Here are my notes on Huston Smith on Taoism from The World's Religions (HarperSanFrancisco, 1991), followed by a few notes from other texts. Comments and criticisms are welcome. Please email them to kagan@lemoyne.edu or mail them to me at the following address:

Rabbi Michael Kagan
Dept. of Philosophy
Le Moyne College
Syracuse, NY  13214-1399


3 meanings of Tao:

1. The way of ultimate reality;

2. The way of the universe;

3. The way one should order one's life in accord with Tao.

3 kinds of Taoism

These are based on the interpretation of "te" (power, discuss and discuss analogues of hayyil and of arete and virtu. The "Three approaches to Power and the Taoisms that Follow":

1. Efficient power Philosophical Taoism:  concerning the way of life in tune with the way of the universe. This, too, functions from wu-wei, "creative quietude." "Spontaneous action without ego involvement."
2. Augmented power: Taoist Hygiene and Yoga; discuss chi/qi and t'ai qi Quan. mystical or Esoteric Taoism; social healers of the community through their own mastery; yogic practices used to attain this result;
3.  Vicarious Power:  Religious Taoism rituals "magic"

Mingling of the powers

Creative quietude and wu-wei  - actionless activity for ruling

Discuss the yin-yang and the eschewing of dichotomies.


Material from Lau translation: 
Lau, D.C. Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching, Translated with and Introduction by D.C. Lau. Penguin Books, 1963.

Read from Lau, pp. 8-9*.

Begin with readings from Lao Tzu:
i ineffability
ii truth not = popular acclaim to work
iii not to honor men of worth
v interpret with morality
xi on the empty
xii the five colors make men's eyes blind
xviii negative view of standards and law [ALSO XXXVIII] see also LVII--the better known the laws and edicts the more thieves . . .
xxii bowed down then preserved
xxvii one who excels in traveling . . .relation between teacher and student

{*discuss the cat pictures*} [XLIII MORE ON NON ACTION, also xlviii when one does nothing at all there is nothing left undone] ] [xlv great perfection seems chipped]

xxxviii he who knows others is clever he who  knows himself has ...

xxxvi on giving in order to take

xli the different kind of students

xlii "the violent will not come to a natural end"

xlvi when the way prevails

xlix the leader as follower and returning good for evil

L the paradox of bravery in service of fear; this is also famous source for mystical Taoism, also see LV

lxii dao as strategy ; see also lxiv

lxvii compassion and courage

lxviii on excelling as a warrior

lxix on taking arms and fighting

lxxi strategy of taking difficulty seriously, also lxiii

lxxiv to kill on behalf of the executioner

lxxvi the way of the living is yielding .. ., see also

lxxviii in the world there is nothing more submissive and weak than water . .

iii on not valuing goods hard to come by [specific non-actions]

xxxvii, xlvii, xlviii on non-action

[note, according to Lau, the uncarved block is a non-vessel.]

xvii the invisible ruler


Notes from Wilhelm translation:

Lao Tzu. Tao Te Ching: The Book of Meaning and Life . Translation and commentary by Richard Wilhelm; translated into English by H. G. Ostwald. London, etc.: Arkana Paperbacks [an imprint of Routledge & Kegan Paul], 1985.

Lau Zi ["old one"] probably about 50 year solder than Confucius.

"DAO" Some useful material on the translation of this word can be found on p. 12 ff., esp. notes**. Note that Wilhelm's translation is heavily influenced by his New Testament Christianity which dwells deeply on the Gospel of John


Notes from Michael Saso's chapter on Chinese Religions in Hinnells' Handbook of Living Religions, pp. 344-364.

The word for religion, "tsung-chiao" approx.= "lineage-(of)teachings. 3 kinds have been admitted traditionally
1. Confucian system of ethics for public life,
rites of passage and moral behavior
Li--according to Saso, "the word means religious ritual as well as heartfelt respect." (p. 351, Handbook, ed. Hinnells)
2. Taoist system of rituals and attitudes towards nature
3. Buddhist salvation concepts concerning the afterlife


This page most recently updated August,1997.  Some minor changes added August, 2002.
 

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