The "Tao Te Ching" and "The Analects" are collections of philosophical aphorisms that express universal truths about life. They each tend to articulate a series of ideologies that diversify a reader's intellect through behavioral guidelines that are needed within a society. It was by these strict guidelines that the ancient masters, Confucius and Lao Tzu, organized themselves into chronic prosperity while existing in the harsh calamities that the real world provides. Early Taoists and Confucianists both believed that Tao was the force that controlled the universe. However, Taoists differed from Confucianists in that they did not ascribe human moral qualities to the Tao. This is just one of the many conflictions that exist between the two. As each author voices their universal beliefs on the route to happiness, one must commonly expect to bring about the topic that delves into distinction amongst them both. In effect, the following paragraphs will compare and evaluate the validity of the main ideas in these two selections.
Lao Tzu, traditionally the author of the Tao Te Ch...
Calligraphy by Gia-Fu Feng, from the cover of the ...
Research Association of Laozi Taoist CultureThe "Tao Te Ching" is the basic understanding that individuals are obliged to excel themselves as they progress and get older. In writing this selection, Lao Tzu's main concerns were to emphasize the understanding the way of the universe and using that understanding for self-preservation. Being materialistic would only plague your soul into superfluous desires and eventually lead to complete dissatisfaction no matter what the circumstances. "Not to value goods which are hard to come by will keep them from theft; not to display what is desirable will keep them from being unsettled of mind."
Some of the passages of the Tao Te Ching seem to be addressed to a ruler, advising how to ensure the survival of a kingdom in a time of political upheaval. It advocates the idea of a manipulated...