Any Taoism here?

[The_Davis]

Taoism originally came about the teachings by Lao Zi who described the essence of our existence in this world and about the nature of this universe and beyond - the way of Tao (道):

Lao Zi had left with us a book compiled of his wisdom ... the first paragraph of his book <<道德经>> says this:

道可道也，非恒道也。名可名也，非恒名也。无名，万物之始也；有名，万物之母也。故恒无欲也，以观其眇；恒有欲也，以观其所徼。两者同出，异名同谓。玄之又玄，众眇之门。


so it's not a religion like many perceived today ...

I can read the passage above

but read Liao catch no ball

Means no affinity with Dao?

 

[moonlighter_sg]

Tiagong will go to the east heaven.

 

[MatrixFanatic]

So there's no reincarnation or afterlife?

Usually deities like Er lang shen, Tai Shan Lao Jun, Yu Wang Da Di, Ba Xian, Lei Zhen Zi, Ne Zha they all under Taoism?

That’s folk religion which is categorised as Taoism.

 

[meridian]

"Taoism" de funeral got do some ritual to cross the bridge or something?

 

[kuti-kuti]

if bad go 18 stories of hell for punishment. after tat must drink 孟婆湯 the double-boiled herbal tonic soup to make u forget your afterlife and send you to whatever you deserves, sg cockroach, fly, ants, or if better, dog, cat, cow, snake, or if good become human again.

 

[Pearce]

That’s folk religion which is categorised as Taoism.

So Taoism funeral is meant for what?

Like for buddhist funeral, they will get monks to chant so that they can go to heaven realm or pureland.

 

[Pearce]

if bad go 18 stories of hell for punishment. after tat must drink 孟婆湯 the double-boiled herbal tonic soup to make u forget your afterlife and send you to whatever you deserves, sg cockroach, fly, ants, or if better, dog, cat, cow, snake, or if good become human again.

This one is buddhism. Because buddhism believes in 6 realms. If you see the previous pages, there's no afterlife or will back to become dust.

 

[ouroboroso]

I can read the passage above

but read Liao catch no ball

Means no affinity with Dao?

There are many english translations with commentaries available online. None of them are absolutely correct but they give a rough idea as a basis for your own introspection.

e.g. https://pages.ucsd.edu/~dkjordan/chin/LaoJuang/DDJTenTranslations.html

The Tao that can be told of
Is not the Absolute Tao;
The Names that can be given
Are not Absolute Names.
The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and earth;
The Named is the Mother of All Things.

Therefore:
Oftentimes, one strips oneself of passion
In order to see the Secret of Life;
Oftentimes, one regards life with passion,
In order to see its manifest forms.
These two (the Secret and its manifestations)
Are (in their nature) the same;
They are given different names
When they become manifest.
They may both be called the Cosmic Mystery:
Reaching from the Mystery into the Deeper Mystery
Is the Gate to the Secret of All Life.

 

[soulz81]

Taoism originally came about the teachings by Lao Zi who described the essence of our existence in this world and about the nature of this universe and beyond - the way of Tao (道):

Lao Zi had left with us a book compiled of his wisdom ... the first paragraph of his book <<道德经>> says this:

道可道也，非恒道也。名可名也，非恒名也。无名，万物之始也；有名，万物之母也。故恒无欲也，以观其眇；恒有欲也，以观其所徼。两者同出，异名同谓。玄之又玄，众眇之门。


so it's not a religion like many perceived today ...

No idea what these all means

 

[LoneTraveller]

I can read the passage above

but read Liao catch no ball

Means no affinity with Dao?

Means u need a teacher to guide u and explain stuff to u. The 道德经is not a easy to understand text. It originally contains about four thousand words or so but people can expound it til it spans hundreds or thousands of books.

U might be surprised that amdks like Carl Jung also took inspiration from taoist texts like the I Ching for his work in mental illness/psychology.

I also read somewhere that there some early Christians did try to fuse Christianity with taosim......

 

[PikaPika33]

Taoism originally came about the teachings by Lao Zi who described the essence of our existence in this world and about the nature of this universe and beyond - the way of Tao (道):

Lao Zi had left with us a book compiled of his wisdom ... the first paragraph of his book <<道德经>> says this:

道可道也，非恒道也。名可名也，非恒名也。无名，万物之始也；有名，万物之母也。故恒无欲也，以观其眇；恒有欲也，以观其所徼。两者同出，异名同谓。玄之又玄，众眇之门。


so it's not a religion like many perceived today ...

tao is tao but not tao
name is name but no name
all things got beginning got name got mother
but hence all is nothing, see can already dont gian. see can happy
got 2 same same but different.
weird is hentai, many see and song


wah chim

 

[MageRav3]

According to my Taoist teacher from the Quanzhen Longhu POV, all beings are judged in the netherworld then sent according to their sins. The virtuous ones get appointments and get to hold roles. The 曹官 from 天宫 will judge quanzhen disciples and allocate them roles. The usual liberation 超度 Taoist ritual invokes 太乙救苦天尊 who will send the dead to his 青华长乐世界.

Quanzhen focuses on 丹鼎 while Longhu focuses on 符录. Never continue after 过教 coz cannot tahan the standing during the ceremonies.

 

[edmwing]

Haven't close thread? I thought only one true religion allowed here

 

[Charles_Chi4]

Haven't close thread? I thought only one true religion allowed here

Which is?

 

[GuiGuZi]

I think if we use Chinese more clear:

道家 - (philosophical Taoism) return to nature. Based on Lao Zi's and Zhuang Zi's philosophy on human are part of nature and should live in harmony with it.

道教 - (religious Taoism) go heaven or hell. Based on some ancient occults which slowly form a religious structure. This is also the one that practice internal and external elixir.

But in English, the term Taoism can mean either of them, so we always have confusion on Taoism should be base on Laozi's philosophy or Taoism believe in praying to god and spirits.

Just like Buddhism, the initial philosophy from Buddha might not have contain supernatural beings, but more on how we should cultivate our mind to reduce suffering. But as the teachings get passed down, to get more people to believe in it or purely for political reasons, some teachings are added to it and made it the way it is today.

That's how I understand about these 2 teachings and religions.

 

[Pearce]

According to my Taoist teacher from the Quanzhen Longhu POV, all beings are judged in the netherworld then sent according to their sins. The virtuous ones get appointments and get to hold roles. The 曹官 from 天宫 will judge quanzhen disciples and allocate them roles. The usual liberation 超度 Taoist ritual invokes 太乙救苦天尊 who will send the dead to his 青华长乐世界.

Quanzhen focuses on 丹鼎 while Longhu focuses on 符录. Never continue after 过教 coz cannot tahan the standing during the ceremonies.

I think if we use Chinese more clear:

道家 - (philosophical Taoism) return to nature. Based on Lao Zi's and Zhuang Zi's philosophy on human are part of nature and should live in harmony with it.

道教 - (religious Taoism) go heaven or hell. Based on some ancient occults which slowly form a religious structure. This is also the one that practice internal and external elixir.

But in English, the term Taoism can mean either of them, so we always have confusion on Taoism should be base on Laozi's philosophy or Taoism believe in praying to god and spirits.

Just like Buddhism, the initial philosophy from Buddha might not have contain supernatural beings, but more on how we should cultivate our mind to reduce suffering. But as the teachings get passed down, to get more people to believe in it or purely for political reasons, some teachings are added to it and made it the way it is today.

That's how I understand about these 2 teachings and religions.

I am more curious for taoism, if there any afterlife. If no, what are the taoism's funeral is meant for?

 

[yokine3a]

I am more curious for taoism, if there any afterlife. If no, what are the taoism's funeral is meant for?

Funeral is meant to guide the dead person where to go after current life. Some ppl believe spirit of the dead person may linger around his own wake, reason is because he don't know what to do next or reluctant to leave.

 

[SageWolf]

So there's no reincarnation or afterlife?

Usually deities like Er lang shen, Tai Shan Lao Jun, Yu Wang Da Di, Ba Xian, Lei Zhen Zi, Ne Zha they all under Taoism?

Those are folk lore created by it's local inhabitants,.
The deities you mentioned are created in Tang Dynasty where people generally confuse Taoism and Buddhism.

 

[yokine3a]

Just like Buddhism, the initial philosophy from Buddha might not have contain supernatural beings, but more on how we should cultivate our mind to reduce suffering. But as the teachings get passed down, to get more people to believe in it or purely for political reasons, some teachings are added to it and made it the way it is today.

During Buddha's time, supernatural beings appeared in front of him, they can communicate can exchange dharma thoughts. 阿含经 has this.
But after Buddha is gone, we ordinary humans don't get to see these supernatural beings liao, so ppl think they are just fake stories.

 

[Pearce]

Funeral is meant to guide the dead person where to go after current life. Some ppl believe spirit of the dead person may linger around his own wake, reason is because he don't know what to do next or reluctant to leave.

Yup, guide dead person where to go afterlife, that is said / mentioned in buddhism.

But what about Taoism?