Lao Tzu 6th century BC and the

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Lao Tzu(6th century BC?)and the
Also known as Laotse, Laozi, Lao-Zi, Li Erh, Li
Tan, Lao Tan.

• Dao De Jing
• (Dow Duh Jing)

Way Power Book
(The Book of the Way and Its Power)
10/1/08
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According to tradition,Lao Tzu (The Old Boy)

• was born in 604 BC 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 BC.
• Before leaving, however, he recorded his
  philosophical insights in a short book, the Dao
  De Jing (also known as the Lao Tzu), which is one
  of the foundational classics of Philosophical
  Daoism.

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A second major primary source of Philosophical
Daoism is

• The Book of Chuang Tzu,
• by
• Chuang Tzu
• (also known as Chuang Chou, Zhuang-Zi)
• (c. 369-286 BC)

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Daoism is both

• a philosophy
• a religion.

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Leading ideas in Daoist thought

• Vision of Reality (metaphysics)
• Ontology/Cosmology
• The DAO
• Chi (Ch'I, Qi)
• De
• Yin/Yang
• The natural order (the universe all things in
  it)
• Theology - gods spirits
• Anthropology - human nature the human
  predicament
• Values Ethics Political Philosophy

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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 DAO (TAO ) i s
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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Chi (Ch'i, Qi)

• Primordial, arises from the Dao
• Vital matter and energy
• All things (other than Dao and Chi itself)
  composed of Chi the basic "stuff" substance of
  nature

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De (Duh)

• denotes a moral power or virtue characteristic
  of a person who follows the correct course of
  conduct . . . . In Daoism, 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 (De) of the DAO is expressed in the
cosmos in accordance with the Yin/Yang principle.
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The cosmos(universe, nature)
Daoist metaphysics, continued
- Ontology/Cosmology - DAO - Chi (Ch'I,
Qi) - DE - Yin/Yang - The natural
order

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

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(Daoist metaphysics, continued)
Daoist theology

• The DAO 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
  DAO 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 (De) of the DAO. These
  spiritual powers can be accessed and harnessed
  through various magical rituals.

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

• Humanity is merely one of the Den 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 DAO), 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
(Daoist metaphysics/anthropology, continued)

• Back to nature back to the DAO.
• The practice of wu-wei (non-ado, effortless
  action, action without friction conflict,
  swimming with the current) -- the simple, natural
  life, performing no action contrary to nature.
• Go with the flow.
• Chill out.

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Ethical Doctrines(guidelines for right conduct)

• Tune in to De (the power of DAO), follow the
  DAO.
• 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 Daoism,

• The concern with increasing the supply of Des
  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).
• Daoists also believe that DAO-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 De 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 (De).

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Daoist Political Philosophy(an application of
wu-wei)

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

(See the DDJs many passages on government,
political leadership, warfare, social economic
policy, etc.)
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The philosophical content of the Dao De Jing

• DAO
• Yin Yang the principle of reversal
• Non-ado (wu-wei)
• The DAO-Master (the Daoist hero)
• Seeking the DAO living in the DAO
• 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.

(DDJ 70)
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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.

(DDJ 67a)

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Characteristics of the DAO

• 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

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

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Wu-wei (non-ado)

• Therefore, the Dao-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.

(DDJ 2b)
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Other wu-wei passages

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

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

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The DAO-Master
Characteristics of the Taoist hero
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Thoughts of a Dao-Master
(DDJ 20)
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Characteristics of the DAO-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 DAO-Master

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

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

(Look at underlined passages?)
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Seeking the TAO
(DDJ 41)
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Living in the TAO
(DDJ 23)
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Living in the TAO (cont'd)
(DDJ 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 Dao.
• 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.

• DDJ 8
• DDJ 9
• DDJ 12
• DDJ 33
• DDJ 52
• DDJ 56

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

• DDJ 18
• DDJ 19
• DDJ 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

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

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

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A Taoist Utopia
(DDJ 80)
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Self
(DDJ 13)