Category: Taoism
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Summary of the Tao Te Ching: the Taoist mentality
In contrast to other philosophies, Taoism represents more a mentality than an array of prescriptions. The Tao Te Ching will not tell us what to do in a specific situation, but gives us a solid framework for finding solutions. It does not tell us which goals to pursue, but helps us discern if we are…
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What does Wu Wei mean in Taoism?
None of the ancient Taoists preached indiscriminate love, generosity, or friendship although they recognized the value of generalized courtesy for practical reasons. They also favoured smooth relationships with neighbours, even with hostile ones, in order to minimize conflict. However, neither Lao-Tzu, Yang-Tzu, nor Chuang-Tzu ever called for sacrificing ourselves for the sake of strangers. They…
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Taoism and the karma concept
Karma is an idea shared by Hinduism, Buddhism, and other Eastern philosophies. It corresponds to the causality principle identified by Aristotle (384-322 BC), but adds psychological or ethical aspects. Aristotle observed that, when the occurrence of event A is routinely leading to event B, and we can identify a logical link between them, we can…
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Lao-Tzu and the Tao Te Ching: an analysis
In contrast to other philosophies, Taoism provides practical, hands-on advice for living happily. Its originator, Lao-Tzu, had worked for years in the royal court and came to the conclusion that the traditional lifestyle did not lead to happiness. The Tao Te Ching, which the tradition attributes to Lao-Tzu, revolves around one idea, namely, that individuals…
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Taoist principles
Taoism revolves around a single idea, namely, that it’s better to live in alignment with the Tao. If our actions are misaligned with the Tao, they will produce a negative outcome; and if they are widely misaligned, the outcome might prove very negative. Aristotle (384-322 BC) lived one and half centuries later than the first…
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What is the Tao in Taoism?
Long after Lao-Tzu had written the Tao Te Ching, Aristotle (384-322 BC) devoted extensive efforts to studying nature. In his works, Aristotle adopted a quasi-mechanistic understanding of nature, where event A would lead to outcome B and then C. Lao-Tzu would have been surprised to learn that Aristotle had studied human nature separately from nature…
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Taoism and the Yin Yang concept explained
For the Western mind, Taoist paradoxes are at the same time intriguing and annoying. On the one hand, they may arouse curiosity; on the other hand, they make Aristotelians impatient. If Yang-Tzu, Lao-Tzu, and Chuang-Tzu wanted to convey an key message, why did they not use straightforward words? Taoist paradoxes often rest on the concepts…
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Taoism’s quotes from the Tao Te Ching
All quotes from the Tao Te Ching can be summarised in a short sentence. In fact, this short sentence is enough to sum up the whole Taoist philosophy: If we align our actions with the Tao, we will do well. Neither Lao-Tzu, nor Yang-Tzu, nor Chuang-Tzu employed this precise wording, nor did they define precisely…
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Taoism and spiritual enlightenment
The Taoist concept of spiritual enlightenment represents the direct opposite of other philosophies. Instead of a supernatural quest, Lao-Tzu called for earthly alignment with the Tao. Instead of intoning solemn hymns, Chuang-Tzu was fond of listening to the sounds of nature; and instead of ritualistic self-chastisement, Yang-Tzu had emphasised self-protection. I would depict the Taoist…
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Taoism’s teachings for mental clarity
Balance, physical and philosophical, is the Taoist recipe for mental clarity. It rests on the habit of doing things carefully and with measure, not too fast and not too slowly, not in excess and not insufficiently. In their speaking style, Taoists refrain from exaggeration, in particular when it creates false impressions, hopes or promises. Lao-Tzu…
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Recent Posts
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