The Daoist Philosophy Of Life - 977 Words

Philosophical Daoism Isabel Dominguez King s University College The Dao de Jing is a collection of ancient Chinese texts which describe the Daoist philosophy of life. According to tradition, these texts date back to around the 6th-5th centuries BCE (Daoism 1, pg. 5). However, very little is known about the author who is simply referred to as Laozi (Daoism 1, pg. 4). The exact publication of these texts is also debated (Daoism 1, pg. 4). The Dao de Jing became an important text in China, and has influenced other religious schools such as Chinese Buddhism (Daoism 1, pg. 24). This monumental scripture contains beautiful, and poetic passages, which eventually became one of the most translated texts in world literature.†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Banish learning, discard knowledge:People will gain a hundredfold (Daoism 1, pg. 15).† This way of thinking is unique to Daoist philosophy, most cultures teach people that knowledge is power and the more knowledge we attain, the better. Laozi frequently pointed out the connection between know ledge and arrogance in the Dao de Jing. Perhaps if people weren t always trying to convince others how intelligent they are or if they weren t so quick to make critical judgements, then people would get along better. I believe the following passage is trying to communicate that by abandoning our wisdom and giving up our self-righteousness, that somehow people will be able rediscover their natural compassion. â€Å"Banish benevolence, discard righteousness: People will return to duty and compassion (Daoism 1, pg. 15).† Laozi wants people to forget about all the ideals of wisdom we have learned that supposedly leads to us to the good. Instead, these concepts cause people to lose focus on living fulfilling lives. I think the next passage is leading on to the idea that thieves will withdraw from our lives only after we get rid of cleverness and valuable possessions. â€Å"Banish skill, discard profit: There will be no more thieves (Daoism 1, pg. 15).† People often seek out clever ways in order to become wealthy and powerful, however this can attract unwanted attention. When we get lost in the idea that money and power are the ultimate goals in