Daoism 2/17 (last week of lecture before finals)

Lao Tzu (the old master)

Chuang Tzu

Lao Tzu wants Confucius to leave people alone and calm down

  • also says if confucius was a wise man, he would not go around flaunting his wisdom

  • stop being arrogant

  • compares Lao Tzu to a dragon

self effacement - not drawing attention to one self

Lao Tzu was said to live for 160 to 200 years old

Chaung Chou

  • from Meng

  • was an official at the Lacquer Garden in Meng

  • lived during the time of King Hui of Liang

tortoise is a representation of Chuang Tzu as prime minister (he doesn’t want to become like this so he rejects the idea)

tortoise trapped in a box, no freedom

“the way begets one; one begets two begets three; three begets the myriad creatures”

2/19/26:

  • for exam, can ignore Li Ssu, Mo Tzu

  • all sample essay questions are fair game

  • if you rid yourself of desires, you can observe its secrets

    • if you DO have desires, you only observe its manifestations

  • if you don’t have desires, you can see the deeper meaning of the Dao (part of it?)

“The spirit of the valley never dies.

This is called the mysterious female.

The gateway of the mysterious female

is called the root of heaven and earth

dimly visible, it seems as if it were there,

yet use will never drain it”

  • the Dao is the mysterious female, never dies

  • never shows itself

  • the dao is like a mother, non-authoritative

“Of old, these came to be in possession of the One:

Heaven in virtue of the One is limpid;

Earth in virtue of the one is settled;

Gods in virtue of the One have their potenciesl

the valley in virtue of the One is full;

the myriad creatures in virtue of the One are alive;

Lords and princes in virtue of the One become leaders in the Empire

it is the one that makes these what they are

without what makes limpid heaven might split”

“the way never acts yet nothing is left undone.

Should lords and princes be able to hold fast to it,

the myriad of creatures will be transformed of their own accord

after they are transformed, should desire raise its head,

I shall press it down with the weight of the nameless

uncarved block.

the nameless uncarved block

is but freedom from desire,

and if i cease to desire and remain still

  • the best king is the king that people hardly notice, not the king that is loved

“exterminate the sage, discard the wise,

and the people will benefit a hundredfold;

exterminate benevolence, discard rectitude,

and the people will again be filial

exterminate ingenuity,

discard profit

and there will be no more thieves and bandits.

These three, being false adornments, are not enough

and the people must have something to which

they can attach themselves:

exhibit the unadorned and embrace the uncarved block,

have a little thought of self and as few desires as possible”