Topic 2 : TAOISM

Taoism philosophy is based on three pillars: simplicity, patience, and compassion. Lao Tzu said
that these three principles are our greatest treasures. He further explained that by being simple in
actions and in thoughts, you return to the source of being. Through patience with both friends
and enemies, you accord with the way things are. And by being compassionate toward
yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world. The great master Lao Tzu’s teachings have stood
the test of time. He invented Taoism in 6th century BCE which has been passed on to
generations. The Tao Te Ching contains his core lessons, and it has been translated into many
languages across the globe.

Laozi or also known as Lao-Tzu or Lao-Tze is a Chinese philosopher who has been credited as
having founded the philosophical system of Daoism. Born with the name Li Er, the name Lao-
Tzu is but an honorific title which means ‘Old Man’ or ‘Old Master’ . He is the author of the
Daodejing translated as “The Way of Virtue” or "The Classic of the Way and Virtue”, a primary
Daoist writing which has been a great influence on the development of Buddhism. Laozi is
considered a great philosopher by Confucians being an actual historical figure and as a saint or
god in religious Taoism being worshiped as an imperial ancestor during the Tang dynasty. He is
said to be a native of Quren, a village in the district of Hu in the state of Chu, which corresponds
to the modern Luyi in the eastern part of Henan province and was appointed to the office of shi
at the royal court of the Zhou dynasty which were scholars specializing in matters such as
astrology and divination and were in charge of sacred books. On the other hand, he may have
been mythical as some legends say that he was conceived when his mother saw a falling star, or
was born an old man with very long earlobes that lived 990 years.

The main idea of Daoism, according to Laozi, is embracing the opposite and contradicting states
simultaneously. There are 3 daos, mainly (1) human dao; world of words, judgment, and society,
(2) natural dao; the natural processes and regularities of the world, and (3) grand dao; sum total
of all the things in the universe.

TEACHINGS

The great master Lao Tzu’s teachings have stood the test of time. He invented Taoism in 6th
century BCE which has been passed on to generations. The Tao Te Ching contains his core
lessons, and it has been translated into many languages across the globe.

Lao-tzu - "Old Master", is considered the author of the book Tao Te Ching. The Tao Te Ching is
a collection of 81 short, poignant chapters full of advice on living in harmony with “the Tao,”
translated as “the Way,” an ancient Chinese interpretation of the spiritual force underpinning all
life, first written around 400 BC but relevant to this day.

Some of Lao Tzu's most significant teachings are as follows:

Non-contention. Lao Tzu noted that violence and conflict, no matter how tightly controlled,
could not help but cause negative side effects. The Taoist ideal is to solve problems through
peaceful means.

Non-action. The foolish expend a great deal of energy and time trying to do everything and end
up achieving nothing. On the other end of the spectrum, the truly wise don't seem to do much at
all and yet achieve whatever they want. This magic is possible, indeed unavoidable, when one is
in tune with the Tao.

Non-intention. So often we perform virtuous deeds hoping to receive praise or recognition.

That's no virtue at all. True virtue is a state where such actions flow forth naturally, requiring no
conscious effort or thought.

Simplicity. The basis for our reality and our existence is elemental and uncomplicated. Human
beings create a lot of trouble for themselves by making everything more complex than they need
to be. If we learn to simplify our lives, we can experience a profound satisfaction that is
infinitely more meaningful than the rewards of the material world.

Wisdom. Logic has its place in human affairs but isn't everything. There is a limit to what we can
understand through rationality and reasoning. To transcend that limit, we need to engage our
intuition fully. This is the key to insights as opposed to knowledge, and the difference between
living the Tao and reading all about it.

Humility. The more you learn, the more you realize there's still so much more to learn. This tends
to make you humble. Arrogance and egotism come from ignorance - knowing a little bit and
assuming you know a lot.

Duality/Wholism. Lao Tzu pointed out that all qualities in the world possess meaning only by the
existence of their opposites. Something can only be big if there is something else that is small by
comparison. "Good" exists in the world so long as "evil" exists as well. One cannot do without
the other.

Ch'i - Major Taoist concept. Literally translated by: "air, vapors, ether, breathing, energy". At the
same time it means "temperament, power, atmosphere". Ch'i is one's vital life force but also the
universal spiritual energy pervading all beings.

Te - literal translation: "virtue, power". The specific qualities that Tao gives to everything. The
power gained by attaining Tao.

Taoism is not a religion, nor a philosophy. It is a "Way" of life. It is a River. The Tao is the
natural order of things. It is a force that flows through every living and sentient object, as well as
through the entire universe. When the Tao is in balance it is possible to find perfect happiness.

COMPARE & CONTRAST

 1. Lao Tzu

His philosophy is based on three pillars : Simplicity , Patience , Compassion

Even in the apparent discord in the world, his philosophy tends to look in the underlying
harmony guided by the Dao

"To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders"

the phrase roughly translates to let go of everything and experience the world

"Nature does not hurry yet everything is accomplished"

This phrase suggests that we should not hurry or be impatient and let everything transcend in
their own given time . His philosophy suggests that we should be keeping in touch with things
we enjoy yet seem to forget. His teachings reminds the importance of stillness, openness, and
discovering buried part of ourselves.

2. Zhuangzhi

The Art of not Forcing

The fundamental structure of all purpose of activity is that we compare the alternatives and
choose what is the best alternative based on the hints given. One aspect of his philosophy
suggests that to be useless is a form of self perseverance by being useless, you attract less
attention. Everybody knows the use of the useful, but nobody knows the use of the useless.

SIMILARITIES

The philosophical ideas of the two philosophers are not that different in a sense that they both
belong to the Daoist/Taoist philosophy. It is in their approach to the guiding principles of man
that differs in a handful of ways. Both are also written in the form of sayings or stories that are
often irreverent or absurd. Many lines of both teachings boil down to one thing - to unshackle
ourselves from the human dao and to contemplate the grand dao and natural dao and realize that
they’re all one and same.

APPLICATION

1.) Leadership
-non-action, softness, humility, calmness, and the elimination of desire

-The core idea of non-action is neither avoiding reckless action nor avoiding all action, but
rather involves acting in a manner consistent with nature. Laozi believed that Tao has a fine
quality: it benefits organizational operations regardless of whether the leader or employees
follow Tao. The operations of organizations which make Tao a goal include the pursuit of both
material and spiritual value. Tao provides leaders with a broad perspective. Laozi said: “Man
follows the way of the earth, earth follows the way of heaven, heaven is governed by Tao, and
Tao is spontaneous by itself” . Laozi’s concept of management was based on using the idea of
non-action to make management work. Leaders play a central role in management. The practice
of non-action, as guided by the Tao developed by Laozi, means that leaders should lead through
non-action, softness, humility and calmness, while eliminating their desires. These ideas of Laozi
are both soft and flexible. In Laozi's conception, Tao, though incapable of being perceived by
vision, hearing or the other senses, is the principle of the universe. Although thousands of years
have passed, Laozi's idea of leading through Tao is still held in high esteem. This can be
observed in the popularity of the works credited to Tao in eastern culture. Because of their
adaptability to different contexts and changing circumstances, respect for man’s dignity and the
art of leadership of individual leaders, Laozi's philosophy is highly valued. According to Laozi,
regardless of how leadership theory changes, it will eventually return to care for humanity.

2.) Education

-Lao Tzu’s philosophy also can be applied to the creative organizational goals of education.
Education can influence generations, is not geared toward generating profit, and its objectives
cannot be achieved in a short time. A teacher’s behavior and practices influence students;
therefore, leaders of educational organizations must create a harmonious atmosphere that allows
teachers to be creative and manage classes effectively. Only when students are in an atmosphere
conducive to learning can the objectives of education be achieved. Leaders of educational
organizations should make full use of their wisdom to inspire both teachers and students.
Consequently, such leaders must pay attention to their virtues, and devote themselves to manage
by employing humility, calmness, and tact and eliminating their desires. Insofar as the goal of
education is to change negative characteristics and develop students in the directions of truth,
virtue and beauty, Laozi's idea can be instructive. From the importance placed on the virtues of
leaders and the flexible applications of leadership principles to the emphasis on care and
attentiveness, Laozi can be seen as brilliant and his philosophies the wisest ways of leading of
which humans are capable.

3.) “To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrender”

-“To the mind that is still,” Lao Tzu said, “the whole universe surrenders.” We need to let go of
our schedules, worries and complex thoughts for a while and simply experience the world. We
spend so much time rushing from one place to the next in life, but Lao Tzu reminds us “nature
does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” It is particularly important that we remember
that certain things—grieving, growing wiser, developing a new relationship—only happen on
their own schedule, like the changing of leaves in the fall or the blossoming of the bulbs we
planted months ago. When we are still and patient we also need to be open. We need to be
reminded to empty ourselves of frivolous thoughts so that we will observe what is really
important. Often our heads are filled with unhelpful phrases and ideas: things that have wormed
their way into our imaginations and, by stirring up anxieties, make it harder for us to cope. For
example, ‘Have the courage to live out your dreams,’ ‘Never compromise,’ ‘Fight until you
win…’ These can (in certain cases) be a kind of poison, for which Lao Tzu’s words – combined
with natural scenes – are the ideal antidote.

4.) Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

-d to empty ourselves of frivolous thoughts so that we will observe what is really important.
“The usefulness of a pot comes from its emptiness.” Lao Tzu said. “Empty yourself of
everything, let your mind become still.” If we are too busy, too preoccupied with anxiety or
ambition, we will miss a thousand moments of the human experience that are our natural
inheritance. We need to be awake to the way light reflects off of ripples on a pond, the way other
people look when they are laughing, the feeling of the wind playing with our hair. These
experiences reconnect us to parts of ourselves.