Lao Tzu

1. Lao Tzu Tao Te Ching Notes in this presentation were summarized and paraphrased from Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching. Tr. by D.C. Lau. London: Penguin Books, 1963.

2. The Book • The classic book in the thought of Taoism • The most frequently translated book in Chinese • Divided into two books: • Tao Ching – Book I • Te Ching – Book II

3. Who is Lao Tzu? Version I • Lao Tzu (551-479 B.C.) a contemporary of Confucius • There are two noted interactions between them. • Historian of the archives in Chou • Cultivated the way and virtue and taught humility and modesty • Not much more is known about him.

4. Who is Lao Tzu? Version II • He may be a myth. • Even if he did live, he probably did not actually write the Lao Tzu. • “Lao Tzu” also means old man, and this title was given to works like this because they purported the wisdom of old age.

5. The Book • Probably an anthology of sayings much like The Analects written during the Golden age of Chinese thought –“The Hundred Schools” era • Individual chapters made up usually of shorter passages that do not necessarily follow each other well. • Does not represent a coherently related system and must be taken a line at a time rather than as chapters and books.

6. Tao -- “The Way” • Often translated as “The Way.” • Descriptions from the text: “The way that can be spoken of is not the constant way.” and “The way is forever nameless.” (72) • There is no other name because language is incapable of defining it.

7. Tao -- The One • Existed before the universe. • Responsible for creating and supporting the universe. • Words cannot adequately define “the Tao” because words instantly limit the Tao.

8. Tao -- “Nothing” • “The myriad creatures in the world are born from Something, and Something from Nothing.” (XL, 89) • The Tao is more like nothing because if it were something, the Tao would be definable and the Tao is undefined. • The Tao often is defined by opposites, “strong” and “weak” for example, because if it is responsible for one, it is also responsible for the other. • Negative terms are often used to define the Tao because they are less limiting than positive terms. • West = Focus on the real; East = Focus on nothing

9. How the Tao Works • It is often blurry whether the Tao is an entity or a principle to be followed. • Man should model himself on the “tao.” • Weak, submissive and passive are considered good qualities. • “Turning back is how the way moves; Weakness is the means the way employs.” • Concept of change is at the heart of Taoism.

10. Interpreting the Tao • Development vs. Decline • “Turning back is how the way moves” = going back to one’s roots • Development = slow, gradual effort; Decline = natural and unstoppable • Slide analogy = diff. b/w climbing the slide or going down it • Why being submissive helps in this process  To avoid the fall/crash “Know contentment And you will suffer no disgrace; Know when to stop And you will meet with no danger. You can then endure.”

11. Interpreting the Tao (cont’d) • Victory vs. Defeat • The “strong” are often victorious over the “weak,” but this is unsustainable. Some day the “strong” will meet their doom. • The “weak” may avoid defeat by not contending in the first place. = “To hold fast to the submissive is called strength.” • Survival is a key issue in Taoism because it evolved during the “Warring States” period. “He who lives out his days has had a long life.”

12. A Taoist Government • Taoists hoped for an authentic Taoist ruler to offer security to the world, and the Lao Tzu is definitely a treatise on government. • Oppressive rulers must beware because if they overdo it they will cancel out the only thing that keeps them in power: oppression. Once subjects have no will to survive, an oppressive ruler is doomed. Once they no longer fear death, the ruler will perish. • One who has the Tao will be “inwardly a sage and outwardly a king.”

13. A Taoist Government (cont’d) • “The way never acts and yet nothing is left undone. Should lords and princes be able to hold fast to it, The myriad creatures will be transformed of their own accord.” • The ruler should model himself on the policy of resorting to no action.

14. A Taoist Government (cont’d) • “Whoever takes the empire and wishes to do anything to it I see will have no respite. The empire is a sacred vessel and nothing should be done to it. Whoever does anything to it will ruin it; whoever lays hold of it will lose it.” • The natural order is a delicate balance and the least interference could upset the balance and lead to disorder. • An ideal state is when people are blissfully ignorant and free from desire.

15. A Taoist Government (cont’d) • “Not to honour men of worth will keep the people from contention; not to value goods which are hard to come by will keep them from theft; not to display what is desirable will keep them from being unsettled of mind.” • Therefore, knowledge and cleverness should be shunned by the Taoist ruler. Keeping people in a childlike state will limit knowledge and desire.

16. The “Uncarved Block” • The “uncarved block” is one of the most famous Taoist metaphors. • Symbol for original state of man before desire is produced in him = freedom from desire • An uncarved block is nameless just like the Tao. • It is the symbol of a ruler “The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects… When his task is accomplished and his work done The people all say ‘It happened to us naturally.’”

17. Summing up the Tao • In life and politics, we should model ourselves on the Tao. • The supreme goal for the ruler and the ruled is survival. • To survive one must hold fast to the submissive. • “My words are very easy to understand and very easy to put into practice,” but “Straightforward words seem paradoxical…” • Taoism is so difficult to put into practice because it appears to go against human nature.

18. Taoism vs. Confucianism • Although the two philosophies are often seen in conflict with each other, they often coexisted in practice. • Confucianism stressed morality over everything, and it was a categorical morality based on the five relationships. Living up to this morality would create political order. • Taoism questions the categorical nature of Confucianism because if there is discrimination in morality, then conflict may arise. Taoists emphasized love of humanity regardless of position.

19. Taoism vs. Confucianism II • Confucians had a vague notion of heaven and only a weak assertion that heaven emphasized morality. • Taoists had the strongest notion of religiosity of any ancient Chinese philosophy. Men should love one another without discrimination, and those who fail to do so will face punishment. • Confucians heavily emphasized education as a path to perfectibility. • Taoists looked down on learning and praised ignorance as the path to security and stability.