Tolerance:  The Way to The Harmonious World

     Speech at The Interfaith Summit 2009

   Huang xinyang  Vice President of Daoist Association of China

Distinguished professors from   Griffith University and  Pure Land Learning College, Ladies and Gentlemen:

Good morning!

This is a grand meeting of Asia religious circles. I am very glad to attend this meeting and discuss how to maintain the peace and development of Asia and even the world with you. And, I felt the responsibility on our shoulders, because we are religious believers. On the bases of mutual respect, by friendly and frankly communication, Chinese religious circles is willing to maintain the peace of Asia and the world, to maintain the sustainable development of human being, to promote the harmonious between person and person, religion and religion, culture and culture, social system and social system, to promote the harmonious between human and nature.

Today, I`d like to share the ancient Daoist religious wisdom of multiple faiths with all of you , that is :Tolerance, the Way to The Harmonious World.

Daoism is an indigenous religion in China which dates back to the Estern Han Dynasty when it was officially created.It with Dao de jing as its major classic, regards Lao-tse as the hierarch and the idea of “respecting doctrine and valuing virtue”as its core.

Daoist culture and Taoist religion is the religion (culture) and belief with the characteristic of Chinese ethnic peoples, which integrated Chinese primitive religious beliefs, Yan Qi Fangxiandao and the beliefs of southwest minority nationality. Daoism has a strong influence on Chinese history, politics, philosophy, astrology, geography, medicine, literature, and so on, even the formation of Chinese psychology. Why Daoism is one important part of Chinese traditional culture? A basic reason is Daoism has the spirit of tolerance.

一、     Tolerance is the spirit of Daoism

The spirit of tolerance comes from master Lao-tse, as he said in Dao dejing:” Being tolerant, he is impartial; being impartial, he is kingly; being kingly, he is in accord with Nature; Being in accord with Nature, he is in accord with Dao; being in accord with Dao, he is eternal, and his whole life is preserved from harm.” That is, if people know the permanent nature laws that all things return to void and quiescence, they can emulate it so that they are open-minded and contain everything; if contain everything, they can be disinterested; if disinterested, then comprehensive; if comprehensive, people can return the nature; if people reach the degree, people reach the degree of coincidence with the "Dao" of void and quiescence; if coincidence with the "Dao", people can keep peace for long time and will not meet danger all the life. In the opinion of Lao-tse, containing is in accord with "Dao". In other words, "Dao" has the character of "containing". "Dao" is the body of "void", "void" is containable.Lao-tse advocated open-minded in cultivation of professional ethics.

二、A person is great when he can be tolerant

A person is great when he has the tolerance of Daoist religion.Lao-tse said: " How did the great rivers and seas become the Lords of the Ravines? By being good at keeping low. That was how they became lords of the ravines. Therefore in order to be the chief among the people. One must speak like their inferiors. In order to be foremost among the people, one must walk behind them. Thus it is that the sage stays above, and the people do not feel his weight; walks in front, and the people do not wish him harm. Then the people of the world are glad to uphold him forever. Because he does not contend, no one in the world can contend against him. " That is, numerous rivers are gathering to the seas, the reason is that the seas are good at locate the lower place. So, if the saint want to be the leader of people, he must be approachable and modest; if he want to be the model of people, he must put his interest after the interest of people. Therefore, the saint occupied the upper and the people were not be oppressed; the saint located in the front and the people are not be threatened. Therefore, the people under the heaven were glad to support him but not to oppose him. Because the saint would not fight with others, and no one would fight with him.

三、A person is modest when he can be tolerant

A person can be open-minded when he has the  tolerant spirit of Daoism. The so-called open-minded humble mind is the same as a broad valley, described as very modest and can accommodate many views.Just like Lao-tse said:”The highest perfection is like imperfection, the greatest abundance seems meager, the greatest skill appears clumsiness, the greatest eloquence seems like stuttering.” That is, the most complete is the shortest, the fullest is also void, the most straight is also bent, the most nimble is also clumsy, the most eloquent sometimes speak slowly. The mind of the saint is void like the bellows between heaven and earth, and also like the valley floor among mountains, endless. So, he had never self-satisfied. Because the low valley is easy to be filled, whereas the high mountain is easy to losing. Only gathering, the rivers can be seas. This is the true meaning of open-minded of Lao-tse. The building of harmonious society and peace world must be open-minded. The excellent people have high accomplishments, and the excellent is open-minded. If a society can tolerate the criticism, this society will be civilized. So is the world of religions.

四、A person is supreme good when he can be tolerant

Lao-tse said: " The best of men is like water. Water benefits all things and does not compete with them. It dwells in places that all disdain, wherein it comes near to the Dao. In his dwellings, loves the earth; in his heart, he loves what is profound; in his relations with others, he love kindness; in his words, he loves sincerity; in government, he loves peace; in business affairs, he loves ability; in his actions, he loves choosing the right time. It is because he does not contend, that he is without reproach. " People with noble virtues, such as water to avoid becoming the high-ranked one.His mind just like water too, deep and  maintain a state of quiet. Why the sage has no fault? The reason is that his character just like water, just like Lao-tse said: " I have three treasures, guard them and keep them safe: the first is love, the second is  never too much , the third is never be the first in the world. " 

五、The world is harmonious when everybody is tolerant

Lao-tse said: " Out of Dao, one is born; out of one,two; out of two, three; out of three, the created universe. The created universe carries the yin at its back and the yang in front; through the union of the pervading principles it reaches harmony." Daoism believed that the union of “Yin” and “Yang” is the root of harmony. “Yin” and “Yang” consist individual desire and benefit which should be coordinated with the benefit of human and earth. Only in this way, can the world develop harmoniously. Unfortunately, throughout the ages, there are always a few people or group who possessed by a lust for gain, it is exactly as Laozi said: “there is no greater curse than the lack of contentment, no greater sin than the desire for possession.” When the world lives in accord with Dao, racing horse are turned back to haul refuse carts, when the world lives not in accord with Dao, cavalry abounds in the countryside. We hate to see taking advantage of opportunities without regard for the consequences for others，we hate to see the act of unlawfully detaining personal property, we hate to see large nations absorbing smaller ones, we hate to see destroying ecological environment and plundering natural resources.

六、The world is peaceful when everybody is tolerant

Daoism advocates that it is the peace but not the war can promote the progress of human society, soldiers are weapons of evil, they are not the weapons of the gentleman,when the use of soldiers cannot be helped,the best policy is calm restraint.  As a Chinese proverb has it "put weapon on the stock, let horses eating grass on the hills". The meaning of this proverb is complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear and mass destruction weapons, to halt the arms race, to apply scientific and technological resources to peace and development. The wars will destroy the circumstances greatly, many creatures are eliminated by the wars. We advocate that all the people be harmonious with others, to protect the peace of the planet together. To maintain the harmony between human and nature, we must keep the harmony and peace within our hearts. If only we keep quiet, unselfish, unquarrel, temperate, we will understand the meaning of mutuality, set up the view of harmony in the heart, follow the principle of "the Dao follows nature", so that we will try to protect and improve the environment, to create a beautiful world.

Let`s pray together with saint Lao-tse for peace of world and people !

Thankyou!

                                        18^th Feb. 2009