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TOP | RELIGION | TAOISMWhat is taoism?
To: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.philosophy.taoism,talk.religion.misc
From: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (xiwangmu)
Subject: Re: What is taoism?
Date: 12 May 1997 14:40:48 -0700
49970512 AA1 Hail Satan!
Andrew :
>little time to outline in terms as vague as necessary what taoism is?
there was a 'FAQ' floating around, though it is disputed. here is a
seed core for another:
this ('what is taoism?') is a common question here, and
deservedly so. it seems a central and obvious issue
which, despite the name of the newsgroup, is not at all
easy to discern when surveying its contents. and this
is perfectly in line with traditional knowledge presen-
tation of some Eastern forms. we begin with tangental
issues and only later, perhaps mid-way, do we begin to
enter into what many Westerners would call 'the meat'.
the reason for this style is in part because some topics
are impossible to condense to a sound-byte and present
upon a platter for sumptuous and convenient assimilation.
instead TIME must be taken in becoming familiar with
terminology, expression: the appearance of the meal, the
aroma, the layout of the utensils and decore, the bouquet
of the accompanying refreshment, an appetizer, a first or
preparatory course, a palate cleanser, etc.
in this way 'what is taoism?' should not be seen as a
PRELIMINARY question within alt.philosophy.taoism, and by
its long-time participants who have some feel for the topic
it is not so considered. indeed, the essence of the query,
'what is tao?' is an extremely advanced and beautiful focus
of contemplation for those who walk along the Way and come
into the presence of the Supreme.
therefore, before asking 'what is taoism?', instead read
peripheral discussions, such as that on 'wu-wei', 'p'u',
'jen', or even 'teh'. get a feel for what kind of character
the master Lao might have been, the stories told of the
origins of the texts which are ascribed to him, and the
same for the master Chang Tao-ling. peer into the misty
valleys of hermits who huddle around tea in their secluded
huts clucking, amused by the perplexity of esoteric
expression. reside a while in the natural world where
currents and polarities inspire a visceral understanding
of the beauty of the 10,000 Things.
when you have done all these things, when you have sat
and listened to the masters tell their stories and
pondered carefully their subtlety and their wry humor,
when you have wrangled with them as to their meanings
on details of courtly and mystical orientation, then come
again and ask 'what is taoism?'. perhaps there will
be no answer.
>OR perhaps suggest some useful literature that's noso hard to find
try _Tao Teh Ching_, by the master Lao Tse (various translations,
probably best to try a number of them), or _The Tao is Silent_,
by Raymond Smullyan, or _The Watercourse Way_, by Alan Watts.
these are adequate introductions to the study of tao and teh.
literature is only one facet of the study of tao. it is very
abstracted and therefore can take one outside presence.
mu
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