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« "The War" and "No End in Sight" | Main | Parents and Education »

September 26, 2007

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I have a slightly different interpretation of the same passage. In my view, Zhuangzi wants us to accept reality as it is, rather than dividing it into parts we like and we dislike.

More specifically, concerning human nature, there are two kinds of virtues. Some virtues are relative. These virtues are based on modifications of the self. For instance, I could become more courageous, smarter, stronger, etc. These virtues are relative because they are dualistic. Courage implies the existence of cowardice; intelligence, stupidity; strength, weakness. This is human nature as commonly understood.

But there is virtue which is absolute. This virtue is the eclipse of the self. When our view of the world is no longer obstructed by the self, then distinctions between self and others, good and bad, can no longer occur. We thus imitate dao. Dao does not make distinctions, and it makes no demand upon diverse creatures. When men become like dao, they become ever accepting, ever forgiving, ever tolerant. This is the true nature as understood by Zhuangzi.

The great image of the kun hexagram says "The situation of the earth is soft - the superior man uses thick virtue to support things." Dao is a very abstract concept, but in Daoist literature, we are often told to contemplate the sky, the earth, and other natural phenomena. The earth makes no distinction between good and bad. She supports all creatures. Without her, no creature would survive.

But I agree with you that Daoists have an optimistic view of people. Both Zhuangzi and Liezi are full of stories about individuals who were disillusioned with life, as commonly understood, but then found something better in dao and the true nature of humans. Laozi described someone with thick virtue as a baby. There is something fundamentally good about human nature, which became entangled in worldly conventions, but which can be found again, when we become tired of the human game.

By the way, your second quotation is my favourite passage from Laozi. It reminds me of many years ago when I became strongly disillusioned with centralised politics. I'm not so sure about neo-Federalism these days either, but I retain a preference for decentralised government and local autonomy.


Optimism isn't defining might be, rather it's a smile that opens and enables possibility

considering that... then yes Taoist's are eternal optimists

To define it as captured by ancient written texts... limits the very definition to become not so.

peace

:)

What is abstract about Tao? There is nothing less abstract....

And I don't think it is about optimism or pessimism - it is acceptance of what is in the moment. Some moments generate more optimism than others. ;^)

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