tao in dao de jing_thanh minh

8/6/2019 Tao in Dao de Jing_Thanh Minh

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Introduction

Philosophy or in particular, Chinese philosophy has the most concern in the way of life.

The way of life in the Oriental context always takes a high position in any theory, especially

philosophy. Whenever considering the way of life, we cannot have a sufficient view without

saying Dao in Daodejing of Lao-Tzu. Dao is so important that Wing Tsit Chan wrote

Taoism alone is known by that name (Dao) .1 This short writing does not dare to go through

into what is Dao named by Lao-Tzu on Daodejing but only simply represents some features

of Dao according to limited ability of a scholastic who is still a toddler in philosophy.

Consequently, there are some points about of an overview of Dao and, in practice, of the way

of Dao as showed below.

1. An Overview of Word Dao in Daodejing

Dao (or Tao) is one of the main topics in Daodejing (DDJ). In Chinese language, Dao

means a way or road on which people go. In the context of philosophy, Dao is a general

concept referring to different schools in China, such as school of Confucianism, school of

Buddhism or school of Taoismin which, each of schools presents its own theory.

Concretely, for Confucians, Dao signifies the correct way in dealing with other people. In this

sense, Dao becomes a moral behavior. For Taoism, Dao has various meanings. In

Philosophy of Ancient China, Afredo P. Co lists some important names expressing Dao in

Dao De Jing, such as The Truth , The Absolute, Nature, The Encompassing, The Principle,

The Pervading Reality, The Universal Law, The Way, The Right Path, The Way of Nature,

etc. Finally, he summarizes that Dao is the Absolut, the Way of the Absolute and the Way to

the Absolute.2 In this meaning, the concept of Dao states the ultimate reality which transcends

all so-called realities founded in this visible world.

The word Dao in Daodejing is counted about seventy times and put into a disorder

way. It seems like that every chapter mostly mentions Dao. Nguyen Hien Le, a Vietnamese

scholar in Chinese philosophy gives the opinion that in order of eighty-one chapters in

Daodejing, there is no proper order. It may be occur that Lao-Tzu just writes down in

1 Cf. Wing Tsit Chan,A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy, Princeton University Press, New Jersey, 1963, p.

136.2 Cf. Afredo P. Co,Philosophy of Ancient China, UST Publishing House, Manila, 2005, pp. 130-131.5


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constant way whatever he thinks out. Each of steps of writing comes close to the Way

gradually. Hence, there are some ideas repeated. Sometimes, Lao-Tzus thoughts seem to

move away from the notion of Dao. Moreover, Lao-Tzu says about Dao vaguely. There

are two reasons given by Nguyen Hien Le to explain for that confusing order of thought of

Dao: the first one, the later people did not know how to arrange Lao-Tzu thoughts; the second

one, it is very that Lao-Tzu did not want to-or was not able to- present more clearly. All

above reasons fail in making the notion of Dao become plain.3

2. Dao under Metaphysical View

There are two aspects of Dao which are usually studied by scholars: ontological aspect

and cosmogenetical aspect (discussing on the origin of cosmos). According to Thome H.

Fang, we can give out six points as summary text on ontological thought showed inDaodejing4:

a. Dao as the fathomless unity of all things, existing even before God;

b. Dao as the fundamental root of Heaven and Earth, infinite in nature, invisible in

shape, but having great function for all things are begotten from it;

c. Dao as the primitive One having ingression into all forms of creatures;

d. Dao as unique pattern of all kinds of activities, rambling but wholesome, twisted

around but straight-forward, emptying out but remaining full, dilapidating but forever

renovating, ultimately comprehensive of all perfection;

e. Dao as the Great Form, in which all creatures are included, unrestricted of harm, and

filled of peace, as if babies held close to the bosoms of their mothers.

f. Finally, Tao-Tzu describes Das as the final fortune to which all creatures, after

clearing out every kind of unrealistic activities in the progress of life, will return for the

effortlessness and peace of rest comprehended under the form of eternity and achieved in the

spirit of immortality.

3 Cf. Nguyn Hin L,Lo T, o c Kinh, NXB Vn Ha, H Ni, 1994, tr.58.

4

Cf. Thome H. Fang, The World and Individual in Chinese Metaphysics, chap. in The Chinese Mind-Essentials of Chinese Philosophy and Culture, eds. Charles A. Moore, East-West Center Press &University ofHawaii Press, Honolulu, 1967, pp. 244-245.5


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On cosmology, Daodejing presents Dao as the all-pervasive function that is Dao can be

compared with an inexhaustible store of powerful energy. Otherwise, Dao belongs to the

transcendental realm of Nothingness invisibly. However, Dao darts itself out and down into

the realm of Being. Hence, we can deduce that in the beginning, there was Being, and Being

was with Nothingness. What contained in Dao is dynamic energy. This power is within the

boundaries of Dao and may be spent by dispersing. For the world of Being, it will resort to

the transcendental of Dao for a fresh impartation of energy.5

3. Dao as the Origin of Universe

Some scholars think that Lao-Tzu is the first person saying on the origin of universe.

They give reason that before Lao-Tzu, there was no one bringing the beginning and ending of

universe into question. For them, it is very Lao-Tzu who mentions that universe has its originwould seem have not its ending.6

In Daodejing, some chapters half-open something of Dao as the origin of universe.

Carefully, on chapter 25, Lao-Tzu says on Dao as a thing was form murkily; she was

generated before heaven and earth () She can be the mother of the world. 7 Later, on

chapter 52, he adds that: The world was conceived, by she who is the mother of the world.

and on chapter 4 I do not know whose child she is,before the first god, she was. It can be

said that a thing which before the first god, she was did not be named before. Thus, no

one can call its name. Lao-Tzu temporarily names it Dao, I do not know her name; I

entitle her the Way. (Chapter 25) In this point, Nguyen Hien Le comments that Lao-Tzu did

not create a new word, but he used the old word to express a new idea. The first meaning of

Dao is the way or path for transportation, the second as a principle or a norm people should

obey, the last in an open meaning, Dao refers to a natural law or the order in natural. On Dao

as the origin of universe, it may be said that Lao-Tzu wants to use Dao in the last meaning.8

Actually, Lao-Tzu has a reason to say in uncertain way of Dao, because he wrote that

Of ways you may speak, but not the Perennial Way; by names you may name, but not the

Perennial Name (Chapter 1) Human beings, a very small part of this universe, could not5 Ibid., p. 245.

6 Cf. Nguyn Hin L,Lo T, o c Kinh, NXB Vn Ha, H Ni, 1994, tr.56.

7 From this note, when quoting Daodejing, we will use the translated version of Daodejing into English ofEdmund Ryden (seeLaozi, Daodejing, A New Translation by Edmund Ryden, Oxford University Press, New

York, 2008.)8 Cf. Nguyn Hin L,Lo T, o c Kinh, NXB Vn Ha, H Ni, 1994, tr.57.5


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name Dao which is infinitive and seem to be endless in its essence. From that, Lao-Tzu just

uses the certain name (Dao) to call what cannot be named. Furthermore, in general, people

only can call something this name or that name in case that a thing exists in a visible world.

Dao exists in another way. It has no shape but Look at her and you do not see her: name

her invisible; listen to her and you do not hear her, name her inaudible; touch her and you do

not feel her, name her intangible. (Chapter 14) For these three characters invisible,

inaudible, and intangible, Lao-Tzu affirms that she cannot be name. (Chapter 14) As so,

there is no similar thing to Dao in order that we can rely on it to name Dao. In chapter 67,

Lao-Tzu writes that Everyone says I am great, great yet unlike others. Now it is precisely

because I am unlike others that I can be great. Were I like others thenoh so long ago!I

would have become small. According to Nguyen Hien Le, he translates pronoun I here

with meaning my great way or it that is Dao. 9 In short, human kind is not able to find a

proper name to identify what is Dao.

4. On The Way of Dao

Besides understanding Dao as a metaphysical concept as mentioned above, now we

continue taking a look Dao as an ethical concept. In common sense, an ethical act is an act

considered under right or wrong way. Dao is certainly a right way to which should be

followed.

In Daodejing, Lao-Tzu teaches that not only human beings have to follow Dao but also

even heaven and earth should do so, because The Way is great, heaven is great, earth is

great, and the King is also great and Humans imitate the earth; earth imitates heaven;

heaven imitates the Way; the Way imitates her natural self. (Chapter 25) In the translated

version of Nguyen Hien Le and Moss Roberts, they do not use the King but nhn or

man to refer human beings.10 To follow Dao is to follow the law of nature. The law of

nature as Lao-Tzu says will bring benefit to all creatures as the reservoir, to good persons asthe treasure and even to bad persons as the protector. (Chapter 62) After that, at the end of

Daodejing, chapter 81, he emphasizes that The way of heaven profits and does not hurt.

Imitating Dao will help man become moderate for living in harmony within nature. At

the deepest place of human heart, Dao represses all bad desires, because Dao can make a

9 Ibid., p. 260.

10 Cf. Nguyn Hin L, Lo T, o c Kinh, tr. 202 and Moss Roberts (trans & notes), Lao Zi, Dao De Jing,The Book of Way, University of California Press, California, 2001, p 81.5


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important of all, non-action. These characteristics of Dao invade all things and take them into

the way of Nature.12

Dao is the way of nature and brings in itself the law of nature; however, it is not far

from away human beings. Actually, human beings can achieve Dao (c o) in meaning that

they can hear the voice of Dao to follow and practice it. Hence, Lao-Tzu writes of the one

who has already gotten Dao that The good Way-farers of olden days were always unseen,

mysterious, communing with the abstruse, so deep they could not be fathomed. (Chapter 15)

Conclusion

In summary, Dao is a mystical notion to which it is difficult to understand. For this

notion, we can just explain it on some dimensions. Here are the metaphysical and ethical

aspects of Dao as a collection from reflections of some scholars. It is certain that the author of

this writing represents this thought clumsily. However, as Daodejing, Of ways you may

speak, but not the Perennial Way; by names you may name, but not the Perennial Name.

(Chapter 1) Therefore, this effort is just as a self-reflection and as a way to do re-examination

of the owners living way after the course of Chinese philosophy. In that feeling, I am ready

to receive wholehearted counsel in order to have a bright understanding of Dao, the way of

living in harmony with nature.

12 Cf. Wing Tsit Chan,A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy, Princeton University Press, New Jersey, 1963, p.136.5

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