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What are the beliefs of taoism?
Last night, i was discussing religion with my step-father, and he brought up taoism. He told me the main things, like how it's like all the good things from every other religion, but without the part where it scares you into doing what's right by threatening you to hell. You just do the right things because it's the better way to live. But I'm curious for more information about it, like exactly what a person should do. Thanks for the help.
10 Answers
- Anonymous1 decade agoFavorite Answer
It favors non-action over action and contains respect for Nature, or "The Tao", translated as something like "the way of the universe".
The main figure is Lao Tze, semi mythical teacher and writer of its main book, The Way and its Power, or Tao te Ching. (Skinny old guy with staff, pointed hat and long grey beard)
Its icon is the Yin Yang, thought to represent the relativity of opposites such as negative and positive, male and female etc.
"The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. "(best known line of Tao te Ching), seems to point out that all knowledge leaves out part of the entire picture - every picture leaves out something.
You can get a copy of The Tao te Ching in English, it's short and very good reading.
Source(s): I'm really old - ?Lv 45 years ago
Taoism isn't a faith' it incredibly is a existence-type. Tao ability "the way". Or the way of existence. Simplicity. an undemanding existence, a versatile existence. whilst snow piles up on a stiff branch, the load will reason the dep. to crack and harm. whilst snow piles on a versatile branch, the dep. will bend to launch the snow and get better. this is the thank you to stay an undemanding existence. Taoism promises a course to maintain on with, to locate our some time past to what concerns on the own point. Being one with tao does no longer advise it incredibly is recommended exchange what you do lots as the way you do it. once you middle your movements in tao, much less conflict and attempt consequences. Transformaton comes from interior of, no longer from without. Be one with tao, and each thing will become accessible for you. Returning to the thank you to locate stability. Taoist philosophy could properly be experienced in tranquility. Calm your ideas an enable your ideas to be sparkling like water. it incredibly is the pathway to enlightenment. practice satisfaction interior the easy issues. i'm hoping this facilitates you. Chris
- 1 decade ago
Go to the source: Read the Tao Te Ching.
I'll add a recommendation to start with Stephen Mitchell's translation/paraphrase of the Tao Te Ching. It's not a "literal" translation, but it is a respected rendering of the text into poetic, flowing English that you may find an accessible introduction to that text.
Once you have familiarized yourself with the Tao Te Ching through Mitchell's translation, go on to compare other translations. I know the Feng/English translation is highly regarded as a more "scholarly" translation; reading around on the web will give you many opinions about the other translations out there.
Source(s): Reading around on the web. - SophiaLv 51 decade ago
In short, Taoism is a way of life which tries to accommodate the tendencies of nature, but it is not restricted to this alone. This approach is not a pure return to Mother Nature, so familiar to the today New Age ideology. Rather it is a life philosophy and wisdom acquired by simply observing the flow of natural events.
Read more here : http://www.taopage.org/taoism.html
- FluorineLv 51 decade ago
Taoism is about Peace and Harmony in a way of Dao or Tao I forgot sorry.
Maybe this will help.
Taoist propriety and ethics emphasize the Three Jewels of the Tao: compassion, moderation, and humility. Taoist thought generally focuses on nature, men-cosmos correspondence (天人相应), health, longevity, wu wei (action through inaction), liberty, and spontaneity.
Source(s): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism - fenway2kLv 51 decade ago
Plain English version - Taoism is more of a philosophy than religion. Its purpose is to make you aware of Nature, the Universe, and how you relate to it. The beauty of Taoism is that it is up to you to develop your own way which means you can draw from any source - Confucius, Jesus, Muhammad,
Take a little of this, a little of that and adopt it into your life. No restriction, traditions, dogmas, just pure wisdom and enlightenment draw from your own life experiences.
- jaiceeLv 61 decade ago
Make sure you research the philosophy of Taoism (Lao-tzu and Mencius) and not the religion of Taoism (polytheistic-shamanistic mishmash). They are two very different things.
- ?Lv 51 decade ago
the principals are compassion, moderation, and humility. It's about being into nature, too. There are a bunch of websites on this, just google it.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Wikipedia, kid. wikipedia.