What is the Way of Heaven?

The Way of Heaven (天之道, Tiān zhī Dào) is a Taoist doctrine on how to attain immortality, becoming an awakened one (聖人, shèng rén), and achieving transcendence. Four verses from the Tao Te Ching are instructive on what the Way of Heaven is, and is now considered canonical in Way of Heaven discourse. We’ll also take a look at what other classical Chinese texts have to say on the Way of Heaven (and cf. the Way of Humanity).

The doctrine is considered common core in many Taoist lineages and traditions. Consider what principles from this philosophy you might be able to build your spiritual foundation with.

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TIMESTAMPS:

References to the Way of Heaven (Tiān zhī Dào, 天之道) in the Tao Te Ching:
00:30 Verse 9
01:28 Verse 9 continued
02:09 Verse 73 – the archery metaphor
04:10 Verse 77 – cut where there is excess, fill where there is loss
10:18 Verse 81 – final instructive reference to the Way of Heaven

Classical Textual References to the Way of Heaven
15:04 Mencius 孟子 on Sincerity 誠
15:25 The Way of Heaven: Sincerity (& Authenticity) in Verse 22, Hexagram 54 (Gui Mei, Marrying Maiden), and the alchemical wedding
15:48 Doctrine of the Mean on Sincerity and the Way of Heaven
16:07 The Book of Rites on the sun, moon, and divination in the Way of Heaven
16:28 Commentaries of Zuo (Zuo Chuan, 左傳) on divination, the Way of Heaven, and how to interpret prophecy
17:17 Xunzi 荀子 and Confucianist discourse; the Way of the Junzi 君子
19:23 Wenzi 文子 (Book of Master Wen) on the Nine Shields
20:29 Way of Heaven discourse found in the Ten Wings of the I Ching Book of Changes
23:24 Jing Fang 京房’s Commentaries on the I Ching – the Way of Heaven and the 64 Hexagrams; Jing Fang’s discourse from Hexagram 54 (Gui Mei, Marrying Maiden)
24:06 Huangdi Neijing on the Way of Heaven – it is like gazing at the clouds; God
25:32 Huangdi Neijing; the Way of Heaven and Hexagram 1

Supplemental Discussions
00:59 Reviewing a definition for the Tao
02:32 ziran 自然
03:11 the atheistic and naturalist doctrine of Tiān Dào zìrán 天道自然
07:17 Way of Heaven and I Ching Hexagrams 41 (Sun, Debilitating) and 42 (Yi, Burgeoning) embedded in the Tao Te Ching, Verse 77
08:57 Way of Heaven (Huang-Lao) vs. Way of Humanity 人之道 (divide where there is no division)
17:57 distinction between Confucianist (Ru) interpretations of the Tao vs. Taoist interpretations of the Tao, Way of Heaven, and Junzi
20:13 Why study the Tao Te Ching passages on the Way of Heaven
22:30 Revisiting “the exchange of yin and yang is the Tao” and comparing it to the Tao (Way) of Heaven
25:53 The Numinous and the Middle Pillar (Note: I misspoke here. Ji is the Numinous; not the Numinous Void, which is Wuji)

26:12 Closing Remarks