Tao Te Ching
The philosophy of Taoism, which heavily contrasts the common beliefs upheld by the majority of modern western society, serves as an ideological landmark of a time in history where worth (self or otherwise), was entirely independent of superfluous things and accomplishments. In chapter twelve of Lao Tsu's "Tao Te Ching," the prototypical Taoist value of material simplicity as the cornerstone of internal focus is communicated through the use of repetition, as well as both ambiguous and concise diction. The syntax of each sentence in the first stanza of chapter twelve are relatively similar, they start with commodities, "...colors...tones...flavors...racing and hunting...precious things," and then go on to describe the adverse effects of such luxuries, "...blind the eye...deafen the ear...dull the taste...madden the mind...lead one astray." T
This chapter, found relatively early in the Tao Te Ching, establishes many of the most important doctrines of Taoism by applying them to real life experiences and using tangible examples of what may tempt, and what results in giving in to temptation. Material simplicity is recognized as one of the most important conditions in achieving the level of "sage," philosopher, master; as opposed to Western society, where material possesions are paramount, and self worth is heavily tied to what one owns. The choice of becoming a sage is a decision to live life without the comforts of tangible belongings, but with internal worth. The deliberately underscored number of colors, tones, and flavors (only five) accentuates how even the smallest amount of excess can be extremely detrimental. Exposure to just five varieties of seemingly benign senses could
Some common words found in the essay are:
Te Ching, , tao te ching, level virtue, sage philosopher master, describe adverse effects, western society, Tao Te, adverse effects, tao te, describe adverse, sage philosopher, chapter twelve, te ching, material simplicity, philosopher master,
Approximate Word count = 570
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
