nLao Tzu & Taoism
nLao Tzu
nLao Tzu =
“Old Boy”
qBorn under a plum tree on 14
September, 604 B.C.
nShadowy figure
q“Less is known about Lao Tzu than
of the founding figure of any other major world religion” (Religions of
the World, 89).
nSupposedly lived until he was 160!
nStopped by the gate-keeper on his way out of
China, who asked him to write down his teachings…
nTao Te Ching
n5,000 characters
n81 short chapters
nFocuses on the meaning of the Tao, wu-wei, and connected ideas
n“the Tao Te Ching is the most translated book in the English
language after the Bible” (Religions
of the World, 89).
nCentral Concepts of Taoism
nAwareness of the continuing flow of Tao (the
Way) in the world
nThe constant flow of cycles in nature
nThe interaction of yin and yang
nThe “back-and-forth” of yin and yang provides
the universe with life and the flow of nature
qThis flow of
nature is the Tao
nWu-Wei
nSubmission to the natural order of things
q“non-action” or “not-doing”
nAllowing yourself to move freely, without
conventional social and moral constraints
nThis does not mean they live without ethics
qTheir ethics are the Tao
nExample of Wu-Wei
nFlowing water…
n
No comments:
Post a Comment