Intro.

to World Religions and Belief Systems

Taoism
Group 2: Babiera, Dela Cruz, Gonzaga, Ignacio,
Manuel, Siasoco, Supan, Tiad
Objectives
We will tackle about the history,
beliefs and practices related to
Taoism.

Discuss Lao Zi, Dao De Jing, Wu

Wei, and The Absolute is the Way
of Nature
Introduction to Taoism
Also known as Daoism

Chinese philosophy and religion

attributed to Lao Zi
(c. 500 BCE, also known as Lao-Tzu
or Lao-Tze)

Became the official religion of the

country under the Tang Dynasty.
Introduction to Taoism
Lao Zi was interested in the hereafter
or the world beyond the physical
realm - the metaphysical, problem
of mysticism, and who is one with
nature and the world of the spirit
Did You Know?
Taoist believe in the idea of Yin and
Yang
- two intermingling and interdependent
forces that are present in reality

- may signify a lot of things in reality:

light and dark, fast and slow, cold and
hot, day and night, male and female,
front and back
Did You Know?
Taoist believe in the idea of Yin and
Yang
- the two share some kind of
complementarity

- one would not make any sense

without the other (imagine having light
without darkness)
Did You Know?
Taoist believe in the idea of Yin and
Yang

- however, yin and yang must not be

seen from a moral perspective -
neither one is good nor evil - but
from a simple but dynamic balance
Discussion on Lao Zi
Lao (old) Zi (master), a title of
endearment and respect which
existed between 566 and 470 BCE
- was from Chu, known today as Hunan
province.
-retired to the west where he wrote the
Dao De Jing at the request of a
gatekeeper
Discussion on Lao Zi
Taoism is never meant as religion
but more of a philosophical system

- the Taoist philosophical tradition slowly

faded and was transformed into teaching

- mainly focuses on rituals and cosmic

renewals to uplift the relationship
between the community and their deities'
spirit
Discussion on Dao De Jing / Tao
Te Ching
Dao De Jing or Tao Te Ching is the
work attributed to Laozi.
- a little book that has about 5,250 Chinese
characters that are distributed into 81
poems

- second to the Bible as the most translated

book into the English language alone and
there are over 50 translations available
Discussion on Dao De Jing / Tao
Te Ching
The character Dao is the central
theme of Dao De Jing.

- Dao can mean "Truth", "Absolute",

"Nature", "Way of Nature", and "Way"

- Dao is "Truth" it means that it is the

"Absolute" - the all-pervading Reality
Discussion on Dao De Jing / Tao
Te Ching
- "Nature" signifies that Dao is the totality of
nature - how things work and flow

- Dao as the "Way" means the path a

person should take in life - the law of
morality

- Dao is the Absolute, the Way of the

Absolute, and the Way to the Absolute.
Discussion on Dao De Jing / Tao
Te Ching
Dao is not a god.

- it is not even a being

- everything is a manifestation of the Dao

- it is the source of all being, while it is a

non-being
The Absolute is the Way of Nature

Dao:

- the "Ultimate Reality" that governs

everything

- the power that sustains all things

and is the source of order in the
universe
The Absolute is the Way of Nature

Nature:

- Order is also commonly associated with

nature.

- there is water to moisturize everything, air

for living beings to breathe, sun to provide
heat; all of these exist and function the way
they are because of Dao
The Absolute is the Way of Nature

Absolute:

- Only way to reach "Ultimate Reality"

Way of Nature:

- a person does not have to search for

anything other than the Dao to know
what it is
The Absolute is the Way of Nature

The Dao: will provide the answer and it

will only unveil itself to the person who
is seeking to find it

- will not unveil itself if the laws of

morality are not observed

- Law of Morality: suggests that a person

should let nature take its course
The Absolute is the Way of Nature

Way of the Dao: being one with nature

Simply put, the philosophy of Dao just

encourages everyone to "go with the
flow" and to live as close to nature as
possible and be one with it
Discussion on Wu Wei
Taoist spirituality can be found in the
experience of Dao, which is about
living a naturally simple life.
- the way to know Dao just requires
simplicity and pureness of the heart,
sincerity in intention, and being
unaffected by artificialities.
Discussion on Wu Wei
Wu Wei describes Taoist spirituality.
- means non-action or non-purposiveness

- it is through Wu Wei or not doing anything

that the meaning of Dao is unveiled

- non-action is the way to knowing the Dao

because it teaches the person to stop, look,
and observe the things surrounding him
 Seatwork 1:
Answer the following questions:
(write your answer in a 1/2 yellow
paper)

1.) What do you think is the most important

message imparted by Taoism?

2.) How should one relate to nature

according to Taoism?
 Seatwork 2:
Answer the following questions:
(write your answer in a 1/2 yellow
paper)

- Give one belief in Taoism that had been

discussed that you think is important.
Share your thoughts on how you will apply
and practice this belief in your daily life.