Tao Te Ching – The Enlightened Way of Lao Tzu, Part 2 of 2

The Tao Te Ching, also known as “The Book of the Way,” offers a wealth of exceptionally profound insights. For example, it reminds that: “the real Tao (or the Way) cannot be described”; “the gentle overcomes the strong”; and “desire less and be contented.” “The Sage does not accumulate for himself. He lives for other people, and grows richer himself; He gives to other people, and has greater abundance. The Tao of Heaven: blesses, but does not harm. The Way of the Sage: accomplishes, but does not contend.” Lao Tzu emphasized that people should learn from Nature. He said: “Man models himself after the Earth; the Earth models itself after Heaven; Heaven models itself after the Tao; the Tao models itself after Nature.”

Through the book, Lao Tzu reminds us not to be attached to outer experiences and possessions, but to be content and focus on the righteous path. The development of modern science may also acquire inspiration from the Tao Te Ching. In the “Big Bang” theory formulated by the British scientist Stephen Hawking, the universe was created from nothing, confirming Lao Tzu’s idea that “everything in the world arises from being, and being arises from non-being.” Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese agronomist who established the way of natural farming, said: “The idea of natural farming was inspired by Lao Tzu’s great proposition that the Tao models itself after Nature.” He also said: “If we have listened to Lao Tzu earlier, the development of science and technology would not have caused such serious consequences for humans and the natural environment.”

There are also many suggestions for governments to follow in the Tao Te Ching. In the early years of the Han dynasty, Lao Tzu’s thoughts on an ideal government of “wu wei,” or “doing without doing” was adopted. This led to a period of benevolence and prosperity known as the “Rule of Wen and Jing.” Similarly, in the early years of the Tang dynasty, Emperor Taizong also led his country using the Taoist way of governing, leading to the “Prosperity of Zhenguan.” Former United Nations Secretary-General His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon also strongly advocated the Tao Te Ching, emphasizing that he had applied a lot of Lao Tzu’s great wisdom to his work at the UN.

During a 2008 lecture in France, Supreme Master Ching Hai explained that the Tao Te Ching helps make deep spiritual truths more easily understandable to a broad range of readers.