Taoism > Masters > Lao-tzu |
|||
Almost everything we know about Lao-tzu comes from the Historical Records of Ssu-ma Ch'ien. On the other hand, Lao-tzu is one of the basic characters of the Chuang-tzu's stories - unfortunatelly they are mostly fictious. According tu
Ch'ien Lao-tzu was born in the state of Ch'u and his birthplace was in what is known nowadays as Ho-nan province. He was a curator at the Royal Library when he met Conbfucius to talk about rites. This conversation offers much insight into the differences between Taoism and Confucisnism. Lao-tzu surname was Li; his name was Erh (meaning ear) and Tan (long ears) which seem to point to a certain pecualiarity of his ears. Also don't forget that old sages
were As for the name Lao-tzu it is only a nickname meaning the Old Philosopher of sage. Disgused with the morals at the royla court Lao-tzu would left and gone West. he would hav Accrding to Ch'ien Lao-tzu's philosophy
Ch'ien also adds more details regarding the old master: "Lao-tzu cultivated the Tao and its attributes, the chief aim
of his studies being how to keep himself concealed and remain unknown." Finally, Ch'ien traces Lao-tzu's descendants until 1st century B.C. and concludes:
Those who attach themselves to the doctrine of Lao-tzu condemn that of the Literati, and the Literati on their part condemn Lao-tzu, verifying the saying, "Parties whose principles are different cannot take counsel together." Li R [Lao-tzu] taught that by doing nothing others are as a matter of course transformed, and that rectification in the same way ensues from being pure and still.
These notes are all that we have about Lao-tzu's life and work. There's no indication concerning the sage's journey to the north: he simply gets out of our sight the minute he passes the boundary of the state of Ch'u. At Lao-tzu's Death Surprisingly enough, a story from Chuang-tzu
still offers us details about Lao-tzu's death. The funerals of the master are described here, with many grieving disciples. Nonetheless - Legge concludes - this narration might be just another of Chuang-tzu's fancies: "to give him the opportunity of setting forth what, according to his ideal of it, the life of a Taoist master should be, and how even Lao-tzu himself fell short of it".
=> Lao-tzu PLao-tzuictures => Quotes => Lao-tzu: About: Nan-yung Khu is Granted Instruction |
|||
Copyright 1999-2010, Way of Perfect Emptiness. All rights reserved. |
|||
Lao-tzu by Eskild Tjalve (click the picture to enlarge) |
||||
Confucius meets Lao-tzu |
||||
