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Chapter 2 Compare And Contrast The Qualities Of A Sage

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In the Daoist religion, the daoists have their own idea of the ideal person or sage. A sage is a person who has yielding qualities of human nature and has it easiest to lead a perfectly balanced life in harmony with the Dao. A sage is like many different people who all have strengths in different things, and if they all combined together that would equivalent to a sage person. The theme Sage or ideal person is explained by comparing and contrasting the qualities of sage, finding the biggest contradiction through the qualities of sage, and applying these qualities of sage to existing life. Through comparing and contrasting different qualities of sage people can narrow down what it truly means to fulfill being an ideal person. In chapter 27, …show more content…

In chapters 38 and 9 it talks about a man who steps back from society and does not take part in anything. He basically just lets everything come to him by waiting and clearing the mind of everything. It says, “He has no will of his own. He dwells in reality, and lets all illusions go” (DDT 38). He lets everything that seems too good to be true go, and no will of his own. But what contradicts with this example of sage is in chapter 27. Chapter 27 talks about freeing the mind and everything but the huge contradiction is acting in the moment. It says, “Thus the master is available to all people and doesn’t reject anyone. He is ready to use all situations and doesn’t waste anything” (DDT 27). In this chapter a sage seizes the moment without hesitation. To live a good life he does not waste any of it, and knowing there is a limited time of life, he acts on every opportunity that comes his way. This strongly contradicts with chapter 9, because it says, “Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench” (DDT 9). It is saying do not chase after something because it could make you unhappy, but it is an opportunity that could be taken. This could be a paradox because they both mean sort of the same thing, but they could not mean the same thing at the same

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