The paper deals with two Chinese ancient styles of living – Daoism and Confucianism – that can be both regarded as religions and philosophies and still remain relevant in the modern world. The main objective of the essay is to define whether their concepts and attitudes towards personal and social life, nature, competition, good and evil, and reality and dreams are equal or different. In addition, the work describes the three meanings and approaches to Dao, defines the aspects of philosophical Daoism and explains the metaphor of water in Daoism.
The word Dao is literary translated as the “way”, “road”, “path”, “course,” or “method”. The term specifies a “way” meaning a road or track. Moreover, due to the fact that Chinese is a contextual language, …show more content…
This idea of Tao cannot be stated, described or communicated in speech or text. It is too wide and diverse to be understood. Smith indicated that Dao is inexpressible and divine. It can be related to God whose name is overwhelming (198). Second, Dao is also internal concept. This aspect implies its omnipresence. It is everywhere and in everything. Dao is the energy that organizes the order in the Universe. It connects and embraces everything that exists. The last Dao’s path is the way of human life. To live Tao means to find a balance between the opposite things, to live in peace with the whole world. This path ties the stream of a person’s life with the stream of the Universe. All the three meanings of this notion are united and undividable, like Dao itself. An individual cannot practice one without living all the three …show more content…
A principal idea of philosophical Daoism is wu-wei, which means “inaction”. It states that everything is already achieved and the world is captured. People live as if they will never die. They think about their past, dream about future but seldom enjoy the moment. Philosophical Daoism shows one that it is necessary to live right now, at this very moment. There is no sense in feeling sorry for the past, as it cannot be returned. There is no need to think about future, as it will come anyway. Actually, all people have is this particular moment (Smith 205). The object of philosophical Taoism is to arrange a person’s daily routine to Dao, just to follow its flow. The simple method to do it is to achieve a life of wu wei. This term can be explained not only as inaction; it is better to translate it as the wholesome efficacy and creative quietude. The latter notion deals with supreme activity and supreme relaxation. At first sight, it seems to be impossible, but if one lives Dao, it becomes true in his/her life. The more people try to do something, the more efforts and power they apply, the less use they will get. The sensible mind should relax and stop standing in its own light. Only having done all this, it is possible to get through the
The word Dao is literary translated as the “way”, “road”, “path”, “course,” or “method”. The term specifies a “way” meaning a road or track. Moreover, due to the fact that Chinese is a contextual language, …show more content…
This idea of Tao cannot be stated, described or communicated in speech or text. It is too wide and diverse to be understood. Smith indicated that Dao is inexpressible and divine. It can be related to God whose name is overwhelming (198). Second, Dao is also internal concept. This aspect implies its omnipresence. It is everywhere and in everything. Dao is the energy that organizes the order in the Universe. It connects and embraces everything that exists. The last Dao’s path is the way of human life. To live Tao means to find a balance between the opposite things, to live in peace with the whole world. This path ties the stream of a person’s life with the stream of the Universe. All the three meanings of this notion are united and undividable, like Dao itself. An individual cannot practice one without living all the three …show more content…
A principal idea of philosophical Daoism is wu-wei, which means “inaction”. It states that everything is already achieved and the world is captured. People live as if they will never die. They think about their past, dream about future but seldom enjoy the moment. Philosophical Daoism shows one that it is necessary to live right now, at this very moment. There is no sense in feeling sorry for the past, as it cannot be returned. There is no need to think about future, as it will come anyway. Actually, all people have is this particular moment (Smith 205). The object of philosophical Taoism is to arrange a person’s daily routine to Dao, just to follow its flow. The simple method to do it is to achieve a life of wu wei. This term can be explained not only as inaction; it is better to translate it as the wholesome efficacy and creative quietude. The latter notion deals with supreme activity and supreme relaxation. At first sight, it seems to be impossible, but if one lives Dao, it becomes true in his/her life. The more people try to do something, the more efforts and power they apply, the less use they will get. The sensible mind should relax and stop standing in its own light. Only having done all this, it is possible to get through the