Taoism, A Unique Way Of Not Thinking Essay, Research Paper

Taoism is a really interesting classical Chinese tradition. The word Tao literally translates as & # 8220 ; run in front, & # 8221 ; but the English significance has been translated merely into & # 8220 ; the Way. & # 8221 ; Lao Tzu, who is thought to hold lived in either the 4th or sixth century B.C. , wrote the book Tao Te Ching, which, when translated to English, means The Way and its Power ( pp. 3-4 ) . This book encompasses the beliefs of Taoism, or to believe in the Way. To follow & # 8220 ; the Way & # 8221 ; means that one should take no action and everything will be all right. It differs from the practical methods of life with which I am most acquainted. Taoism, in a western society like ours, would non digest because of the huge thrust that Americans have to be Number One. The general construct of Taoism involvements me, but I believe that it is a small excessively slack for our society. First, I want to get down with the history of Taoism. Taoist patterns stemmed from a historical state of affairs that occurred around either 722-481 B.C. or 403-221 B.C. The house of Chou had power during this period, as the provinces of China fought in civil wars for about 500 old ages. This led to its ruin. Taoist patterns arose during this clip frame to decide improper Acts of the Apostless by the feudalistic Godheads. Taoism contrasted current patterns of that clip period and provided a new manner of life that was every bit ambitious as it was difficult to understand. Feudal ways were on the diminution because the common adult male was imploring to develop specialised accomplishments and use them. Feudal Godheads were now holding to look to the people for aid. It was now clip for things to alter, to acquire rid of the old and get down afresh. Lao Tzu accomplished both ( pp. 4-5 ) . Now I want to examine deeper into Taoism and look into the Taoist ways, which Lao Tzu practiced. Lao Tzu says that larning is a waste of clip. He believes words are lead oning and things aren & # 8217 ; t the manner one normally sees them. Much of what Lao Tzu believes runs counter to what Confucius practiced. The aureate regulation that Confucius treasured is a hapless manner to populate life harmonizing to Lao Tzu. Lao Tzu believed so because the aureate regulation agencies to make unto others, as you would hold them make unto you. Lao Tzu says that if you do non move than you are one with the Tao. Another difference between Confucius and Lao Tzu is that Confucius says the universe is bad and wants to alter it, therefore he makes the attempt to make so. Lao Tzu believes in non-action or & # 8220 ; Wu-Wei. & # 8221 ; In the Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu describes what he means by non-action. He says, & # 8220 ; by moving without action, all things will be in order. & # 8221 ; ( p. 103 ) . He does non intend to take perfectly no action at all, but to move with out reaction or idea. Lao Tzu says, & # 8220 ; He ( a sage ) acts but does non trust on his ain ability. & # 8221 ;

He does non anticipate any wages for things done. ( p. 101 ) . Furthermore, Lao Tzu says that one can non straight define Taoism, merely believe in it or do suggestions to what it is ; because to specify Taoism suggests moving in non-Taoist ways. To understand Taoism better, Lao Tzu explains, one must believe in the non-being or that which is non obvious. He says the “Tao is empty. It may be used but its capacity is ne’er exhausted.” This helps to explicate that the Tao. Harmonizing to Lao Tzu, Tao is the first cause of the existence. Its force flows through all of life. ( p. 105 ) .

Today if I saw a individual moving in Taoist ways, without cognizing they were making so, I would hold to name them lazy or inconsiderate. If people would pattern Taoism today, a batch of the jobs such as pollution, offense, drug maltreatment, or war would perchance vanish, but what would our westerner lives be like? If there were no drug maltreatment, pollution, or offense, so our society would be tranquil. Yet, if people would non hold taken the enterprise to invent and discover, we would be without many of the life economy and good promotions we have made. Many inoculations or antibiotics that help people overcome or prevent harmful diseases would non be. Modern methods of medical intervention would non be either. To set it bluffly, if we did non act we would ne’er hold been able to last the many old ages of tests and trials. Our society greatly contrasts many beliefs that Lao Tzu practiced. Americans are excessively impatient for Taoist ways. Similarly, Taoism would non keep up really good in our governmental system. The United States authorities, designed to give people the freedom of pick and will, allows people to do the best of their lives with what they have got. Therefore Americans are free to larn act in which of all time manner they feel. Taoist ways would hold proclaimed, no Don & # 8217 ; t prevail you ends. If you merely roll aimlessly, everything will be all right.If a new Taoist organisation were to set up today, it would be a craze. I believe that merely the younger coevalss would pattern it. The ground is that they would hold no footing for past traditions. Therefore, a new pattern would look antic and grab hold their attending. It would be an equivalent to the hippy coevals where love, peace, and repose regulation. The older coevalss, nevertheless, would non desire to pattern Taoist ways because they are stuck on the past traditions and do non like to alter them. Otherwise saying, Taoism is non the moving ridge of the hereafter, because our society will ever be endeavoring to be the elite. They will make so the manner they ever have. There is no room in the American society for people to move without idea, because our society is based on integrity and whatever the person does affects us all.