Taoism and I Ching

[jeg]

Something occured to me today.

One idea of Taoism is that all dualities are an illusion which we need to transcend. The I Ching is based on yin and yang, which seems to me to be about as duality as you can get (excuse my grammar!) Is there a contradiction here somewhere? If I work with the I Ching over a long period of time, will I not become increasingly aware of the duality of things, which is the opposite of what Taoism is about?

 

[jeg]

In other words, is the I Ching really Taoist?

 

[bradford_h]

Hi Jeg-
Correction-
The 10 Wings of the Yijing rely heavily on Yin and Yang (actually, Rou and Gang, flexibility and firmness). The Zhouyi (original portion) does not use the concepts, but its graphics use a dualistic form. The Zhouyi simply uses the term Dao as a metaphor, meaning road or path.
No the Yijing is not Daoist. It came many centuries before Daoism. Laozi and Zhuangzi were not Daoists either. And Laozi only uses the Yin and Yang pair once.
You are right to suspect dualistic thinking as representing something less than perfect wisdom. But it is less than perfect from both the Yixue (Yi Studies) and Daoist perspectives, once the doctrines are truly understood.
b

 

[anita]

Chris,

Is the Laozi you're referring to actually Lao Tzu? If so, I know that on my path he IS a Daoist. He was one of the masters.

Best for your Quest
Anita

 

[jeg]

Thanx for the clarification.

 

[gene]

Jeg

What you are questioning gets into a philsophy, or better, a concept, that cannot easily be explained in a short chapter. The concept in a very tight nutshell,is that there is a unified whole, it is called wu chi. However, from the wu chi, came a division. (The universe was bored.) This division created all opposites. Yin and Yang. Thus it is said, without an up, there cannot be a down. Without a front, there cannot be a back. Without evil, there can be no good. (Some people get all hung up on that last one.) But the front and the back, in totality, is the wu chi. (This is not exactly correct, but as close as I know how to describe it.) The duality really exists, but by going beyond that, we understand the basis of that duality, or the unity behind it. But, once again, as Lao Tzu said, "He who talks does not know, and he who knows does not talk." So, I suppose I should shut up, before I continue too far showing my ignorance.

Gene