Lao tzu philosophy in life

The Way of the sage is to act but not to compete. Taoism doesn't teach an outright rejection of desire. The type of desire to be avoided is the one driven by materialism, which defines success as the accumulation of more and more things. What Lao-tzu emphasizes is sufficiency, of knowing when you have enough to be content instead of needlessly striving for more.

Bonus saying: "There is no calamity greater than lavish desires. There is no greater guilt than discontentment. And there is no greater disaster than greed. He who is contented with contentment is always contented. Emptiness and "non-being" have real value in Taoism. What is a wheel without the empty space at its center? A room is not four walls, but the space in between them.

The utility of a clay pot is what can be held inside of it. A bellows only works if there is empty space within it. Lao-tzu teaches that humans, too, should balance being with non-being. The Tao itself is non-being; it is eternal, intangible and unknowable. Kohn says that the Tao is "the hidden quality at the root of things, the deep sense of cosmic connection, the inherent beauty and goodness in all living beings" that can only be seen and felt by lao tzu philosophy in life from the hustle and bustle of life.

Look beyond the "obvious" or superficial to recognize the value of what isn't there. Bonus saying: "The Tao that can be told of is not the eternal Tao; The name that can be named is not the eternal name. They were memorized and passed on from teacher to pupil. Eventually the best of these sayings were collected and edited into the book, which was then given the title Tao te ching.

A study of the style and grammar of the work reveals that it must have been put together around the fourth century b. Lao Tzu's Tao te ching has confused its readers for centuries. Its language is extremely short and unclear. Much of the text is rhymed. Although the work is divided into chapters, the passages in a chapter do not always refer to the same subject.

Thus, it hardly qualifies as a well-organized book of philosophical teachings. The most important concept developed in Lao Tzu's Tao te ching is tao. Tao literally means "road" or "way. Tao stands as the force behind the universe. There is even an indication that it is the universe itself. An important quality of the tao is its "weakness," or "submissiveness.

Thus, the Tao te ching places strong emphasis on nonaction wu weiwhich means the absence of aggressive action. Man should not strive for wealth or fame, and violence is to be avoided. This peaceful approach to life was extremely influential in later periods and led to the development of a particular Taoist way of living that involved special breathing exercises and special eating habits that were designed to maintain calmness and harmony with the tao.

Heider, John. Atlanta : Humanics New Age Kohn, Livia, and Michael LaFargue, eds. Lao-Tzu and the Tao-Te-Ching. Lau, D. Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching. Baltimore : Penguin Books, Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. January 8, Retrieved January 08, from Encyclopedia. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list.

Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia. Lao Tzu 6th century B. He is considered the father of Chinese Taoism. Lao Tzu purportedly was an older contemporary of the great philosopher Confucius B. Lao Tzu is said to have founded a philosophical school known as the Tao Chia School of the Taowhose teaching centered on the vague and indefinable concept of tao, usually translated "way.

By the 4th century B. The life lessons from Lao Tzu will inspire you in life! Lao Tzu — the eminent philosopher of the far east and the founder of Taoism. He has influenced several schools of thought, not only in China but worldwide. Though it has been centuries since his last breath, the teachings of Lao Tzu are still applicable in our modern social and psychological environment.

Our life is in our in our hands. We make our own fortunes. However, individual events and outcomes are not in our control. They are subject to randomness, not determinism. So, it is not wise to form attachments and cling to these fleeting events. Let them pass. Nothing is constant. Things come and go in no time. You have to allow things to flow in complete accordance with their intrinsic nature.

You think you know who you are. This illusion can only be warded off if we let go of who we are and allow the natural flow of the universe to guide us in the right direction. This will bring about gradual transformation, and it is only then can your self truly unfold. This is the dynamic principle of opposites complementing each other. To strengthen, one must weaken first, to be rich, one must become poor first, etc.

All these statements indicate that Lao Tzu was one of the very few wise men who could grasp the world beyond the opposites. He never saw opposite poles in conflict with each other, but saw them as complementary forces acting in accordance with the natural flow of the cosmos. Here, he tells us to apply this wisdom in everyday life to overcome all circumstantial difficulties.

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Lao tzu philosophy in life

Published on September 3, Last modified May 20, About the Author Power of Positivity Our passion is to serve and bring the best possible positive information, news, expertise and opinions to this page. Related Articles. Does Text Therapy Work?