PDF《Taoism Questions and Answers》

1 Taoism Questions and Answers 1.

What are Taoism and its basic beliefs? Taoism believes in Tao, and that is what gives Taoism its name. The main activities of Taoism include learning, self cultivating and practicing Tao in order to help others. Taoism was initiated by Yellow Emperor around 3,000 B.C.;

it is a religion indigenous to China. The Book Laozi , also known as Dao De Jing , is the main classic of Taoism. Taoism believes that Tao is the holding of nothingness, it is the root of creation, it is the origin of consciousness and it is the beginning of Heaven and Earth. The multitudes of nature phenomena exist due to Dao, and the five elements take their shapes because of Dao. The core essence of the universe, Yin and Yang as well as everything in the universe is but the creation or manifestation of the Dao. In Taoist view, there are other universes besides the universe we live in. These universes, such as the

10 grand Dongtian (Grotto-Heavens), the

36 Dongtian, and the

72 Fudi (blessed locations), are where all the Divine, Immortals and Deities live in. In the view of Taoism, Tao had originally manifested itself into

3 different kinds of vital Breaths or Qi, and they in turn transformed themselves into the

3 highest Divine in Taoism, the Yuanshi (Primordial Beginning) Heavenly Worthy, the Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) Heavenly Worthy and the Daode (Tao and Virtue) Heavenly Worthy. There are other Divine and Deities that Taoism believes in. They form a huge pantheon of Celestial Beings. These are Deities in charge of every possible aspect of the natural world and human society. Some Deities are responsible for larger events in Nature, such as the Three Officials who are the Deities in-charge of Heaven, Earth and Water;

and others are assigned minor duties, such as the Door Guardians, the Kitchen Deity. Another fundamental belief of Taoism is that human beings can shun death and achieve immortality. Since Tao is eternal, and whoever can acquire and hold on to it, can therefore achieve eternal life. The process is also called De (as in Dao De Jing), which means, obtain or obtaining the Dao . In summary, Taoism values life and pursues longevity;

it believes one can achieve immortality and spiritual enlightenment through prayer or proper practice;

it believes that one can enjoy life of this world and at the same time by returning to Dao - the source of all life, achieve immortality while keeping one'

s physical body, and eventually transcend to the realm of the Divine and Deities, live happily ever after. 2. Is Taoism indigenous to China? Yes. Taoism began with the Yellow Emperor, it was fully enriched and theorized by Laozi and institutionalised as a formal religion by Zhang Daoling. The great scholars from Warring States period, and from Qin and Han Dynasties all respected and promoted the teachings of Yellow Emperor and Laozi. From Tang and Song Dynasties onwards, Taoism was popularly

2 learnt, practised and respected and therefore spread to whole of China. Taoism as a commonly known religion began in Tang dynasty (618 -

906 A.D.), before that it was mainly known as the teachings of Yellow Emperor and Laozi, although Taoism was immensely popular through out those times. 3. Why did Taoism name itself after Tao? Taoists take studying, believing, inheriting and promoting Dao as their main tasks. In the book Dian Lun , it is stated Taoists are practitioners who wholeheartedly make matters of Tao as their lifelong mission . 4. What is Tao and Te? Tao as taught by Laozi, is the core concept of Daoism religion. It takes purity and tranquility as goals, emptiness and great void as its foundation, softness and humility as tools. Tao is considered the source and the lord of the universe;