by Hoang M Nguyen

Created on: June 05, 2007

Taoism is the most peaceful concept I've encountered. In his book, Tao Te Ching, Lao Tsu endeavored to explain the rightness in following the path of Tao, an unexplainable force which is omniscient and which guides the universe. He uses Tao to explain the forces of relativity and the necessity for non-action in human life. Lao Tsu emphasized these concepts because he wanted people to have harmonious relationships with themselves, with each other, and with nature.

Even though the Tao is nameless and invisible, it is the source of all life and its countless, indefinable characteristics keep order in the universe. Since the Tao gives life and continuously provides nourishment to all things, the living organisms "receive their forms according to the nature of each, and are completed according to the circumstances of their condition" (Ch. 51). Lao Tsu believed that the Tao created harmony by making sure each unique organism has characteristics which would fit with its needs. Also, he believed that those who follow the Tao should be like infants, because "[p]oisonous insects will not sting him; fierce beasts will not seize him; birds of prey will not strike him" (Ch. 55). Even though infants are weak and ignorant, they have a firm grasp and can cry lengthily. These characteristics show that they live fully and healthily and do not let ambition, greed, and fear cloud their minds, so they have harmony with the other creatures in their world. In this way, people should not fill themselves up with too many emotions and urges-both of which are contrary to the way of the Tao. Lao wrote that "[t]he Tao is (like) the emptiness of a vessel; and in our employment of it we must be on our guard against all fullness" (Ch. 4). Lao Tsu stressed the "emptiness" of the Tao because he wanted people to keep themselves empty and pure. He wrote that "[w]e should blunt our sharp points, and unravel the complications of things . . . and bring ourselves into agreement with the obscurity of others" (Ch. 4). These actions follow the way of the Tao and create communal harmony, the goal towards which Lao Tsu wanted followers of the Tao to achieve.

Lao Tsu also exhorted the virtues of non-action, in which people do not try to control their circumstances and instead put their trust in the Tao to guide them. Lao emphasized non-action because he saw many people acting against nature and causing disruption. Instead of valuing ambition and power and causing imbalance in society, Lao believed that people

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