Toaism Defined

The search for the philosophical meaning of life and mans place in the world is not new. The ideas of Plato and Socrates are well know, but in travelling further east we can also gain knowledge of ancient beliefs that are still valid today and form the basis of the Taoist path. Lao Tzu's 'Tao Te Ching' translates as 'Book of the Way' and in reading the word we can see there is a very different perspective on life than other more well known western philosophies.

The Taoist perspective is much wider and is not only concerned with the nature of man, but also with the whole of nature including man but also including the tress and the grass as well as water and the heavens. The book, which is a collection of short verses regards the whole of nature as equal and important. It is interesting to note that the divine in the book, which after all is the creator of nature is referred to in both the male and the female gender as well as the neutral.

This mix of genderisation can be seen as an indication of the equality of not only men and women in the book, but also of all living things that are found in heaven and earth, not only man. In living it is not only those which breath, but those which can be seen to live and are natural such as water, rain and snow.

In chapter one of this collect we can see this equality in nature in many passages "All things spring up, and there is not one which declines to show itself; they grow, and there is no claim made for their ownership; they go through their processes, and there is no expectation" (Tzu, 1992).

The book can be seen as a collection of ideas which will cause thought and consideration as well as simply leading a way for others to follow. It has a very special style not seen in western philosophy, almost a politeness, but yet the message is very strong but not always obviuos. Not only are all things equal, this equality makes it impossible for any of natures to be actually owned by any individual, and it is seen that nature makes things equal, but it is man who corrupts that nature in his ways of greed and of desire. It should be natural for an individual to learn and grow, not to be held back, and advice is given in these aspects of life.

However, the way in which nature works is not seen as being benevolent and for the good of man, it is seen to occur as a result of its' existance, but with no intended purpose other than to exist; " Heaven and earth do not act from (the impulse of) any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with" (Tzu, 1992).

All things are of the same order and dealt with without the intervention of emotions. This is also compared with the way a sage may treat people, and t is then phrased in exactly the same terms, as the dogs of grass, but the individual must also take responsibility for themselves and guard against the emptiness and ignorance that may be caused by a sage who wishes to fill their bellies whilst emptying their minds in order to control them. In this we can also see a reflection of observation of the nature of the state and the way in which man may seek to have over another "Your inner being guard, and keep it free"(Tzu, 1992).

Nature is also considered in the longer term, with the reason for the continuation of the earth being considered. In many ways this aspect of nature may seam more pertinent to many reading it today than those who first followed the Tao (the path) when it was written over two millennia ago. The earth has continued despite the harm caused to it in the intervening times. The reason it continues is also not seen to benevolent, nor is or destructive, but it is neutral in reason as well as intent. But it can then be interpreted as being a selfless existence as we are told that they continue because the do not live for themselves noir do they continue for themselves.

This is used to try to explain how a sage may become better by learning the lesson taught by the universe. Heaven and earth have continued though their selfless existence, and Lao Tzu advocates that this is the best way for a sage to continue, as in following the example of nature and existing not for the power of from themselves then they may find that they grow in stature. As this is the nature of giving of oneself for the greater good; " Therefore the sage puts his own person last, and yet it is found in the foremost place; he treats his person as if it were foreign to him, and yet that person is preserved. Is it not because he has no personal and private ends, that therefore such ends are realized? " (Tzu, 1992).

This shows the perverse nature of man and the universe, and that for this to be seen to work there must be some form divine power, but this