50
WHEN one is out of Life, one is in Death. The
companions of life are thirteen; the companions
of Death are thirteen; and, when a living person moves
into the Realm of Death, his companions are also third-
teen. How is this? Because he draws upon the resources
of Life too heavily.
companions of life are thirteen; the companions
of Death are thirteen; and, when a living person moves
into the Realm of Death, his companions are also third-
teen. How is this? Because he draws upon the resources
of Life too heavily.
It is said that he who knows well how to live meets
no tigers or wild buffaloes on his road, and comes out
from the battle-ground untouched by the weapons of
war. For, in him, a buffalo would find no butt for his
horns, a tiger nothing to lay his claws upon, and a
weapon of war no place to admit its point. How is this?
Because there is no room for Death in him.
no tigers or wild buffaloes on his road, and comes out
from the battle-ground untouched by the weapons of
war. For, in him, a buffalo would find no butt for his
horns, a tiger nothing to lay his claws upon, and a
weapon of war no place to admit its point. How is this?
Because there is no room for Death in him.
Translated by John C. H. Wu
Interpretation by Bill Bernsen
WARD OFF
One worthy student
Per year
Will continue practicing
This art
Teaching for 10 years
Results 10 students
Of those 10
3 will idly follow
3 will live their own lives
3 will quit
Only one serious student
Will continue
And truly connect
To the Masters
Lineage will live
Thru the one
Ward-off
Makes it so
There is no move
To lose
Balance
Roots deeper
Here death means
"No practice"
Practice is life
No room for
Death of intent
Because intent
Is already apprehension
There is only
One way to live
Many to die
10/3 steps to tai chi
10/3 steps to quitting
3 years
3 principles
3 students
Dwell
In the practice studio
Not just
Pondering practice
Tai Chi Chuan
Is a constant
Battle inside
Survive
Be a Warrior
Once a warrior
Body/mind may fail
But I will never die
When I stop
Practicing
I die
Ward off death
By practicing life
No new idea = end
Do not have
Thoughts of quitting
A closed heart
Is like death
Stay
Open
Live
End of practice
Enter rest
Once rested
Enter
Practice again
13
4 limbs
9 external cavities
All are connected
To the heart
If one disconnects
Depend more on
The others
There is no room
In me
To abandon practice
Masters will protect
Me from
Tigers/buffaloes/ weapons
No room
For demise
No place
For death
Sometimes
I feel like
I am having
A battle
In my mind
Use the resources
Of the Masters more
He who knows
Can’t put it into words
He who writes
About it
Has not learned
It all yet
Practice or die
Withdraw/rollback more
Be more frugal
With energy
Or else die
When the energy
If needed
It will be there
So save energy
By not wasting it on
Entertaining and entertainment
Less is more!
No room
For quitting
Tai Chi Chuan
Become
An animal again
When one does
Not practice
New ideas/feeling
Results in loss
No thought
Of the end
Tai Chi Chuan
Is not like school
Where at the end of 4 years
I leave
Tai Chi Chuan is continued
To the end of life
But there is no
End of life if
I Master the art
Negate doubt
No thoughts
About quitting
Listen
No maltreatment
Will come
To me
When a student stops
Practicing
He is lifeless
Riding a Dragon
Thru the enigmatic place
Of the unknown
Results in
Whatever is required
In the moment
Attach
To the art
Know how
To quit
And stay motionless
Existing in death
Still go on living
Learn
To shed impulses
Desires of past
Old bad habits
Create whatever
Is required
At the moment
Death of old
Negative thoughts
Tai Chi Chuan
Teaches control
Of the mysterious
Don’t think
Don’t talk
Just practice
Death = past life
Between hands/feet
Lay the secret
To Tai Chi Chuan
The place
Is being
With the Masters
They decide
Death of my past
Live with
The Masters’ guidance
Fog
A smile
This sees
Thru the fog
When one
Is up rooted
One is dead
When one no longer reaches
One is dead
Just be a tree
Root and grow
Live forever
Life’s push hands
Few are called
Only one
Is chosen
Let
Masters
Guide
Death means
In this poem
Means death
Of the ego
No ego
No worry!
A new idea
Is soft at first
As it grows older
Is becomes
Unyielding
Learn
To change with change
Once connected
To the lineage
No stopping
Always being directed
To Tai Chi Chuan
No claws/horns/ piercing points
All the above
Have a point
This comes
Squarely at me
Use Tai Chi Chuan
To dull the points
When one halts
Practice
One is dead
Worry = death
Of the moment
Don’t worry
Don’t die
Live in the moment
Not the dead past
Or the future demise
Live now
Starting Tai Chi Chuan
3 out of 10 are attached
To life [practice]
3 out of 10 are attached
To death [no practice]
3 out of 10 are just idly
Passing through [casual/occasional]
Only one knows how
To die [his/her old self]
Not having their own ambitions
But those of the lineage
What is needed
At the moment
Be the air in a bellows
Quitting Tai Chi Chuan = death
3 0f 10 quit
3 of 10 practice sometimes
3 of 10 practice full time
One and only one
Is the Master
Who is connected
Channeled
By the lineage
Once one reach
The level of a Master
Previous life is dead
Keep on living
As whom I really am
This can take
A life time
To achieve
Ten
Riding the Dragon
Three will not
See the dragon
Three will see it
Three will ride it
But fall off
One will stay on
Thorax (heart)
Is open to all
Able to discriminate
Good and bad
Hears the intent
Of the tiger, buffalo and evil objects
The gate to #50
Is the waist!
Not connecting
To lineage
Perish
I am a tiger
Left alone by others
Making a point
Like a buffalo’s horns
Untouched by weapons
Not needed
No other’s ideas
Can pierce me
Only one
Worthy
Realizing it
Is the secret
Masters protect me
From harm
Recent year
Old self dying
Physical illness/repairs
Emotional neurosis
Overcome
Not connected
To Masters
Death of art
For many
Few are worthy
Find the needle
At the bottom of the sea
Once understood
Is ward off
Not stepping
On the needle
No room
For stopping
Never
Force vs. force
Always apprehension
About quitting
Never intent
To leave
The 13 postures
In Tai Chi Chuan
Comes from
This poem #50
Doing them
Being aware of them
Is like practicing
Luck
Is being able
To listen
To surroundings
First listen to self
Find own balance
Then others
The preserving of life
Only intention
Is new feeling
Achieves stopping
Of progress
In practice
13 companions of life
(4 limbs and 9 openings)
Are also the death
If mistreated
Ward off/rollback/ press/ pulls
Being aware
Of them is life
Not practicing them
Death
What causes student
To quit
Imbalance
Physically/emotionally
Man tries to stay
In balance life
Too much immunity from
The tiger quick problems
Buffalo heavy problems
Weapons material things
Tao is luck
Luck is being able
To listen
To surrounding
But first listen
To self
Find balance/imbalance
In self
Then others
Because he is
Beyond death
Because his is
Beyond imbalance
What we love
Is the mastery
Of equilibrium
What we hate
Is the corruption
Of balance
The anxiety
Of student’s passion
There is no room
For stopping Tai Chi Chuan
Death = stopping practice
Ensuring
A real grasp
On being
Is
Tai Chi Chuan,
True structure
Sudden surprise attacks
Large powerful problems
Are easily comprehended
Not touched
In heart
Save balance
What I have
In common
With opponent
Both breathing same air
Standing on land
Movement like water
Work on immunity
Tai Chi Chuan
Is the build immunity
Immunity’s major component
Is listening
What stops practice
Is the reason to practice
While taking
A shower
Many ideas
Prepare for
Combat feeling
Same as feeling
Of dipping into
Very cold or hot water
Yu Pei Shih
Ideas or feelings
Are born
And forgotten
Ideas understood
Linger
Are right for man
3 out of 10
Have 3 ideas
They die/forgotten
3 out of 10
Have no ideas
Get a new idea
Let it go
Get another new idea
Let it go
Tapping into the vessel
That is never full or empty
Open following others
Open to the Masters
They give whatever
Is needed at the moment
Always
Being conscious
Never do things
That impend practice
Whatever is in life
Is also in Tai Chi Chuan
Whatever
Is in the human body
Is in the body
Of the universe
They are companions.
Immunity
From Tigers and buffalo
The secret is listening (ting)
Understanding (Tung)
Controlling (Na)
Moving (quan)
Discharging (fa)
Seeking life
What others
Say life is
Is really death
Death
Of life’s true way
Not practicing
When I get the urge
Is also demise
Not listening
To the Masters
The worthy will be
Entrusted with managing
Their lives
Avoiding sharp points
By Rhinoceros head
Tiger claws
Buffalo’s horns
All weapons of death
Death being quitting
I have been
Entrusted with it
Only one in ten
Understands
3 in ten
Pursue abnormal
Forms/ideas
3 in ten quit
Perish
3 in ten
Live
Party/family/fun
Get one
Serious student
For each year
Of teaching
Here death means
The death
Of others knowledge/ideas/influences
Also the death of
Fame/fortune
This is the part of undoing
Master
Provides whatever
Is required
In the moment
Truly connected
To the Masters
Who guide
I Must give up
To destiny
The secret
To push hands
Being able to adapt
To the environment
With just a thought
This ability
No tiger/buffaloes/weapons
Can hurt
Because they are
The environment
Learned How to
Adjust to them
Constantly
Opening
To Masters
Being shaped
By others is dead
There isn’t any more room for
Death in him
No others in him anymore
Now live own life/ideas
The ultimate defense
Is not being there
When attacked
Fostering life
Doing Tai Chi Chuan
Staying alive
Only one
Out of ten
Understand
3 die form a buffalo/rhinos horn
Another person
Making a point (gore)
Apprehension
Keep distance
From other’s points
Be isolated
Realigning/shaping
Body feels like
A tiger clawing
Muscles and joints
Immunity
Have a tiger paw
Build own fort
(Practice space)
It is easier to adjust
The form (life)
In own space
Eventually
Go anywhere
To practice
Others watching
Can be like rhino’s watching
A student
Keeps out of danger
By being apprehensive
In all situations
Negate
Dysfunctional
Self-first
Then in others
The Tao
Rules the lineage
Who rule the living Master
Who rules the students
Who follow the Tao
This is the spirit circle
Student expresses the Tao
This directs
The Master who
Represents the lineage
If evil appears
During the changes
In the mind
Of the student
This is a test
By the Masters
How do the students
Handle it
Most stop Tai Chi Chuan
Die
Some blame
Their teacher and leave
But continue studying
(Breaking with the lineage)
Some continue on
Pass the test
And get stronger
For more tests
If there is any harm
Done during the test
It is brought on
By the student
Not the teacher
Learn to concentrate
On things
Same way
When worrying
About them
Only instead of worrying
Look for a solution
To the problem
1 in 10 has pung (ward off)
Never do anything
That will take away his pung
This pung is life
Have pung
Tigers/buffaloes/weapons
Cannot harm
Must have impeccable pung
Some students just quit
3 out of ten
Attached to death
Some students
3 out of then
Attached to life
One student, understand
Give up his self
To the art
1 out of ten
Truly understands
Concentration
Slows/calms/relaxes
Me down
Thinking
Causes tension/manic
About what comes next
Entertainment
Negates creativity
Masters inside me
No tigers, buffaloes
Can harm me
Am I the one
To the lineage
Find the fulcrum
Between
Life and death
Practice or no practice
Just thinking is practice
Physically is a confirmation
When one stops
Undoing they are dead
Death of ego results
In back to birth
undoing means
Undoing intent to life
And apprehension of death
Apprehension is passive
Tai Chi Chuan
This is a pivot/fulcrum
Of life
Once
Kidney meridian
Connects to earth
Listen with the earth
Death
Is disconnecting
To the lineage
When one stops
Believing they quit
Merge with Tigers
Buffalo and weapons
to control them
When out of ideas
One has ended
That art/profession
New ideas protect
Me from the weapons of words
This poem applies
To my desire
For sex/violence
The death of creativity
No more room for it
When connected
To the lineage
He is immortal
Old self
Obsessions dying
Making room
For creative acts
Ward off the old
Press/push the new
During training
It amuses the Masters
When one stops
Practicing
Masters quit too
Masters take care
I have no thought
Of stopping
No room for quitting
Tai Chi Chuan
While 13 vital organs
Are being repaired
No doubt
Confirms worthiness
Practice negates
Death
Speeds up repairs
Avoid being attacked
By a tiger/buffalo/weapon
By becoming a
Tiger/buffalo/weapon
Using their points
To make
Tai Chi Chuan point
Death is
Disconnect
To lineage
Practicing existence
Don’t quit
Undoing/dying
Family/friends/foes
Are the adversaries
Of undoing/death
When attacked
Don’t fight back
Don’t give up
Control force
By following
Borrow and return
Invulnerable do
To no doubt
Merge
With lineage
Fear no evil
There are 13
Repairs
Before Tai Chi Chuan
Is reached
Tai Chi Chuan
Is to heal
Not harm
Life
Is an epiphany
Death
Is dumb
Use Tai Chi Chuan
To avoid death
Never do anything
Others may enjoy
Don’t let
The elasticity
Between spirit
And gravity
Break
First find it
The string theory
My past practice
Has died
Now a rebirth
Starting over
Avoid demise
By listening
Being prudent
Silent survey
Ward-off
Worry
With wisdom
To stop
Reaching
Is to stop
Rooting
While
Reaching
Ward off
Demise
With Tai Chi
Percussion
That is rollback,
Press and push
It extinct
Hollow
Of intent
To hear
Apprehension
Leads
To resonance
Of survival
Elastic band
Of existence
Thinking of death
Is centripetal
It pulls down
Thinking life
Is centrifugal
It reaches up
Caution threats
Over stretch
Life’s band
Worthy
Warrior
Need not
Worry
About others’
Worries
When one
Is out of
Inspired
New ideas
One is not
Practicing
Today
Friday 5-13-2022
Beginning
Of 13 repairs
Enroute to
Rejuvenation
I die daily
Rotting
Like a peach
It’s the “pits”
A pit creates
A new ideal
Peach
Caution
Foes
Can be friendly
Foes
Can be family
Tai Chi Chuan
Foresee foes
Life
A vortex
Of Virtue/vitality
Between
Spirit/gravity
Life/death
Seek
Tai Chi Vortex
Via peaceful
Practice
Practicing
Tai Chi Chuan
Is like balancing
A sword
Vertically/plumb
On the heel
Of hand
Moving from
Gesture to gesture
Sword falls
Practice ends
Tai Chi aura
A spiritual
Ward-off
Find it
In Slow Set
The secret
To immortality
Worthy
Warriors
Worries not
About quitting
They have
Ward off
Rollback
Press
Push
Malicious
Intent
Arrested with
Anxious
Apprehension
Peace
Before practice
Peace
During practice
Leads to
A passive
Presence
Death
Of old ideas
Turns to
Depression
Turns to
Expression
Of new ideas
Causing
Old ideas
To be harmless
First third of
Life accumulating
Second third
Organizing
Last third
Deleting
Delete before death
Live without
Dread
Introverted
Slow Set
Surreptitiously
Leads to
Success
Tai Chi stages
Death of decadence
Demise of dissolution
Peaceful practice
Prevails
Tai Chi Chuan
Corrections
Can be painful
Testing tenacity
To quit is death
To continue practice
Is life
As pain dies
Makes room
For next test
Sometimes painful
Only practice
Knows
Tai Chi rejuvenation
Via practice
Results in
Demise of
Old injuries/illnesses
Hedonism
Hoarding
Harassing
Halves ones
Happiness
There is a fulcrum
Between deterioration
And rejuvenation
Find it thru practice
Fear not quitting
This Chinese treasure
Present practice
Ends
Retreats to
Past
When present
Practice creates
It advances to
Future
Jing/Chi
Secret to
Tai Chi gestures
Without it
Applications
Are senseless
Slow Set
New feeling/idea
Understand/relax
It will go away (die)
But still be there
Slow Set
Being civil in
Practice
Prepares for
Battle in
Weapons/Push Hands
Tai Chi warrior
Does not ruminate
On past or future
Battle
Strays peacefully
On the c.o.g
In the present
Push hands
Circumvent
Opponent's
Current gesture
To rejuvenate
Next application
Slow set
Between
Beginning/ending
Each gesture can
Advance or
Retreat
Further study
Of the art