It’s difficult to know much for certain
about the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu. Even his name can be a little confusing; it
is also sometimes translated as Laozi or Lao Tze Lao Tzu is said to have been a record keeper
in the court of the central Chinese Zhou Dynasty in the 6th century B.C., and an older contemporary
of Confucius. He may also have been entirely mythical—much
like Homer in Western culture. Lao Tzu is said to have tired of life in the
Zhou court as it grew increasingly morally corrupt. So he left and rode on a water buffalo to
the western border of the Chinese empire. Although he was dressed as a farmer, the border
official recognised him and asked him to write down his wisdom. According to this legend,
what Lao Tzu wrote became the sacred text known as the Tao Te Ching. After writing this piece, Lao Tzu is said
to have crossed the border and disappeared from history, perhaps to become a hermit. In reality, the Tao Te Ching is likely to
be the compilation of the works of many authors over time. But stories about Lao Tzu and the
Tao Te Ching itself passed down through different Chinese philosophical schools for over two
thousand years. Lao Tzu was the leading figure in the spiritual
practice known as Daoism which is more than two thousand years old,
and still popular today. There are at least twenty million Daoists, and perhaps even half
a billion, living around the world now, especially in China and Taiwan. They practise meditation,
chant scriptures, and worship a variety of gods and goddesses in temples. Daoists also make pilgrimages to five sacred
mountains in eastern China in order to pray at the temples and absorb spiritual energy
from these holy places, which are believed to be governed by immortals. Daoism is deeply intertwined with other branches
of thought like Confucianism and Buddhism. There is a story about the three great Asian
spiritual leaders (Lao Tzu, Confucius, and Buddha). All were meant to have tasted vinegar. Confucius found it sour, much like he found
the world full of degenerate people, and Buddha found it bitter, much like he found the world
to be full of suffering. But Lao Tzu found the world sweet. This is telling, because
Lao Tzu’s philosophy tends to look at the apparent discord in the world and see an underlying
harmony guided by something called the Dao 道 = the path The Tao Te Ching which describes the Dao, is somewhat like
the Bible: it gives instructions (often vague and generally open to multiple interpretations)
on how to live a good life. It discusses the “Dao” as the “way” of the world, which
is also the path to virtue, happiness, and harmony. "The way" isn’t inherently confusing
or difficult. But in order to follow the Dao, we need to go beyond simply reading and thinking
about it. Instead we must learn flowing, or effortless action. It’s a sort of purposeful acceptance of
the way of the Dao and living in harmony with it. This might seem lofty and bizarre, but most
of Lao Tzu’s suggestions are actually very simple. First, we ought to take more time
for stillness. “To the mind that is still,” Lao Tzu said, “the whole universe surrenders.” We need to let go of our schedules, worries
and complex thoughts for a while and simply experience the world. We spend so much time rushing from one place
to the next in life, but Lao Tzu reminds us “nature does not hurry, yet everything is
accomplished.” It is particularly important that we remember that certain things—grieving,
growing wiser, developing a new relationship—only happen on their own schedule, like the changing
of leaves in the fall or the blossoming of the bulbs we planted months ago. When we are still and patient we also need
to be open. “The usefulness of a pot comes from its
emptiness.” Lao Tzu said. “Empty yourself of everything, let your mind become still.” If we are too busy, too preoccupied with anxiety
or ambition, we will miss a thousand moments of the human experience that are our natural
inheritance. We need to be awake to the way sounds of the birds in the morning, the way
other people look when they are laughing, the feeling of wind against our face. These
experiences reconnect us to parts of ourselves. This is another key point of Lao Tzu’s writing:
we need to be in touch with our real selves. We spend a great deal of time worrying about
who we ought to become, but we should instead take time to be who we already are at heart. We might rediscover a generous impulse, or
a playful side we had forgotten, or simply an old affection for long walks. Our ego is often in the way of our true self,
which must be found by being receptive to the outside world rather than focusing on
some critical, too-ambitious internal image. “When I let go of what I am,” Lao Tzu
wrote, “I become what I might be.” Nature is particularly useful for finding
ourselves. Lao Tzu liked to compare different parts of
nature to different virtues. He said, "The best people are like water, which benefits
all things and does not compete with them. It stays in lowly places that others reject.
This is why it is so similar to the Dao." Each part of nature can remind us of a quality
we admire and should cultivate ourselves—the strength of the mountains, the resilience
of trees, the cheerfulness of flowers. Of course, there are issues that must be addressed
by action, and there are times for ambition. Yet Lao Tzu’s work is important for Daoists
and non-Daoists alike, especially in a modern world distracted by technology and focused
on what seem to be constant, sudden, and severe changes. His words serve as a reminder of the importance
of stillness, openness, and discovering buried yet central parts of ourselves.
A nice effort, but I feel this only scratches the surface of Taoism and the extraordinary truths found in the Tao Te Ching. I think that Taoism is the most misunderstood and under-appreciated philosophy because it's so subtle, poetic and understated, but for me it gets to the heart of things more elegantly and profoundly than any other school of thought.
Here's some further reading!
The best and most academically accepted translation of the Dao De Jing
Here, A.C. Graham is an intensely clever and erudite Sinologist - Disupters is definitely a "classic" in the literature of early Eastern philosophy.
Great book on a lesser known section of the Zhuangzi, which Roth shows to be the origin of meditative practice in Daoism. Roth is also my Prof!
A great translation by the same A.C. Graham of most of the chapters of the Zhuangzi. The Zhuangzi, different from the Laozi, uses narratives and short essays in deeply stratified, humorous, and incredibly profound ways well ahead of its time.
Source: I've been studying contemplative practices, cultural anthropology, and Chinese philosophy for most of my undergrad
Anyone interested in a simple and super informative lecture series on Taoism should definitely check out Danielli Bolelli's lectures here http://www.danielebolelli.com/downloads/taoist-lectures/
The whole first lecture is about Lao Tzu and various philosophies/antecdotes that are attributed to him. I'm on the third lecture right now it's really shaping up to be one of the most compelling philosophies I've come across
"When I let go of who I am, I become what I might be."
So true. Wish I could remind myself of that more often.
Great video, but am I incorrect in thinking that his Chinese pronunciation is quite off? As I understand it, the Tzu of Lao Tzu is pronounced "Tsuh," not "Tsoo." And I'm almost certain Zhou is pronounced "Joh," not "Zoo." Nevertheless, quite interesting.
For anyone interested in Taoism and how it relates to our logic and science based world, I would definitely recommend reading the Tao of Physics. Fritjof Capra does a wonderful job of shedding light on the underlying fundamental truths of the universe by unifying the rigorous analysis and complexity of modern physics with the intuitive wisdom and simplicity of Taosim (among several other practices/philosophies). There is certainly something in this book for everyone, and it's a real mind opener if you haven't looked into these comparisons much before.
I have to add the most meaningful piece of Taoist philosophy in my life:
"If you compete with no one, no one can compete with you"
(This is from Brian Browne Walker's translation, I've read other translations in a scholarly setting of course, but I greatly prefer his expression for my day to day usage - highly recommend.)
i have to say of all the various philosophies ive read about the tao te ching has offered me the most peace, and the most meaningful actions i can take right now to find balance.
Laozi is called headed with EASTERN PHILOSOPHY but Aristotle is just PHILOSOPHY rather than WESTERN PHILOSOPHY...
can someone rig up a generator to Edward Said's grave so we can get cheap renewable energy from his spinning already? holy shit.