Introduction to the Sacred Literature of Daoism

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Introduction to the Sacred Literature of Daoism
Confucianism
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Beginnings

• Shamanic Origins 3000-800BC
• Tribal people
• By Yellow River, N. China
• Respect for nature, cosmos
• chieftans could tame wild animals
• Travel across sky/beneath earth
• Chou dynasty 1200BC
• Shamans employed by state
• Duties inviting spirits, interpret dreams,
  reading omens, celestial divination
• Shamanism declined in N. China as literacy
  increased, pockets in S. China

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• Shamanistic tradition will impact
• Daoism philosophical religious
• Ancient traditions of China
• Ancestor respect
• Mandate of Heaven
• Confucianism

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• The Classical Period 700-220BC
• Spring and Autumn Period 700-475BC
• 5 noble houses arose
• Emphasis on diplomacy, statesmanship, military
  power
• into 44 feudal states 7 large states/3 small
  (390BC)
• Sage very active
• Six schools of Chinese philosophy
• Daoism, Confucianism, Mohism, School of Names,
  Yin/Yang School, Legalism
• Warring States Period 475-221BC
• By 206BC Confucianism Daoism will remain

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We will see ...

• Confucianism focus on society governmental
  affairs
• Confucius b. 551BC
• Daoism focus on way and ritual
• Lao-tzu (Laozi) b. 6th BC
• Buddhism when concerned with afterlife
• Buddha b. 6th BC (Buddhism arrives in China later)

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Daoist Literature

• The Lao-tzu or Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching)
• Classic (book) of the Way the Power
• Origin 6th BC first documented 250BC
• Part I Ch. 1-37 Dao Jing
• Part II Ch. 38-81 De Jing
• But three editions (even) with De Jing before Dao
  Jing
• Chuang-tzu
• Author Chuang Chou (Zhuang Zhou) 369-286BC
• Resigned government post, became hermit
• Book of 100,000 words
• Contemporary of Mencius (Confucian school)
• Fanciful stories, e.g. Butterfly Paradox
• Lieh-tzu
• 300 AD Neo-Daoist refined hedonism higher
  pleasures

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Lao-tzu (Laotzi)

• Lao Tan (Dan) Old Tan nickname
• 4th/3rd BC source
• Visited by Confucius (6th BC)
• Older, wiser than Confucius
• Lao-tzu Old Master nickname of
  endearment/respect
• 4th BC source
• Lao Tan 3rd BC source
• retired imperial archivist
• Author of text entitled the Lao-tzu
• Lao-tzu given real name of Li Erh (Li Er)
• Birthplace in Honan (Henan) Province

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• Story of Lao-tzus authorship
• Fleeing to west
• Stopped at frontier to record wisdom on Dao De
• Compiles manuscript of 5000 characters
• Lived c. 200 years! through union with the Dao!
• Lao-tzu of Daoist Philosophy (daojia) to deified,
  mythological Lao-tzu of Daoist Religion (daojiao)
• Lao-tzu a divine being coeternal with primeval
  chaos
• Undergone transformation
• Once changed into Buddha to bring converts to
  Daoism
• Unifying theme of philosophy religion
  aspiration for immortality

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Key Daoist Terms

• Dao (Tao)
• way, road, path
• Ethical path of right living
• Elevated to a metaphysical principle (cp.
  Brahman)
• Two aspects
• Secret dao cannot define, creative force
• Manifest dao visible to all, communicable,
  disclosed in the way of Nature which forever is
  on the go
• Emphasis is on return to the opposite (cycle of
  nature)
• Constant, every returning cycle

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• De (Te)
• virtue power
• (early) Kings outward forcefulness which earns
  him right to rule
• Confucius moral virtue of a gentleman
• Daoism power in anything to actualize its full
  potential
• Like Dao within all (Atman)
• Urges all to return to beginning while
  retaining the natural power

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• Wu Wei (wuwei)
• no action inaction
• Refraining from action counterproductive
• Allowing De to empower action rather than false
  substitute
• Guidance of action by wisdom not ones own
• Sage
• Ideal human being
• Natural, spontaneous
• Knows secret dao by meditating manifest dao by
  observing nature
• Is recentered in De, practices inaction
• Advice for Rulers

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Confucianism

• Confucius (Kung Tzu), b. 551-479BC
• Only child to a widowed woman of a genteel but
  poor family
• Confucius had passion for literature, art,
  tradition
• In first job at 17 saw injustices to poor
• Married with son daughter
• Became teacher (myth of Supreme teacher)
• Edited Five Classics
• wished for government post

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• Tien divine ordering principle of the universe
• Spontaneous tradition
• Confucius believed humans are good, but given
  current world situation something went wrong
• THUS
• Deliberate Tradition

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Five Aspects of Deliberate Tradition

• Jen goodness, human-heartedness
• relationship is not an objective thing
• Chun Tzu (junzi) gentleman, role model, ideal
  partner in a relationship
• Li propriety (in past in ritual) in social
  behavior
• Human relationship is like a sacred dance
• But with whom do you dance?
• De (Te) power (by moral example of older)
• Wen arts of peace culture endures
• (Shu reciprocity)

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Rectification of Names

• IF language is not correct, then what is said is
  not what is meant
• if what is said is not what is meant, then what
  must be done remains undone
• if this remains undone, morals and art will
  deteriorate
• if justice goes astray, the people will stand
  about in helpless confusion.
• Hence there must be no arbitrariness in what is
  said. This matters above everything.

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Five Constant Relationships

• Father-son (Parents-Children)
• Husband-wife (Spouse-Spouse)
• Older brother-younger brother (older
  sibling-younger sibling)
• Older friend-younger friend
• Ruler-subject (teacher-student, etc)

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• Filial piety (xiao hsiao) family relationship
  basis of all others
• Question Where is the self/individual in these
  relationships?
• Outside of relation, there is no self
• Emphasis on the Yin/Yang in relationships
• WHY?
• Right doing leads to right being

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Confucian Canon

• Five Classics
• Yi Jing (I Ching)
• Shih Ching Book of Odes
• Shu Ching Book of History
• Li Ching Book of Rites
• Chun Chiu Spring and Autumn Annals
• Analects of Confucius (Lun Yu)
• Taught by Confucius
• Written down by disciples, c. 470BC
• Mencius (Meng-tzu), 370-289BC
• The Great Learning, 500-200BC
• Doctrine of the Mean more mystical text

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The Vinegar Tasters