RELI 448N Week 4 Discussion 2; East Meets West

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Institution	Chamberlain
Contributor	Pressley

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RELI 448N Week 4 Discussion: East Meets West

The ideas of the Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) have been widely translated into English. Some might recall the delightful children’s version of The Tao of Poo and The Te of Piglet. Consider this saying: "The best man is like water. Water is good; it benefits all things and does not compete with them. It dwells in places that all disdain...The best man in his dwelling loves the earth..." What does this mean to you? Do you agree with this philosophy? Can you see any connection between Taoism and the environmental movement? Elaborate.

Confucius had much to say about the ideal ruler. In The Analects, he states: "He who exercises government by means of his virtue (te) may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn toward it." And again, "to govern is to keep straight. If you sir lead the people straight, which of your subjects will venture to fall out of line?" Do you agree with Confucius' ideal of government, that government officials must be virtuous to rule well? Are there any parallels to this view in Western political theories?

Please read the following passage from the Tao Te Ching:

The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world. The softest substance radiates through the hardest. Also, what is most yielding can eventually overwhelm the hardest. Formless penetrates no-crevice; substanceless it can enter where there is no space; all this could be not-yet-being entering and jostling non-space. That is how I know the value of action that is actionless. Through this I [also] know the benefit or advantage of taking no action. There can be [sad] teaching without words. To teach without words can be best. Still few can understand such stuff. And there can be solid value in action that is actionless, or the advantage of taking no action. Yes, the [said] benefit of taking no action is without compare. Few can understand it.

This selection stresses such passive virtues as humility and patience. Do you find these virtues attractive? How do they compare to virtues in other religions?