19.09.2006 um 22:30 Uhr
04.09.2006 um 00:39 Uhr
cooperation with the trend of the natural world
What is Taoism? - Taoism is a way of life inspired by the cosmic rhythms. The philosophy of Taoism is represented by the adaptation to temporal conditions, while its practice is the manner of accomplishing this goal. The basic principles of Taoism come from the ancient writings like Tao-te-ching, Chuang-tzu, and Lieh-tzu and were taught by the Taoist masters: Lao-tzu, Chuang-tzu, Lieh-tzu, and Yang-tzu. We also included here the study of the Book of Changes (I-ching) and approached the teachings on emptiness taught by Ch'an Master Hui Neng. Just sit down and forget (hint to Taoism inner practice). Certain Chinese philosophers writing in, perhaps, the -5th and -4th centuries, explained ideas and a way of life that have come to be known as Taoism - the way of man's cooperation with the course or trend of the natural world, whose principles we discover in the flow patterns of water, gas, an fire, which are subsequently memorialized or sculptured in those of stone and wood, and, later, in many forms of human art. For pleasures everybody is equipped by nature, because it is our animal heritage, it is our past, it is instinct -- it is already there, fully developed. For happiness you have to do something. Happiness is human, a little bit above the anima. Pleasure consists of only two things, food and see -- those are the two polarities of pleasure. Happiness consists of many things, but for happiness one has to grow sensitivity and creativity. To be happy is an art. One has to learn music, and then one can be happy with it. One can learn painting, poetry, sculpture, and gardening. There are thousands of possibilities. As you rise above the mind and you start becoming a little artful and alert about the dimensions available and you start using all those doors, you learn something more than any animal can ever do. No animal can enjoy painting, no animal can enjoy poetry; it is not possible. And no animal can be condemned for that. If it is not possible what can animals do? But if man is not able to enjoy music then he should be condemned; he is living lower than he is capable of. Joy comes at the ultimate peak. It belongs to the soul. For that you have to learn to be meditative. Pleasure is dual; sex and food are the two polarities. Happiness is multi-dimensional. Joy is one; it is neither two nor many. Joy has simply one taste -- the taste of silence, the taste of no-mind. If one wants to be full of joy one has to nut both body and mind behind one, one has to transcend both.
