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A review by silvio
The Book of Chuang Tzu by Zhuangzi
4.0
Forget everything, including yourself, go calmly with the flow of how things are, here & now, empty, and there will be no more problems. Naturally.
Chuang Tzu's book is a lovely read, a juicy cocktail of deep truths, absolute nonsense, and everything in between (as all is the same, in a way), making for both deep contemplation and deep belly laughs. There's both the emptiness and lightness of enlightened Zen Buddhism (which actually has been greatly influenced by Taoism in its formation) and the more earthy, gravity-bound animism of shamanism... Naturalness (which is what Taoism is all about) lies in both of them. The cosmology actually has quite some similarities to Nondual Shaiva Tantra (which I love). I really like the vibe of Taoism - the "watercourse" way.
However, I must say that I had expected a bit more from this book. Having only read the Tao Te Ching prior to this one, I didn't know much about Taoism, even though I guess I thereby knew it's essence. Chuang Tzu allowed me to get more of a taste of it. Just as in the Tao Te Ching, I loved the deep philosophical statements and the whole vibe of flow & emptiness (a Truth shared with many other spiritual traditions), humility & serenity, and not to forget humor (all that being the "ultimate" state of being), but then when it gets to the practical stuff - how to get (or become) there - well, in a way, it's rather empty, too, and that's not so helpful. For me there is too much emphasis on accomplishment and too little humility (even though Taoism is all about humility) in the practical teaching itself. It sounds beautiful, but I just don't really find it so practical (most of the time). And there are some things that really don't resonate with me, like some views on politics and government. The Tao is timeless, it is the way of things - but the way towards that way is not quite so timeless, in my opinion. I'm a 21st century Westerner and yes I'm guilty for romanticism, but also for a need for practicality. I think Zen would be an upgrade from Taoism for me (and then, of course, Nondual Shaiva Tantra is a big upgrade from that). But, well, maybe I have to find a more practical book about Taoism, or maybe I'm still misunderstanding it (obviously I am)...
Chuang Tzu's book is a lovely read, a juicy cocktail of deep truths, absolute nonsense, and everything in between (as all is the same, in a way), making for both deep contemplation and deep belly laughs. There's both the emptiness and lightness of enlightened Zen Buddhism (which actually has been greatly influenced by Taoism in its formation) and the more earthy, gravity-bound animism of shamanism... Naturalness (which is what Taoism is all about) lies in both of them. The cosmology actually has quite some similarities to Nondual Shaiva Tantra (which I love). I really like the vibe of Taoism - the "watercourse" way.
However, I must say that I had expected a bit more from this book. Having only read the Tao Te Ching prior to this one, I didn't know much about Taoism, even though I guess I thereby knew it's essence. Chuang Tzu allowed me to get more of a taste of it. Just as in the Tao Te Ching, I loved the deep philosophical statements and the whole vibe of flow & emptiness (a Truth shared with many other spiritual traditions), humility & serenity, and not to forget humor (all that being the "ultimate" state of being), but then when it gets to the practical stuff - how to get (or become) there - well, in a way, it's rather empty, too, and that's not so helpful. For me there is too much emphasis on accomplishment and too little humility (even though Taoism is all about humility) in the practical teaching itself. It sounds beautiful, but I just don't really find it so practical (most of the time). And there are some things that really don't resonate with me, like some views on politics and government. The Tao is timeless, it is the way of things - but the way towards that way is not quite so timeless, in my opinion. I'm a 21st century Westerner and yes I'm guilty for romanticism, but also for a need for practicality. I think Zen would be an upgrade from Taoism for me (and then, of course, Nondual Shaiva Tantra is a big upgrade from that). But, well, maybe I have to find a more practical book about Taoism, or maybe I'm still misunderstanding it (obviously I am)...