THE MODEL OF SHEN-HUN-PO
The highest perfection is like water.
Water’s perfection benefits ten thousnd things yet does not contend,
residing in places many people scorn,
it is an instance which compares with the way.
In the early days of Chan two important factors were present in those monks that found the Awakening:
The first was that discovering the Truth, whatever it turned out to be as an experience, was the most important task of their lives.
The second was that they were continually with the Master and were seldom (except those with less zeal) exposed to the temptations of the world.
For those so tempted a set of rules were generated, which were unneccesary for those with understnding, eliminated sypmptoms of Identity an dtermination.
Today, few are in such circumstances and the access to the direct contemplations
of Function, Essence and Undifferntiated Form which lead to the door of Awakening
is extremely difficult. This is even more difficult as the world advances with globalized minds directed at identity satiation.
As a result it is necesary to reinforce resistance to thes stained and sustained irritation of this New World of communication and technology. The following Cntemplations then become essential for almost everyone who has the courage to venture upon the path.
While the Path of the Jhanas, Absorption Meditation and the Path of the Supramundane Vipasanna lead from a Cognition to its liberation, the Contemplations of De and Dao open the gates to the PURIFICATION OF COGNITION though the re establishment of Natural ZEAL, reshin, and PURE SHEN which directs Life Force Expression.
Let us examine now the correct translation
of line three of Chapter 8 of the Daodejing
In residing, perfection is the earth;
in mind, perfection is the profound;
in giving, perfection is benevolence;
in words, perfection is truth
3. 居善地，心善淵，與(予)善仁(天)，言善信，政善治, 事善能，動善時。
chü shan ti, hsin shan yüan, yü (yü ) shan jên (t'ien) yen shan hsin,
chêng shan chih , shih shan nêng, tung shan shih.
jū shàn dì, xīn shàn yuān, yǔ (yǔ) shàn rén (tiān), yán shàn xìn,
zhèng shàn zhì, shì shàn néng, dòng shàn shí
[reside- perfection-earth], [mind-perfection-profound], [to give-perfection-benevolence], [word-perfection-true], [government-perfection-heal], [affair-perfection-time]
Bare-bone Translation
The highest perfection is like water.
Water’s perfection benefits ten thousnd things yet does not contend, residing in places many people scorn, it is an instance which compares with the way.
In residing, perfection is the earth; in mind, perfection is the profound; in giving, perfection is benevolence; in words, perfection is truth; in government, perfection is to heal; in affairs, perfection is capability; in activity, perfection is timeliness.
Only a Master is without contention and is an instance of having no error.
Let us take this verse as the place to start.