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TAOISM |
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Matthew's Reading Summary |
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It is believed that Taoism was started as a philosophy of Laozi somewhere between the six or third ce ntury B.C.E. Laozi is believed to have written the Tao Te Ching (The Way and its Power) about his ideas when he removed himself from society. Taoist philosophy emphasizes the importance of "going with the flow"of nature and the Tao (the way of the universe). Humans are not able to conquer nature, so they should submit themselves to it, and go with its course. The wuwei is a method of doing this. Those who practice the wuwei are not only able to do, but do more, with assertion.
Other Important Beliefs:
The Three Purities are the Taoist gods: Ling Bao, the Jade Emperor, and Laozi.
The Universe is beyond good or evil.
Humans are essentially good, and are best when they remain child-like: weak and simple.
Humans may solve the problems society induces by returning to a simple life, away from society.
In contemplating nature, Taoists achieve harmony with it.
Inaction is key to a simple life.
Rituals and symbols are unnecessary. |
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Class Discussion Summary |
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Taoism derives from the teachings of Lao Tzu. These teachings were recorded only after a person forced Lao Tzu to write down his teachings. This action personifies Lao Tzu's concept of "Wu Wei," the standard of behavior in Taoism. This means "non-striving" or "non-action," a very spontaneous and Adam-like state. By not striving to achieve something, one will actually achieve more than by worrying about tasks.
Taoists believe that humans are essentially good. One of the large problems for humans is complications in life. These can be in the forms of activities, formal education or any obligation that a person holds onto. These activities are not pert of the internal mind of a human, but somehow dictate how one thinks, how one allocates time, and where one will be in the future. The solution to this is to embrace a "child-like," as opposed to childish," behavior. It is the "weak and simple" mentality of children, containing no bias, living completely in the present (peek-a-boo!) that shows how a human should act. |
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Who me? |
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Winnie the Pooh
aka the perfect Taoist |
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The Dao: Not CHILDISH..... |
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Don't make me work....PLEASE...
Don't make me
work! |
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I want to watch TV..... |
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CHILDLIKE |
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