Category: Taoism

Wu Wei

Wu wei (pronounced “woo-way”) is an important principle in Taoism. Wu wei is the process by which we can come closer to the Tao, or Way.

It has been described as “action through inaction” or “creative quietude.” It does not mean that we do nothing and wait for things to fall into our laps. Rather, it means studying life so that we can accomplish things through minimal action.

We can see this in action in martial arts such as judo, where defence consists of using an attacker’s own force against him or her, rather than fighting against it.

Water is often described as having the virtues of wu wei. Think about water in different forms: as a stead drip, as a river, as a waterfall. How does it show the virtues of “action through inaction”?

Wu Wei: Action in Inaction

Wu wei, or “action through inaction,” can be used in many ways. For example, if someone treats us with anger or with hatred, we should not respond in the same way. This will just make things worse. A Taoist story shows this principle at work.

There was once a great warrior who, though old, had never been beaten. One day a young warrior challenged him. The young man was not only strong, but also skilled at spotting any weakness in an opponent. He would let the opponent make the first move, thus revealing his weakness. Then the young warrior would strike and defeat his opponent.

The old warrior accepted the challenge and the two stood facing each other, prepared for battle. For a long time, neither man moved. Then to provoke the old man, the young man began hurling insults at him. He threw dirt at him and spat in his face. But the old warrior merely stood there. Unable to provoke the old warrior into showing any weakness, the young warrior finally acknowledged that he was beaten.

How did the old man use wu wei in this fight?

Wu Wei in Your Life

A person who lives according to the Taoist principle of wu wei, or “action through inaction,” is able to achieve things without strain.

Wu wei is like floating in saltwater: if we give ourselves up to the water, we can achieve our goal – floating – without effort. But if we fight against the natural action of the water – for example, by trying to dive deep – we have to struggle to achieve our goal.

Describe a time when you acted in accord with wu wei, achieving your goal without strain.

Chuang Tzu and Death

Chuang Tzu, who lived from about 369 to 268 B.C.E., was a leading Taoist thinker. (His name is also sometimes spelled Chuangtse.) his parables and anecdotes were collected in a book that bears his name, Chuang-tzu.

Chuang Tzu said that the only way to be happy and truly free was by understanding the Tao, or Way. If we understand the Way, then we need not fear death, as it is merely an inevitable part of the Way. Death makes new life possible.

How would you describe death?

Chuang Tzu and Skill

Chuang Tzu, a leading Taoist teacher, wrote about the pleasure and importance of skill. It is possible to slip into a kind of meditative state where one can perform effortlessly at painting, singing, dancing, and so forth.

We’ve all had experiences like this, where something suddenly seems effortless. When have you had an experience like this? What were you doing? How did the experience affect your sense of time?

Dreams

Chuang Tzu was a leading Taoist thinker. His teachings are collected in a book, Chuang-tzu. This story appears in Chuang-tzu.

Once upon a time, I, Chuang Tzu, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was Tzu. Soon I awoke, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man.

Explain what you think this story means.

Fish Story

The Taoist teacher Chuang Tzu was walking with a friend over a bridge. Chuang Tzu saw some fish darting about and said, “That is happiness for a fish.”

His friend said, “You’re not a fish! How do you know what makes a fish happy?”

Chuang Tzu responded, “You’re not me! How do you know I don’t know what makes a fish happy?”

What was Chuang Tzu saying to his friend?

On Politics

Chuang Tzu, the Taoist thinker, was offered a job at the emperor’s court. He responded:

Sir, have you seen a sacrificial ox? It is decked in fine garments and fed on fresh grass and beans. However, when it is led into the Great Temple, even though it might earnestly wish to be a simple calf again, it’s now impossible.

What do you think Chuang Tzu meant by this?

Understanding the Universe

The Taoist thinker Chuang Tzu lived about 2,500 years ago, at a time when people knew very little about the world around them. Still he tried to understand the phenomena of nature. He wrote:

Do the heavens revolve? Does the earth stand still? Do the sun and the moon contend for their positions? Who has the time to keep them all moving? Is there some mechanical device that keeps them going automatically? Or do they merely continue to revolve, inevitably, of their own inertia?

Do the clouds make rain? Or is it the rain that makes the clouds? What makes it descend so copiously? Who is it that has the leisure to devote himself, with such abandoned glee, to making these things happen?

Given what you know about Taoism, why do you think Chuang Tzu might have been interested in the workings of nature?

In Front of the Chariot

The Taoist teacher Chuang Tzu often used stories to present important ideas. Here is one of these stories.

A praying mantis was standing in the road when a chariot came along. The insect thought he could stop the chariot by waving it away. But the charioteer did not even see the mantis, and it was crushed.

The Taoist lesson is that it is important to know when you can affect events and when you can’t.

Write about a time when you stepped in front of a “charging chariot.” When did you think you could affect something when you were actually powerless?