 16 Aug 2007 @ 17:07
What is the Taoist view on morality?
By Bobba
We cling to our own point of view as though everything depended on it. Yet our opinions have no permanence; like autumn and winter, they gradually fade away." Chuang Tzu
Nature doesn't provide us with a formula for determining what is moral or immoral. Yet it seems mankind has always desired rigid definitive answers to every social problem it has faced. Of course, setting the social standards has been the principle endeavour of religion. However, all too often when we have looked for guidance from the Holy Scriptures it has ended with deplorable results.
There are no straight lines in Nature. Mountains, trees, our bodies and all natural processes are irregular. The only straight lines we ever encounter at the macro-level are made by the hand of man. This is an important point and it illustrates the obsession humans have for rigid uniformity. We seem to crave definite distinctions and definitive answers. However, Nature doesn't work this way and neither does the Taoist philosophy.
It would be a mistake to think Taoism avoids the contentious issues. Taoism recognises that every individual case is unique and therefore must be judged in isolation. The ancient sages advised against putting the laws into words. They believed words could not be trusted since Nature comes at us with thousands of variables simultaneously and is therefore beyond the linear nature of words.
We have all heard of laws being applied with the opposite intention in which they were devised. For example, when someone is charged with injuring an intruder who has entered their home with wilful intent; or when a criminal escapes prosecution on a technicality. This is the danger of trying to account for everything when the factors of life are infinite.
Many of the world's religions have also made the mistake of categorically defining what should or should not be done in specific situations. All too often this unfaltering devotion to the doctrines is the basis for religious fanaticism. Sacred doctrine is applied regardless of the circumstance and without exception. In recent years we have all witnessed how this type of religious fanaticism has resulted in blind obedience and terrorism "In the name of God."
The ancient Taoist sages warned us that forcing things to be good will in fact create evil. This occurs because it is intrinsic of Nature to always balance good with evil; light with dark; and life with death. We see evidence of this occurring throughout history as unimaginable cruelty for the sake of righteousness. We still see this occurring in the world today in the form of horrendous wars fought in the name of freedom and justice.
We can't make life conform to our synthetic linear desire. We can't apply a set of inflexible values in the hope of making everything either black or white. Each circumstance must be examined in isolation; taking into account the numerous features that will be unique in each individual case. We will never be in a position where we can lay down an ideology that will determine if something is right or wrong in all cases.
Taoism guides us into making virtuous decisions by providing us with the 'three jewels'. These jewels are: compassion, moderation and humility. By applying these jewels to any given situation, Taoists will hopefully arrive at a balanced opinion.
Compassion is our empathy for others. It's considering how we would feel if we were in their position. From this angle it is very difficult to be racist, sexist, prejudiced or intolerant.
Moderation is always avoiding extreme views or taking extreme actions. Moderation is very similar to the Buddhist concept of the 'middle way'. It advises that one should always take the most moderate path on any issue. All too often we over react to a given situation and use force that is disproportional to what is actually required.
Humility is understanding that self-interest and self-importance are self-destructive. Thinking that our own view on any given situation is the only correct view is a dangerous assertion. All too often we are too proud to see the truth out of fear of losing our familiar paradigms. Humbling oneself enough to see an alternative point of view may allow us to see something in a way we have never thought possible.
Finally if all else fails, one should simply look to
What is the Taoist take on evil?
When the world knows beauty, there is already ugliness. When the world knows good, there is already evil." Lao Tzu
Historically religions have always struggled to explain why their God allows evil to occur. It is for this reason evil is often referred to 'as the problem of evil'. Taoism is probably the only philosophy that has a plausible explanation for evil; but this requires that we look at evil from an unfamiliar and an entirely new perspective.
So what is evil? Essentially evil is something we would prefer not to happen. However, we must recognise that what appears to be evil for one group, may be seen as a blessing for another group.
Take the case where a natural disaster devastates the human population of a particular region. It could be a flood, famine, disease, perilous winds or an earth quake. This is a horrendous experience for the people affected and they would most likely see the event as evil. They may also believe their God has forsaken them or is reaping revenge for past deeds.
Yet, from the perspective of the flora and fauna whose habitat may have been under threat from human intrusion, this may be a completely different matter. In light of the devastating impact we humans are currently having on the planet, a reduction in the human population may be very beneficial for the environment as a whole.
Therefore, evil is a case of how something appears from a particular point of view and we usually only ever consider the human perspective. The problem is that many of us feel no connection to the environment and we are often unable to consider anything from any other stance other than our own. We rarely consider things from the perspective of Nature; which will always gravitate towards a balance of all things.
On the other hand there are the atrocities committed by the hand of man. It is evident that a small percentage of our population feel compelled to commit heinous acts. However, it must be remembered that the portion of the population that commits these callous acts is in fact very small. It must not be forgotten that of all the species that inhabit this planet, no other animal is more trusting or more cooperative with outsiders than humans.
It's obvious that most of this man made evil occurs in our cities. Of course there are always exceptations to the rule; but it appears that violent crime is in direct proportion to the density of the city.
In his book 'Human Zoo', Zoologist Dr Desmond Morris writes that the aggression witnessed in our cities is a direct result of people not living the existence intended for humans. Morris compares a densely populated city to a high concentration of animals in a confined space, such as in a zoo. In these circumstances animals will often become aggressive and behave in ways not normally seen in their natural environment. He believes that as a species we should be living in small villages rather than cities. All the anecdotal evidence suggests that the population of a village are far more caring and considerate of each other when compared to their city counterparts.
Therefore it seems that the evil we witness in our society maybe a result of urbanisation not being a suitable environment for our species. In Taoist terms; the urban life style conflicts with living in harmony with the Tao and this will always be a formula for disaster.
Lao Tzu told us that evil must exist in order for us to understand the concept of good. We wouldn't know what was good unless we had evil to serve as a contrast. In the same way, we can only see the stars in the night sky because they are contrasted against the darkness of space; and we can only know something as large when we know of something smaller to serve as a comparison. For this reason there will always be evil. It is only the severity of evil that will vary.
Consequently attempting to rid the world of evil is futile and this very action will in fact create the conditions conducive to evil. Think of how many wars and atrocities have been committed throughout history in the name of God, justice, freedom or righteousness.
The Taoist way is to simply accept evil as part of the cycle of yin-yang. In its turn good will always be balanced with evil, regardless of what we do or think. The acceptance of this fact and simply going with the flow of what ever happens is the secret of living an effortless life of simplicity.
What is Taoist concept of Oneness?
The deepest level of truth discovered by science and philosophy is the fundamental truth of unity. At the deepest sub nuclear level of reality, you and I are literary one." John Hagelin Ph.D.
As individuals most of us feel that we only exist within our skin and we sense no connection to the outside world. This creates the deception that everything outside our skin is alien and potentially hostile. It is this isolationist attitude that allows us to carelessly destroy the very environment that sustains us and irrationally see all other life forms as possible threats. However, the overwhelming evidence is that the separateness we feel is simply an illusion.
Oneness is the understanding that we are not isolated individuals within Nature. We are fundamentally connected to all the natural processes of this planet and ultimately to the Universe - the creator of all physical things.
The first step in understanding oneness is the realisation that without this planet we would not have the nutrition; water; a protective atmosphere; the correct temperature or the air we need to exist. Therefore the earth is as essential to our existence as our own internal organs. Yet most of us feel no connection to earth's environment. We only identify ourselves with our bodies; although the environment is just as crucial to our survival as our body. Needless to say, the sensation of separateness is essentially due to our ego, which prevents us from seeing things as they truly exist.
We probably feel more connected to our body since we feel we have some level of control over what it does; whereas we have no control over the environment. However, the control we have over our bodies is very superficial. Sure, we can walk, talk and strike a blow, but the fact remains that we have as little control over our biological systems, as we do over the environment. For example, we can't directly regulate our heart; control the secretions of our glands; coordinate our digestion; will our cells to divide; or organise our nervous system.
Just like environmental processes, the processes of the body occur spontaneously without any conscious attention. Logically, if what is outside our body is just as essential as what is inside our body and we have no control of either; we can then conclude that both our body and our environment are one and the same. Nature is controlling both equally, making ourselves and the natural world one self perpetuating unity.
Oneness has also been theorised in particle physics. Physicists explain the unity of all things with the 'unified field'; an "universal ocean" that contains all possible things. The unified field exists at the deepest sub-atomic level possible and connects everything in the Universe. All the forces and material objects; including us, are the result of vibrations on the unified field.
The illusion of remoteness we experience as a species is the cause of all the difficulties the world is currently enduring. If we could simply overcome our egocentricity and become mindful of the unity of all things; we would not be on our current course of escalating wars, hatred and environmental destruction.
Is there common ground between Taoism & science?
Physicists do not need mysticism, and Mystics do not need Physics; but humanity needs both." Fritjof Capra
In the past 100 years the disparity between science and mysticism has decreased immensely. The division began in the 17th century with Isaac Newton. Newtonian Physics holds that physical reality is merely the simple interplay of energy and material objects. This view lead to the belief that Nature was nothing but a random machine and it was therefore ours to dominate.
However, this view of the Universe began to be questioned in the first half of the twentieth century, due to the discoveries made in quantum physics. Scientists found that the mechanical view of the Universe didn't hold up when they studied the world of the extremely small. They found that atoms were for the most part non-material and behaved in a way that was very unexpected. It wasn't long before the pioneers of quantum physics; such as Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr; began to see parallels between physics and Eastern mysticism.
The most amazing parallels between science and Taoism are found in the yin-yang principle. The ancient Taoists noticed that everything in Nature had an equal and necessary opposite aspect. For example: it is impossible to have up without down; big without small; light without dark; good without bad; winning without losing; male without female; and life without death.
The yin-yang motif illustrates that all opposites are simply different aspects of the very same thing. Science has also found surprising connections between seemly opposite natural phenomenon. In the past few centuries, science has consistently found that seemingly opposite occurrences are actually an alternate aspect of the same happening.
In 1831 Michael Faraday demonstrated that electricity and magnetism were different aspects of the same occurrence. By moving a magnet inside a metallic coil, Faraday observed magnetism could create an electric current. He therefore concluded magnetism and electricity were part of the same invisible field. From Faraday's findings we can easily see magnetism and electricity as the yin and yang aspect of the same force. This force is now known as electromagnetic radiation and this also includes x-rays, microwaves and visible light to name but a few.
In 1906 Einstein made the link between space and time in his famous "Special Relativity Theory". Einstein concluded that space and time were part of the same fabric called the space-time continuum. He determined that time wasn't absolute as commonly believed and was always relative to the observer. Time and space are now considered to be as interwoven and inseparable as the yin and the yang.
Proving what an incredible genius he really was, Einstein then went even further and made the amazing connection between mass and energy in his famous E=MC2 equation. The equation is in fact saying that mass (material objects) and energy are different forms of the very same thing. Under the correct circumstances energy can become mass; and mass can become extremely liberal amounts of energy. From Einstein's equation we can imagine mass as the yin aspect and energy is the yang aspect of the same phenomena. The most striking example of mass becoming energy is when an atomic weapon is detonated and a tiny amount of uranium becomes an enormous amount of energy. The reverse situation of energy becoming mass occurs when Physicists create subatomic particles in particle accelerators.
Most of us have now accepted that our planet's climate is changing. Taoists explain climate change as an imbalance of our planet's natural yin-yang. Environmental science and Taoism are on the same wavelength in the understanding that everything is part of a finely balanced, interlocking unity. It is therefore little surprise to either Taoists or Environmental Scientists that to disrupt this finely balanced unity with pollutants is having disastrous effects on the earth's climate.
The unity of opposites in Nature has been a fundamental part of Taoism for thousands of years. From the examples above you can see that this unity has now been verified numerous times by modern science. I personally think we should find the connection of all opposites very reassuring. For if death is simply the necessary opposite aspect of life; then death should be no more mysterious or frightening than day becoming night.
Why are we here?
What is the purpose of life?
Two men were arguing about a flag flapping in the wind. "It's the wind that is really moving," stated the first one. "No, it is the flag that is moving," contended the second. A Zen master, who happened to be walking by, overheard the debate and interrupted them. "It is neither the flag nor the wind that is moving," he said, "It's your minds that are moving."
Zen Wisdom.
The reason for our existence has been the ultimate question throughout the ages. Of course, no one can ever be certain they have the definitive answer. Furthermore, there is always the possibility that the reason for our existence is beyond anything we have the capacity to understand.
Nevertheless, isn't it odd that Universe exists at all? After all, material existence requires effort and energy. Wouldn't it be easier for the Universe not to exist? Yet in spite of this it seems that the Universe wants to exist and it expends a lot of energy to make this possible.
Following on from this another question arises. Why has the Universe evolved in such a way as to generate life? What purpose does life serve to the Universe? A clue may be found in the wacky science called quantum physics.
A Quantum Physicist could tell you things that you would probably find very difficult to believe. This field of science has found that nothing can come into material existence without the participation of an observer. In other words, things only exist when something else is interacting with it. So what happens to things when nothing is interacting with them? The subatomic particles that give all things their material properties, smear out into waves of probability. (This is proved by the famous double slit experiment.) This may seem unbelievable, but quantum physics seems to be demonstrating to us, that without conscious entities such as us, the Universe would not exist in a material state.
With the knowledge of quantum physics, we can then come to the same conclusion as Alan Watts when he said, "Without eyes, the sun would not be bright. Without ears, vibrations in the air would make no sound. Without the soft texture of the skin, nothing would be hard or soft. Without muscles, nothing would be heavy or light. It is our organism that brings the Universe into being. Therefore, we live in a Universe that is a human Universe. It isn't anti-human."
It must also be remembered that the human brain is the most complex thing in the known Universe. Being at the apex of the Universe's complexity, it doesn't seem inconceivable that we are playing a significant roll in material reality.
It seems highly likely the Universe is simply a construct of our collective consciousnesses. Consequently, it is little wonder the Universe is a life favouring entity that gravitates towards the conditions conducive to life. We are not simply at the mercy of the Universe as it has long been believed. On the contrary. As observers we collectively control our shared destiny.
As a species it seems farcical that we spend so much of our time feeling anxious and struggling against each other. We are now just beginning to see that our real purpose here is far greater than anything we have dreamed. Just imagine how much more we could achieve if we could transcend our pointless egocentricities and truly feel one with everything?
Taoism provides us with the knowledge to cultivate oneness with each other and the Universe. From the position of oneness, we understand ourselves as an aspect of the Universe, whose function here is to observe and create physical reality.
* If this subject matter interests you, I suggest you watch the 2005 movie 'What the Bleep do we Know!?'
Although every care has been taken to represent the authentic Taoist philosophy, the information presented here is my personal view and may differ from the view of other Taoists. These differences occur because all people are free to interpret the teachings of Nature for themselves. I am neither an academic nor a sage and I don't claim to have any special insight.
|
|
