Comments on Lao Zi 1

Lin Yutang once said: "The Tao Te Ching is described by many people as' extensive and profound'. For an ordinary person like me, writing an impression that shocked the audience in a short time is really a joke. " However, here, I just want to express my personal feelings after reading the Tao Te Ching.

"Tao can be Tao, very Tao; Famous, very famous. " The first sentence reveals people's values. Different values lead to different life pursuits and paths. Different pursuits and different roads will inevitably lead to different lives and different societies.

Laozi wrote a moral article, aiming at pointing out to the world the way of being a saint and avoiding harm to the body and society. The way of "Tao can be learned" and the name of "learning" is the name of sage's way, seeking, strange man's way and seeking. The same life path, but there are two completely different ways.

1, take the path of a saint, that is, let nature take its course and return to nature.

2, take the road of ordinary people, that is, pursue external fame and fortune.

Different roads will inevitably lead to different lives and societies. This seems to be a simple proposition, but when we really choose our own "sage road", we will inevitably encounter many obstacles. In contemporary society, it is too common to pursue fame and profit. How many people really want to let nature take its course and return to nature?

I'm afraid most people will answer in the negative. However, I don't think Tao Te Ching is aloof, distant and unattainable. When we see through the secular scenery, maybe we will look at the running water quietly.

Thoughts on Reading Laozi II

First, the grand strategic thought with "Tao" as the core

1. The core connotation of Laozi's "Tao"

Tao is the core concept of Tao Te Ching. Modern people generally interpret Tao as "thing", "god" or "law" according to the concept of western philosophy. But these explanations are not in line with the original intention of Tao Te Ching.

Ren Farong: Interpretation of Tao Te Ching, Beijing Baiyun Guanyin, p. 3.

Tao is neither a tangible thing, a thoughtful spirit, nor a rational law, but an intangible and intangible cosmic foundation that causes all this. "Tao" is the infinity of mixed elements, the energy in the universe, the gas field in space, the ancestor of nature, the vastness, smallness, simplicity, subtlety, mystery and wonder, and the original material that caused all things in the universe.

Ren Farong: Interpretation of Tao Te Ching, Beijing Baiyun Guanyin, p. 3.

"Tao", "virtue" and "Xiade" are all derivatives of Tao. Tao and virtue constitute the basis of the occurrence and development of all things, and Tao is the basis of virtue.

Zhang Yuliang: Interpretation of Laozi, p. 2 14.

Only by correctly understanding "Tao" can we correctly understand "morality" and thus correctly understand all the thoughts of Laozi. So Tao is more important.

2. The essential characteristics of Laozi's Tao

In the fourth chapter of Tao Te Ching, Lao Zi summed up three essential characteristics of Tao: Taoism, Taoism and Zhan Tao. "Daochong" means that Tao is "empty" and "often absent", which is an empty, intangible and unpredictable thing. However, it "uses it or not", but it never exhausts everything it produces and raises. It is the "beginning of heaven and earth", and it is the basic substance that constitutes everything in the universe with almost nothing. "Daoyuan" means that Tao is profound and unpredictable, and it is the origin of all things. It existed before the universe and was the beginning of the universe; And "before the emperor" existed before the so-called god man, and no one knows where it came from. "Zhan Tao" means that although the Tao is clear as water, it is real and "invisible". It "welcomes it without seeing its body, and then disappears behind it", and its trace is close to nothing, but it "has essence, its essence is true and there is faith", which is true, not completely empty.

3. The meaning of "Taoism is natural"

Laozi said: "People should learn from the earth, the earth should learn from the sky, the sky should learn from the Taoism, and the Taoism should be solved by itself." . Tao is natural, but its operating law is "natural". The so-called nature, namely nature and nature, is itself. Taoism is natural, requiring "assisting the nature of all things, not daring to do it", so that all things can develop according to their nature without arbitrary interference, harassment or domination. In other words, to govern by doing nothing is to let things go naturally. The so-called physical properties are different, but Tao does not abandon things and Tao does not abandon people. Don't argue, don't have, don't be impartial, don't kill, that is to say, Tao often has no desire, so it can be small. It wants nothing, is selfless, can always be quiet and selfless, and it is soft and defensive.

4. The meaning of "inaction".

Laozi said: "Everything in the world is born with it, and everything is born without it", which means that the essence of everything in the world lies in near-zero nothingness. Looking back at what Laozi said, "Great death means that death means far, and far means reverse",

? Chapter 25 of Tao Te Ching.

It can be seen that Tao flows all over the world endlessly, but it will eventually return to life, "return to simplicity" and return to nothing. After all, the movement of all things should be rooted in its roots, and this one is nothing, so the way of human beings should also be inaction. Usually people misunderstand Laozi's "inaction" thought as negative inaction thought. In fact, its basic meaning is that the development and change of things should be guided by the situation, and no subjective will is allowed, and things should be used according to the natural laws of things.

"Harmonious World, Made of Tao", in "Harmonious World, Made of Tao: Proceedings of the International Forum on Tao Te Ching", Religious Culture Press, 2007, p. 3.

5. "The way of the weak" tells the true strategic significance of Laozi.

The word "weak" frequently appears in Laozi's Tao Te Ching. Such as "weakness is better than strength", "weakness is below strength", "opposition, the movement of Tao, weakness and the use of Tao", "the world is not weaker than water, the strong can't win", "weakness is better than strength, softness is better than strength, and the world knows everything and can't say anything" and so on.

? Chapters 76 and 78 of Tao Te Ching.

In fact, when I say weak, I don't mean weak in essence, but weak in strategy on the surface, with the aim of winning by coercion.

Liu: The Way of the Weak-On Laozi's Thought, China Social Publishing House, 2009, p. 5.

Therefore, if we want to rule the country by self-cultivation, we need to become weak, abandon the superficial "strong", "big", "expensive" and "upward" that ordinary people hope, and practice the concept of "weak is not as good as strong". In reality, it pursues the indisputable principles of respecting women, striving for superiority, selflessness and no desire. This is the great idea and strategy that Laozi left to the world to be a man and do things.

Second, the political significance of Lao Zi's Tao

From this chapter of Tao Te Ching, we can see that Lao Tzu hopes that the rulers can practice Tao and give full play to their infinite functions in real politics, thus bringing long-term welfare to the rulers themselves and the general public. The so-called "good builders do not dial, good hugs do not take off, children and grandchildren sacrifice endlessly." The virtue of practicing in the body is true; Repairing at home has more virtues; The virtues cultivated in the countryside are long-lasting; If cultivated in the state, its virtue is rich; It is the virtue of cultivation in the world. ""Tao often unknown, park. Although the world is small, you should not be a minister. If the Hou Wang can keep it, the world will be self-contained. " In other words, following the "Tao" can make a country's society last for a long time and attract all parties to join.

In Laozi's thought, there are four levels of state governance from high to low, that is, "too high, I don't know;" Second, personal reputation; Second, fear it; Second, insult it. "laissez-faire, laissez-faire, allows people to live and develop freely, so that people can't perceive the existence of rulers, and think that everything is just their natural reasons. This realm of governing the country, that is, "unattainable", is the highest realm of national governance that Laozi thinks. This legal way requires politicians to "confuse the world" and "take the people's heart as the heart", not arrogate their wisdom and selfish desires, "live without a fixed place and live without desires", and let the people develop freely, so as to achieve "I do nothing, but the people are self-righteous, I do nothing, the people are rich and I have no desires, and the people are simple". Other ways of governing the country, such as doing righteousness and making the people praise.

Reflections on Laozi (Chapter III)

Confucius said, "Bird, I know it can fly; Fish, I know it can swim; Beast, I know it can walk. Walkers may make mistakes, swimmers may spin, and flying people may fight for it. As for dragons, I don't know that they have taken the storm to heaven. I met Lao Tzu today, and he is still evil. "

This is Laozi, a dragon-shaped figure who seems to be able to go to heaven and go to sea. Gu Yunlong has nine sons. I said that Laozi has two sons, one is Laozi and the other is Taoism.

To the extreme, keep quiet. Everything works together, and I will see it again. Everything must be traced back to the source. In the final analysis, it is quiet, quiet and life-saving, life-saving and knowledge-saving. I don't know what is normal, I am reckless, I know what is normal, forbearance is public, public is everything, everything is heaven, heaven is Tao, Tao is long, and I am not in danger.

In fact, the true meaning of Taoist cultivation of kung fu often comes down to the word "emptiness and quietness". Taoism believes that people and everything are the products of Tao, and at the beginning of life, they are pure, selfless and quiet. Just because of selfish activities and external interference, people's minds are blocked and restless. Therefore, we must rely on the cultivation efforts of "reaching the air" and "keeping quiet" to restore the mind to a clear and peaceful state.

When people are tempted by the outside world and act rashly, because they violate the laws of Tao, the result is often half the effort, even in vain, only hurting energy. On the contrary, when they abandon subjective and selfish distractions, have a peaceful mind and reach the realm of emptiness, they can often gain insight into the truth, be busy but not chaotic, be calm, and respond to changes with constancy.

The "emptiness" of Buddhism is in line with the Taoist principle of "being quiet and believing". Zen master Huang Longnan once described his self-cultivation kung fu as single-minded and unfocused: "If a civet cat catches mice, its eyes don't blink, its feet don't touch the ground, its roots are upright, its head and tail are upright, and everything is fine."

This, of course, only describes the spirit of self-cultivation, and does not mean that one should always be in a state of tension. On the contrary, he is often in a virtual state of silence. But this is by no means the death of life, but accumulating strength in emptiness and gestating everything in emptiness. Just like "A Chicken's Incubation": it seems to be in a daze and motionless, but in fact, under its dead surface, a new life is gestating.

This is like everything in nature: everything in nature is constantly developing and changing, but at first glance, the mountains and trees are silent. However, it is under this surface silence that all kinds of creatures are absorbing the sunshine and rain of nature, containing the vitality of nature and growing and multiplying from time to time. Whether it is life or death, it belongs to its own roots. "To live is to die", to "make everything work together" and to "keep silent" is to "live endlessly".

People should also learn from nature, instead of being blinded by selfish desires and not violating the laws of nature. People often do stupid things because they are too self-righteous and selfish, so regardless of gains and losses, they look ahead and look back, keep them in their hearts and worry endlessly. This is because their hearts are no longer empty and they have not tried to practice "silence in vain".

? There is a story in Zhuangzi Tian Zifang: Lieyukou was stunned and attracted by no one. He put a glass of water on his elbow, soaked it and repeated it. When it is, it is like a person. No one said, "it's a shot, not a shot." If you can climb mountains, walk on dangerous rocks and face the abyss, what if you can shoot? "So no one climbs mountains, no one walks dangerous stones, no one faces the abyss of a hundred miles, no one patrols back, no one hangs on his feet, and no one bows inside. Yukou fell to the ground, sweating like a pig. No one said, "A man who is a man is looking up at the sky, diving into the grave, waving octupole and sharing the same spirit. "Today, you have the ambition to look forward to it, and it is almost impossible to get along with it!" .

Lieyukou was self-righteous before, but later he fought two wars for fear. He was afraid that he would slip and fall off the cliff, which made him think too much. However, no one dares to face Bo faint, and there is no fear in his heart, because he is "silent" and those paper tigers can't compete with him at all.

Once you reach a state of silence, no threat can intimidate your soul, and no interest can tempt your soul. You are so pure, you represent holiness. As soon as all dark and dirty things meet you, just like ice meets fire, like evil meets justice, they collapse at once.

Although the view that "silence is futile" has been played by people in various ways, for us ordinary people, it can at least tell us the true meaning of understanding social life and exploring the truth of the universe: if people want to have an insight into things, they must be open-minded and impartial, so that they can understand complex things and reach an all-encompassing situation. If we want to solve disputes and deal with complex things, we must be indifferent and single-minded, so that we can use static braking and control complexity with simplicity. There are always some rules in the change of anything. Only those who lead to emptiness can grasp these rules, and they will not be confused by superficial phenomena, and they will not lose their roots because of the goal of quick success and instant benefit.

Thoughts on reading the fourth chapter of Laozi

Who is telling the eternal wisdom in thousands of years of history? In the long time cycle, who is transmitting the unchanging truth? Who left only 5,000 words but brought infinite philosophical thinking to mankind? It's him, the sage of philosophy and the wise man of life-Laozi. He is like a bright and ancient star, emitting sacred light, which has traveled for thousands of years and shines on every corner of the universe.

Laozi has extraordinary wisdom, and his sharp eyes see through the right and wrong in the world, longing for a quiet and comfortable lifestyle, trying to avoid the disturbance of reality and pursue that pure spiritual freedom. This extraordinary attitude towards life has pointed out a new way for future generations, which is fascinating and desirable.

His thoughts and philosophy are always closely related to Tao. Tao is the source of all things. "Tao gives birth to one, life gives birth to two, life gives birth to three, and life gives birth to everything." Laozi attributed the root of natural creation to nature itself through a word "Tao", thus denying all idealism and religionism. In my opinion, Tao is an objective law, invisible and intangible, and the truth of Tao exists in every detail of the world. The way to be a man, the way to learn, the way to learn, and the wisdom everywhere need us to discover and understand. Everyone has to live, and being a man is very important to each of us. Whether there is morality or not determines the way and effect of doing things and learning. Laozi taught us the methods of self-cultivation, improved our spiritual realm, and let us learn to live. Everyone longs for freedom and happiness, and troubles are everywhere, and bumps follow. If you want to get rid of them, the initiative is in your own hands. "Have the courage to change what can be changed, and have the stomach to accept what cannot be changed", "Don't be happy for things, don't be sad for yourself". Only in this way can we get rid of our body and mind and have a better attitude to face life.

? There is an important thought in Laozi-inaction. Doing nothing means doing nothing, it doesn't matter, doing nothing? Actually, it is not. The essence of inaction lies in its Hyunri. Too many people can't really understand inaction and classify it as a negative outlook on life. However, my understanding is different. Laozi's inaction is not inaction, but inaction, doing nothing wrong and doing something wrong. Inaction is a high-profile wisdom, doing things naturally, following the objective laws of things and developing naturally. In a way, "doing nothing is perfect" does make sense. In those days, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty did not take the road of learning from Huang Lao, but took the way of doing something and not doing something, which took the Han Dynasty to a higher level. As we all know, it is the current inaction policy of the rule of Wenjing that has rested it and laid the foundation for making a difference. Therefore, the actions of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty are also inaction to some extent. Inaction is a process, not an end. I think this kind of understanding can only be understood if we truly understand the essence of inaction.

Every time I contact with real life and society, I feel the greatness of his thoughts. People have done too much to keep the tragedy going. The loess plateau is criss-crossed, and the water bodies of the Yellow River and Yangtze River are polluted. The vast coral reefs under the sea are dead; The continuous expansion of the Antarctic ozone hole; The rapid warming of the global climate ... when all this is in front of us, think about whether we have gone too far? Now, we call on people to live in harmony with nature, and Laozi realized this truth thousands of years ago, which also shows that Laozi has great practical significance in today's society and even in the future.

"People abide by the law, abide by the law, abide by the law, and be natural." Through the combination of Tao and nature, Laozi expounded the relationship between man and everything in the world, which was full of dialectical thoughts and embodied the simplest wisdom. "Laozi" is just 5,000 words, with refined words, the essence of every sentence and the essence of every article, permeated with a little wonderful and admirable wisdom.

I want to taste slowly, read, see, listen, think and realize with a calm mind, and live a quiet life like Laozi!

Thoughts on reading the fifth chapter of Laozi

When it comes to Liu Bang, everyone is certainly familiar with it. Whenever I look through historical records and read stories about him, I can't help but exclaim, "He is really a lean man!" " "

Liu bang is broad-minded and generous. According to Records of the Historian, at that time, the peasants revolted against the Qin Dynasty, and it took one person to break into Guanzhong to disintegrate the Qin Dynasty. The generals kept their mouths shut about the powerful Xiang Yu, but unanimously recommended Liu Bang, because they thought that Liu Bang was a generous elder and only he could convince the people. Liu bang used this to establish prestige, enrich the army, win the hearts of the people, and laid a solid foundation for unifying the world in the future. He knows very well that only by not bullying the weak, not being overbearing and being generous to others can the people be rescued from the hot water.

Liu bang knows that people are good at their duties, and meritocracy is the only way to do it. Strategically, winning a thousand miles, he can't compare with Sean; Pacify people's hearts and defend the country, he can't compare with Xiao He; Even with millions of soldiers, he can win every battle. He can't compare with Han Xin, but he can hire them and personally believe them. His success is inseparable from this. If it weren't for Liu Bang's knowledge and responsibility, Chen Ping, a generation of wizards, wouldn't have defected to him. If Liu Bang was not a meritocratic person, the famous lobbyist would not be attached to him. He knew that only by recruiting talents, promoting talents and uniting as one can the powerful Qin Dynasty be overthrown.

Liu bang is open and honest, and accepts it with an open mind. Liu bang is not a man of god, he speaks openly and politely. He always accepts suggestions from others with an open mind and decides whether to adopt them after careful consideration. According to historical records, when Liu Bang was at war with Xiang Yu, the Chu army besieged the Han army in Xingyang. Just as Liu Bang was worried, a small official named Chen Ping put forward a plan to alienate Xiang Yu and his men. Liu Bang did not deny Chen Ping's plan because of his humble background, but analyzed and affirmed it. Chen Ping still needs 40,000 Jin of gold, and Liu Bang has no objection, because he is a small official. In this way, Liu Bang succeeded in weakening his opponent and strengthening himself. He knows that only by listening to other people's opinions and colliding with the spark of thought can we unify the world, achieve hegemony and become a hero!

From an ordinary person to a great and capable generation, it was Liu Bang's dribs and drabs that changed all this!

Thoughts on Reading the Sixth Chapter of Laozi

"Misfortune is in happiness, and happiness is in disaster." It means that misfortune is the premise of happiness, and happiness contains unfortunate factors. In other words, good and bad things can be transformed into each other. Under certain conditions, happiness can become a curse, and a curse can also become a blessing. This famous saying of Laozi is very reasonable.

Laozi is China and one of the earliest philosophers with dialectical thoughts in the world. There has always been a debate about Laozi, his books and his "Tao Theory". According to the simple biography of Sima Qian in Historical Records, he was a famous thinker and founder of Taoist school in the Spring and Autumn Period. Lao Zi, surnamed Li Minger, was born in Qurenli, Li Xiang Town, Guxian County, Chu State (now Luyi County, Henan Province). "Laozi" is what people call him, "Lao" means that he has been highly valued in the years, and "Zi" is a good name for men in ancient times. His date of birth and death is unknown.

Laozi served as the "Stoku" of the Zhou Dynasty (equivalent to the curator of the National Library or the curator of the History Museum), so he is familiar with anecdotes and etiquette, not only rich in historical knowledge, but also extensive in natural science knowledge.

In 520 BC, the Zhou royal family had a civil war for the throne. In April this year, King Zhou Jing passed away, and doctor Liu Yuxin Li Geng strongly mourned the king. Kill Wang. Jin people attacked and made him a king. The civil war lasted for five years. In 5 16 BC, Wang Zichao failed, swept the Zhou classics and fled to Chu. Some of my books have also been taken away. So, I was fired and went home. The change of the situation has changed Laozi's position, and his thoughts have also changed greatly, from observing the ceremony to opposing the ceremony.

Due to the persecution of slave owners and nobles in power, Lao Tzu had to "hide his name" and live in four directions. Later, he went west to the state of Qin. After Hangu Pass (now southwest of Lingbao County, Henan Province), Guan Ling Yin Xi knew that Lao Tzu was leaving and hid, so he asked Lao Tzu to leave a message. So Laozi wrote Laozi with 5000 words. According to legend, when I went through the customs, I rode a green Niu Piao.

Most of Laozi's thoughts are preserved in Laozi. Laozi ***8 1 chapter, divided into two parts, * * * more than 5000 words. Because it talks about Tao and morality, people later called it Laozi's Tao Te Ching. The book "Laozi" that we are seeing now is not the original work of Laozi, because it contains characters obtained by people during the Warring States period, but the main ideas in it belong to Laozi.

? The book Laozi is short and difficult to understand, so there are many comments from later generations. The most popular ones are the notes of Taoist He Shanggong (whose name is unknown) in the Western Han Dynasty, the notes of Wang Bi, a philosopher of Wei in the Three Kingdoms, and the Original Meaning of Laozi by Wei Yuan in the Qing Dynasty. Let's learn about Laozi's philosophy and political thoughts through the book Laozi.

Tao is the origin of all things in the world. Laozi is the first philosopher in our country who tries to explain the world from nature itself without resorting to the supernatural master-the will of Heaven Emperor. Before Laozi, people thought that everything in the universe was ruled by God, and the highest God was Heaven, the so-called Emperor of Heaven. This concept did not begin to change until the Spring and Autumn Period of great social change. Laozi was an early thinker who consciously and explicitly denied Heaven Emperor in philosophy. On the basis of Zhouyi, he further clarified that "Tao" is the origin of all things in the world. The central idea of Laozi's "Tao Theory" is: "Tao is nature, and nature is Tao". He said, "Tao" is the mother of all things: "Tao can be Tao, but extraordinary. The name can be named. It's very famous. Nothing is the beginning of the world. Yes, the mother of all things. " (Chapter 1) That is to say, as the origin of the universe is Tao, it will exist forever. The operation of Tao is free and inevitable, that is, it operates according to its own laws. Everything in the world is produced by it, and it is the mother of the universe. Laozi believes that Tao produces heaven and earth, and virtue is the expression of Tao. Heaven and earth nurture everything, and everything has its own shape and uses. Therefore, everything is virtuous and not respectful of Tao. The reverence of Tao and the preciousness of virtue are natural, not because of who gives it a title. Therefore, Tao produces heaven and earth, while virtue breeds, nurtures, matures and covers everything. He said: "Tao is born, morality is born, things are shaped, and devices are made."

It is based on the respect and virtue of all things. The respect of Tao, the preciousness of virtue and the nobility of husband and wife are often natural. Old-fashioned health, livestock morality, long-term education, pavilion poison, cover. "(Chapter 5 1) In this way, Lao Tzu attributed the root of natural creation to nature itself, thus eliminating all supernatural masters and the foundation of all religions and idealism. Therefore, Laozi's view of heaven and man was of great progressive significance at that time. It overthrew the religious gods and denied the power of ghosts and gods. Of course, Lao Tzu's "Tao Theory" has just been liberated from traditional religion and has not completely shaken off the influence of religion; His natural determinism makes people obey nature completely and despises people's reaction to nature. Later, some philosophers developed it into the theory of destiny, which was very harmful.

Thoughts on reading the seventh chapter of Laozi

Laozi's Tao Te Ching is a very good Chinese treasure, which contains rich philosophy of life. I still remember following them when I was a child. Famous, very famous ",at that time I didn't know where it came from, let alone what it meant. After several years, I still can't fully understand this masterpiece of Taoism again, but at least I have some feelings.

? Tao Te Ching advocates doing nothing, and it is difficult to fill its needs. For thousands of years, from emperors and princes to ordinary people, all have absorbed the essence of governing the country, cultivating self-cultivation and establishing a life from this book of wisdom in the history of human culture. Nowadays, with the prosperity of social science and the rapid development of social economy, people's material wealth is getting richer and richer, while their physical wealth is getting poorer and poorer, and the phenomenon of moral decay is becoming more and more serious. I think I should find my life principle from Laozi's Tao Te Ching, instead of going with the flow, meditation is the foundation of peace of mind. When people's mood reaches an empty state, they will always adhere to the arrogant, impetuous and impetuous style, and they will make practical moves, do practical things and be pragmatic in society, life and work.

People often say that those who read history are wise, and those who read classics are wise. Laozi said in the seventeenth chapter of Tao Te Ching that "Tao always does nothing and does everything". Laozi's inaction thought does not mean that he is passive and does nothing, which is a misunderstanding of Laozi's Tao Te Ching. Laozi's original intention is to teach people to follow the path, not to do anything, but to do something. As long as you don't act rashly, you can do things better, which means that "not acting rashly" is the guarantee of doing things. What is "promising"? Playing a good social role, doing a good job and shouldering family obligations are "doing something". Yes, in today's world-disputing society, if he can devote himself wholeheartedly to his work, then his mentality must always be in a state of meditation and purity. Without entering a state of meditation and purity, he can't restrain his restless heart. In other words, God doesn't think outside, so meditation and purity of mind are the premise and premise of doing all the work wholeheartedly.

? Tao Te Ching is concise, precious, indifferent and thought-provoking, which fully shows Laozi's solid writing skills and innovative talents. Convincing! Coupled with some classic examples, the finishing touch, the wonderful pen and the far-reaching artistic conception echo the above, sublimate the theme, express the feelings the author wants to express incisively and vividly, give people infinite touch and sadness, and feel like nature itself. It is really the best in the article, a masterpiece in ancient Chinese!

Thoughts on reading the eighth chapter of Laozi

The truth can be known, but it is not necessarily a well-known truth. Names can be named and are very famous. The beginning of the unknown world. The famous mother of everything. "In the Spring and Autumn Period, Lao Tzu wrote five thousand words, leaving the letter valley in the west, and the Tao Te Ching was compiled by Yin. Tao Te Ching is a classic work of Taoism in China. In this book, Laozi elaborated the Taoist thoughts and theories in morality, governing the country and educating people. Nowadays, Tao Te Ching has become a classic of China's classical culture, which has established Lao Zi's undisputed position in history. Today, under the impetus of traditional culture, Tao Te Ching has been given a new social status.

? Virtue in Tao Te Ching. "Heaven and earth have virtue, heaven and earth have virtue, and everything begins. In Laozi's view, virtue is the same as everything in the world, Tao is the root of heaven and earth, and virtue is the fetus born under this matrix, which everyone can't give up and should pursue all his life. Virtue is not perfect from the beginning, but it is also divided into several stages in the process of development. In the classic Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu gave us a detailed explanation in the following chapters: the beginning of virtue, the model of virtue, the foundation of virtue, the reality of virtue and the image of virtue. Compared with the Confucian thoughts of "ruling the country by virtue" and "virtue", they are completely different on the basis of theoretical formation, so it is incorrect to compare Taoist virtue with Confucian virtue. We should absorb the essence of both at the same time and turn them into useful wealth in our lives.

? Education in Tao Te Ching. Confucius, the originator of Confucianism, preached "education without class". Laozi, a Taoist master, has different educational thoughts from Confucius. Laozi even opposed education. In the sixty-fifth chapter of Tao Te Ching, it is mentioned that "those who are good for the Tao and not for the people will be stupid." Laozi advocates "abandoning knowledge", "abandoning benevolence and righteousness" and "learning without worry". He doesn't attach importance to education, and even opposes it to some extent. In today's era of "knowledge is a weapon", Laozi's educational thought can no longer meet the needs of the development of the times, and it is an insight abandoned by the developing society. This also broke our absolute attitude towards classics. Classics are not without mistakes, and there are also discarded dross.

? The Tao Te Ching governs the country. We know that in Confucianism, "ruling the country by virtue" is advocated and "benevolent government" is implemented. In legalism, the emphasis is on "ruling the country according to law". Of course, the "law" here is not the "law" in our present sense. The Taoist thought of governing the country is "governing by doing nothing". It is not only the basic idea of Taoism, but also the basic method of Taoist practice. The idea of governing by doing nothing was first put forward by Laozi. Laozi's "governing by doing nothing" can also be seen in the Tao Te Ching. "Too loyal, you know; Second, be prepared; Second, fear it. Don't believe it if you don't believe it enough! Because of its expensive words, people call me natural when I succeed. " No matter in this era, Lao Tzu's inaction is still worthless. "Today, there are still many followers of Taoist thought who think that Laozi's thought can still be applied to today's politics, but they didn't expect that all the class cornerstones on which this thought depends no longer exist. Therefore, "governing by doing nothing" is no longer suitable for the needs of this era.