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The passages of the Tao Te Ching were a deep challenge for me. The Way of Life for the Taoist is put forth very plainly in the second passage of number 48. “By letting go, it all gets done; The world is won by those who let it go! But when you try and try; The world is then beyond the winning.” I believe Taoism is based on conforming to life around you. Not trying to change your circumstances but give in to them and let nature take its course. It was very important to me to understand the Way according to Taoism in order to complete this assignment. I read and reread these passages over and over until the message of number 48 hit me. The rest of my essay will be based on this concept. The passages of the Tao Te Ching given for this assignment can be grouped into three categories. They consist of the Way itself, the Way and people, and the Way and society. Passages 1 and 4 characterize the Way. In Passage 1, the Way is stated as being nameless and uncharted. Nameless and uncharted means unknown, but by surrendering to the unknown, the Way can still be found and experienced. The Way is “secret.” The Taoists didn’t believe that desire and longing was a part of conforming. Covetousness can cloud your thinking and if you are not careful, you’ll only see what’s on the outside and miss the beauty that is deep within. In Passage 4, the Way is “a void, used but never filled; an abyss it is, like an ancestor from which all things come.” I don’t look at this as never being filled to the point of being used up, but as constantly being used but never needing to be re-filled. Like our heritage, it will always be there. The Way, takes the edge out of sharpness, fixes things we might be ensnared in, balances light, and gives peace in times of unrest. All of things can be accomplished by adapting to the situation and “letting go.” The Way is “A deep pool, never to run dry!” Similar to the first verse, it is always there and will never run out as long as you use it.
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