Taoism 3 Essay Research Paper Taoism which — страница 8

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four seasons and were further classified as either yin or yang. Spring and summer were both yang and were represented to wood and east; fire and south; fall and winter were yin and corresponded to metal and west, water and north. The five elements were also symbolized by the five fundamental colors: water is equal with black, fire with red, wood with green, metal with white, and earth with yellow. Added to this symbolism were four animals, which often appeared in representations of sacred space: the dragon to the east, the red bird to the south, the white tiger to the west, and the tortoise with a snake around it, to the north. The third principle of Taoism is Cyclical Growth. The sun is replaced by the moon then the moon is replaced by the sun. Summer is replaced by winter then

winter is replaced by summer. Light is replaced by dark then dark is replaced by light. Everywhere in nature, you will see these basic cycles. Taoists believe that because these seemingly opposite polarities are actually balanced and work together through cycles, you can actually produce one from the other. This sort of behavior is the fourth principle of Taoism, Harmonious Action. This means that weakness produces strength, and strength produces weakness. Through these four basic principles of nature, there are several derived ethical suggestions, which make up the bulk of the Tao Te Ching. The unique thing about the Taoist approach to ethics is that they are not designed to preach to people about how to live. One thing basic to the Taoist is a redefinition of self or ego.

Taoists believe that the way we try to stand outside ourselves in the attempt of self-observation is the source of most of our unhappiness and loneliness. In order to observe as such, we must see our self as separate from other selves. The goal of Taoism in not to destroy the ego. The goal instead is to keep our attention on the greater whole, the process to which there is a pattern, which is known to always return the source. The Tao is infinite, or eternal. It is eternal because it was never born therefore is can never die. It is eternal because it has no desires therefore it is present for all beings. Another thing that is a basic belief of Taoism is that limitations are everywhere. The ideal of unlimited freedom is an illusion. Maximum freedom is experienced when one is in

the middle between the upper bound and lower bound limitations. Then one has the maximum range in which to change his behavior. This is the Taoist ethic of freedom through moderation. Fear is a basic feature of living things. By being afraid, one keeps himself away from danger. The universe is still a great mystery to everyone, and much of life is taken up with dealing with this mystery. Living your life in an environment, which you know nothing about. But Taoists take a different approach, they embrace the mystery. They enjoy every confusion and misunderstanding and mysterious thing they see. To them, life is a game and games are not fun without the possibility of winning or losing. Mystery is what makes games fun, and to Taoists, mystery is what makes life fun. For this reason,

Taoists still retain their basic fear. They balance their fear with their curiosity to seek the true potential of their existence. They look within themselves and see all that they don t understand and they like it that way. The Tao Te Ching describes the results of various behaviors, based on the four principles of nature. It goes on to warn those who preach, or try to tell you how to live. It warns against contrived or consciously manipulated people. Because nature is dynamic, and contrived morals are stiff, contrived morals go against nature. The purpose for these morals are usually for greater control, either for yourself or for others. By dictating your morals, other people feel a sense of control over you life and you also dictate you own morals. Because there are two

polarities overriding all existence, to attach to one or the other would be to misunderstand them. By nature they are inseparable, to have one, you have to have the other. The Tao Te Ching often teaches detachment for this reason. Attachment can come in several forms, just as the yin and yang come in several forms. Some of the forms you can be attached to are life, knowledge, action, and most general of all you can be attached to the being. The Tao Te Ching teaches that learning is a part of life, but what you learn doesn t belong to you. It also teaches that life and death are cycles of nature. One day something is allowed to live and the next day it dies. One thing lives at the expense of another, and this creates a chain of dependence of one species upon another. Taoists