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Taoism Part I
- Part one is a brief description of Taoism and is an excerpt from
Britannica Online.
PART I Excerpt from: Britannica Online a religio-philosophical tradition that has, along with Confucianism, shaped Chinese life for more than 2,000 years. The Taoist heritage, with its emphasis on individual freedom and spontaneity, laissez-faire government and social primitivism, mystical experience, and techniques of self-transformation, represents in many ways the antithesis to Confucian concern with individual moral duties, community standards, and governmental responsibilities.
Taoism. Taoism encompasses both a Taoist philosophical tradition (Tao-Chi) associated with the Tao-te Ching (Lao-tzu), Chuang-tzu, Lieh-tzu, and other texts, and a Taoist religious tradition (Tao-chiao) with organized doctrine, formalized cultic activity, and institutional leadership. These two forms of Taoist expression are clearly interrelated, though at many points in tension. Aspects of both philosophical and religious Taoism were appropriated in East Asian cultures influenced by China, especially Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
Philosophical Taoism. The text central to all expressions of the Taoist spirit is the Tao-te Ching ("Classic of the Way and Its Power"), previously known as Lao-tzu after the name of the mysterious master traditionally said to have been its author. The cardinal concept is that of the Tao, the ineffable, eternal, creative reality which is the source and end of all things. Tao is the Absolute, the "Uncarved Block" experienced only in mystical ecstasy. Te is the manifestation of the Tao within all things. Thus, to possess the fullness of te means to be in perfect harmony with one's original nature. According to Chuang-tzu (fl. 4th century BC), an individual in harmony with the Tao comprehends the course of Nature's constant change and fears not the rhythm of life and death. As is accomplished at death, so in life must the individual return to the original purity and simplicity of the Tao. In contrast to the Confucian program of social reform through moral principle, ritual, and government regulation, the true way of restoration for the Taoists consisted in the banishment of learned sageliness and the discarding of wisdom. "Manifest the simple," urged Lao-tzu, "embrace the primitive, reduce selfishness, have few desires." As the Tao operates impartially in the universe, so should mankind disavow assertive, purposive action. The Taoist life is not, however, a life of total inactivity. It is rather a life of non purposive action (wu-wei). Stated positively, it is a life expressing the essence of spontaneity (tzu-jan, "self-so"). While the Chuang-tzu and Lieh-tzu are guides directing all persons in the realization of total freedom, the Tao-te Ching is addressed in particular to rulers. Great rulers, taught Lao-tzu, simply follow Nature and the people only know of their existence.
Religious Taoism. The themes and texts of philosophical Taoism became established during the Warring States period (481-221 BC). Religious or esoteric Taoism as a movement of organized religious communities developed only in the 2nd century AD, appropriating a variety of themes and spiritual techniques associated with the common objective of immortality. While in fundamental ways such a goal was incompatible with the aims of philosophical Taoism, there were hints in the texts of the philosophical tradition to the extension of life and the protection from harm possible for those in harmony with the Tao. The lives of such perfected ones, or hsien (Immortals) as they came to be called, became the central paradigms of religious Taoism. Lao-tzu became deified as a revealer of sacred texts and a savior, and techniques of spiritual attainment became fully elaborated. Techniques for achieving immortality included dietary regimens, breath control and meditation, sexual disciplines, alchemy, the use of magical talismans, and the search for the fabled Isle of Bliss. Dietary concerns focused on necessary nourishment while abstaining from foods which benefited the "three worms" in the body (which caused disease, old age, and death). In meditation, the Taoist adept visualized the thousands of gods that inhabited the human body (microcosm) as they inhabited the universe (macrocosm). Through breath control and the movement of breath throughout the fields of the body, the individual both approached immortality in this life and achieved it finally through the nourishment within of a mysterious "embryonic body," which became the immortal self after death. By avoiding ejaculation during the sexual act, it was believed that semen could be mixed with breath to further nourish the embryonic body or be forced back through the spinal passage to repair the brain. In its search for an elixir of immortality, Taoist alchemy developed both chemical experimentation (wai-tan) and a theoretical internal alchemy (nei-tan). Nei-tan sought to invert the normal aging processes by an energizing marriage of the cosmic Yin and Yang forces within the body. Talismans (fu) were used for healing, protection from demons, and communication with Taoist immortals.
Historical development. Of the two early organized Taoist communities, the religio-political movement known as the "Way of the Great Peace" was destroyed as a threat to the Han dynasty in AD 184. A more important and enduring tradition was that of the "Way of the Celestial Masters," founded by Chang Tao-ling in AD 142. Two late 4th-century movements were also very important: (1) the Shang-ch'ing (Supreme Purity) Mao Shan sect, and (2) the Ling Pao (Sacred Jewel) scriptural tradition. During the T'ang dynasty (618-907), Taoism received special favor at court and was characterized by doctrinal and liturgical syntheses. Despite attempts during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) to curb a growing sectarianism, there remained in the late 20th century a polarization between classical orthodox tradition and heterodox traditions. On Taiwan, orders of the former tradition are referred to as "Blackheads" and those of the latter as "Redheads." While the future of Taoist practice on the mainland remains in question, there has been in recent decades some renewed interest in the religion on Taiwan. In addition, Western scholars have recently begun to investigate carefully the many contributions of Taoism to the development of Chinese culture. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) 1995 Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. All Rights Reserved ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PART II This is an essay I had written a long time ago on Taoism. I was investigating the ideas of Taoism and how a person can become, or rather just is, a Taoist. Parts of it are taken from various home pages across the internet. I tried to give credit to as many as I remember.
Taoism is something that has puzzled me for a long time. I had always seen the Yin-Yang symbol and associated it with Taoism, but I was not sure of the practice itself. This project has given me the chance to read up on Taoism. I decided to start with the library book Mr. Crosby gave me. I read a little of it, but it was not what I was looking for. I decided to go to a place that puts all the knowledge at my finger tips; that place being the internet. I found what I was looking for and then some. Taoism is based on the Tao, or "the Way," as ancient Chinese sages observed, of nature. One of the basic observations was that the Way of nature, and nature itself is difficult to discern. Taoism can be described as a religion, but since, in the West, this carries with it gods, deities, morals, and faith, Taoism does not quite cut it as a "religion" by Western terms. It is probably better described as a philosophy of life, but even this, when strictly defined, doesn't describe Taoism completely. The problem is, that Taoism, like the Tao itself, cannot be categorized. It just IS. Discovering that labeling something as philosophy or religion are two unnecessary labels for two unnecessary things, is among the first steps to learning of the Tao. Taoism is not for everyone. Although anyone can benefit from it, it's not for everyone, at least not in this day and age and place. The true benefit in Taoism is found by those who are ready to question what they have been taught. Furthermore, the more one learns of Taoism, the more one learns to question. As Lao Tzu put it, "in pursuing knowledge, one accumulates a little more each day. In pursuing the Tao, one takes away a little more each day." Everything we've been taught, all the technicalities, categories, and descriptions of nature, keep us from experiencing nature itself. For nature is not something that needs to be categorized. It is the only category according to Taoism. Taoism cannot be categorized, neither can it be described. Therefore, Taoist writers take a different approach. They use analogies, stories, myths, and metaphors to describe what it is like, as distinct from what it is. For example, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step. A tree that grows to the heights of the heavens begins with one small seed" (Tao Te Ching). "After dreaming I was a butterfly, I woke up and found that I was still a man. But further contemplation made me wonder, was I a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or am I a butterfly dreaming I'm a man?" (Quote from Chuange Tzu, the second most prominent Taoist writer). This one is interesting because it makes one ask the deepest questions like, "who is the real me?" The more one thinks about this question, the more one learns that there is no natural distinction between oneself and everything else. Taoism does not require logic in the sense of understanding the religion by it alone, and can be, as it most often is, understood intuitively and through metaphor. Some of the readings decided to take a logical approach for a change. It is suggested that one should be somewhat familiar with logic before reading about Taoism. In order to understand the logic of Taoism, one must start with a very basic phrase: the world is constantly changing. If this statement were provable scientifically, it would undoubtedly take much time and research. This statement must merely be observed, and to a certain extent, be taken at face-value. Honestly, this is difficult to do. But, if one looks around, everything is constantly changing. What isn't constantly changing? Everything is moving, changing shape, moving to different spots, growing or dying. Even if something looks like it's standing still, think deeper. There are billions of atoms that make up every object. There are billions of cells that make up every living organism. Every second, thousands of cells die, and thousands of cells are born. In objects, atoms are rapidly flying around and colliding into each other. Whether noticeable or not, everything is changing. If anyone is to begin understanding Taoism, one must understand and believe the phrase that everything is changing before one can begin understanding the Taoism's logic. The reason for this is: many thousands of years ago, brilliant Chinese philosophers observed nature very closely. They noticed that nature was ever-changing. So, they developed Taoism and Zen. These philosophies are built on the fact that nature is changing. If one does not agree that nature is ever- changing, then one will not agree with Taoism or any other Eastern philosophy. People use this phrase when they discuss Taoism: "the only thing constant in life is change." The only thing that doesn't change is change itself. This means that change is constant. This statement has profound effects on our view of the universe, because traditional thinking separates constant and change, as two separate things, opposite, in fact. However, they are not separate things. They are the same thing. Constant and change are two opposites that are actually the same thing. If these two opposites are the same, one can deduce that all opposites are simply poles of the same underlying thing. Examples of opposites include: black/white, day/night, male/female, dark/light, good/evil, love/hate, and self/other. In other words, the universe is based on black and white, not black vs. white. (This is where the symbol of the yin-yang comes in.) This might seem like a sea of technicalities, but it's extremely important in our view of the world. This means that what one sees as "bad", depends on what society define as "good." From here, one is able to define "bad," simply because it is the "opposite" of good. Because one sees these things as opposites, one perceives them as separate. People only do this because they are observing the universe bit by bit, not all at once. Because of this, each bit seems separate from the other bits, when, in fact, they are not really separate. An important effect of this way of thinking completely changes the perspective of what was said earlier, "There are billions of atoms that make up every object. There are billions of cells that make up every living organism." This way of thought actually eliminates any separation between these "billions of atoms" and the object itself, the "billions of cells" and the living organism itself. The separating effect of traditional thinking is abolished completely, simply because one is not billions of cells, one is, simply, a living organism, inseparably connected with the whole. People still wonder what God or who God really is. Taoists call it the Tao, most Western thinkers call it "God." Despite all the various names given, God's nature is still the same. As Shakespeare put it, "a rose by any other name is still a rose," or as Lao Tzu said in the very first words of the Tao Te Ching, "the Tao that can be named is not the true Tao. The experience that can be described is not the actual experience." This is what Taoism is all about: finding the experience, or whatever one chooses to call it. It is not the sort of "religion" that will "lead one to the point of forgetting that there is anything else." The Tao is not something one needs to be "tricked into" experiencing, but it does take time, meditation, and contemplation. Furthermore, the Tao is never "achieved," because, to the Taoist, there is no separation between the journey and the destination. Therefore, simply by being on the journey implies one has reached one's destination. In conclusion, one should start with the basic saying that the only thing constant in life is change. From there, one can just observe. Observe the world around, and see for oneself the way the universe works. One should also try to find his place in this universe. This, though, may not seem easy and so one can look to Taoism to help him achieve this path. Religion and knowledge will help one find the Tao, or the way. One's goal in life should be to find the path that one should tread, and to follow that path once it is found. Bibliography to essay. 1.) Chinese Religion: An Introduction/ by: Laurence G. Thompson/ pgs 1- 108 2.) Alt.philosophy.taoism (Frequently Asked Questions) http://www.thetemple.com / pgs 1- 8 3.) Bill Mason's Favorite Quotes: Bill Mason's home page/ pgs 1- 8 4.) Confucian Analects: Su Tzu's Chinese Philosophy Page/ pgs 1- 68 5.) Stan Rosenthal series pages: the gates pages/ pgs 1- 8, 1- 8, 1- 6 6.) Taoism/ Britannica Online Help/ pgs 1- 3 7.) Article written by Judith A. Berling for the Asia Society's Focus on Asian Studies, Vol. II, No. 1, Asian Religions, Fall 1982. Copyright AskAsia, 1996./ pgs 1- 5 8.) What the heck is Taoism? and What Taoism has meant to me. Bill Mason/ pgs 1- 2, pgs 1- 3 9.) Zen-Tao by: Stan Rosenthal/pgs. 1- 5
Part III Links to other Taoist sites: The Taoist information page.- has Taoist books and an introduction to Taoism. It also has links to other Taoist pages. Taoism1- This site has excellent information on Taoism and is a resource for locating other pages. This page is well done. Taoism2- This is an interesting site of a translation of the Tao Te Ching without a religious interpretation- lots of good reading. Taoism and Haiku poetry- Interesting reading. Tai Chi and Taoism- is the philosophy of Tai Chi and Taoism in one page; nice page with art.
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