Taoism

What do you guys think about Taoism, and please no one sentence, "ITS THE WORK OF THE DEVIL" replies. If I wanted that I would've posted this on an extremist web forum

I just read the following, first I've really read anything about it... What I found interesting is they have their own type of trinity...

For those that are unfamiliar with Taoism such as I please read the following.
Click Me

At the head of the Taoist Pantheon is a trinity of persons:

Yuen-shi-t'ien-tsun, "the honoured one of heaven, first in time", residing in "the jade-stone region", who created the three worlds;
Ling-pan-t'ien-tsun, "the honored one of heaven who is valued and powerful", residing in the "upper pure region", collector of the sacred books, calculator of the succession of time, and the regulator of the two principles yin and yang;
Lao-tze himself, who exposed to mankind the doctrines uttered by the first person in the trinity and collected in the form of books by the second.

[Edited on 5-5-2003 by Lysergic]

The way that can be spoken of
Is not the constant way;
The name that can be named
Is not the constant name.
The nameless was the beginning of heaven and earth;
The named was the mother of the myriad creatures.
Hence always rid yourself of desires in order to observe its secrets
But always allow yourself to have desires in order to observe its manifestations.
These two are the same
But diverge in the name as they issue forth.
Being the same they are called mysteries,
Mystery upon mystery-
The gateway of the manifold secrets.

What do you want to know ?

[Edited on 5-5-2003 by Maddas]

In a nutshell, a sane and kindly philosophy. Very tolerant.

The more I read the more I respect it, not that I am going to convert but I think it teaches some ideas we could all use in our lives.

Thats the concept (a philosopy),mate. Its great in my humble opinion.

Cultivate it in your person
and its virtue will be genuine;
Cultivate it in the family
And its virtue will be more than sufficient;

hey in the age of "taking bits of pieces of religious ideas to fit oneself" i guess it works well right?!


people seem to want God/higher power to fit to them and not them fit with God/higher power.


just a thought.

Taoism (like confucianism) is more a philosophy rather than a religion. It's a "way of life" not a "way of deities." You can practice Taoism in conjunction with just about any religion (except the extremist branches of religions.)

Originally posted by Byrd
Taoism (like confucianism) is more a philosophy rather than a religion. It's a "way of life" not a "way of deities." You can practice Taoism in conjunction with just about any religion (except the extremist branches of religions.)

its like the force in star wars.


another words you cant practice taoism with absoulute truth. its only relevent with subjectivism... right?!

I respect the religion, It has more to do with meditation kind of stuff than anything else, I find it funny in a way but its better than almost all religions on earth.

Taoism is more about enlightenment than anything else,
Budaism (misspelled, I think) is a very weird in my opinion.
Cristianity is a very corruptable religion.
Catholisism is already corrupted.

In Taoism, I think the religion brings out your true character and molds it to become better, but hey I could be wrong

Taoism is based on eternal balance. Good and Bad. Black and White. I have respect for it as a religion, but more so as a way of life. All people, despite culture, religion or any other boundary, can apply Taoist ideals for every day life. Taoism has a lot to do with self-meditation and self-reflection, which I think is good for the corrupt culture that we have grown to become.

As a sort of guide to conduct, there are some things to be said for Daoism: certainly, its early appeal was attributed to the fact that it appeared practical rather than idealistic, as Confucianism did.
Lao Tze himself a figure of legend and one�s temptation is to see the origins in a degenerate form of Buddhism.
It�s been very much hi-jacked by the unlettered, the martial-arts mumbo-men, karma-kids, yin�n�yang hustlers, and brigands in the West; but as a sort of ego-centred plea to a balanced life, it has its virtues.
In China itself it long ago descended into a mish-mash of legend, silliness, magic and corruption (it�s not actually banned).
Harmless and no doubt beneficial to some; but beware of the drivel-mongers.

As for anyone claiming to have a clear grasp of what Daoism is "based on"...draw your own conclusions.

I see your point of veiw.............but if you read some Taoist books you see that the basis of what is written about the religion is focused on balance in the universe........don't get me wrong, I agree with what you say.

I don't think Taoism is "the way" at all.

I don't think there is a way, it's all based on what we experience and that in my opinion is what life is about.

It's not about finding "enlightenment" or getting into heaven or being "good", it's about accepting what happens to you, realizing that that is life, experiences, and it doesn't matter what happens to you, no fate is "ill-fate" it is all just fate.

While I can't say you should take an "impartial" view of existance, I just mean that say your arm is cut off, that is your fate but learn from it, realize that that is your experience, and your next life you will have different experiences.

I was thinking, about someone who had died, don't mourn for the loss, but realize what you learned from eachother in your lives, and carry that with you in your souls for all time.

There's no "way" to anything, just live. The river of fate is the way and it carries you no matter what.

Estragon.......I am sure you know more about Taoism then I do. I am just saying that from what I have studied in School--that was my impression

[Edited on 6-5-2003 by omega1]

What Hkot says is good. I agree with that. I think that the apeal to a religion like that is more practical and fits everyday life.

And congrats, Lysergic on the splendidly drawn avatar. I almost jumped because it's half of one of the commonest Chinese phrases for "hooligan"/"crook"/"idiot"!

When the best student hears about the way
He practitises it assiduously;
When the average student hears about the way
It seems to him one moment there and gone the next;
when the worst student hears about the way
He laughs out loud.
If he did not laugh
It would be worthy of being the way.

[Edited on 6-5-2003 by Maddas]

[Edited on 7-5-2003 by Maddas]

I believe it means Choas, and I could see it fitting into all those phrases

with Byrd on his posts on this....

Though it is a bit too "fortune cookie" for my own tastes...but there is some good insight in the Tao...