Hoff argues that “Knowledge for the sake of Knowledge” is counterproductive because it fills people’s minds with abstract ideas and concepts, when living in harmony with the world requires people to have an empty mind and interact with the world based on instinct. Hoff encourages his readers to pursue wisdom rather than knowledge because wisdom helps people achieve the state of happiness and serenity that Taoists call enlightenment, while mere knowledge distances them from it.Īccording to Taoists like Hoff, knowledge and cleverness don’t help people achieve true happiness, but actually bring them farther away from it. In other words, people use knowledge to turn things against their true purpose, while wisdom involves using things for their proper purpose. Whereas people gain abstract knowledge in order to impose their will on the world, Hoff argues, they gain wisdom in order to live in harmony with that world. Hoff thinks that too many people pursue knowledge instead of wisdom-they try to name and define truths about the world instead of simply living them out. Instead, to truly live well, people must feel the truth and embody it through their actions. It’s not enough to simply learn lots of information or know about the truth in the abstract, he argues. If you keep a simple mind, stop battling with life and let life take its own course without interfering, then everything will work out.In The Tao of Pooh, Benjamin Hoff argues that Taoism requires understanding the world in an entirely new way-one that many of his readers probably haven’t tried before. You don't have to be a Taoist to believe this, but it is there. There is power in the simplicity of your mind before it is exposed to the ways of the world.Īll of these together make up only part of Taoism, but they are very important parts. You are able to do things spontaneously and make them work.
If you are an uncarved block you have the ability to enjoy the simple and quiet, the natural and plain. P'u is talking about your mind as it is unaffected by knowledge or experience. P'u is the uncarved block, the characters in Chinese that make the word P'u means "wood not cut" and from that you can get things in their natural state. Chapter 37 of the Tao Te Ching says, "Tao does not do, but nothing is not done." Taoists believe that when you work with your inner nature, and don't try too hard, you won't make mistakes. The principle of Wu Wei is if you don't do something, then it will still work out. An example used in The Tao of Pooh is when Kung Fu'tse jumped into the waterfall and lived, it is because he did not struggle, he simply let the water take him under and then push him back out. "Wu Wei means without doing, causing, or making" (Hoff, 68). The last part of Cottleston Pie is, "Why does a fish, I don't know why" this means not to question the reason something is being done, just let everything do what it is supposed to. Stop trying to make things fit into how you want to, everything will work better if you let everything be used for what it is meant for. The second part, "A fish can't whistle, and neither can I" is saying because everything is made for a purpose, do not try to change that purpose. The first part of this riddle, "A fly can't bird, but a bird can fly" means everything is made for a specific purpose. The idea of Cottleston pie is a very simple one it is saying that you need to let things do what they are meant to do and not question why. The best way to explain Taoism would be in Benjamin Hoff’s The Tao of Pooh using the principles of Cottleston Pie, Wu Wei, and P’u.Ĭottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie.
COTTLESTON PIE TAO OF POOH FREE
Watch the turmoil of beings, but contemplate their return.” This is a good idea of what Taoists believe, they believe that you need to free your mind of all thoughts and just let life play itself out. In chapter 16 of the Tao Te Ching it says, “Empty your mind of all thoughts.
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