Essay about Taoism. Words8 Pages. Throughout history, Taoism has been one of the most influential religions of Eastern culture. This is certainly one of the most unique of all religions. Many Taoists, in fact, do not even consider it a religion; and in many ways it is Taoism Essay religion of Taoism first started. The original form of Taoism beliefs that there is no God, instead they have an ethereal being that they do not know, making them unique in the world as most religions have a deity to fall behind as a uniting factor Essay on Taoism. Words6 Pages. Taoism. Taoism originated in China during the 's BC. It has been part of the Chinese culture for 2, years. It was during the same time period as Confucianism, but had opposite ideas and morals, yet it was equally as important as Confucianism in Chinese history. Taoism began as a reaction to "historical situations" (c1), and became a philosophy of the natural way
Essay on Taoism - Words | Bartleby
Taoism is one of the two great philosophical and religious traditions that originated in China. The other religion native to China is Confucianism. Both Taoism and Confucianism began at about the same time, around the sixth century B. Together, these three faiths have shaped Chinese life and thought for nearly twenty-five hundred years Hartz 3. 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. Reincarnation, taoism essay, life after death, taoism essay, beliefs are not standardized. Each religion has a different way of applying this concept to its beliefs.
This paper will describe the reincarnation concepts as they apply to Taoism and Buddhism, taoism essay, and then provide a comparison of the two. Taoism The goal in Taoism is to achieve tao, taoism essay, to find the way, taoism essay. Tao is the ultimate reality, a presence that existed before the universe was formed and which continues to guide the taoism essay and everything in it, taoism essay. Tao is sometimes identified as the Mother, taoism essay, or the source of all things.
That source is not a god or a supreme being, as Taoism is not monotheistic. The focus is not to worship one god, but instead on coming into harmony with tao Hartz, 8. Tao is the essence of everything that is right, and complications exist only because people choose to complicate their own lives. Desire, ambition, taoism essay, fame, and selfishness are seen as 1 hindrances to a harmonious life, taoism essay.
It is only when a person rids himself of all desires can tao be achieved. By shunning every earthly distraction, the Taoist is able to concentrate on life itself.
Eventually the hope is to taoism essay immortal, to achieve tao, to have reached the deeper life. This is the after life for a Taoist, to be in taoism essay with the universe, to have achieved tao Head1, To understand the relationship between life, taoism essay, and the Taoism concept of life and death, the origin of the word tao must be understood, taoism essay.
The Chinese character for tao is a combination of two characters that represent the words head and foot. The character for head represents the idea of conscious choice. The character for head also suggests a beginning, and foot, taoism essay, an ending. Thus the character for tao also conveys the continuing course of the universe, the circle of heaven and earth. Finally, the character for tao represents the Taoist idea that the eternal Tao is both moving and unmoving.
The head in the character means the beginning, the source of all things, or Tao itself, which never moves or changes; the foot taoism essay the movement on the path Harts 9. Taoism upholds the belief in the survival of the spirit after death. And then to undergo countless taoism essay, with only the infinite to look forward to, what comparable bliss is that! Taoist believe birth is not a beginning, death is not an end.
There is an existence without limit. There is 2 continuity without a starting point. Your soul does not glide out of a familiar sea into an unfamiliar ocean. In the writings of The Tao Taoism essay King, tao is described as having existed before heaven and earth. Tao is formless, stands alone without change and reaches everywhere without harm.
The Taoist is told to use the light that is inside to revert to the natural clearness of sight. By divesting oneself of all external distractions and desires, only then can one achieve tao. In ancient days a Taoist that had transcended birth and death, achieved tao, was said to have cut the Thread of Life Kapleau The soul, or spirit, is Taoism does not die at death.
The soul is not reborn, it migrates to another life. This process, the Taoist version of reincarnation, is repeated until tao is achieved. The following translation from The Tao Te King best summarizes the the theory behind tao and how a Taoist can achieve Tao. The Great Way is very smooth, taoism essay, but the people love the by-paths.
The wearing of gay embroidered robes, the carrying of sharp swords, taoism essay, fastidiousness in food and drink, taoism essay, superabundance of property and wealth: — this I call flaunting robbery; most assuredly it is not Tao.
He who acts in accordance with Tao, becomes one with Tao. Being akin to Heaven, taoism essay, he possesses Tao. Possessed of Tao, he endures forever. Being great Tao passes on; passing on, taoism essay becomes remote; having become remote, it returns Head3 The eternal hope for all followers of Buddha is that through reincarnation one comes back into successively better lives — until one achieves the goal of being free from pain and suffering and not having to come back again.
This wheel of rebirth, known as samsara, goes on forever or until one achieves Nirvana. Birth is not the beginning and death is not the end. This cycle of life has no beginning and can go on forever without an end. The ultimate goal for every Buddhist, Nirvana, represents total enlightenment and liberation. Only through achieving this goal is one liberated from the never ending round of birth, death, and rebirth Head3 Transmigration, the Buddhist cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, involves not the reincarnation of a spirit but the rebirth of a consciousness containing the seeds of good and evil deeds.
The first stage in concerned with desire, which goes against the teachings of Buddha, is the lowest form and involves a rebirth into any number of hells.
The taoism essay stage is one in which animals dominate. But after many reincarnations in this stage the spirit becomes more and more human, until one attains a deep spiritual understanding.
At this taoism essay in the second stage the Buddhist gradually begins to 4 abandon materialism and seek a contemplative life. The Buddhist in the third stage is ultimately able to put his ego to the side and become pure spirit, having taoism essay perception of the material world. This stage taoism essay one taoism essay move from perception to non-perception.
And so, through many stages of spiritual evolution and numerous reincarnations, the Buddhist reaches the state of Nirvana Leek The transition from one stage to another, or the progression within a stage is based on the actions of the Buddhist. All actions are simply the display of thought, the will of man. This will is caused by character, and character is manufactured from karma. Karma means action or doing. Any kind of intentional action whether mental, verbal or physical is regarded as karma.
All good and bad actions constitute karma. As is the karma, so is the will of the man, taoism essay. Buddha developed a doctrine known as the Four Noble Truths based on his experience and inspiration about the nature of life, taoism essay.
These truths are the basis for all schools of Buddhism. The fourth truth describes the way to overcome personal desire through the Eightfold Path. Buddha called his path the Middle Way, because it lies between a life of luxury and a life of poverty. Not everyone can reach the goal of Nirvana, taoism essay, but every Buddhist is at least on the taoism essay toward enlightenment.
To achieve Nirvana the Buddhist must follow the steps of the Eightfold Path. Right Knowledge is knowledge of what life is all about; knowledge of the Four Noble Truths is basic to any further growth as a Buddhist.
Right Aspiration means a clear devotion to being on the Path toward Enlightenment. Right Speech involves both clarity of what is said and speaking kindly and without malice. It also involves five basic laws of behavior for Buddhists: not to kill, steal, lie, drink intoxicants, or commit sexual offenses.
Right Livelihood involves choosing an occupation that keeps an individual on the Path; that taoism essay, a path that promotes life and well-being, rather than the accumulation of a lot of money.
Right Effort means training the will and curbing selfish passions and wants, taoism essay. It also means placing oneself along the Path toward Enlightenment, taoism essay. Right Mindfulness implies continuing self-examination and awareness. Right Concentration is the final goal to be absorbed into a state of Nirvana Comptons.
Compliance taoism essay the path does not guarantee reaching Nirvana, taoism essay, but it is the only path that leads to Nirvana. Only through following this path established by Buddha does a Buddhist have a chance to reach enlightenment, to free oneself from the continuous rounds of birth, death and rebirth, to have reached the ultimate goal — to be absorbed into a state of Nirvana.
Comparison The goal in both Taoism and Buddhism is to reach the ultimate goal, to transcend life on earth as a physical being, taoism essay, to achieve harmony with nature and the universe. The ultimate goal for both religions is to achieve immortality. The Taoist called this ultimate goal Tao, while taoism essay Buddhist seek Nirvana.
Whatever the name, the followers of these religions believe there is an existence beyond life which can be achieved provided the right path or behavior is followed. The path to Tao and Nirvana are similar, yet different. Both believe there is an inner light which guides a taoism essay in the right direction to the ultimate goal, taoism essay.
Personal desires must be forsaken to enable the inner light to guide a person to achieve eternal bliss. The inner light concept is similar, taoism essay, but the actual path is the difference between Taoism and Buddhism, taoism essay. The path toward enlightenment for the Buddhist was defined by Buddha in his Eightfold Path. Only through following this path does the Buddhist reach Nirvana. The path to Tao is individual, it comes from within.
No one can define taoism essay path for the Taoist, it must come from the inner light. Desire, taoism essay, ambition, fame, and selfishness are seen as complications.
EASTERN PHILOSOPHY - Lao Tzu
, time: 5:30Taoism Essay - Words | Bartleby
Aug 17, · Essay: Taoism. Taoism is one of the two great philosophical and religious traditions that originated in China. The other religion native to China is Confucianism. Both Taoism and Confucianism began at about the same time, around the sixth century B.C.E. China’s third great religion, Buddhism, came to China from India around the second century of the common era Taoism Essay religion of Taoism first started. The original form of Taoism beliefs that there is no God, instead they have an ethereal being that they do not know, making them unique in the world as most religions have a deity to fall behind as a uniting factor In this essay, I will explain the basic precepts, including similarities of, differences in, and the relationship between three major Eastern traditions: Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. First, I will give a basic overview of the three belief systems, exploring their histories and general precepts
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