Week Thirteen

Taoism

It is always present in you.   You can use it anyway you want.

    -- Lao-tzu

  Taoism is one of the two great philosophical and religious traditions
that originated in China.   The other philosophy native to China is
Confucianism.   Both Taoism and Confucianism began at about the same time,
around the sixth century B.C. China's third great religion, Buddhism, came
to China from India around the second century of the common era.   Together,
these three faiths have shaped Chinese life and thought for nearly twenty-
five hundred years.   One dominate concept in Taoism and Buddhism is the
belief in some form of reincarnation.   The idea that life does not end
when one dies is an integral part of these religions and the culture of
the Chinese people.   Although not accepted by our beliefs, its
understanding helps build strength in our own religion.   Reincarnation,
life after death, beliefs are not standardized between the religions.
Each religion has a different way of applying this concept to its beliefs.
Ignorance of these beliefs is a sign of weakness in the mind.   To truly
understand ones own religion, one must also understand those concepts of
the other religions of the world. Hopefully this will be an enlightenment
on the reincarnation concepts as they apply to Taoism and Buddhism.
  The goal in Taoism is to achieve tao, to find the way.   Tao is the
ultimate reality, a presence that existed before the universe was formed
and which continues to guide the world and everything in it.   Tao is
sometimes identified as the Mother, or the source of all things.   That
source is not a god or a supreme being as with Christians, for Taoism is
not monotheistic.   The focus is not to worship one god, but instead on
coming into harmony with tao.   Tao is the essence of everything that is
right, and complications exist only because people choose to complicate
their own lives.   Desire, ambition, fame, and selfishness are seen as
hindrances... [continues]

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