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Taoism

Taoism. Comparative Religions. Founder. Lao Tzu – born about 604 B.C.E. Met Confucius who labeled Lao a dragon Enigmatic Larger than life Mysterious Lao supposedly became upset with the attitudes of the people and climbed on a water buffalo and headed west.

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Taoism

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  1. Taoism Comparative Religions

  2. Founder • Lao Tzu – born about 604 B.C.E. • Met Confucius who labeled Lao a dragon • Enigmatic • Larger than life • Mysterious • Lao supposedly became upset with the attitudes of the people and climbed on a water buffalo and headed west

  3. On this westward journey he was stopped and was asked to write down his beliefs for civilization • Three days he wrote • He produced the Tao Te Ching – The Way and Its Power (aka the Taoist Bible) • Most scholars don’t believe Lao himself wrote the whole thing • They do agree that one man’s thoughts inspired the whole thing

  4. Three Meanings of Tao • Tao is the way of ultimate reality • Too vast for reason to fathom • It is the womb from which all life springs and to which it returns • Tao is the way of the universe • The norm • The rhythm • The driving power of nature • It is spirit instead of matter • It can’t be exhausted • The more it’s drawn upon, the more it flows • Tao is the way of human life • It meshes with the Tao of the universe

  5. Three Approaches to Power and the Taoisms that follow • Philosophical Taoism • Vitalizing Taoism • Religious Taoism • All three of the above are different, but seek to maximize the Tao’s meaning of te • Summarizing the three together: • P.T. begins whith interest in how life’s normal allotment of ch’i can best be used. This leads to how ch’i can be increased (V.T.). Finally, gathering the cosmic energy of Tao is handled in R.T. • See these three as currents in a common river

  6. Philosophical Taoism • Reflective • Self-help oriented • Teachers are really coaches training students in what they should understand • An attitude to life • Has the most to say to the world • Called “School Taoism” in China • Lao Tzu • Chuang Tzu • Tao Te Ching

  7. Knowledge is sought • P. T. want knowledge that empowers (aka wisdom) • P.T. want to live in a way that conserves energy by not expending it in useless ways • Avoid friction and conflict • Center on Wu Wei – pure effectiveness • Main objective is to align one’s daily life to the Tao • Ride its boundless tide and delight in its flow • Find Creative Quietude – the balance between supreme activity and supreme relaxation

  8. Vitalizing Taoism • Called Taoist Adepts • Wanted to increase the Tao at their disposal • Center on Ch’i – vital energy (breath) • Main objective is to remove objects that reduce the flow of ch’i • Energy is the life force and these Taoists love life!

  9. Concentrate on three things to maximize ch’i • Matter • Movement • Their minds • Ch’i is taken in it’s matter forms (liquid, gas, solid) through movements like t’ai-chi chuan. The mind increases ch’i through meditation. • The meditation resembles raja yoga • “To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.”

  10. Religious Taoism • Religious Taoism institutionalized the shamans, psychics, faith healers, and soothsayers of the day. • Taoist church was founded in the 2nd century C.E. • The Taoist priesthood made cosmic life-power available for ordinary villagers • The church and it’s line of succession continues today in Taiwan

  11. Natural Elements • Water impressed the Taoists the most. • Unobtrusive • Adaptive • Assumes the shape of its containers • Seeks out the lowest places • Subdues what is hard and brittle • Carves canyons from granite • Erodes hills • Wisdom of water (wuwei) • “Muddy water let stand still will clear”

  12. Humility • Taoists value humility. They honor • Hunchbacks • Cripples • They point out the value of • Cups • Windows • Doorways

  13. Naturalism • Taoists believe nature should not be exploited and abused, any more than people should be • Nature should be befriended, not conquered. • Humans are at their best when they are in harmony with their surroundings • Man is often seen as climbing with their bundles, riding a buffalo, or poling a boat • The human self with its journey • The hill to climb • The burden to carry • But surrounded by the beauty of nature

  14. Identity with Opposites • Yin/yang • Polar opposites • Day – night • Life – death • Male – female • On cannot survive without the other • The two meet, mesh, but remain separate

  15. Chinese Character • Chinese Character is best represented by the two poles of Confucianism and Taoism

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