Thien Nguyen Professor Flynn Lorraine English 300/ Friday 6-9 pm 1 October 2015 Tao: The Standard to Stay in Well Being Tao-te Ching is a famous Chinese classic text and written by the famous Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu, also knows as “Old Master.” The book “Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching” explains the moral behavior to benefit people lives for their well beings. In the article, Lao-Tzu does not define the meaning of Tao, but he leaves some hints for the reader to figure out the meaning of Tao. Tao’s philosophy is an abstract concept, which surrounds human lives. People can observe Tao’s philosophy through human activities, but the concepts are difficult to comprehend. Indeed, the most important concept of Tao’s philosophy …show more content…
He also advises people to stay strong with passions, believe in what they are doing and always have confidence with in themselves. Furthermore, Lao-Tzu argues that violence and conflict cannot help to solve any issues. Fear usually goes with the violence. Lao-Tzu points out that the worst thing is that people are usually afraid to face challenges and they sometimes have disagreements with themselves. Peaceful will be the best method to solve the issue, and it is considered as precious as life. In addition, Lao-Tzu shows that there is a difference between mindless people and wise people. Mindless people usually try to complete things, leave many things undone. On the other hand, wise people do not spend much time working, and they finish their work quickly. Thus, as long as people follow the rule of Tao, it is not necessary to exert physical labor. Also, the author claims that as long as people stay with Tao, everything will stay balanced. For instance, there will be no case likes the “rich speculator”, where rich people become wealthier. While the farmer has to lose his farm or the poor people cannot afford their lives anymore. Therefore, when
“Wisdom, Happiness, and Courage are not waiting somewhere out beyond sight at the end of a straight line; they are part of a continuous cycle that begins right here. They are not only the ending but the beginning as well” (Hoff 137). In Tao of Pooh, Benjamin Hoff explains the fundamentals of Taoism through the cute characters of Winnie the Pooh. Each character’s action helps explains how Taoism works and affects our everyday lives.
Tao-te Ching (in English pronounced “dow deh jing”) is believed to be written by Lao-tzu (6th century B.C). However, it is not for certain that he wrote the book. Lao-tzu is translated as “Old Master”. He was born in the state of Ch’u in China. It’s been said that he worked in the court of the Chou dynasty. The day that he was leaving the court to start his own life, the keeper of the gate urged him to write his thoughts as a book. Lao-tzu’s work mostly illustrates Taoism –a religion founded by Chang Tao-ling A.D. 150. His main purpose in this piece is practicing peace, simplicity, naturalness, and humility. Lao-tzu believes that people are overloaded with temporal objects in this world. He recommends his readers to let go of everything and always keep the balance in anything. In my opinion, Lao-tzu would more likely dislike our government and the way that people live nowadays. The reason is because majority of the people are attached to secular things. To paraphrase the famous, people have materialistic characteristics in today’s world which is completely against Lao-tzu’s view.
their every day lives. In this novel each major principle of Taoism is followed by an explanation made though a humorous story staring Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends.
Our nation was founded on agriculture, and for hundreds of years we were able to migrate across the nation bringing our farming tools and techniques with us. Technology has driven populations away from rural areas towards industrialized cities. With money now being pumped into cities, rural farmers are suffering the most. Farmers are taking out large loans in order to sustain their farms, leading to debt and in some cases suicide. Patel spoke about a farmer in India whose husband took his life because he was unable to live with the amount of debt from his struggling farm. This man left his wife and chi...
Taoism was developed by Lao Tzu. Lao Tzu describes the Tao—translated as “Way”—as “one, natural, and eternal” (Lao Tzu pg.474). The Tao is life’s and nature’s course. The Tao consist of bonding energies, known as yin, and expanding energies, known as yang. Yin and yang are opposite forces, but each need one another to exist or make sense. For example, life needs death, the moon needs the sun, and compassion needs suffering. The
In the novel Lewis argues that modern education is no longer teaching students about Tao. According to Lewis, Tao is the values that are shared by all the religions and in philosophy of how human should live a moral life. As stated by Lewis “It is the reality beyond all predicates, the abyss that was before the Creator Himself. It is the Nature, it is the way, the Road” (Lewis, 18). The Tao also tells us that there is truth in the world and that it was
By saying that whatever can be described of the Tao is not the true Tao, its
To tackle the threat of famine, Liu think that some free markets should be allowed as the only way of combating famine. He implemented polices that allowed peasants to cultivate private plot in the backyard of their homes and sell produce to farmers’ markets. Liu also decentralized economics decision-making and planning to economic organizations below the level of communes, restored material incentives to peasants and collective farming, and carried out more realistic economic planning and programs. (Guo, 2013) As a result, about half of the farm land in China was in the hands of individual families once again. The results of these changes were sudden increases in the amounts of food being produced in China. (Karl, 2010)
Deemed by students a "Divine Sage," Confucius (Kong Fuzi) (ca. 551-479 B.c.a) was founder of ~ humanistic school of philosophy that accessible Zhou China a societal and political culture consequent from idealized values of the history (al. 2012) As a therapy for the political chaos of his age, the well-known teacher deserted the depraved aristocratic code and accessible in its lay an ethical system which largely focused on personality moral conduct, politeness, sacrament and kindness. In conflict that the basics of good government and the well-being of society rested on person ethical behavior, Confucius urged the monarch and his other assistants, the junzi (gentlemen), to give moral examples for the public at large.
Kaltenmark, Max. Lao Tzu and Taoism. Translated by Roger Greaves. Stanford: Stanford University Press. 1969.
Daoism, also known as Taoism, is one of the major religions of China. The main belief is the learning and practice of "The Way" (Dao), which is the ultimate truth of the universe.The Dao has several meanings. It is the basis of all living things, it governs nature, and is a method that people want to live by. The Dao is everlasting, without beginning or end. Since it has no beginning, it is therefore the oldest thing in the universe. The Dao is neither good nor bad, and is the source of all things.The Dao has no desires, and creates the universe, but does not dominate or regulate it. This idea of no manipulation by the Dao is an example of wu-wei. Wu-wei is one of the central tenets of Taoism and literally means the act of non-being / not action.This does not mean that people are lazy and passive as people might think. This means acting on instinct, and to go with your gut and to not over-think someone's actions and words, basically it means to just go with the flow. To act through wu-wei you shouldn’t think about what actions you are going to take and the consequences and outcome of those actions, you just let your actions control you, you don’t control your actions. The most useful action is one that is not conscious. De is the Taoist concept of virtue. It can be described as a way to live in unity with the Dao and it emerges from one's own inner nature. All things acquire De and it is De that guide the productions of the Dao. Our De appears as we follow the path of the Dao. Daoists see no greatness in violence because of their high respect for peace and their value of all human beings, even those who are their adversaries. Daoists believe that we need to fight only when absolutely necessary, and even then with a heavy heart. ...
The first definition of Tao is "the way of ultimate reality." This means that Tao cannot be percieved, defined, talked about, or thought of. It is too big a concept for humans to comprehend. As in the first line of the Tao Te Ching (the Taoist text meaning The Way and Its Power): "The Tao that can be spoken is not the true Tao." This is very similar to the Buddhist idea of Nirvana or Enlightenment. Nirvana cannot be understood by one who has not attained it. Even when one has reached Nirvana, he cannot describe it to others, but only help others to reach it as well.
...e and space and is therefore attainable to each individual who is ready to be released from the bonds of the physical. The Tao is perfection, a place where yin and yang come together and all that lives in diversity finds unity.
Unlike Rumi, Tao Te Ching isn’t self-centralized and instead broadens the view for everyone. Pojman gives an example in Philosophy of Religion where if you hear something and nobody else does, it causes confusion (pg. 52). When you speak of religion in one light and one lesson, it’s confusing in a sense that it isn’t relatable. Lao Tzu handles this by making his text a somewhat universal truth. Lao Tzu also has this showing as more of a life guide, on how to find peace within your religion and with your God, but also within yourself. He poses many questions (“Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles and the water is clear?”, “When we don't see the self as self, what do we have to fear?”, “My teachings are older than the world. How can you grasp their meaning?”) to make his audience question themselves and who they are. This insinuates that Taoism means finding a peace, or harmony, with the Tao by first finding harmony within yourself. Tolstoy reiterates that within his own text called, “A Confession” by writing that he eventually cut himself off from the church and found spirituality within himself and his God. Tolstoy makes a point that the meaning of life is trusting that God has a plan and a purpose for everyone. Meanwhile, a connection can be drawn with Tao Te Ching where everything has meaning because the Tao is everything that exists and simultaneously everything that doesn’t exist, according to Lao Tzu. Tzu also writes, “If you want to know me, look inside your heart,” and “The more you travel, the less you know [of the Tao]”, providing the argument that the Tao is imbedded into every atom, every cell, every human as well, and that is why you must make
Lao-Tze founded Taoism around 550 BC. The goal in Taoism is achieve Inner harmony, pea...