a situation into our view is essential work. While certain aspects of life are challenging to see this way, we can easily practice it in the many decisions we make each day.

For example, each time we consciously eat or drink, are we choosing to love our health deeply and not indulge our sweet tooth? Or are we choosing to love our sweet tooths and sacrifice part of our health? In balance, we can do both and find healthy ways to satisfy our cravings. Yet, how easy is it to fall into a habit of overindulgence or overrestriction?

The closing lines offer the key:

Therefore,
Know what is enough without humiliation.
Know when to stop without danger.

The millions of ways these lines are true can only be revealed with time. Here are a few ways they hit me to get you started.

Enough is enough! There’s no humiliation in that. Know when to stop what will cause harm.

Be enough! Refuse to allow a sense of inadequacy to drive you out of integrity. Know when to stop doing things for the wrong reasons, harming yourself or others.

Stop being silent when fear keeps you small and struggling; get enough without feeling shame for needing more.

Stop pushing so hard you cause damage because you’ve refused to see that it’s already enough.

In a way, I guess it all comes down to a self-assured “Know Thyself.” From that self-knowledge, a self-disciplined “I do what I do” emerges in harmony with the Way.