lao tzu

A detailed Summary of lao tzu

Throughout the course of human existence, "man" has always considered himself to be the ruler of the world. All other living species were lower in the food chain and therefore are less intelligent and important. After studying the philosophies of Chuang Tzu and Taoism, I wonder whether or not that is actually true. Are we really "better" than the lizard lying on the rock or the fish in the sea?

We human beings have always lived our lives wanting. . . desiring what we don't have. Just like the Hindu brahma, Chuang Tzu and Taoism have their sage. The best definition of a sage is its synonyms: Perfect man, Great Man, Holy Man, and True Man. Chuang Tzu would describe the Taoist sage in a way that implies that he has magical powers, that he moves in a trance-like state. He is immune to any kind of harm. He might even be immortal. Even though he didn't intend for his description to be metaphorically understood, there is evidence that it was taken literally. The reason being the fact that the Taoist schools in the later times interpreted it that way.

Chuang Tzu had contrasted the sage with the average man in a way that put the human race to shame.

This explanation should be combined with what we have learned as of now. Not only should we pursue to be better in all aspects, we should also realize what we have now and be grateful for that.

Like all religious teachings, Chuang Tzu provides a "perfect being" and provides an outline of how to become him that is almost impossible. The average man is then condemned for his ways of life because it is not "virtuous." He is viewed as being materialistic and "bad." I believe that in order to become a sage, one cannot look at each specific "item on the list," but look at the whole picture. One must not be ambitious, should be grateful for the now, and have no desire for fame or anything else.

There were once three people. Chao Wen played the lute. Music Master K'uang waved a baton. Hui Tzu leaned on a desk. Their knowledge was very close to perfection. The only difference between them and a sage were their likes. What they liked, they tried to clarify. What they did not understand, they also had to clarify. And so, they were stuck in the foolishness of "hard" and "white." To a sage, there is no need for any "draw a line" clarification.

While studying Chuang's teachings and philosophies, Watson explains best on how to comprehend Chuang. "In the end, the best way to approach Chuang Tzu, I believe, is not to attempt to subject his thoughts to rational and systematic analysis, but to read and reread his words until one has ceased to think of what he is saying and instead has developed an intuitive sense of the mind moving behind the words, an of the world in which it moves."

To become a sage, a man must let go of what he knows as a human and realize the following: [A sage] guards the pure breath. It comes not from wisdom, skill, determination, or courage. Faces, forms, voices, colors, and such are just mere things. But things do have their creation in which has no form and their conclusion in what has no change. He should not develop what is natural to man; he should instead develop what is natural to Heaven. If he develops Heaven, he benefits life; if he develops man, he injures life. Before there can be true knowledge, there has to be True Man (a sage).

The best character trait of the sage was best explained by Master Pien Ch'ing-tzu to a certain Sun Hsiu.

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Approximate Word count = 1686
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous