The influence of Lao Tzu ideas to Buddhism

1. The Philosophical ideas
of Lao Tzu

2. Lao Tzu
❑ China philosopher
(6th-5th Century BC )
❑ Same period with Confucian
(Kong Zi) , Greek Philosopher
Thales, Heraclitus and
Gautama Buddha.
❑ The author of “Dao De Jing”
(Sutta of the way and virtue )

3. Philosophical idea of Dao:
Wu wei – Non-doing
❑ Dao means “the way of
life” or “order of nature”.
❑ Wu wei (無爲) is a key
concept of Lao Tzu’s on
Dao, means “doing
nothing”, or “non-doing”.

4. Effortless doing
❑ People misinterpreted “doing
nothing” as something
passive, lazy or negative.
❑ But means “effortless action” .
❑ If no action is needed based
on the laws of nature, doing
anything is overdoing.

5. Just fit actions
❑ Ex: planting a tree, need
sunlight, fertilizer and water.
❑ Watering the plant everyday,
and let it grow naturally.
❑ Don’t water too much,
without excessive or wasted
effort is non-doing.

6. Balancing effort
❑ Ex: learning ride a bike.
❑ Struggle too much,
over “doing” or “acting”,
easy fall down.
❑ Found the balance and
momentum, ride with
little effort, move
ahead effortlessly!

7. Flow with nature
❑ Know when to do and when
not to do, flowing with
nature.
❑ “Seem like doing nothing,
but one could accomplish
everything”.
❑ Wu wei: Unity between the
self and nature, a loss of self-
identity.

8. Philosophical ideas on relationship:
Weak is good
❑ Normal ideas: People must
strong, smart and clever.
❑ Ex: Teeth and tongue
❑ Ex: Tree and grass
❑ Lao Tzu: Don’t strong,
don’t smart, be humble,
simple and less desire.

9. Softness overcoming hardness
❑ Ex: Water and mountain.
❑ Water is soft, but can penetrate
stone, mountain and earth,
change its shape.
❑ What is strong not really strong,
what is weak also not really
weak.
❑ Soft character can go further,
sharp character easy get
conflict .

10. The influence of Lao Tzu to the Buddhist
❑ After Master Bodhidharma达摩
from India introduced Ch’an (Zen)
Buddhism to China, the two
philosophies interact harmonious.
❑ Many concepts and ideas taught
by the Buddha and Lao-Tzu are
comparable and complementary .

11. Zen and Wu wei– Non doing
❑ Zen seeks simplicity,
mentioned more on
“Emptiness”, simple
life; simply “flow” with
nature.
❑ Very similar to the
Lao Tzu concept of
‘Wu-Wei’ (non-doing).

12. Suññata and Interconnectedness
❑ Wu wei similar with
emptiness (Suññata) and
Interconnectedness in
Buddhist.
❑ Suññata is more about
inter-connectedness
(Dependent Origination)
than nothingness.

13. Dao give rise to all beings
❑ Dao does not have “being”, it is not a thing or a substance in
the conventional sense.
❑ It cannot be perceived, but it can be observed through the
things in the world.
❑ Dao gives rise to all beings, but itself
does not have being.

14. Suññata -- Nothing is independent
❑ Suññata is
recognizing that
nothing has an
independent stand
alone existence, all
existing is dependent
origination.

15. Live harmony with nature
❑ Both Lao Tzu and Buddhist
encourage on live in
harmony with the nature.
❑ Lao Tzu’s work is
important, serve as a
reminder of the
importance of naturalness,
emptiness and openness,
that flourished Eastern
philosophy.

16. END