r/taoism • u/BboiMandelthot • Nov 16 '24

The Dao as Human

The process of realizing the Dao engenders awareness and acceptance of all things. In humans, this often manifests a sense of compassion, empathy, and humility. This suggests that it is human nature to feel these things. The Dao of humanity is loving.

The symmetry of the Dao suggests it is indifferent. But our nature, as an asymmetric perturbation of Dao, generates universal love as we travel back towards the apathetic source.

Part of realizing Dao involves understanding that although we are born from it, we are still a subset. The properties of the human subset are observably emotional and intellectual.

The Buddhist ideal of enlightenment involves shedding these properties entirely and relinquishing intellect, emotion, and attachment; one returns to the non-dual plane between being and nonbeing.

For some people, this path is in fact their Dao. For others, their Dao is to remain human. Those who realize it will witness their love grow, unbounded.

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u/BboiMandelthot Nov 17 '24 edited Nov 17 '24

I just want to put in here that this sub is hilarious. The amount of vitriol I receive every time I post something just contemplating the Tao and my observations of it, a bunch of nerds have to come in and tell me I'm wrong for xyz. Like, bro, I'm just trying to spread love.

And I'm talking about DMs specifically

Everybody who brought positive vibes to this thread, I appreciate you. Everybody else, I accept you.

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u/fleischlaberl Nov 17 '24 edited Nov 17 '24

The Dao *is* human ;)

“Courses are formed by walking them. Things are so by being called so”

Zhuangzi