“The Thoughts from the Tao Te Ching” by Lao Tzu Essay Sample
Critical Analysis of The Ideas from the Tao Te Ching ” The Ideas from the Tao Te Ching. ” by Lao Tzu addresses the early beginning of the faith of Taoism and how it can be applied to swayers. The age of the book is unsure. but it is believed to hold been written around 551-479 BC ( 19 ) . This peculiar extract is merely one of the chapters from the two portion eighty-one short chapter book. This chapter was written as a enchiridion of kinds for swayers to follow both mentally and physically. The chief focal point of the chapter is to be “at one” with the Tao. and to follow the three chief instructions. simpleness. forbearance and compassion ( Lao Tzu ) . Throughout the whole piece each one of his poetic poetries can cite back to at least one of the three instructions. The whole chapter is divided into poetic poetry filled with symbolism and idea. Lao Tzu presents his thoughts in such a mode that the reader can unfeignedly believe his ideas and thoughts and is persuaded to believe of them as valid.
Lao Tzu believes that a ruler/master should be concerned with individual’s lives. and non utilize much governmental force. He believes that a maestro should be highly wise. and with such wisdom would come the willingness to allow the universe flow freely and uninterrupted. The following focal point of his chapter is on the three instructions. the first being simpleness. Simplicity must be applied in the ideas that philistinism and wealth are meaningless. and they will merely function to take the maestro and his people from going enlightened. It is believed that if the maestro and others reject worldly pleasures that they will return to their original beginning of being. Patience is the 2nd of the instructions. The beliefs are that is you are compassionate towards yourself and others so you will be at one with all things in the universe. One must larn to indicate out their ain defects and be loving towards their enemies. which besides may posses different defects. The 3rd instruction is Patience. Lao Tzu feels that a individual must hold forbearance with themselves. friends. and enemies likewise. One must besides be willing to allow the universe go uninterrupted and allow the natural universe take its coarse.
The construction of Lao Tzu’s authorship was indispensable is binding back to the chief thoughts in the chapter. The usage of poetic poetry. I feel. was really wise. The signifier of composing makes it really direct and appears to be really simplistic in construction. His words although. the may look simple to the oculus. to the head they are really complex in ideas and beliefs. The words may be short in length. but they are really long in significance. One little poetry such as. ” Practice non making. and everything will fall into topographic point ( 22 ) . ” can transport much significance. With merely one simple sentence Lao Tzu can connote a great trade of thoughts to the reader. such as non to interfere with things. and to allow the universe go on of course and free of break. and the list could travel on and on. The point is that no affair how little the words or the sentence may be. if exactly written it can hold an limitless sum of significance to its readers.
Aside from the construction of the composing the thoughts were besides really good organized and good stated. Throughout the whole piece every one of the poetries can be referenced back to at least one of the three chief instructions. By invariably mentioning back to the cardinal instructions Lao Tzu strongly emphasizes the demand for the swayers to use them throughout all facets of their lives. One such poetry that represents this well is. “If you want to be a great leader. you must larn to follow the Tao.
Stop seeking to command.
Let travel of fixed programs and constructs. and the universe will regulate itself ( 27 ) . ” That peculiar transition does a fantastic occupation of demoing how anyone of the poetries seeks to reenforce the chief thoughts in the piece. The old poetry implied that to be a swayer 1 must follow the Tao. which is to populate merely. He must besides be patient and allow fixed programs go. merely allow the natural flow of life happen. By the swayer hearing to the poetry and using it he in bend is following the three chief instructions of the Tao.
Personally. I feel that following these instructions would be a enormously difficult undertaking. I can non even comprehend populating harmonizing to those criterions. I would hold to give up so many of the things that I have become so accustomed to in life. such as my auto. telecasting. my computing machine. and so many more mercenary things that I have in my life. I would besides hold to allow travel a some many beliefs that I have held throughout my life. such as the thought of traveling to college so that I can obtain a high paying occupation. In Taoism the thought of wealth is something that is to be forgotten. and I know that I certainty would hold a difficult clip allowing spells of that belief. Personally I don’t experience that I could of all time truly in a sense agree to these ideals of life at one with the Tao. although I certainty do non ignore the thoughts as falsity which could ne’er be done. I admire those who have the strong will. compassion. forbearance and simpleness to populate by Lao Tzu’s criterions.
While reading the chapter there are a twosome of cardinal strengths and failings that stood out to me. One of the strengths that I noticed was the ability of Lao Tzu to enable the readers to use themselves in order to to the full understand the significance of the piece. He keeps his words to the bare lower limit. yet presents simple metaphors that the readers can associate and use to their mundane lives. Many people in the universe attempt to take the simplest lives possible and be at one with nature. one such illustration could be the members of Green Peace who strive to allow the natural universe go without human intercession.
The major failing of the pieces that truly stood out to me was the reading of the words by Stephen Mitchell. The added words from the twentieth century take away from the original text and I feel that he should non hold thrown in his ain words to do it more apprehensible. The peculiar poetry that shows this defect is the following. ” When a state is in harmoniousness with the Tao. The mills make trucks and tractors.
When a state goes counter to the Tao. Warheads are stockpiled outside the metropoliss ( 26 ) . ” I feel that this peculiar reading of words strays off from the original sense of clip and significance of the piece. I know that to me as a reader. it caused some confusion to the existent clip period in which this chapter was written. The words that Stephan Mitchell uses were words from the twentieth century and non the existent clip period in which the piece was written. After reading the poetry I had to sit back and believe for a minute and retrieve that this was non the original text and that it was translated by person 1000s of old ages after the original piece was written. I decidedly feel that Stephan Mitchell did non function the readers any justness to change the original is such a mode to construe in words that originated after the piece was written.
Overall. I feel that ” The Ideas from the Tao Te Ching. ” was a really compelling and spiritually traveling piece. Lao Tzu did an highly good occupation in relaying his information to the readers and beef uping those thoughts with the metaphors and poetic poetry. I know that after reading Lao Tzu’s composing I sat back and thought about how my life and my relationships would alter if I was to populate by his instruction. Although the piece may hold been written more than half a millenary ago in a really troubled society. it is still really much relevant and can be applied to about all facets of life today.
