Class Summaries 14 APR 06

	Class Summary: FRI 14 APR 2006
HOME	KSU - English 2110/09, 40 & 42 - Mr. Hagin - Revised: 14 April 2006	WLRC

Today's Topics:

Today we reviewed some scriptural passages from the three Eastern philosophies in order to identify their unique qualities and contributions to the literature.

TAOISM

Taoists believe in following the rules of Nature, referred to as "the Tao," or "the Way." Nature, after all, tells us everything that we need to know about life. The season of autumn tells us that all things in Nature decay and pass on. This may be a harsh reality, but we learn this over and over by watching these cycles in action. Taoists want to "go with the flow," referred to as the concept of wu wei, and they seek to perform only those actions that are necessary, especially ones that follow the lead of the Tao (this concept is called "P'u," the "uncarved block").

Passages from The Tao Te Ching

Commentary

"Even the finest teaching is not the Tao itself. Even the finest name is insufficient to define it" (1).
The Tao cannot be understood with words, much like the concept of love cannot be represented fairly by any one definition, poem, or song lyric.

"Great good is said to be like water, sustaining life with no conscious striving, flowing naturally, providing nourishment, found even in places in which a desiring man rejects" (8). Much like water, the Tao flows and conforms to its setting. Water fits into the little cracks and can help us to see the need to be flexible and adaptive.

"The Tao is abstract, and therefore has no form. It is neither bright in rising, nor dark in sinking. It cannot be grasped, and it makes no sound. Without form or image, without existence, the form of the formless is beyond defining, cannot be described, and is beyond our understanding. It cannot be called by any name. Standing before it, it has no beginning; even when followed, it has no end. In the now, it exists. To the present apply it, follow it well, and reach its beginning" (14). If you picture the yin/yang, you realize that one side cannot overtake the other, revealing a balance in duality. Every end is a beginning to something else. This helps us to avoid thinking in straight lines, instead reflecting on the cyclical nature of everything around us.

"The external world is fragile, and he who meddles with its natural way risks causing damage to himself. He who tries to grasp it, thereby loses it. It is natural for things to change -- sometimes being ahead, sometimes behind. [...] Sometimes one is strong, and sometimes weak, sometimes healthy, and sometimes sick, sometimes first, and at other times behind. The sage does not try to change the world by force, for he knows that force results in force. He avoids extremes and excesses, and does not become complacent" (29). To Eastern philosophers, change is the universal law of life. One must accept change and not be attached to the past. Eastern philosophers believe that the present moment, the "here and now," is the only moment with which we should be concerned.

"The motion of nature is cyclic and returning. Its way is to yield, for to yield is to become. All things are born of being; being is born of non-being" (40). Eastern thinkers use the words "being" and "becoming" to illustrate the changes in nature that fold into themselves, like one season preparing the world for the next.

"Only the soft overcomes the hard, by yielding, bringing it to peace. Even where there is no space, that which has no substance enters in. Through these things is shown the value of the natural way" (43). Since Taoism is a feminine ideal, taking the role of the more flexible option makes one stronger in the end because of adaptability. Think back to "The Oak and the Reed" poem that I read on the first day of class.

"Man is born gentle and supple. At death, his body is brittle and hard. Living plants are tender and filled with life-giving sap, but at their death they are withered and dry. The stiff, the hard, and the brittle are harbingers of death, but gentleness and yielding are the signs of that which lives" (76). Again, the affinity for that which is malleable and soft allows an individual to "go with the flow" and avoid pushing things too far. If you have no musical ability, don't try to be a music major. Follow what your natural talents allow you to pursue with enjoyment.

CAVEAT: Be careful on the quiz (or the final exam) when I ask you to identify the Eastern voices in the poetry. Many students will use hackneyed (overused) phrases to describe Taoism, such as "one with Nature" or "getting back to Nature." If you use these generic explanations on a quiz or test, I will look at these expressions as being too general to describe anything that you have learned. After all, what does "one with Nature" really mean anyway? Instead, state that Taoists follow Nature or seek their cues from it.

Also, be sure to avoid jumping to conclusions: every time that a reference is made to Nature does not confirm the voice of Taoism. Jesus told the Parable of the Fig Tree, which is a reference to Nature, but Jesus was not Taoist (although many threads of Taoism have worked their way into the teachings too). Any author can use Nature metaphors, but that does not categorize their statements as necessarily Taoist. See HOW Nature is used by the poet. When Nature seems to parallel or assist the human experience, that's usually where we see Tao leading the way. Likewise, all three Chinese philosophies make reference to The Tao, since this concept summarizes the power and influence of Nature quite well.

CONFUCIANISM

Confucius lived during a time of great turmoil, political corruption, and war. Like Lao Tzu, Confucius was a pacifist, although both Taoists and Confucianists waged war many times. Confucius saw his world as out of step with the past regimes that had society under greater control. Confucius looked at his generation as one that had lost its way, being steeped in corruption, which could only be remedied by adhering to the rules and traditions of their ancestors. Confucianists defer authority to the state and to the other hierarchical structures in society, including the family, the military, etc. If everyone plays his/her role adequately, then the well-oiled machine of society can flourish and succeed in peace. Above all, the leaders of the state, communities, and families should be followed without question. Although Confucianists may occasionally refer to the Tao, they see the Tao as the precursor of man's law, which is the one to be followed, since it was inspired by the order of Nature.

Passages from The Analects

Commentary

7:1 Confucius said: "I am a transmitter, rather than an original thinker. I trust and enjoy the teachings of the ancients."

7:19 Confucius said: "I was not born with wisdom. I love the ancient teachings and have worked hard to attain to their level."
These passages come from the subsection "Confucius' Character." They reveal the Master's penchant for studying and attaining knowledge. Without study, one may repeat the mistakes of the past or be fooled by a slick salesman. Unlike Taoism, Confucianism prides itself on training the mind with discipline in order to attain higher levels of human achievement.

10:10 When eating, he did not converse. When in bed, he did not speak.

10:12 If his mat was not straight, he did not sit on it.
These passages come from the subsection "Confucius' Character" as well. Notice that, to Confucius, everything has its time and place. When eating and sleeping, one should not talk, as everything is most proper when utilized as intended.

2:13 Tzu Kung asked about the character of the Superior Man. Confucius said: "First he practices what he preaches, and then he follows it." This passage comes from the subsection "The Superior Man." This concept sets the goal of every person to achieve his or her potential, most likely through study. One should not only say the right words but also put them into consistent action. It's okay to be good one day, but can you be consistently good?

4:11 Confucius said: "The Superior Man cares about virtue; the inferior man cares about material things. The Superior Man seeks discipline; the inferior man seeks favors."

13:23 Confucius said: "The Superior Man is in harmony, but does not follow the crowd. The inferior man follows the crowd, but is not in harmony."
These passages also come from the subsection "The Superior Man." They point to the motivation of the scholar. Will you get a college degree to please others or to learn about the world? Many people attend college simply because their parents expect them to or because most of their friends do it. Are these adequate reasons if one wants to stand alone from the crowd?

2:15 Confucius said: "To study and not think is a waste; to think and not study is dangerous."

2:17 Confucius said: "Yu, shall I teach you about knowledge? What you know, you know; what you don't know, you don't know. This is knowledge."

15:15 Confucius said: "If a man doesn't continually question, 'What is it? What is it?' then I don't know what I can do for him."
These passages come from the subsection "Study and Knowledge." These get at the heart of what the Master means by proper study. As simple as it sounds, one who attains knowledge simply knows things and can separate facts from opinions. In Greece at the same time (5th century BCE), Socrates was reported to have said the following: "The only thing that I know is that I know nothing." Now this is knowledge!

6:15 Confucius said: "Who can go out without using the door? So why doesn't anybody follow the Tao?" This passage comes from the subsection "Tao." Notice that Confucianists (and Buddhists) believe in the Tao as the controlling force of Nature. If a door allows you to enter and exit a room, then why would you attempt to do so any other way? Use things as they are intended. Walk into the room through the door because that's its purpose. Hammer a nail into wood with a hammer, not a wrench.

3:17 Tzu Kung wanted to do away with the sacrifice of the sheep on the first of the month. Confucius said: "Tz'u, you love the sheep; but I love the ceremony." This passage comes from the subsection "Miscellaneous." Confucius was strict in his adherence to traditions and rituals that connect society through the ages. Attend to traditions and keep them alive. If you don't, you will lose essential wisdom that can be communicated through these experiences.

CAVEAT: It is possible that Confucius merely thought that his generation was out of step with the more organized past, much like many Americans do. Have you ever heard your grandparents refer to "the Good Ol' Days"? Well, when exactly were these days? Many Americans look at the period after World War II as the heyday of America, but didn't we have a society that subjugated women and minorities, fueled by lingering European traditions and the fearmongering of McCarthyism? Do you really want to live with Ward and June Cleaver? Maybe we are living in the Good Ol' Days right now? Who knows? Hindsight is 20/20.

When identifying Confucianist thinking, look for adherence to traditions and societal rituals that are valid and valuable. If a character in a poem is doing the wrong things or not adhering to the proper details of a tradition, then you may notice a critical tone from the author. Many Confucian poems are critical about people's behaviors, pointing out the things that are wrong. Sometimes, you may even detect some sarcasm in the author's tone as well.

BUDDHISM

Buddhists believe that the material world is full of traps, especially emotional attachments that steer us off our spiritual course by distracting us with temptations. Only by avoiding these connections can we liberate ourselves from the emotional highs and lows that society brings us. You will often see Buddhists critiquing their material connections and seeking distance from worldly things. Buddhists strive to achieve nirvana, a state of disaffection where we do not have petty attachments to things since they do not benefit the soul. Believing in reincarnation, Buddhists often seek to break the cycles of samsara, or the repeating cycle of birth, preservation, and destruction (death). Since all life ends in death (as well as begins at death), then death is the great evil that must be circumvented through meditation. If you can defeat death, then you will not be reborn, and you therefore will have no more anxieties or hang-ups about your life, your physical body, or the world that we occupy.

Passages from The Dhammapada

Commentary

25. "By sustained effort, earnestness, discipline, and self-control, let the wise man make for himself an island that no flood overwhelms."
Buddhists seek separation from the material world, and the only way to accomplish this is by extreme self-control to avoid the earth's temptations. One should strive to become an island in the middle of the chaos of temptation. Buddhists teach that we need to become detached from the material world, since the things around us will pass away. Relinquishing attachments is most important if you want to attain peace and relief from the suffering that it is causing us.

35. "The mind is hard to check. It is swift and wanders at will. To control it is good. A controlled mind is conducive to happiness." Rule #1 of Buddhism teaches us that all life is suffering, because the mind gets caught up in the traps of the earth, which fade away and die. The soul must be disciplined enough to rise above these traps to achieve spiritual happiness.

47. "The man who gathers flowers (of sensual pleasure), whose mind is distracted, death carries off as a great flood sweeps away a sleeping village." Obviously, the earthly world is a lot of fun, but these temptations will keep the soul from attaining happiness. Buddhists teach us to let things go from this world and concentrate on connecting to the universal energy that gives us life.

63. "The fool who knows that he is a fool is for that very reason a wise man; the fool who thinks that he is wise is called a fool indeed." Looks can be deceiving on this earth. In fact, to Hinduism and Buddhism, ALL sensory stimuli are deceptions and illusions. Never trust your eyes and ears. Seek that which dwells deeper in the spirit world -- that which does not have a face or a voice cannot fool you. Pretending that you know things that you really don't is one of the ways that we deceive ourselves.

83. "The good give up attachment for everything; the saintly prattle not with sensual craving; whether affected by happiness or by pain, the wise show neither elation nor depression." Many students will think that Buddhist poetry is depressing because they focus on the pain and suffering found in the material world. Realize that this is the starting point for improvement because you can't change something if you don't recognize first that something is wrong. Buddhists will try to avoid feeling depressed because this is a reaction to the material stimuli, which is where our suffering originates.

103. "Though one should conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, he who conquers his own self is the greatest of all conquerors." Buddhists strive to release their connections to the material world and to separate their soul (atman) from the grasp of the illusory world. Taking control of your own mind becomes one of the hardest accomplishments.

153. "Through many a birth in samsara wandered I, seeking, but not finding, the builder of this house. Sorrowful is it to be born again and again." The word samsara means "the cycle of life and death." To a Buddhist, the worst outcome is rebirth because this means that you will have to live another life reincarnated, meaning that you must start over and experience the world's pain and suffering once more.

201. "Victory breeds hatred. The defeated live in pain. Happily the peaceful live, giving up victory and defeat." If you have ever followed sports teams, you know all about suffering. How did you do in the NCAA basketball pool this year? Who cares. It means nothing in the end, and you became wrapped up in needless pain and suffering because of it. Sure, it was fun to follow, but it also caused you pain, money, and time away from disciplining the self.

223. "Conquer the angry man by love; conquer the ill-natured man by goodness; conquer the miser with generosity; conquer the liar with truth." Do you see the dualities here? This reminds me of the advice that Enki gave in Atrahasis, when he instructed the people to worship the god who was bringing down the diseases, thereby killing him with kindness. This is also a Buddhist ideal (as well as a Christian one).

290. "If by giving up a lesser happiness, one may behold a greater one. Let the wise man give up the lesser happiness in consideration of the greater happiness." The greater happiness is nirvana, the concept of the extinguished flame. If your life is a flame, then you are suffering and burning. Blow out the candle and you will be at peace. Buddhists will instruct us to stop living in this world when there is a more peaceful existence out there that does not separate the I from the Thou.

341. "A man's joys are always transient, and since men devote themselves to pleasure, seeking after happiness, they undergo birth and decay." This is another passage that warns us about the never-ending cycle of birth and death, samsara.

356. "Weeds are the bane of fields; lust is the bane of mankind. Hence, what is given to the lustless yields abundant fruit." Again, release your attachments to material things and you will be at peace. The soul transcends the material world, so one should focus on the spiritual, not the material.

CAVEAT: Many of the early poems listed in your coursepacket are about serious topics, and I don't want you to walk away with the impression that Buddhists like to complain or that they write depressing poetry. Like Taoists and Confucianists, Buddhists seek peace, love, and understanding. They are simply more aware of the impacts of the material world on an individual. Every "depressing" poem is not necessarily a work of Buddhism. We must also be careful to avoid confusing the concepts of love and passion (suffering/desire). Buddhism tells us that attachment to desire causes our suffering (the word "passion" means "suffering," by definition), but love transcends desire, since it is mutually shared and conceived by the couple. For example, a mother can worry about her daughter when she fails to return by her curfew, but is her worrying going to change anything? Buddhism would suggest relieving one's self from the pain and suffering of worry, giving the mom a clearer head. However, this does not deny her love for her children. Love doesn't make us riddled with anxiety -- fear does that to us.

We also reviewed some Chinese poetry from pages 479-508 and discussed their influences from Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism:

"Garden," by Li Yu (page 500)
This is a clear example of a Taoist poem. Look for the harmony that man has with Nature -- a clear indication of Taoist thought. In the middle of the poem, we see the "washerwoman's pounding / Mingles with the wind," illustrating harmony with her surroundings. In the final few lines, the sleepless man hears "intermittent noises" that are delivered to him "by the moonlight," almost as if Nature is looking out for us.

"The Way to the Temple," by Wang Wei (page 506)
Although the opening stanza may give the indication that this poem is Taoist in influence, look at the second stanza more closely. A Taoist would not refer to the sunset as "cold," nor as something that "drowns in the lake." Look at the way that Nature is being used in the poem, not just the fact that an outdoor setting exists. The real thread of this poem can be found again in the last few lines where the reference to karma gives it away as a Buddhist poem. Buddhists are constantly looking out for sensory attachment to the world (e.g., "dragons") so that they can focus on relinquishing these attachments in order to achieve peace and tranquility.

"Ten Years It Took," by Song Sun (page 502)
Another Taoist voice is heard in this poem. This guy takes ten years to build some dilapidated shack for a house, apparently by haphazardly plopping wood planks together without measuring them or filling up the holes in the walls and ceiling. His handiwork is so poor that he can still feel the "cool wind" and see the "moonlight" from the inside. A Confucianist would shame this man for his terrible carpentry, but this Taoist is pleased since he can still touch his natural surroundings from his dwelling. In fact, he further wishes that "the mountains and the stream" could join him inside his shelter, but, since they are too large, will have to remain outside! Instead of progress, perfection, or capitalism, this Taoist simply wants to "be." Admire this man's contentment and attachment to Nature.

"Lao-Tzu," by Po Chu-I (page 507)
By quoting Lao Tzu, the author of the Taoist Tao Te Ching, the author of this poem is questioning the potential hypocrisy of Lao Tzu's message -- why use words to communicate the Tao when you said earlier that the wisest people use the fewest words? A Taoist would not question the Tao, as they would rather go with the flow and let it be. A Buddhist too would not care about this issue, since dwelling on the finer definitions of words is a matter for the material world, not the spiritual one. This poem is clearly Confucianist, evidenced by the hair-splitting and inquisitive demeanor of the author, who seems intent on disproving Taoism, the opposite philosophy to Confucianism.

"Grass," by Po Chu-I (page 486)
In this poem, the grass is burning, but not dying. Whether man is enacting a controlled burn or if its is a natural occurrence, the grass will be reborn next Spring. Its scent permeates the air and travels a great distance, leading us to the last few lines where the author parts ways with his "friend," perhaps the personification of the grass itself. This poem is clearly Taoist due to Nature operating in its typical cycle: birth, life, death, rebirth.

"Walking in the Countryside," by Wang An-Shih (page 484)
Although the first few lines seem to represent Taoism, nothing Taoist is really happening in this poem. Again, don't be lured in by a natural setting and jump to the conclusion that the poem is Taoist. After all, most of these poems are set outdoors. Look at the overall message of the poem, which is found in the last few lines: the author questions why the people, although hard workers, are going hungry when the caterpillars seem to have enough to eat. This criticism is Confucianist because it questions the social order, status, and effectiveness of the people to govern themselves. If directed by good leadership, the people should be well taken care of, just like Nature takes care of itself too. Confucianists focus on people, their social settings, and their decision-making abilities. Obviously, something went wrong here, and Nature is not to blame.

"Bound Home to Mount Song," by Wang Wei (page 489)
The Taoist influences of this poem should be evident. The river is called the "fellow voyager" of the traveling author. Notice how the harmony with Nature is established by having the journeyman's path paralleled by the Naturally flowing river. In Eastern literature, the river is often the most significant of all natural references, as it represents the flow of life and time. By following in the path of Nature, the traveler arrives home late, but at peace.

"Birthday," by Li Yu (page 495)
Here is a poem in which the author has grown old and is realizing his advanced age by "celebrating" another birthday. He asks questions about how the time flew by so fast, noticing his wrinkled skin and his few remaining days left to live. Taoists would not dwell on these issues, and a Confucianist would gain little knowledge by reflecting on the obvious. This is a Buddhist poem for the fact that the author is acknowledging his sadness and his imminent death, which, like a river, pushes him forward into a new life after his rebirth. Yes, there is a reference to the river in the last line, but this again does not mean that the poem must be Taoist. A student asked today why this poem was so depressing, so let me clarify that Buddhist poems are not depressing, although they touch upon realistic topics, and these lessons may be hard to swallow sometimes. Remember that Buddhists believe first that the condition of life is ultimately one of pain and suffering, but that this suffering is only caused by one's attachments to the material world, not because bad things are happening to them. If the poem appears to be depressing to you, maybe this is your perception caused by your own attachment to youth and life. This poem acknowledges the cycle of life and death, called samsara, which must be realized if you are going to have any chance of overcoming it.

"Blaming Sons," by Tao Ch'ien (page 485)
You should clearly see the Confucianist bent to this poem. The father is criticizing his five sons, all for their laziness and lack of interest in studying. He is not letting go, nor is he going with the flow by allowing his sons to have their own nature. A Taoist would acknowledge that each son brings unique qualities to the family, but this Confucianist author has higher aspirations for his children, although they are all failing at it.

"Dreaming That I Climb the Mountain," by Po Chu-I (page 508)
Perhaps this poem is one of our most profound in the collection. A Buddhist perspective is seen here. Po Chü-I is crippled, and therefore can no longer walk freely or without pain. He comments, however, on these amazing dreams that he has, where he is able to walk up the mountains with ease. When he awakens, he finds himself paralyzed, since reality confronts us during our waking hours. He philosophizes that he has lost nothing, since his life is now reversed in a philosophical way. Before, when he was healthy, he was able to walk while awake, but sleep would deprive him of his mobility. Now that he is older and injured, he cannot walk while awake, but this "reality" is compensated by his abilities to scale the mountain sides in his dreams. In other words, since "time is divided equally" between waking and sleeping, he has not lost his ability to "walk" since his dreams now compensate for his lack of physical mobility. He concludes that "[f]orm and spirit are both illusions," suggesting that whether he climbs the mountain during his waking "reality" or his dreamworld fantasies, both are illusions anyway; therefore, "[n]othing is lost." Classic Buddhism. Notice that this poem is not depressing, but is rather uplifting and inspirational.

"Answering the Vice-Prefect Chang," by Wang Wei (page 499)
I also placed a different translation next to this poem. I had encountered several translations when compiling the coursepacket, and I thought that seeing two distinct versions of this famous poem might be a good experience. Again, this poem has a Buddhist bent, seen in the opening lines where the speaker yearns for peace and detachment from the "ten thousand matters." The last two lines again show influences from philosophical Buddhism. After someone asks about success or failure, Wang Wei merely asks Chang to listen quietly to the fisherman on the lake singing. Does it matter whether or not the fisherman is successful? No. Remember that, to Buddhists, it is not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game. The fisherman appears to be enjoying himself, and he may not be aware that he has not caught anything today or if his bait has fallen off the hook.

"Ripe Plums Are Falling" (page 503)
This is our oldest poem, predating our three Eastern philosophies. In each stanza, more and more ripe plums fall from the tree. This symbolizes the passing of time, and even the ticking of this woman's biological clock. She yearns for a husband, but she knows that she is aging rapidly and her prospects are becoming fewer and fewer by the day. Although this poem was written hundreds of years before Taoism, Confucianism, or Buddhism, it still incorporates all three philosophies, indicating that these philosophical seeds were planted in the East for thousands of years. A Taoist might look at the falling plums as Nature's way of reminding us about time or our mortality. A Confucianist would be pleased to hear that this woman wishes to conform to society's standards of marriage. A Buddhist would look at the painful passing of time and the wrinkled faces of aging that deny us our beauty, our power, and our happiness.

"Sick Leave," by Li Po (page 485)
Many poems will include more than one voice, allowing you to recognize different origins. The next few poems reflect this blending of various perspectives. Here is a poem where a government official is working so hard that he only gets a day off work when he is sick. The last two lines tell us that the clouds bring shame "to a face that is buried in the world's dust." This line has both Buddhist and Taoist voices imbedded. The Buddhist would look at labor in the material world as nothing but a quest for dust, since all physical things turn to dust. A Taoist may also say that working extensive hours seems to violate the suggestions made by Nature. Therefore, here is a poem that incorporates both of these voices in the same line.

"The Chariots Go Forth to War," by Tu Fu (page 480)
This war poem shows the sights and sounds of Chinese chariot warfare. Our author is the father of a son who has been conscripted into battle, and this man laments on the state of affairs surrounding the politics at the time. He refers to the soldiers facing great adversity, but that they also "have not the heart to complain" -- a clear Confucian reference, since these soldiers go along with what their leader tells them. The father, however, questions the wisdom of war, and therefore may be speaking with greater Buddhist overtones.

"Night in the Watchtower," by Tu Fu (page 482)
Here is a poem about war that contains both Taoist and Buddhist reflections. The first four lines describe the cold, frosty season of winter. This is a Taoist ideal, since winter would be the most appropriate time for a war to break out, since the season of winter implies cold, hard, dead things. Spring is the season of love and romance, summer the apex of life, and autumn the decay on to death. If a Taoist wanted to fight a war, he would want to listen to the Tao, which might suggest that winter is the best season for war, leading by example. This author, however, also used Buddhist-inspired passages when he reflects on the distant woman screaming (remember that Buddhists appreciate distance from society and its temptations). Additionally, the last two lines ask the reader to listen to the sounds of fighting in the distance, referred to as the "tumult" of the world. Buddhists like to break away from the chaos and the loudness of people and societies, since these are the greatest sources of earthly temptation.

Announcements:

Remember that you will NOT be responsible for the contents of any single poem for the final exam. The final exam review guide will be available next week.

We will be reading The Ramayana next week (by R. K. Narayan), so be sure to pick up a copy of this text if you have not done so already. There is extensive assistance in the coursepacket to get you started in this story that we will cover during the next three class meetings. You can find this book just about anywhere.

Keep in mind that the first chapter will not seem well connected. I will explain why later, but for now just realize that these tales are excerpts from previous Hindu texts that lead into the narrative of The Ramayana. Next week, I will explain the context of Hinduism and how these vignettes fit into the story.

Also, you might want to dog-ear the character glossary in the front of the book. You will refer to it often. I will explain the Hindu concepts later.

We will also cover chapter 8 of The Power of Myth in the remaining two weeks of class. Some students were confused about some of its contents, so we'll get a chance to address those concerns shortly.

Due Next Time:

Hinduism (514-515)

The Avatars of Vishnu (516-518)

The Ramayana, Prologue and chapters 1-6 (Narayan, 3-113) / READING GUIDE (519-527)

Quiz 10

COLOR CODES:

-= Required -= Supplemental

Passages from The Tao Te Ching	Commentary
"Even the finest teaching is not the Tao itself. Even the finest name is insufficient to define it" (1).	The Tao cannot be understood with words, much like the concept of love cannot be represented fairly by any one definition, poem, or song lyric.
"Great good is said to be like water, sustaining life with no conscious striving, flowing naturally, providing nourishment, found even in places in which a desiring man rejects" (8).	Much like water, the Tao flows and conforms to its setting. Water fits into the little cracks and can help us to see the need to be flexible and adaptive.
"The Tao is abstract, and therefore has no form. It is neither bright in rising, nor dark in sinking. It cannot be grasped, and it makes no sound. Without form or image, without existence, the form of the formless is beyond defining, cannot be described, and is beyond our understanding. It cannot be called by any name. Standing before it, it has no beginning; even when followed, it has no end. In the now, it exists. To the present apply it, follow it well, and reach its beginning" (14).	If you picture the yin/yang, you realize that one side cannot overtake the other, revealing a balance in duality. Every end is a beginning to something else. This helps us to avoid thinking in straight lines, instead reflecting on the cyclical nature of everything around us.
"The external world is fragile, and he who meddles with its natural way risks causing damage to himself. He who tries to grasp it, thereby loses it. It is natural for things to change -- sometimes being ahead, sometimes behind. [...] Sometimes one is strong, and sometimes weak, sometimes healthy, and sometimes sick, sometimes first, and at other times behind. The sage does not try to change the world by force, for he knows that force results in force. He avoids extremes and excesses, and does not become complacent" (29).	To Eastern philosophers, change is the universal law of life. One must accept change and not be attached to the past. Eastern philosophers believe that the present moment, the "here and now," is the only moment with which we should be concerned.
"The motion of nature is cyclic and returning. Its way is to yield, for to yield is to become. All things are born of being; being is born of non-being" (40).	Eastern thinkers use the words "being" and "becoming" to illustrate the changes in nature that fold into themselves, like one season preparing the world for the next.
"Only the soft overcomes the hard, by yielding, bringing it to peace. Even where there is no space, that which has no substance enters in. Through these things is shown the value of the natural way" (43).	Since Taoism is a feminine ideal, taking the role of the more flexible option makes one stronger in the end because of adaptability. Think back to "The Oak and the Reed" poem that I read on the first day of class.
"Man is born gentle and supple. At death, his body is brittle and hard. Living plants are tender and filled with life-giving sap, but at their death they are withered and dry. The stiff, the hard, and the brittle are harbingers of death, but gentleness and yielding are the signs of that which lives" (76).	Again, the affinity for that which is malleable and soft allows an individual to "go with the flow" and avoid pushing things too far. If you have no musical ability, don't try to be a music major. Follow what your natural talents allow you to pursue with enjoyment.

Passages from The Analects	Commentary
7:1 Confucius said: "I am a transmitter, rather than an original thinker. I trust and enjoy the teachings of the ancients." 7:19 Confucius said: "I was not born with wisdom. I love the ancient teachings and have worked hard to attain to their level."	These passages come from the subsection "Confucius' Character." They reveal the Master's penchant for studying and attaining knowledge. Without study, one may repeat the mistakes of the past or be fooled by a slick salesman. Unlike Taoism, Confucianism prides itself on training the mind with discipline in order to attain higher levels of human achievement.
10:10 When eating, he did not converse. When in bed, he did not speak. 10:12 If his mat was not straight, he did not sit on it.	These passages come from the subsection "Confucius' Character" as well. Notice that, to Confucius, everything has its time and place. When eating and sleeping, one should not talk, as everything is most proper when utilized as intended.
2:13 Tzu Kung asked about the character of the Superior Man. Confucius said: "First he practices what he preaches, and then he follows it."	This passage comes from the subsection "The Superior Man." This concept sets the goal of every person to achieve his or her potential, most likely through study. One should not only say the right words but also put them into consistent action. It's okay to be good one day, but can you be consistently good?
4:11 Confucius said: "The Superior Man cares about virtue; the inferior man cares about material things. The Superior Man seeks discipline; the inferior man seeks favors." 13:23 Confucius said: "The Superior Man is in harmony, but does not follow the crowd. The inferior man follows the crowd, but is not in harmony."	These passages also come from the subsection "The Superior Man." They point to the motivation of the scholar. Will you get a college degree to please others or to learn about the world? Many people attend college simply because their parents expect them to or because most of their friends do it. Are these adequate reasons if one wants to stand alone from the crowd?
2:15 Confucius said: "To study and not think is a waste; to think and not study is dangerous." 2:17 Confucius said: "Yu, shall I teach you about knowledge? What you know, you know; what you don't know, you don't know. This is knowledge." 15:15 Confucius said: "If a man doesn't continually question, 'What is it? What is it?' then I don't know what I can do for him."	These passages come from the subsection "Study and Knowledge." These get at the heart of what the Master means by proper study. As simple as it sounds, one who attains knowledge simply knows things and can separate facts from opinions. In Greece at the same time (5th century BCE), Socrates was reported to have said the following: "The only thing that I know is that I know nothing." Now this is knowledge!
6:15 Confucius said: "Who can go out without using the door? So why doesn't anybody follow the Tao?"	This passage comes from the subsection "Tao." Notice that Confucianists (and Buddhists) believe in the Tao as the controlling force of Nature. If a door allows you to enter and exit a room, then why would you attempt to do so any other way? Use things as they are intended. Walk into the room through the door because that's its purpose. Hammer a nail into wood with a hammer, not a wrench.
3:17 Tzu Kung wanted to do away with the sacrifice of the sheep on the first of the month. Confucius said: "Tz'u, you love the sheep; but I love the ceremony."	This passage comes from the subsection "Miscellaneous." Confucius was strict in his adherence to traditions and rituals that connect society through the ages. Attend to traditions and keep them alive. If you don't, you will lose essential wisdom that can be communicated through these experiences.

Passages from The Dhammapada	Commentary
25. "By sustained effort, earnestness, discipline, and self-control, let the wise man make for himself an island that no flood overwhelms."	Buddhists seek separation from the material world, and the only way to accomplish this is by extreme self-control to avoid the earth's temptations. One should strive to become an island in the middle of the chaos of temptation. Buddhists teach that we need to become detached from the material world, since the things around us will pass away. Relinquishing attachments is most important if you want to attain peace and relief from the suffering that it is causing us.
35. "The mind is hard to check. It is swift and wanders at will. To control it is good. A controlled mind is conducive to happiness."	Rule #1 of Buddhism teaches us that all life is suffering, because the mind gets caught up in the traps of the earth, which fade away and die. The soul must be disciplined enough to rise above these traps to achieve spiritual happiness.
47. "The man who gathers flowers (of sensual pleasure), whose mind is distracted, death carries off as a great flood sweeps away a sleeping village."	Obviously, the earthly world is a lot of fun, but these temptations will keep the soul from attaining happiness. Buddhists teach us to let things go from this world and concentrate on connecting to the universal energy that gives us life.
63. "The fool who knows that he is a fool is for that very reason a wise man; the fool who thinks that he is wise is called a fool indeed."	Looks can be deceiving on this earth. In fact, to Hinduism and Buddhism, ALL sensory stimuli are deceptions and illusions. Never trust your eyes and ears. Seek that which dwells deeper in the spirit world -- that which does not have a face or a voice cannot fool you. Pretending that you know things that you really don't is one of the ways that we deceive ourselves.
83. "The good give up attachment for everything; the saintly prattle not with sensual craving; whether affected by happiness or by pain, the wise show neither elation nor depression."	Many students will think that Buddhist poetry is depressing because they focus on the pain and suffering found in the material world. Realize that this is the starting point for improvement because you can't change something if you don't recognize first that something is wrong. Buddhists will try to avoid feeling depressed because this is a reaction to the material stimuli, which is where our suffering originates.
103. "Though one should conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, he who conquers his own self is the greatest of all conquerors."	Buddhists strive to release their connections to the material world and to separate their soul (atman) from the grasp of the illusory world. Taking control of your own mind becomes one of the hardest accomplishments.
*153. "Through many a birth in samsara* wandered I, seeking, but not finding, the builder of this house. Sorrowful is it to be born again and again."**	The word samsara means "the cycle of life and death." To a Buddhist, the worst outcome is rebirth because this means that you will have to live another life reincarnated, meaning that you must start over and experience the world's pain and suffering once more.
201. "Victory breeds hatred. The defeated live in pain. Happily the peaceful live, giving up victory and defeat."	If you have ever followed sports teams, you know all about suffering. How did you do in the NCAA basketball pool this year? Who cares. It means nothing in the end, and you became wrapped up in needless pain and suffering because of it. Sure, it was fun to follow, but it also caused you pain, money, and time away from disciplining the self.
223. "Conquer the angry man by love; conquer the ill-natured man by goodness; conquer the miser with generosity; conquer the liar with truth."	Do you see the dualities here? This reminds me of the advice that Enki gave in Atrahasis, when he instructed the people to worship the god who was bringing down the diseases, thereby killing him with kindness. This is also a Buddhist ideal (as well as a Christian one).
290. "If by giving up a lesser happiness, one may behold a greater one. Let the wise man give up the lesser happiness in consideration of the greater happiness."	The greater happiness is nirvana, the concept of the extinguished flame. If your life is a flame, then you are suffering and burning. Blow out the candle and you will be at peace. Buddhists will instruct us to stop living in this world when there is a more peaceful existence out there that does not separate the I from the Thou.
341. "A man's joys are always transient, and since men devote themselves to pleasure, seeking after happiness, they undergo birth and decay."	This is another passage that warns us about the never-ending cycle of birth and death, samsara.
356. "Weeds are the bane of fields; lust is the bane of mankind. Hence, what is given to the lustless yields abundant fruit."	Again, release your attachments to material things and you will be at peace. The soul transcends the material world, so one should focus on the spiritual, not the material.