What is the Diminishing Desiresin Taoism? 什么是寡欲
Paul PengWhat is the Diminishing Desiresin Taoism?
A basic principle for the conduct of Dao practitioners.
Dao De Jing regards “manifesting the plain, embracing simplicity, reducing selfishness and having few desires” as a life principle, stating: “There is no greater crime than indulging desire; no greater disaster than discontent.”
What is the Diminishing Desiresin Taoism?Like Buddhism, Confucianism and other world religions, Daoism recognizes the hierarchy of human needs, pointing out the danger of material desires extinguishing one’s original nature (The Dao nature). It urges people to choose between the supreme joy of unity with the Dao and fleeting secular material desires.
Taoism implements the principle of “few desires” into cultivation practice, establishing many precepts to restrain practitioners’ secular material desires. However, Taoist “few desires” is not asceticism. Taoism persuades people not to indulge in material desires, but does not generally deny the enjoyment of material life.
The most attractive part of the Taoist celestial realm theory is the heavenly reproduction of the life of earthly emperors. The longevity pursued in Taoist cultivation can also be seen as affirmation of worldly happiness. Therefore, “few desires” means the restraint and transcendence of material cravings and empty fame.
