Nature, Life and MeditationComply with NaturePowerPoint PresentationCook Ting/Ding TransformedSlide 5Later Taoists on MeditationDifferent Views on NatureSlide 8Zhuangzi’s ReceptivenessEvolution of Taoism/DaoismSlide 12Slide 13Yin-Yang CosmologySlide 15Slide 16Slide 17Slide 18Theory of correlation in New DaoismSlide 20Slide 21Slide 22Slide 23Slide 24Slide 25Slide 26Slide 27Slide 28Slide 29Slide 30Slide 31Slide 32Han Conceptions of ImmortalitySlide 34Slide 35Organized Daoist ReligionSlide 37Slide 38Slide 39Slide 40Slide 41Slide 42Slide 43Slide 44Slide 45Nature, Life and MeditationThe Great Clod“burdens me with form, toils me through life, eases me in old age, rests me in death. Thus, that which makes my life good is also that which makes my death good…. (ZZ 6:5, p.59)Life and death are equally pleasurableAccept death/go along with heaven, then can one enter natural transformation without regretComply with NatureSit and forget (ZZ 6:9, p. 64)slough off your limbs and trunkdim your intelligencedepart from your formleave knowledge behindbecome identical with the great Way (Transformational Thoroughfare)“Sit and forget” enables one to transform into a renewed beingStop Unnatural ActionStop galloping forward (ZZ 2:3, p.14)Do not abandon five precepts (ZZ 2:9, p.19)Nurture/cultivate one’s inner qi/ch’i spiritual transformation can make one a renewed person/being, and can lead to physical transformationConcentration (ZZ 3:2, pp.26-27)Fasting of the mind (ZZ 4:1, p.32)Sit and forget (ZZ 6:9,p.64)Cook Ting/Ding TransformedStory about Cook Ting/Ding: Cutting an ox without seeing the whole ox (p.26)“After three year, I no longer saw whole oxen..”Brick painting in the Wei-Jin PeriodAccomplished an incredible feat: Meet the Accomplished an incredible feat: Meet the ox with his spiritox with his spirit““Today, I meet the ox with my spirit rather than Today, I meet the ox with my spirit rather than looking at it with my eyes. My sense organs stop looking at it with my eyes. My sense organs stop functioning and my spirit moves at pleases. In functioning and my spirit moves at pleases. In accord with the natural grain, I slice at the great accord with the natural grain, I slice at the great crevices, lead the blade through the great crevices, lead the blade through the great cavities. Following its inherent structure, I never cavities. Following its inherent structure, I never encounter the slightest obstacle even where the encounter the slightest obstacle even where the veins and arteries come together or where the veins and arteries come together or where the ligaments and tendons join, much less from the ligaments and tendons join, much less from the big bonesbig bones……..”” (p.26) (p.26)““since I am inserting something without any thickness since I am inserting something without any thickness into an empty space, there will certainly be lots of room into an empty space, there will certainly be lots of room for the blade to play around infor the blade to play around in……..””(p.27)(p.27)Later Taoists on MeditationLater Taoists developed elaborate skills based on Zhuangzi’s ideas:Five steps as progressive gateways to the Dao:Fasting and abstention: cleansing the body and emptying the mindSeclusion: withdrawing deep into the meditation chamberVisualization and imagination: taming the mind and recovering original natureSitting in oblivion: letting go of the personal body and completely forgetting oneselfSpirit liberation: spirit pervasion of all existenceDifferent Views on Different Views on NatureNatureAntagonistic:Antagonistic: Buddhism’s maya; European “man of middle ageBuddhism’s maya; European “man of middle ageNature is alien peril of the spiritNature is alien peril of the spiritEarly Confucianism: Early Confucianism: Treated animals in derogatory terms; indifferent to animal Treated animals in derogatory terms; indifferent to animal behaviorsbehaviorsExploitative: want to conquer/plunder natureExploitative: want to conquer/plunder natureTheistic/anthropocentric:Theistic/anthropocentric: (existence of a high (existence of a high god)god)Catholicism: “God created man in his own image”; Catholicism: “God created man in his own image”; Mohism: creatures and things are created by a Mohism: creatures and things are created by a divine providence for the sake of man divine providence for the sake of manAnalytical: sympathetic, detached, questioning Analytical: sympathetic, detached, questioning (some Chinese philosophers such as Wang (some Chinese philosophers such as Wang Chong)Chong)Animistic/moralistic: personification of nature; Animistic/moralistic: personification of nature; deification of forces and objects of nature; deification of forces and objects of nature; attributed human qualities to the forces and attributed human qualities to the forces and objects of nature (later Daoist adepts)objects of nature (later Daoist adepts)Semi-receptive: interested in seeing how Semi-receptive: interested in seeing how human actions might affect the world of non-human actions might affect the world of non-human phenomena; more interested in human human phenomena; more interested in human than nature (scientists in modern times)than nature (scientists in modern times)Wholly receptive: see things in light of nature; Wholly receptive: see things in light of nature; seek union with nature; find the presence of seek union with nature; find the presence of the Tao in all things. (the Zhuangzi School)the Tao in all things. (the Zhuangzi School)Zhuangzi’s Zhuangzi’s ReceptivenessReceptivenessBased on a holistic view of natureBased on a holistic view of natureDon’t impose on “wonton” human values and Don’t impose on “wonton” human values and institutions (ZZ 7:7, p.71)institutions (ZZ 7:7, p.71)Man should comply with nature, even be Man should comply with nature, even be intoxicated with natureintoxicated with natureThe relationship between man and nature is that The relationship between man and nature is that of harmonious rather than competitive.of harmonious rather than competitive.Nature is so immense that it encompasses all Nature is so immense that it encompasses all realities (known and unknown), noumenon (thing realities (known and unknown), noumenon (thing in itself) and