amra@ihuxj.UUCP (Steven L. Aldrich) (07/26/84)
THIS IS A RE-POSTING OF MY PREVIOUS ARTICLE. I HAVE RE-EDITED IT
TO DELETE EXTRA BLANK LINES AND EXCESS INDENTATION. I CANCELED THE
PREVIOUS POSTING BEFORE RE-POSTING THIS. SORRY FOR THE HASSLE OF
POSTING TWICE. IF YOU SAW THE OTHER ONE, HIT "n" KEY NOW, THANKS.
I would like to share some Taoist philosophies with everyone
and hope it will encourage some discussion. There are many
similarites, from my own perspective anyway, between Taoist
and Christian beliefs/practices/ideals/philosophies.
To me, Taoism addresses itself directly to people's daily life.
It is a guide to leading a simpler, balanced way of life and
to encourage understanding between ourselves and others.
I am no expert on the subject, so please correct me if I am in
error on any of the above points. I don't know everything....
yet. [ :-) ]
Well without further rambling on my part here are the passages
I've chosen. They are excerpts from the "Tao Te Ching" which
suppose to have been written in China around the 6th Century B.C.
by a Taoist sage named Lao Tsu. He was suppose to be a contemporary
of Confucious who left civilizations excesses to lead a simpler
life else where. I don't know if this is true or not, but the book
does make for interesting reading. Also it raises many valuable
points about our day to day lives and our place within it. Hope
you enjoy these selections. If you have any comments/views/etc
please feel free to either send EMAIL to IHNP4!IHUXJ!AMRA or POST
to this news group. Happy Reading.........
TWO
Under heaven all can see beauty only because there
is ugliness.
All can know good as good only because there is evil.
Therefore having and not having arise together.
Difficult and easy complement each other;
Long and short contrast each other;
High and low rest upon each other;
Voice and sound harmonize each other;
Front and back follow one another.
Therefore the sage goes about doing nothing, teaching
no-talking.
The ten thousand things rise and fall without cease,
Creating, yet not possessing,
Working, yet not talking credit.
Work is done, then forgotten.
Therefore it lasts forever.
SEVEN
Heaven and earth last forever.
Why do heaven and earth last forever?
They are unborn,
So ever living.
The sage stays behind, thus he is ahead.
He is detached, thus at one with all.
Through selfless actions, he attains fulfillment.
EIGHT
The highest good is like water.
Water gives life to the ten thousand things
and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.
In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In business, be competent.
In action, watch the timing.
No fight; No blame.
NINE
Better stop short than fill to the brim.
Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.
Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it.
Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow.
Retire when the work is done.
This is the way of heaven.
ELEVEN
Thirty spokes share the wheel's hub;
It is the center hole that makes it useful.
Shape clay into a vessel;
It is the space within that makes it useful.
Cut doors and windows for a room;
It is the holes which make it useful.
Therefore profit comes from what is there.
Usefulness from what is not there.
TWELVE
The five colors blind the eye.
The five tones deafen the ear.
The five flavors dull the taste.
Racing and hunting madden the mind.
Precious things lead one astray.
Therefore the sage is guided by what he feels and
not by what he sees.
He lets go of that and choses this.
FIFTEEN
The ancient masters were subtle, mysterious
profound, responsive.
The depth of their knowledge is unfathomable.
Because it is unfathomable,
All we can do is describe their appearance.
Watchful, like men crossing a winter stream.
Alert, like men aware of danger.
Courteous, like visiting guests.
Yielding, like ice about to melt.
Simple, like uncarved blocks of wood.
Hollow, like caves.
Opaque, like muddy pools.
Who can wait quietly while the mud settles?
Who can remain still until the moment of action?
Observers of the Tao do not seek fulfillment.
Not seeking fulfillment, they are not swayed
by desire for change.
TWENTY-FOUR
He who stands on tiptoe is not steady.
He who strides cannot maintain the pace.
He who makes a show is not enlightened.
He who is self-righteous is not respected.
He who boasts achieves nothing.
He who brags will not endure.
According to followers of the Tao,
"These are extra food and unnecessary luggage."
They do not bring happiness.
Therefore followers of the Tao avoid them.
TWENTY-NINE
Do you think you can take over the universe
and improve it?
I do not believe it can be done.
The universe is sacred.
You cannot improve it.
If you try to change it, you will ruin it.
If you try to hold it, you will lose it.
So sometimes things are ahead and sometimes
they are behind;
Sometimes breathing is hard, sometimes it comes
easily;
Sometimes there is strength and sometimes weakness;
Sometimes one is up and sometimes down.
Therefore the sage avoids extremes, excesses,
and complacency.
THIRTY-ONE
Good weapons are instruments of fear;
all creatures hate them.
Therefore followers of Tao never use them.
The wise man prefers the left.
The man of war prefers the right.
Weapons are instruments of fear; they are not
a wise man's tools.
He uses them only when he has no choice.
Peace and quiet are dear to his heart,
And victory no cause for rejoicing.
If you rejoice in victory, then you delight in killing;
If you delight in killing, you cannot fulfill yourself.
On happy occasions precedence is given to the left,
On sad occasions to the right.
In the army the general stands on the left,
The commander-in-chief on the right.
This means that war is conducted like a funeral.
When many people are being killed,
They should be mourned in heartfelt sorrow.
That is why a victory must be observed like a funeral.
THIRTY-THREE
Knowing others is wisdom;
Knowing the self is enlightenment.
Mastering others requires force;
Mastering the self needs strength.
He who knows he has enough is rich.
Perseverance is a sign of will power.
He who stays where he is endures.
To die but not to perish is to be
eternally present.
FIFTY-THREE
If I have even just a little sense,
I will walk on the main road and my only fear
will be straying from it.
Keeping to the main road is easy,
But people loved to be sidetracked.
When the court is arrayed in splendor,
The fields are full of weeds,
And the granaries bare.
Some wear gorgeous clothes,
Carry sharp swords,
And indulge themselves with food and drink;
They have more possessions than they can use.
They are robber barons.
This is certainly not the way of Tao.
FIFTY-SIX
Those who know do not talk.
Those who talk do not know.
Keep your mouth closed.
Gaurd your senses.
Temper your sharpness.
Simplify your problems.
Mask your brightness.
Be at one with the dust of the earth.
This is primal union.
He who has achieved this state
Is unconcerned with friends and enemies,
With good and harm, with honor and disgrace.
This therefore is the highest state of man.
Well, I believe I've taken up enough space for one posting.
I'd be interested to knoww your views on the above. Please feel
free to send them to IHNP4!IHUXJ!AMRA or POST to this news
group. Look forward to hearing from you; if there is enough
interest in this subject I'll post a follow-up in a couple weeks.
PEACE & BEST WISHES,
Steve Aldrich
ihnp4!ihuxj!amra
"The corner stone of the temple is not higher than
the lowest stone in its foundation"pmd@cbscc.UUCP (Paul Dubuc) (07/27/84)
Taoism seems to me to be a good example of a non-theistic religion.
Who says you need to believe in God to be religious?
--
Paul Dubuc {cbosgd,ihnp4}!cbscc!pmd
The true light that enlightens every one was coming
into the world... (John 1:9)