The Inner Light/Tao Te Ching

[SF4-EVER]

I came across this verse while reading the Tao Te Ching, an ancient book of Chinese wisdom:

Without opening your door,
you can open your heart to the world.
Without looking out your window,
you can see the essence of the Tao.

The more you know,
the less you understand.

The Master arrives without leaving,
sees the light without looking,
achieves without doing a thing.

This reminded me so much of "The Inner Light" that I thought I should ask if George ever read the Tao Te Ching or if that book influenced Indian philosophy. Does anyone know?

[Hari's Chick]

Yes, you're right...George talked a bit about this in "I, Me, Mine". A Sanskrit teacher from Cambridge University, named Juan Mascaro, gave George a copy of a book called "Lamps of Fire". He had heard George interviewed on David Frost with Maharishi and John and others, had also heard George's "Within You Without You" and was very impressed. So, he gave George this book, suggesting George may wish to put some words from the Tao into a song.

In the "I, Me, Mine" book they reproduce Juan's letter to George, even...and George calls him a "sweet old man", and dedicates the song to him. images/icons/smile.gif

George closes:
"It was nice, the words said everything. Amen."

[Savoy Truffle]

Ignore this post!

I was just reiterating what HC had just said!

She got there first! images/icons/wink.gif

[ Feb 17, 2003, 08:50 AM: Message Edited By: Savoy Truffle ]

[SF4-EVER]

Thanks, HC!

[Dale]

We discuss this before. Tao in Chinese means way. So I think the lyric I could know the ways of heaven is a good transltion! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/images/icons/smile.gif

[beatlebangs1964]

This is very interesting and thank you for this information.

The above quote makes me think of George's own classic, "It's All Too Much" where he says, "the more I learn, the less I know." I love that song. It expresses paradoxes so well.