laissez-faire
The Tao takes nature as its law and responds to the world with nothing, accomplishing all things as well as the self. Its teachings can be described as simple yet profound.
Nature and Wu Wei are two different but closely related doctrinal terms. The so-called nature, “Tao Te Ching” says: “Man is lawful to the earth, the earth is lawful to the sky, the sky is lawful to the Tao, and the Tao is lawful to nature. Heshang Zhenren’s note says: “Tao is natural and has no law”. This means that the nature of Tao is nature, and the natural law of Tao is imitated by both heaven and earth.
When a person is born between heaven and earth, the highest law of his behavior should be to follow the law of nature of Tao. In nature, there is no fixed pattern; the Tao generates everything, and everything grows naturally according to its own nature, without holding or waiting, without any imposed factors, thus ensuring the harmony of the natural world. When one cultivates the true Tao, one should follow the natural nature of Tao, conform to the laws of natural change in heaven and earth, respect the characteristics of all life in nature, and commit oneself to maintaining the harmony of nature. For all things in this world, do not force them, but follow the natural laws of things that happen and develop. One should know enough, know how to stop, and know how to be constant, in order to make the mind calm and the spirit sublimated.
However, in order to truly enter or reach the realm of “nature”, it is necessary to practice the method of “doing nothing” in the world. In the Tao Te Ching, it is said, “The sage does nothing and teaches without words. It also says, “The Tao is always doing nothing but doing nothing. It tells people that the Tao is practicing inaction and realizing all things through inaction, reflecting the great physical nature of the Tao. Therefore, the so-called inaction is not a passive inaction, but to oppose the “have to do”, to follow the laws of nature, do not force or interfere with the natural occurrence and development of things, and only natural is perfect. For this reason, Wang Jingyang said in his poem “The Way of Nature”: “The Way of Nature is not doing anything, but if you insist on doing nothing, you will be doing something”.
He admonished Taoist practitioners to practice the true way of natural inaction and not to have any attachment to it. Therefore, in the early Taoism, “Wu Wei” was regarded as the fundamental teaching principle of conforming to the Tao’s will, obtaining the heart of heaven, and achieving peace. It also pointed out that if one practiced Taoism and did nothing, it would be beneficial to one’s spirit if one governed oneself, and to the people if one governed one’s country.
This embodies the basic attitude of Taoism towards social politics and cultivation in the world.
But life in the world, on the honor and glory, Chinese clothes and food, treasures and tone of wealth and goods always have some aspirations, but the aspirations beyond the natural law of inaction will appear all kinds of harm, into greed. In addition to observing the teachings of quietness and low desire, monks should also observe the human attitude of simplicity and inaction.
To eliminate greed, to be indifferent to the will, not to have a strong desire, the basic goal is not to be detached from the reality of society, to the whole body as the goal of cultivation, but the danger of leaving the blame, and ultimately to achieve forget its form, no attachment, the realm of natural inaction. In this regard, the “cloud book seven sign” also from two aspects of the explanation: First, when the first to avoid harm. Far from suspicion, far from the little man, far from the honor, far from the line.
Be careful with your mouth and food, be careful with your tongue, be careful with noise, be careful with fighting. Often think about the faults, change from good. Secondly, we should be able to understand astronomy, geography, personnel; ghosts and gods, and timing. On the basis of a positive understanding of nature, society and human relationships, one can better learn the Way and cultivate the Tao.
