Taoism

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Taoism
The Great Tao flows everywhere. It may go left or
right All things depend on it for life. and
it does not turn away from them. It accomplishes
its task, but does not claim credit for
it. It clothes and feeds all things but does
not claim to be master over them. Tao Te
Ching, chapter 30
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Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu
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Origins of Taoism

• The origins are ancient, dating back to the time
  of Conf ucius 551-479.
• Taoisms beginnings are shrouded in mystery.
• It is not certain whether the founder of Taoism,
  Lao Tzu, ever actually existed.
• There are accounts, however legendary, about Lao
  Tzu

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Lao Tzu

• Born in 604 B.C. E., his name means old master.
• He was conceived by a shooting star.
• When his mother gave birth to him, he was already
  eighty two years old, a wise man with flowing
  white hair.
• He worked as a government archivist.
• Eventually, he became disinchanted with the
  corruption of government.
• He left his town after taking three days to write
  down his words of wisdom, The Tao Te Ching.

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The Tao Te Ching

• Authored by Lao Tzu, it is Taoisms foundational
  text.
• It is 81 short chapters, dating back to the 3rd.
  century, b.c.e.
• It contains many paradoxes and profound teachings
  on living in harmony with nature.
• Chapter 56 Echoes of such mystery are heard
  repeatedly.
• Those who know do not speak Those who speak do
  not know.

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Chuang Tzu

• Taoisms second founder seems to have lived from
  369 to 286 b.c.e.
• The Chuang Tzu, his text, is as important as the
  Tao Te Ching but not as well known.
• He is known for his humor, profound lessons and
  stories.
• The central theme of his work is the relativity
  of things Who is to say, it asks, exactly what
  is good, what ought to be done, or even who we
  are, when answers to such questions are so
  dependent on particular circumstances?

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The Philosophy of Tao

• Tao is both the ultimate source and principle of
  order in the universe.
• Tao has two components, yin and yang.
• Taoism regards moral values as relative and
  avoids absolute moral judgments.
• Taoism literature says nothing about the
  afterlife and depicts death as one of natures
  transformations from one state to another.
• Humans are part of the grand harmony of nature
  and to live in accord with the Tao is the only
  way to thrive.

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Yin and Yang
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Traits of Yin and Yang

• Yin
• Negative
• Passive
• Feminine
• Earthly

• yang
• Positive
• Active
• Masculine
• Heavenly

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Virtues in Taoism

• Wu-wei primary virtue and means non-action.
  To practice wu-wei is to be so perfectly in
  harmony with nature that its energy infuses and
  empowers the individual.
• Humility and noncompetition
• Naturalness and naturalism
• Nonaggression and passive rule