Encounter with Mystery

In life there are many opposites: good and evil, light and dark, male and female. In Chinese belief these opposites are joined together to form the yin-yang symbol. The Yin is the dark, evil, female, and negative aspect of all life and yang is the light, good, male and positive aspect of life. In the Yin-Yang symbol these two halves are joined together in a balanced, perfect union represented by a circle. These halves are ever shifting and yet always balanced. Wisdom is recognizing these movements in a rhythm and moving with them. This is the Tao, or the "way". From the earliest writings of Taoism to the modern Taoist movement we can use the religion to see the mystery of paradoxes and opposites and examine how this mystery balances the lives of its followers.

Part I

In order to get a better understanding of this mystery of opposites let us start at the beginning with "The Tao-te Ching," the first written canon of Taoism. "The Tao-te Ching" is believed to have been written by Lao-tzu, a 160-year-old curator of the Royal Library during the Chou Dynasty, who was departing society for the mountains and was asked by the border guard for a record of his wisdom (Fisher 191). The writing of "The Tao-te Ching" is estimated to have taken place in 350 B.C.E. The first chapter in "The Tao-te Ching" will be our focus:

The way that can be spoken of
is not the constant way;
the name that can be named
is not the constant name.
The nameless was the beginning of heaven and earth;
the named was the mother of the myriad creatures.
Hence always rid yourself of desires in order to observe its secrets;
but always allow yourself to have desires in order to observe its
manifestations.
These two are the same
but diverge in name as they issue forth.
Being the same they are called mysteries,
Mystery upon mystery
The gateway of the manifold secrets... (164-165)

As we separate out the lines and reinterpret them we can begin to understand the meaning of the passage better. The Way or Tao that mortals can understand and talk about is not the True Way or Tao; the names that we use for the Tao and/or deities are not the true names for the Tao and/or deities. The mystery is the names of their god or gods and even the basis of the religion "The Way" is unknown to them. These deities or the Tao that we use our own names for and not their true names are the origin of heaven and earth and the creator of all things. Even though we do not know the names of the gods or the Tao, we do know they created everything. If you can rid yourself of human desires you can see the secrets of Tao, but if you have human desires you can see the manifestations of the Tao. These secrets and manifestations are the same, and the fact that they are is the mystery of life. This mystery leads to more mystery in which is the key to the secret of life.

Among the mysteries of the origins of the Universe and the names of the deities is the main mystery in the religion. That is in the middle of the above quoted passage there is a great example of the duality of Tao: to withhold your desires to understand the secret of Tao but to have desires in order to see its manifestations are two apparent opposites. In the next line however, we see that these secrets and manifestations are the same, very similar to Yin and Yang; the union of opposites becomes one with the Tao. Yet, how can these two opposites be the same? Therein lies the great mystery of Taoism, and the answer to the mystery lies in each follower's own interpretation of the text.

Part II

One way to try and figure out this mystery is to compare the concepts from this first chapter of "The Tao-te Ching" with other early writings of Taoism as well as modern practices. Chuang Tzu was a great Sage in early Taoism. He is believed to have lived between 365-290 B.C.E. In one of his writings, "The Great and Venerable Teacher," he discusses the True Man.

The Way has its reality and its signs but is without action or form. You can hand it down but you cannot receive it; you can get but you cannot see it (168).

In this passage from Chuang Tzu there are more of these paradoxes that represent and explain the Way. This is very similar to "The Tao-te Ching" discussed earlier, and Chuang Tzu shows the True Man to be in balance of these paradoxes and opposites. "The True Man ... did not rebel against want, did not grow proud in plenty (167)," Tzu posits in one of the many examples of the True Man's balance of opposites in life. Similar to the opposites in Lao-Tzu's passage of abstaining desire to see the secrets of the Tao, but needing desire to see the manifestations of the Tao. The difference is that Chang Tzu discusses the balance of the two opposites. Perhaps this is how the desiring and not desiring are the same. Chuang Tzu continues to discuss how maintaining this balance can enable the True Man to "climb high places and not be frightened (167)" or "meet with success and not make a show (167)." The True Man is the epitome of balance and the perfect Taoist, which gives him extraordinary knowledge and peace of mind or as Lao-Tzu put it in his passage "The gateway of the manifold secrets... (165)." This teaching of a True Man to the followers of Taoism encourages them to find balance in life and they too shall receive wisdom and knowledge.

A more modern example of the mysterious union of opposites is T'ai-chi-chuan also known as T'ai Chi. T'ai-chi-chuan, or T'ai Chi, is a practice of stylized postures to become one with the opposite elements of the universe. Al Chung-liang Huang explains about the relationship between Yin-Yang, people, and T'ai Chi in the selection "The Essence of T'ai Chi." Huang discusses the opposing positive and negative energies of Yin and Yang moving together in unity like a "white fish and a black fish mating (179)." This is another correlation to the "Tao-te Ching," the opposites of positive and negative, in a balanced unity. Another example of living a balanced life is the answer to the mystery of the Tao. He continues in this discussion by pointing out that as humans we have "a tendency ... to identify with one force and to reject the contrasting element (179)." This acceptance of one half of the opposites creates imbalance in our lives, and therefore unhappiness and disappointment. T'ai Chi can help the followers of Taoism become centered again through its slow and precise movements. T'ai Chi balances the opposites of mind and body and constancy and change through its slow movements. By achieving this balance, you are more in line with the Tao, with the balance of opposites and closer to the answer to the mystery of the Tao. As your body moves through the postures slowly your mind becomes aware of the subtle details of your movement. You become aware of the constant changing of your body and its movement. T'ai Chi is practiced for both physical health and for teaching the mind to flow with change so that action is effortless (Fisher 199).

Part III

There is a certain amount of attraction to a good mystery. Mysteries have driven the entertainment industry for years with books, television and movies. Philosophers and religions have attempted to explain the mysteries of life. As humans we are drawn to mysteries, attempting to figure them out and learn. What is particularly interesting about "The Tao-te Ching" is that it explains the secret to life as a balance of opposites: solving the mystery of life is as easy is staying in harmony with nature and your surroundings; keeping the balance of your desires with repression of those desires; and not interfering with the natural order of things.

However, what is not appealing about the Tao is the paradox of opposites and enigmatic air the followers create while trying to solve the mystery of the Tao; for example, one has to want, but not want, or achieve but without trying. These broad concepts are not as easy as a direct answer and can create more confusion for a follower who reads too much into the canon.

The best example of experiencing this in real life is women and men, classically described as Yin and Yang. They are timeless examples of duality and opposing polarities. These two opposing forces come together in their opposition in a perfect union to create life. Perhaps this simple instinctual act was a creative force originally behind Yin and Yang?

Due to the recent Catholic holiday of Easter the religious teaching to contrast the teachings of "The Tao-te Ching" to is The Passion of the Christ in the Gospel of Matthew. In the story, we see the suffering of Jesus Christ as the salvation of man, a metaphor for the suffering of man in order to reach the Kingdom of God. There is very little mystery in this metaphor. As followers, Catholics know the Jesus died for us, for our sins to be forgiven, so they can gain entrance in his Kingdom. There is no serious amount of interpretation needed by Catholics; no mystery for them to hash out in their day-to-day lives, no balance for them to strive for. In contrast to this tampering with the balance of good and evil, mind and body, the secrets to happiness in life and death according to "The Tao-te Ching" lie in not interfering with the natural order.

Works Cited

2005 Created by Matthew Wollman. This document was last modified on May 22, 2005 15:20:58 EDT

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