51. Sima Chengzhen: The Discourse on Dao and Its Embodiment
A Sourcebook in Global Philosophy - Mohammed Rustom
Livia Kohn [+]
Boston University
Description
The Discourse on Dao and Its Embodiment (Daotilun) is a short scholastic treatise in dialogue format associated with Sima Chengzhen (d. 735 CE), the twelfth patriarch of Highest Clarity (Shangqing) Daoism at its height under Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang. The text focuses on the nature of created existence, described as beings (wu), which are both fully at one with Dao and also individual, independent entities. The relationship is intricate and complex, with Dao bringing forth the underlying blueprint closely related to cosmic chaos (here called “chaos complete”), while Virtue, related to the patterns of yin and yang (here described as the “great symbol”), fills in the particulars, establishing concrete reality—that is, embodying Dao in visible and tangible forms. The Discourse on Dao and Its Embodiment also discusses the role of language and the conscious identification of objects and aspects of reality by speaking of “names.” They are secondary to reality, that is, they form a later part of the embodiment process, but also have creative powers in that they shape the way people look at the world. Names are essential in both the growth of consciousness and its ultimate overcoming in the Daoist cultivation process into a state that is both empty and silent.