On the Question of Taoism

ON THE QUESTION OF TAOISM

A talk delivered at Thanh An Tu

Dinh Phap Tong Ly
Nguyen Minh Thien

I. DEFINING THE WORD “DAO” IN TAOISM

Let me first define the word DAO (the Way). This word originates in the Tao Te Ching of Duc Lao Tu (Lao Tzu). The rulers of China, honoring Him, bestowed upon Him the title THAI THUONG DAO QUAN, or THAI THUONG LAO QUAN — this title was not one He claimed for Himself, as many mistakenly believe, sometimes with a mocking intent.

The first chapter of the Tao Te Ching states: “The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name” — meaning: the Dao that can be put into words is not the everlasting Dao, not the eternal Dao. The Name that can be called is not the everlasting Name, not the eternal Name.

• What does this mean?
• It means: the Dao is not a thing possessing form or color that we can see or call by name. Yet without some term to call it by, how could the Dao ever be explained? Out of sheer necessity, the sages of old borrowed a special term merely to serve as a symbol. To truly understand its meaning, one cannot simply gaze upon its outward appearance — one must borrow this symbolic form, then dissect it, investigate it, and reflect deeply until reaching the formless reality within, and only then does one truly perceive it.

Further on, in this same first chapter, appears the line: “Nameless, it is the origin of Heaven and Earth; named, it is the mother of the ten thousand things” — meaning: when the Dao is nameless, it is the very origin of Heaven and Earth; when the Dao is named, it is the mother that gives birth to the ten thousand things.

• What does this mean?
• It means: though the Dao possesses no form, it gives birth to and transforms into all forms — it gives birth to and transforms into every person, every creature, every mountain and river within Heaven and Earth; nothing at all fails to arise from the root of the Dao. Hence it is said: “though the Dao is nothing, it is something; though it is something, it is nothing” — but this does not mean it is truly empty, a mere vacancy like empty space. If it were truly empty like a vacancy, it would be called “obstinate emptiness” (ngoan khong), and obstinate emptiness is barren and lifeless, incapable of giving birth to or transforming into anything at all — how, then, could it possibly be the Dao!

Furthermore, the Dao without Virtue (Duc) cannot constitute the True Dao. In other words: before the Dao gives birth and transforms, it is called Dao; once it has given birth and transformed, it is called Duc (Virtue) — this distinguishes the two different phases. In truth, Dao and Duc share a single substance; they are not two separate things. Modern philosophy calls Dao the noumenon, and Duc the phenomenon. Buddhism calls these Dharma and Buddha. Confucianism calls these Heaven and the Supreme God. Hinduism calls these Brahman (the Law) and Brahma (the Being, or the First Being)…

Dr. Wieger, a Catholic scholar who translated the Tao Te Ching, wrote: “A single, first principle, originally concentrated and in great stillness, then issuing forth of itself to give birth and transform. When this principle is motionless, it is called Dao; when this principle becomes active, it is called Duc” (Recueilli, on l’appelle Dao; Agissant, on l’appelle Duc).

Taken as a whole, the Dao is “a single thing with two faces” — meaning: one thing, one substance, possessing two aspects, at times hidden and at times manifest, and therefore difficult to fully measure.

The above is the absolute meaning of the word Dao, written with a capital D. Please do not mistake this for the ordinary, worldly meaning — such as “dao” meaning moral principle, meaning a particular religion, meaning method (as in the phrase “there is a great method [dai dao] for generating wealth”), or meaning a road or path (as in “duong dao,” a roadway) — all of which are written with a lowercase d. Students of the Dao, misunderstanding it according to this ordinary meaning, end up going astray on the wrong road — but it is by no means the Dao itself that has gone astray. The error lies with the person; if one does not understand clearly, one should seek further study, rather than blaming the Dao — this would be truly regrettable!

In what follows, allow me to explain a number of terms belonging to the doctrine of Taoism that many people likewise misunderstand, precisely because they fail to grasp the meaning of the word Dao clearly.

II. A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DOCTRINE

The doctrine is exceedingly vast, impossible to cover fully within a single sermon. Here, I shall explain only a few of Taoism’s most essential terms, so that fellow believers may attend to them and form a general understanding of Taoism.

1. WU WEI (VO VI — NON-ACTION)

This may be called the single most important term, encompassing all the other meanings found within Duc Lao Tu’s Tao Te Ching.

Vo means “not” or “without.” Vi means “to act” or “to do.” Vo vi thus means “non-action,” equivalent to saying “no fabrication, no artificial creation.”

Though the literal meaning of these two words is “not doing,” one should not mistake this to mean that the Dao consists of idleness, of doing nothing at all. The scripture states: “Non-action, yet nothing is left undone” — meaning: doing nothing, yet accomplishing everything; there is nothing that is not done. What this means is: not acting according to the ordinary, worldly manner — that is, not engaging in “action” (huu vi). “Huu vi” is thus the term that stands in opposition to “vo vi.” We should first come to understand this opposing term, so that the meaning of “vo vi” may become clear.

2. YOU WEI (HUU VI — ACTION)

Huu means “to have” or “to possess.” Vi means “to make” or “to produce.” Huu vi thus means “having been produced” or “brought into being.” Whatever comes into existence through the effort of people or things (not existing before, existing afterward) is called huu vi.

All phenomena of huu vi, produced through human effort, are impermanent — meaning: they arise and perish unpredictably, present today, gone tomorrow; though they appear to exist now, after some time they will dissolve into nothing. Phenomena of huu vi arise from causes and conditions, and so possess no true substance — meaning: there is no genuine, enduring substance that lasts forever without decay. Since it is said that they arise from causes and conditions, then when these causes and conditions come together, form arises; when these causes and conditions disperse, that form dissolves. This is simply the natural principle occurring before our eyes every single day — I imagine everyone already understands this clearly, and there is no need for further lengthy explanation.

The Diamond Sutra contains a verse:

All phenomena of conditioned existence
Are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow,
Like dew, and also like lightning —
One should contemplate them thus.

Vietnamese rendering:

All conditioned phenomena,
Are like dreams, like bubbles and foam,
Like dew and mist, and also like lightning,
Must be contemplated in just this way.

Thus, both Buddhism and Taoism alike place no value on huu vi, and both faiths equally aspire toward vo vi — that is, not engaging in worldly “action.” What lasting worth could there be in pursuing worldly action, that one should need to cultivate it — except insofar as certain acts of huu vi serve to prepare the way toward the practice of vo vi. As one Taoist poem states:

At first, cultivating through action, no one perceives it;
Only upon reaching non-action does everyone come to know it.
They see only that non-action holds the deep, subtle mystery,
Never realizing that action itself was the very foundation.

Vietnamese rendering:

At first cultivating through action, none can see it,
Only reaching non-action does its excellence become known.
They see only non-action as the subtle mystery,
Never knowing that action was truly the foundation.

The practice of vo vi alone is truly genuine, truly enduring.

Why is this so?

• Because vo vi is a phenomenon without form or appearance — it cannot be perceived through the six senses: seen by the eye, heard by the ear, touched by the hand, and so on. Precisely because it has no form or appearance, it can endure forever, never subject to decay through all ages.
• The practice of vo vi consists in extinguishing the ego, discarding self-interested intention — for self-interested intention seeks only selfish benefit for oneself alone, regardless of harm done to others.
• By contrast, the practice of huu vi nourishes and inflates the ego, filling it with greed and desire, sinking ever deeper into a bottomless pit, never willing to stop short of death itself!

Duc Lao Tu said: “Returning is the movement of the Dao” — meaning: turning back and returning is the very principle by which the Dao moves.

The theory of vo vi arises from this very principle. Huu vi means going outward, moving ever forward and away. Vo vi, by contrast, means returning, turning back. If a person continues to chase after the six dusts (sense objects) of the external world, without knowing how to turn back toward the Dao within one’s own inner mind, one will naturally suffer harm, will naturally endure pain and misery.

Hence “purity, stillness, and non-action” constitute the very core teaching of Taoism. One who practices Taoism must at all times keep the mind tranquil, pure, and empty, for only then can it become clear and bright, able to fully comprehend the True Principle. This MIND is called Luminous Awareness (Minh Giac) by the Immortals’ tradition, Prajna by Buddhism, and Innate Conscience (Luong Tri) by Confucianism. To practice vo vi is to cultivate this very Mind, also called the Mind of the Dao (Dao Tam), as distinguished from the ordinary mind of worldly people, also called the Human Mind (Nhon Tam).

The scripture states: “The human mind is ever perilous; the mind of the Dao is ever subtle” — meaning: the human mind is exceedingly dangerous and harmful, while the mind of the Dao is exceedingly fine and subtle — pointing out to people how to choose which path they must walk. Is this saying not utterly precise and true? How could we possibly regard it lightly and let it pass unheeded?

3. NHU NHUOC (SOFTNESS AND YIELDING)

In chapter 36, Duc Lao Tu states: “The soft overcomes the hard; the weak overcomes the strong” — meaning: that which is soft prevails over that which is hard, and that which is weak prevails over that which is strong.

He further states, in chapter 40: “Weakness (yielding) is the function of the Dao” — meaning: softness and yielding constitute the very function and application of the Dao.

Nhu nhuoc means to be soft and yielding, to defer to others rather than employing force to resist them — this is the very art of “prevailing skillfully without contention,” meaning: achieving victory skillfully, without engaging in strife.

• But wait! How is it possible to achieve victory without contending with others at all?
• Nhu nhuoc, spoken of here, does not mean submitting to defeat in every matter, doing nothing at all to achieve success. No, not at all! This is rather a skillful, supple method of contention that leads to ultimate victory, without resorting to force. The person of highest goodness is like water. Water benefits the ten thousand things without contending with them. It flows to fill whatever is empty, and withdraws from whatever is full; it avoids the heights and seeks the depths, ever adapting fluidly to its surroundings, flowing even through what is turbid and unclean without ever losing its own true nature. Hence the earlier saying: “Weakness (yielding) is the function of the Dao.”

People commonly find pleasure in imitating and competing with others, their hearts filled with vain, wandering thoughts, merely copying others rather than living according to their own true nature, putting on false pretenses in accordance with the conventions of the outside world. But how much happiness one would find in living according to one’s own true nature — a life that is noble, genuine, and never contrary to what is natural! Hence the scripture states: “The hard and strong occupy the lower position; the soft and yielding occupy the higher position” — meaning precisely this: hardness and strength belong to the lower rank, while softness and yielding belong to the higher rank.

I still recall, in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, that Khong Minh (Zhuge Liang) habitually employed softness and yielding, while Truong Phi (Zhang Fei) employed hardness and strength. Yet in this world, wherever I look, I find only scenes displaying this very hardness and strength on every side.

Truong Phi once mocked Khong Minh, saying that mere softness could never overcome Chau Cong Uan (Zhou Yu). Khong Minh then revealed that he could kill Chau Cong Uan with nothing more than a writing brush. At this, Truong Phi grew visibly agitated, repeatedly jabbing the writing brush into his own mouth and demanding of Khong Minh: “Has Truong Phi died yet or not?” But in the end, Khong Minh sent Chau Cong Uan a letter, at the very moment of his military defeat, filled with excessive praise, which provoked him to such fury that he vomited blood and died. Is this not a case of softness overcoming hardness and strength?

This secret method of softness and yielding is a most excellent one, but only a person of superior wisdom and subtle brightness knows how to employ it to good effect. “Subtle brightness” (vi minh) means “a light of subtle, marvelous quality” — related, from another angle as discussed above, to what is called “the mind of the Dao is ever subtle.” “Subtle” here means minute and deeply hidden, difficult for the ordinary person to perceive or understand. Hence, according to Duc Lao Tu’s own words, it is no wonder at all that the small-minded person, hearing the Dao spoken of, and failing to comprehend it, breaks into laughter and mockery!

4. TEACHING WITHOUT WORDS

In chapter two, Duc Lao Tu states: “He dwells in the practice of non-action, and carries out the teaching that is without words” — meaning: to conduct oneself according to the method of vo vi, teaching others without the use of speech.

Chapter 43 further states: “The teaching without words, the benefit of non-action — few in the world are able to attain to it” — meaning: the method of wordless teaching brings benefit through the practice of vo vi, yet few people in the world are able to reach this lofty, transcendent level.

• What does it mean to teach without speaking?
• To say nothing at all, and yet have others understand one’s meaning. This too runs contrary to worldly convention. Why is this?
• As stated in the previous section: “The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao” — because the Dao possesses no shape or color, how could it possibly be put into words? Whatever can be expressed in words is no longer the everlasting, eternal Dao.

Moreover, since human beings employ ordinary reason (worldly intellect) to seek understanding of the Dao, however lofty and transcendent the Dao may be, it inevitably becomes reduced to something common and trivial. Ordinary reason can only perceive tangible objects; even in terms of perception, being trapped within the realm of tangible objects, it can know only some small outward portion, never able to fully penetrate to the thing-in-itself (chose en soi), the noumenon, which is the deeply hidden essence of the Dao.

Even if someone who has attained realization of the Dao were to speak of it, the ordinary person hearing these words still could not possibly understand them. To understand the Dao, the practitioner must rectify the mind and extinguish desire, emptying the heart completely, setting aside all form and appearance, and gradually cultivating and studying — only then can understanding gradually come. But the “study” spoken of here is by no means the study of chasing after external objects, examining forms piece by piece, like the four blind men each groping at a different part of the elephant. This study is a transcendent, holistic study, rising above both mind and matter — hence it is said: “to study the unstudied” — this is by no means ordinary worldly study.

In the Hymn of Praise to the Supreme God (Xung Tung Thuong De) of the Third Amnesty, we find these lines:

• “Non-action, yet directing and employing the myriad spirits” — meaning: doing nothing, and yet directing and commanding all the myriad things. Is this not precisely “non-action, yet nothing left undone“?
• “Without words, yet silently proclaiming the great transformation” — meaning: without speaking, yet quietly teaching throughout the whole of Heaven and Earth. Is this not precisely: without speech, yet spreading virtue everywhere?

Is this not, at once, a hymn praising the merit and virtue of the Supreme God, while at the same time expounding the marvelous principles of the Dao contained within it? This makes abundantly clear that the Dao and the Supreme God are by no means separate and distinct from one another. The Dao is precisely the Supreme God; the Supreme God is precisely the Dao. Though the terms used to address them differ, their true substance remains one and the same.

The Hymn of Praise to the Supreme God of Minh Ly Dao likewise states:

From ancient times we have gazed in reverence upon the numinous Way,
Which holds the foremost throne among the sun, moon, and stars.

(referring precisely to the Supreme God)

III. TAOISM IS ONE, THOUGH IT HAS NOW DIVIDED INTO MANY BRANCHES

Duc Lao Tu appeared in the world five hundred years before the Christian era, and thus it has now been nearly twenty-five hundred years since His time.

According to early historical accounts, when He traveled westward, He transmitted the Tao Te Ching to Quan Doan Hi (the Keeper of the Pass, Yin Xi). Later, people came to discover various other important scriptures as well, such as the Inner Chapters and Outer Chapters of the Yellow Court Classic, the Scripture of Purity and Stillness, the Scripture of Responsive Causation, and others. And as with other major religions, later generations of Patriarchs — such as Liet Tu (Lieh Tzu) and Trang Tu (Chuang Tzu) — produced still further scriptures and texts.

Like other major religions, Taoism likewise possesses two aspects: an esoteric aspect and a popular, publicly disseminated aspect. Because the esoteric aspect was not widely transmitted, people at large have little clear understanding of the full extent of Duc Lao Tu’s theory. For this very reason, misunderstandings of His theory have been extremely widespread — a truly regrettable state of affairs! At present, Taoism has divided into four branches, as follows:

1. Metaphysical Studies (Huyen Ly): the branch of reclusive hermits, living a free and unrestrained life, dating from the time of Emperor Wei Wendi and most famously represented by the group known as the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove.
2. Golden Elixir (Kim Don): the branch of alchemical refinement. The “Golden Elixir” spoken of here is by no means a medicine one drinks in order to attain eternal life. Rather, it is a symbolic term for one’s own original nature. There is a verse that attests to this:

The Prior-Heaven original nature — this is called the Golden Elixir,
Refined to completion within the furnace of the Eight Trigrams.
The deluded of this age search for medicine outside the body,
Drinking it down, imagining they will rise upon the clouds.

Vietnamese rendering:

The Prior-Heaven original nature is called the elixir,
Refined to completeness in the furnace of the eight trigrams.
The deluded seek medicine outside their own bodies,
Drinking it, imagining clouds will bear up their feet.

If I understand this correctly, this indeed represents the true and proper method of cultivation and refinement within Taoism. French translators render “Kim Don” as “Alchimie divine” (divine alchemy), practiced within one’s own inner mind, as distinguished from “Alchimie terrestre” (earthly alchemy), the branch concerned with external metallurgical refinement.

1. Talismans and Registers (Phu Luc — seals and mudras): This is the branch associated with Truong Giac (Zhang Jue), who made use of the Book of the Divine Master Yu Ji to incite the Yellow Turban Rebellion near the end of the Han dynasty. Afterward came Truong Dao Lang (Zhang Daoling), who was granted by the emperor the title of Celestial Master (Thien Su), and whose descendants transmitted this branch through many succeeding generations, including figures such as Cat Hong (Ge Hong).
2. Prophetic Texts and Apocrypha (Sam Vi — divination and geomancy): Numerous Confucian scholars, such as Luu Huong (Liu Xiang), Khong Hanh (Kong Xing), and Cung Thang (Gong Sheng), all placed their faith in this theory, and Emperor Quang Vu Đe (Guangwu) likewise believed in it, causing this movement to flourish still further. Later figures such as Phi Truong Phong, Vu Kiet, and Ta Tu all became renowned masters of the art of prophecy.

Taoism encompasses all things — is there anything at all that is not the Dao? But because each person specializes in only a single branch of study, numerous different sects and branches have arisen. For this reason, as with other religions as well, it has proven impossible to avoid a certain mingling of the correct with the deviant, of strange superstition alongside true teaching. This is by no means a fault of the doctrine itself, but rather arises because persons of lesser understanding, poorly versed in the doctrine, fall into error and confusion. Or else certain persons exploit it for profit, seeking fame and personal gain. The wise person, therefore, should not lump everything together indiscriminately and condemn it all as one, thereby causing Taoism to suffer such an unjust and undeserved reputation.

IV. CONCLUSION

Above, I have given a general account of Taoism. Much of what Duc Lao Tu taught is exceedingly profound and deeply hidden, seeming at times to run contrary to ordinary worldly life. Ordinary people find it difficult to understand, and so often misconstrue His lofty and transcendent meaning. They take the Dao of Duc Lao Tu to be a passive, negative Way, on account of terms such as Vo Vi (non-action), Nhu Nhuoc (softness and yielding), and the teaching without words.

• What does it mean to be “passive” or “negative”?
• It means idleness, doing nothing, always retreating and falling behind the rest of the world, never daring to strive forward with effort.

I ask you, my listeners, to consider: is this truly the case? Certainly not. Though outwardly it may appear passive, as though doing nothing at all, inwardly it is, on the contrary, deeply active — for it acts through clear and luminous wisdom, and so achieves, in the end, truly excellent results. Whereas if we examine the affairs of ordinary worldly life, people rush about anxiously, hurrying from south to north, and though this appears active on the surface, because they lack far-sightedness and broad understanding, the results turn out incomplete and spoiled, becoming, in effect, truly passive and unproductive.

I therefore urge all fellow believers to seek to understand the deeply hidden teachings that the sages of old have taught within the scriptures of Taoism, rather than hastily judging by outward appearance while abandoning the inner substance, forgetting the spirit while chasing after material things. Do this, and you shall surely and unfailingly attain the goal — drawing near to the Immortals and Buddhas, and thereby attaining boundless happiness, a joyful life, and infinite peace.

Before concluding today’s discourse, I offer my prayer that all fellow believers may swiftly advance along the path of virtue, and I wish for peace throughout the world, and prosperity and contentment for all people everywhere.

With utmost sincerity and faith.