Composition 2 - Week 1 Essay on Tao-te-Ching and Taiosm

Tao-te-Ching

According to Tao-te-Ching, “The Way” is the Tao. Tao is the mother to the people of the earth, who are her children. Lao Tzu says, “When the mother is found, we know what her children should be.” Belonging to the Tao (mother earth) is to free oneself from all peril. She speaks for her children and they are subject to her rule.
The way of the Tao is that of no action, that of simplicity, and that of stillness. It is the way of diminishing superabundance and superiority. Boastfulness is discouraged, letting no man be above another. Tao is an unchanging name, a vessel, in which Lao Tzu believes one should guard themselves from becoming “full.” When the vessel is emptied, it does not lose its power.
In order to achieve enlightenment, Lao Tzu discourages materialism and encourages a life of simplicity, feeling rich without having riches. What is held valuable to the Tao believer is the “escape from the stain of their guilt.” That is where their hope comes from, and with this hope one can be enlightened. To be soft, weak and satisfied with the simplicity, one will have life. That found hope and satisfaction in that lifestyle is enlightenment. Extravagance and indulgence are not ways of achieving enlightenment, according to the Tao-te-Ching.
Lao Tzu’s way of achieving enlightenment is presented in such a way as to sound appealing and encouraging. However, balance is more appealing. Education and advancement is discouraged, but these things are important in a changing society. I do not believe one can be enlightened by stifling talents and goals. One can have goals without being boastful and arrogant. Lao Tzu talks often about not putting excessive effort into things in life. I, however, believe that effort is how we achieve enlightenment. One can become enlightened by speaking and sharing what they know and believe to be true, but Lao Tzu tells the people to keep their mouth shut. He says that those who speak of their knowledge have no knowledge, and that those who don’t say anything are knowledgeable.
Lao Tzu appears to believe in classicism. He says that those in the upper class are earnest to put Tao into practice, while those in the lower class laugh at its contents. Lao Tzu also discusses the mysterious excellence of a governor, which is found in knowing and adhering to the rules, specifically the rule of not governing a state by one’s wisdom.
Lao Tzu strongly discourages war and violence, which is action. One of his great treasures is gentleness and he says, “Engaging in war is losing the gentleness that is so precious.” He says that although arms are beautiful, they are evil, destructive and those who follow the Tao do not use them. To the Tao, victory in battle is undesirable. If one enjoys battle, they delight in murder. Lao Tzu says that if one delights in such things, he does not earn his will in the kingdom.
Lao Tzu is against excessive taxation of the people. He believes that that is the foundation of famine. He says, “Thus it is that to leave the subject of living altogether out of view is better that to set a high value on it.” The Tao believe that it is difficult to govern the people when the agency of those superior to them is excessive.
There is continuity in the way Lao Tzu presents the Tao lifestyle. However, he also uses random thoughts that break the continuity, which makes the reader stop and think. Comparing governing a great state to “cooking a small fish” seems random and out-of-place, for example, but this makes the reader stop and think about what this man is really saying.