Lao Tzu* (6th century BCE?) and the

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Lao Tzu(6th century BCE?)and the

• Tao Te Ching
• (Dow Duh Jing)

Also known as Laotse, Laozi, Li Erh, Li Tan,
Lao Tan.
Way Power Book
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According to tradition,Lao Tzu (The Old Boy)

• was born in 604 BCE in the Chu Province,
• had a long career as the royal historian-librarian
  -archivist in the Chou capital of Lo-yang,
• (after becoming disillusioned as a result of
  the increasing decline of the Chou dynasty) left
  China for Tibet or India late in the 6th (or
  perhaps early in the 5th) century BCE.
• Before leaving, however, he recorded his
  philosophical insights in a short book, the Tao
  Te Ching (also known as the Lao Tzu), which is
  one of the foundational classics of
  Philosophical Taoism.

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Taoism is both

• a philosophy
• a religion.

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Leading ideas in Taoist thought

• Metaphysics
• Ontology/Cosmology
• The TAO
• Te
• Yin/Yang
• The natural order (the universe all things in
  it)
• Theology - gods spirits
• Anthropology - human nature the human
  predicament
• Axiology Ethics Political Philosophy
• Epistemology?

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TAO DOW DAO
1. The ultimate, transcendental Ground of
Being 2. The way or law of nature 3. A life in
accord with the way or law of nature
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The TAO is
a metaphysical first principle that embraces and
underlies all being, a vast Oneness that precedes
and in some mysterious manner generates the
endlessly diverse forms of the world . . . .
Unknowable as the tao may be in essence, one
must somehow learn to sense its presence and
movement in order to bring ones own life and
movements into harmony with it. The aim of the
text . . . is to impart to the reader, through
hints, symbols, and paradoxical utterances, such
an intuitive grasp of the tao and the vital
ability to move with it rather than counter to
it. (Burton Watson)
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Te (Duh)

• denotes a moral power or virtue characteristic
  of a person who follows the correct course of
  conduct . . . . In Taoism, te is the virtue or
  power that one acquires through being in accord
  with the tao, what one gets from the tao.
  (Burton Watson)

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Yin Yang
The power (Te) of the TAO is expressed in the
cosmos in accordance with the Yin/Yang principle.
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The cosmos(universe, nature)
Taoist metaphysics - Ontology/Cosmology -
TAO - TE - Yin/Yang - The natural
order

• is an ever-changing expression blend of Yin and
  Yang, full of the power (Te) of the TAO.

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(Taoist metaphysics, continued)
Taoist theology

• The TAO is the highest reality. It is the Ground
  of Being but it is not God or a god. It is
  the absolutely transcendent and incomprehensible
  Source of the natural world (the universe). The
  TAO is beyond sensation, beyond thought, beyond
  imagination, beyond words, etc. It is knowable
  only through direct mystical experience or
  intuition.
• Gods, good spirits, and demons exist as
  expressions of the power (Te) of the TAO. These
  spiritual powers can be accessed and harnessed
  through various magical rituals.

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Philosophical Anthropology -The Taoist
perspective on human nature the human
predicament

• Humanity is merely one of the Ten Thousand
  Things manifested in nature, one animal species
  among others.
• However, human beings (unlike other animals) have
  the power of free choice. This enables them to
  act contrary to nature (contrary to the TAO), to
  become alienated from the Way.

• Humans can choose to separate themselves from the
  natural order, and they can pursue things they
  want in addition to things they need.
• This leads to an unnatural existence filled with
  various kinds of pain suffering.

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The solution to the human predicament
(Taoist metaphysics/anthropology, continued)

• Back to nature back to the TAO.
• The practice of wu-wei (non-ado, effortless
  action, action without friction conflict,
  swimming with the current) -- the simple, natural
  life.
• Go with the flow.
• Chill out.

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Ethical Doctrines(guidelines for right conduct)

• Tune in to Te (the power of TAO), follow the
  TAO.
• Practice wu-wei (non-ado).
• Follow the path of least resistance (like water
  does) practice relaxed action through yielding.
• Avoid self-assertion competition practice
  humility non-combativeness.
• Disdain worldly prizes.
• The way to do is to be.
• Other specific ethical principles the same as in
  Confucianism, but with an individualistic
  non-political emphasis.

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On the religious side of Taoism,

• The concern with increasing the supply of Tes
  vital energy (chi) is expressed in practices
  involving diet nutrition, pharmacology folk
  medicine (including acupuncture), and yoga-like
  concentration on the inner self (sexual
  experiments, breathing exercises, tai chi chuan
  other martial arts, control of the mind through
  meditation techniques).
• Taoists also believe that TAO-Masters who have
  realized a surplus of chi can radiate from
  themselves a healing harmonious psychic
  influence to the communities in which they live.

• There is major interest in conserving,
  increasing, /or gaining control over Te its
  vital energy (chi).
• There are numerous rituals aimed at the
  veneration of the gods good spirits at
  placation of protection from demons.
• There are also magical occult practices
  (oracles, divination, astrology, mediumism,
  healing rites, etc.) aimed at gaining control
  over the powers of nature (Te).

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Taoist Political Philosophy(an application of
wu-wei)

• Limited government a laid-back prince --
• a kind of libertarianism?

(See the TTCs many passages on government,
political leadership, warfare, social economic
policy, etc.)
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Taoist Epistemology

• Is there any?

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The philosophical content of the Tao Te Ching

• TAO
• Yin Yang the principle of reversal
• Non-ado (wu-wei)
• The TAO-Master (the Taoist hero)
• Seeking the TAO living in the TAO
• How to live
• Meditation
• Emptiness
• Anti-Confucianism
• Political philosophy

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Lao Tzu says that his teachings are derived from
an ancient system of principles that they are
easy to understand to put into practice,

• but that no one understands practices them.

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He also says

• Many consider my teaching to be nonsense.
• But the profound is a lot like nonsense.
• If a teaching does not seem nonsensical, then it
  must be trivial.

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Characteristics of the TAO

• Indefinable
• Unnamable
• The source of both reality appearance
• Empty, but never used up always available
• Hidden, but always present
• Older than the gods

• Invisible, inaudible, intangible
• The One
• Appears in countless forms given countless names
• Without form, but complete
• The Mother of all things

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Silent. Empty. Independent. Unchanging. Infinite.
Eternal.

• Creator of all things
• Present in all things
• Returns all things to their origin (nothingness,
  no-thing-ness?)
• Does not contend, but it prevails does not
  speak, but it answers is not called, but it
  responds has no purpose, but it achieves all of
  its aims
• When you seek it, you find it.

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Yin/Yang the Principle of Reversal

• TTC 2a Yin/Yang bipolarity
• TTC 22 Reversal
• TTC 28a Yin/Yang balance
• TTC 36 Reversal
• TTC 40 Reversal Yielding
• TTC 42 Yin/Yang Reversal

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Wu-wei (non-ado)

• Therefore, the Tao-Master acts with non-ado
• teaches without speaking.
• Things come go.
• He lets them come go.
• He creates, but he does not own.
• He achieves, but he takes no credit.
• He completes his work then forgets about it.
• Practice non-ado, your accomplishments endure.

(TTC 2b)
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Other wu-wei passages

• TTC 10b (non-ado as non-action)
• TTC 10c (non-ado virtue)
• TTC 29 (letting go letting be)
• TTC 43 (soft/hard)
• TTC 44 (knowing when enough is enough)

• TTC 48 (letting be)
• TTC 76 (softness flexibility vs. hardness
  stiffness)

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The TAO-Master
Characteristics of the Taoist hero
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Thoughts of a Tao-Master
(TTC 20)
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Characteristics of the TAO-Master

• Detached
• Selfless
• Cautious
• Alert
• Courteous
• Yielding
• Undefined
• Open
• Murky
• Quiet
• Calm unperturbed

• Good to people who are good
• Good to people who are not good
• Trusts those who are trustworthy
• Trusts those who are not trustworthy
• Radiates peace harmony

-Compassionate -Self-restrained -Does not want
to be ahead of others
An expert practitioner of non-ado
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Passages describing the TAO-Master

• TTC 7b (detachment)
• TTC 15 (general description)
• TTC 24 (disgusting things)
• TTC 26 (not swept away)
• TTC 45 (seems vs. is)
• TTC 49 (radiator)

• TTC 63 (The T-Ms M.O.)
• TTC 64 (ditto)
• TTC 67b (virtues)
• TTC 71 (Socratic wisdom)
• TTC 81 (truth, goodness, wisdom, non-ado)

(Look at underlined passages?)
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Seeking the TAO
(TTC 41)
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Living in the TAO
(TTC 23)
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Living in the TAO (cont'd)
(TTC 37)
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How to Live(Ethical Prescriptions)

• It is good to be like water.
• It nourishes without effort.
• It flows without contention into low places that
  people scorn.
• Thus, it is like the Tao.
• In dwelling, live close to the land.
• In thinking, go deep.
• In relating to others, be gentle.
• In governing, seek good order and justice.
• In acting, be skillful.
• In working, do all things at the right time.
• No contention, no strife.

• TTC 8
• TTC 9
• TTC 12
• TTC 33
• TTC 52
• TTC 56

(See Text)
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Meditation
(TTC 10a)
(See also TTC 11)
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The Value of Emptiness Non-Being
(TTC 11)
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Lao-Tzus Anti-Confucianism

• TTC 18
• TTC 19
• TTC 38
• Down with kindness morality, intelligence
  learning, family values, industry profit,
  clinging to power, activism, virtue, justice,
  propriety!

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Lao-Tzus Political Philosophy

• TTC 58 (limited govt.)
• TTC 60 (large country, small fish)
• TTC 61 (yielding)
• TTC 65 (enlightening the people)
• TTC 66 (low profile)
• TTC 68 (non-contending)
• TTC 69 (war)
• TTC 74 (death penalty)
• TTC 75 (limited govt.)
• TTC 77 (social policy)
• TTC 78 (water)

• TTC 3 (Taoist rule)
• TTC 17 (types of rulers)
• TTC 28b (uncarved wood)
• TTC 30 (war)
• TTC 31 (weapons)
• TTC 32 (dividing naming)
• TTC 46 (enough is enough)
• TTC 53 (social criticism)
• TTC 57 (keep it simple)

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A Taoist Utopia
(TTC 80)
42
Self
(TTC 13)