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Tao Te Ching
THE TAOISM OF LAO TZU
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Tao Te Ching
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The Book
The Taoism of Lao Tzu Explained. The great Taoist philosophy classic by Lao Tzu translated, and each of the 81 chapters extensively commented. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link). |
Tao Te ChingFour Greats
Not once, but twice, Lao Tzu states that the king is one of the greats – as if he struggles to convince himself of it. He was obviously not unaware of possible doubts to this statement.
There have been some kings through the ages who would have been better described with completely different words. Surely, China in the distant past of Lao Tzu had already experienced a few. He would need to say it twice to make sure that his readers didn't brush it aside as mere irony.
But Lao Tzu doesn't speak of individual kings, men who have upheld the position with honor or disgrace. He speaks about ruling as such, a power as necessary as the other three to ward off chaos. Later in this book he gives many clues as to how he means the king should behave, thereby implying that it's far from always the case, but he is equally clear about the need for a king, a ruler, for civilization not to perish. Even a bad ruler is better than no ruler at all, although sometimes it's far from obvious.
By repeating his statement about the king, Lao Tzu hints the daring thought of actually contemplating the question: Would we be better off without one? His answer is no, but with little enthusiasm, since he is well aware of royal shortcomings. Man is an erring creature, and with a crown on his head it can lead to disaster. Still, if no one wears it, mayhem is certain. That's a consequence of how the universe is ordered according to Tao, the Way.
In the days of the mighty autocratic kings of Europe, they were said to have their power from God. Lao Tzu seems to imply something similar with his descending chain, from Tao through Heaven and Earth to the king, as if the king had his authority from the higher greats. But neither Tao nor Heaven or Earth are gods. They are entities making up the universe by staying in their places and upholding their functions. That's what the king should do, as well.
Otherwise, there would be a return to the chaos that existed before the world was formed out of the principle of Tao.
Chaos
The Chinese word used for chaos, hun, means mixed, mingled, and confused. It describes a state where nothing is separated from the rest, a primordial mud of everything. This is also what the Greek concept chaos originally stands for.The Chinese pictogram combines the signs for water, the sun, and the word same: water and the sun are the same. When not even the sun and the water are separable, there is chaos indeed. Such a primordial chaos is common in creation myths around the world. Usually, it's seen as a dark primordial sea. This is the case also in the first book of Genesis in the Bible.
Today, we tend to use the word chaos differently, describing a bundle of things or events in no order. But the original idea of chaos is a homogenous mass, a single entity out of which nothing has yet been formed.
To Lao Tzu, this primordial singularity was only preceded by Tao, the principle by which the chaos was later divided into all things. The calmness of that principle, before setting things into motion, is what Lao Tzu praises in the beginning of this chapter, as if he is almost longing back to it.
Out of this primordial chaos and by the principle of Tao, Heaven, Earth, and all other things appeared. Creation and procreation. That's how Tao is constantly flowing, far-reaching, and returning. Creation is constantly taking place, as all things appear, wither, and disappear, later to reappear in other shapes.
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Tao Te Ching Explained
Preface
Introduction
Literature
translated and explained by Stefan Stenudd.
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