Dao De Ching by Laozi |
Chinese - English by Bruce R. Linnell 2015 Epilogue Knut Walf |
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Tao – Way for the West?
For several years more and more people in the West are practicing Zen. Beyond the growing circle of practitioners, many are more or less familiar with what Zen means. Although it is not uncontroversial whether Zen can be practiced by nonbuddhists, at least with the final and necessary consequence, Zen exercises, or at least Zen-style exercises, are becoming increasingly prevalent in the Christian churches, and conspicuously especially in the Catholic Church and there again with first in the religious orders, adapted.
Since the interest is largely focused on the exercises themselves, the question of the origin of Zen is rarely discussed, perhaps in some books on Zen.
Zen, as it is spread today in the West, is, as it were, the consummate Japanese blossom of an old tree, the two main roots of which are China's ancient philosophy and the teachings of the Buddha brought to China from India . The word Zen and the related contents are derived originally from the Chinese ch 'in from which in turn the Chinese rendering of the Sanskrit word Dhyâna (about: Meditation) is. The Chinese monk Hui yuan (334-416), who as founder of the so-called Amida applies -Sekten the Pure Land, united Buddhist and Taoist elements in his meditations in a special way. His contemporary Seng- chao (384-414), whose writings were highly praised by later Zen masters, also combined the wisdom of the Taoist philosophers with the teachings of Buddha.
So if you study Zen or practice Zen, you sooner or later come into contact with philosophical Taoism and its contents.
While the interest in Zen in the West is relatively recent, the writings of the Taoist tradition, especially those of Lao Tse ( Laudse ) and Chuang Tse ( Dschuang Dsi ), have long been known in the West. The Tao- Te- king (Daudedsching), whose author is said to have been Lao Tse, which is sometimes referred to as the "Bible of Taoism", is believed to be one of the most widely used and translated books, according to the Bible and the Communist Manifesto. Nevertheless, it can be said that Taoism in the West did not receive the attention it gave to the teachings of Confucius. There may have been two reasons for this, which, interestingly, coincide with reservations about Taoism in China itself. There, as later also in the West, Taoism was regarded as the philosophy of life of more or less charming outsiders, even of social dropouts. On the other hand, the not very favorable image of the so-called Volkstaoism has even discredited Taoism. This folk Taoism, which can still be found today in the ancient Chinese societies outside the People's Republic of China, represents a curious mixture of remnants of the ancient Asian shaman religion with later magical ingredients, fortune telling and a tropical heaven of gods. In contrast, the highly rational and this directed Confucianism had the Westerners who came to China are more familiar and understandable. Linked to this, or in addition, other reasons for the "favor" of Confucianism by the West may be mentioned, reasons that often had to do with political calculation. After all, Confucianism was closely linked to the political forces of traditional China, apart from a few exceptions among the emperors.
Incidentally, it can not be overlooked that even the Chinese Communists, who are reformulating their critique of religion today, have great difficulties with the (re-) admission of Taoism. When they distinguish between "religion" and "feudal superstition," they mean the old folk tau- tism with the latter (the Confucius shrines, on the other hand, are restored, albeit hesitantly, and reopened).
Long reception history
In Western countries, interest in philosophical Taoism has grown tremendously over the past two decades. The editions and translations of the Taoist classics are hardly to be overlooked in the Anglo-American area; Even in France and the German-speaking countries, the most important writings can now be reached in good translations, including almost twenty Tao Te- King editions, albeit of very different quality. Well-known contemporary poets and writers confess that they not only deal with the Taoists, but also receive suggestions and answers to their questions from their writings. Representing many others are Elias Canetti, Peter Handke and Luise Rinser, from the French-speaking world René Étiemble and Marguerite Yourcenar . The philosophy teacher of Albert Camus, Jean Grenier , published a book on the Tao doctrine ( L'esprit du Tao). Canetti writes in "The Province of Man" that Taoism is the religion of poets ("even if they do not know it"). And Luise Rinser once said in an interview that in dark times, she did not help either Christianity or Buddhism, but "only the old Chinese philosophy: Taoism ...".
Well, yes, one must ask oneself in the face of such testimonies, if perhaps here with the sensitive spirits a new trend stands out, after the interest of the western intellectuals long years the Hinduism and in particular the Buddhism was valid. Such skepticism would be understandable. However, a closer examination of the backgrounds and currents reveals a different picture.
To anticipate the result: this is not a fashionable trend. Rather, the writings of the Taoist philosophers have long received their due attention, and, as in our days, well-known Western philosophers and Christian theologians have professed their appreciation. For example, Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646-1716) suggested "that missionaries of the Chinese should be sent to us who could teach us how to use and practice a natural theology." Of course, literary dissemination and engagement with the Taoist philosophers only began in France in the first half of the nineteenth century, apart from Seckendorff's Wheel of Fortune or the History of Thoangesi , which appeared in Dessau in 1783. Especially French scientists have done pioneering work here; first and foremost Abel Rémusat , Stanislas Julien and Jean Pierre Guillaume Pauthier , who laid the foundations for spreading the teachings of Lao Tse in Europe. The first complete translation of the Tao Te -King into a Western language appeared in Paris in 1842 (by S. Julien), the first two German translations were written in 1870 by v. Chr. Plaenekner and v. Bouquet published.
Some European theologians of the late 19th century, both Protestants and Catholics, studied the texts that appeared at that time with interest and were often surprised by parallels with the message of Jesus. For example, the Professor of Old Testament at the Protestant Theological Faculty in Tübingen, Julius Grill, referred to the hundred parallels between the statements of the Tao- Te King and the New Testament. Grill learned the Chinese language in order to read the texts in the original; Unfortunately, only a few »translators« of Tao Te- king undergo this effort . In 1910, the Tübingen Old Testament scholar published his own translation of Tao- Te- King ("Laos 's book of the highest nature and of the highest good"), which was widely read in German-speaking countries for a long time.
The Catholic systematist Herman Schell, one of the most important theologians of the 19th century, was deeply impressed by Lao Tse: "Among all the writings in which the religious research of humanity outside the circle of Old Testament and New Testament inspiration laid their hard-won results and the It is unlikely that one of the legacies handed down to the future as legacies will be able to dispute the primacy of Lao Tse's book . "
The interest in Lao Tse and the other Taoists and their writings (Chuan Tse, Liä Dsi ) has since then no longer extinguished in the West. Martin Buber has dealt with the Doctrine of the Tao (1910) and, like Thomas Merton, has published a collection of the parables of the Chuang Tse (1912, Merton 1965). The further serious argument of Christian theologians with Taoism may have been hindered by the fact that theosophy and esoteric tendencies Lao Tse and the other Taoists regarded as their teachers, had indeed leased. This often served idiosyncratic translations of the Taoist scriptures, especially the Tao- Te- King.
The question of the translation of Taoist literature plays a central and thoroughly conflicting role in the reception history of philosophical Taoism in the West. Those interested in the content were and are generally not powerful in Chinese, while Sinologists generally have no interest in Taoism. The latter may be due to the already mentioned contempt for Taoism in the Old and New China. However, there were and are exceptions among sinologists; for the German-speaking world only Wilhelm and Forke or Schwarz and Ulenbrook are mentioned. The own way of the Chinese language also gives occasion and rich opportunity, indeed often forces itself to translate even more than in any case in translations inevitably, interpretatively. As a result, virtually all translations of the Tao Te -King differ, in some cases significantly.
The translation difficulties begin with the term Tao itself. Tao is actually untranslatable and meaningful translators leave the word after they have interpreted how they understand it. Many interpreters translate Tao today with way, others with Supreme Being, sense or world law, with logos, natura, natura naturans or ratio ( raison , reason ), with cause première , parole , principe (= unit principle) or providence . The Chinese ideogram for Tao is composed of "head" and "foot" or "thinking" and "walking." An outstanding Taoist practitioner , Chungyuan Chang, recommends " seeing in this symbol a leader and a disciple who seek their way together." CG Jung's postulate of unus mundus seems largely to correspond to the Tao, including the logos of Heraclitus or the causa sui Spinozas. Tao is not the same as the original reason or even God!
The timeliness of the Tao doctrine
Since the Tao doctrine became known in the West, it has addressed people there and what little is known has also been shown to have political effects. In the time of the Nazi terror in the Tao Te -King , not a few found not only consolation, but also instructions on political action. Lao Tse was frequently quoted and quoted in the White Rose leaflets. The fact that the teachings of the Taoists are still religious as well as politically up-to-date should be shown by a few examples:
It stands out, first of all, that the Taoists are not masters of great or many words. Their instructions are kept short, often very pictorially. Especially the sayings attributed to Chuang Tse often have the character of Zen Koans . And Lao Tse already says in the first sentence of the Tao Te -King that the eternal Tao (Dau) is not legible. The skepticism about human cognition, learned knowledge, criticism and logic is encountered again and again among the Taoists.
The cautious restraint in speaking about the eternal Tao is particularly evident in Lao Tse. "I do not know his name, I call it the way," Dau says. And in this context, he also speaks of calling the Tao "the mother of the Ten Thousand Things, the universe's first mother" (Chapter 25). Today's theology and its doctrine should be able to find surprising parallels in Lao Tse.
But also the political topicality of the Taoists is clear. The three social alternative directions of our time (for development, disarmament and the environment) could receive some encouragement or confirmation, especially from Lao Tse. He is almost the herald of the maxim " small is beautiful " and a simple life: "A country should be small and sparsely populated. Make sure that people, while they have enough weapons for a troop or a battalion, never use them "(Chapter 80).
While the Tao Te- king generally radiates a great deal of rest, the wording chosen wisely, Lao Tse becomes almost aroused when he speaks of the abuse of violence and weapons: "Weapons are instruments of evil and are used by hated all creatures. Therefore, those who follow the path do not insist on their use. ... Weapons are instruments of evil and not instruments of the noble. If you are forced to use them, it is best if you do not enjoy them "(Chapter 31).
Despite his harsh warning about weapons, Lao Tse is not a rapturous or unrealistic pacifist. He says yes, "the noble" is only forced to resort to the weapon. And if he triumphs, this is no cause for joy for the noble one: "A victory is no reason for loud joy; Anyone who is happy about a victory also enjoys killing people. Those who enjoy killing people can not achieve their goal in the world. "And:" A victory in war can be compared to a funeral "(chapter 31).
All Taoist philosophers have a respect for nature. Violent interference with natural processes is rejected by them. "Do not make many words means to be natural" (Chapter 23). And: "So I know: Do not act against nature promotes things flourish. But instruction without words, action, but not against nature-seldom does one find such things in this world "(Chapter 43). This reminder is repeated several times in Tao Te -King (chapters 63, 64). The "cultivation" of nature, its reification, are highly skeptical for the Taoists. Chuang Tse was once asked what to do with a "useless" tree that was so gnarled and overgrown that you could not saw it into lumber. Chuang Tse's answer: "That something has no use: what needs to be taken care of! "It is said that people called this tree" god tree. "
One can not avoid talking about the misunderstandings the Tao doctrine is experiencing in the West today. This begins with the fact that in our bookshops and also in libraries the texts of the Taoist philosophers do not stand alongside those of their Western colleagues or in the section of religious studies. As a rule, they are still classified in the so-called esoteric literature. This is explained in two ways. Firstly, about half of the Tao Te- King editions on the market in the German-speaking countries come from publishers specializing in esoteric literature or peculiarities.
The way to the Tao
The other reason that Taoist literature still finds skepticism and misunderstandings has to do with linking the Tao doctrine to all sorts of issues. To clarify what is meant, mention only once the titles of two books that are currently much read: Capra's The Tao of Physics and Jolan Chang's The Tao of Love Teachings in Ancient Chinese Love Art. It can not and can not be disputed that in the two mentioned books, as in many others appearing in the different languages, connections between Tao doctrine and numerous topics are made in a responsible way. Nevertheless, in such books, one usually encounters the author's own interpretations of the Tao doctrine, that is Lao Tse, Chuang Tse or Liä Dsi .
The path to the Tao should therefore be taken under the guidance of these Old Masters. "Lao Tse" is an honorary title and means "Old Master". And just as every attempt to approach the origin, the way to the Tao and the way (= Tao) is itself exhausting and laborious. Lao Tse says, "The way out of the mouth is without seasoning; he is not to be seen, he can not be heard, he draws from him, but he remains inexhaustible "(chapter 35).
Tao and silence are one thing. There is nothing striking, sensational, exotic about the Tao: "I sink deeply into the silence" (chapter 16). What Lao Tse Tao calls "is still and empty, and it stands alone and does not change" (Chapter 25). And he goes on to say: "Silence and tranquility bring the whole kingdom back to the right proportions" (Chapter 45).
Lao Tse, too, as a seeker of the Tao, seems to have been a lonely quieter. Bertolt Brecht's poignant poem, written in 1938 (»Legend of the Origin of the Book of Taoteking on the Lao Tse's Path to Emigration«), makes this possible. And the aforementioned theologian Grill believes that Lao Tse's loneliness has "proved to be a part of his power." Grill further writes in 1910: "It may be that, because he was not fully understood in his time, his time is even in the first place, that he is not a man and a name of the past, but a force of the present and the past Future. He is more modern than the modern and more alive than many living«.