Sunday, May 2, 2010

What Is Taoism?

On this blog, I have gone to great pains to demarcate a distinct boundary between philosophical and religious Taoism. From time to time, however, people leaving comments have questioned whether or not such a sharp distinction is valid. This leads to a most pertinent question: Does philosophical Taoism exist apart from its religious form?

This question can be answered no, yes and maybe! Does this clear things up for you? :-D

For me, I suppose the big distinction could be drawn between what I will call religion (small r) and organized Religion (capital R). Since its earliest formulation as a school of thought, Taoism has been infused with aspects of Chinese native folk religions, shamanism and mysticism. This fusion can be seen in the works of Lao Tzu by the many references to heaven and the aspects of Tao that appear similar to the kind of god westerners are more accustomed to.

However, this understanding of Taoism differs from what most people consider religion because it contains no creeds, rituals, hard and fast morality or specific gods/deities. So, if we wish to entertain that Taoism is, in fact, religious, it is so with an emphasis on the small r.

On the other hand, if we strip away the vestiges of what most people term religion, what we're left with is a basic philosophy for life. A significant number of people -- me included --hold that the main thrust of the thought of the legendary Taoist sages Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu was more focused toward a manner of living in the real world as opposed to supernatural speculations. In this vein, the Taoism of the ancients can be viewed as more of a philosophical school of thought than either a small r or capital R religion.

Finally, there is no question that what is termed philosophical Taoism shares much in common with what is termed religious Taoism. The chief difference is that the latter has evolved to take its place among the organized religions of the world. As explained on this Canadian site,
Alongside the development of Taoism as a philosophy another more strictly religious interpretation of Taoism was evolving. This 'religious' Taoism had its own temples, priests, rites and symbolic images. Lao Tsu was venerated as a 'saint' and imperial sacrifices were made to him. It drew strongly upon the ideas of yin-yang and of the 'Five Agents' (metal, wood, water, fire & earth).

During this time there began to develop a pantheon of TAOIST DEITIES which were often venerated as gods.
I have read that the development of an organized religious Taoism came into being because of the influences of and competition with Buddhism. Many Buddhist ideas were introduced into Taoist thought and the creation of specific religious forms was a strategy used to try to woo people who were embracing this imported religion.

In the end, I suppose that Taoism can be viewed from a number of perspectives. Since this particular Taoist rejects the notion of anything supernatural, you should now understand why I stress the philosophical aspects as opposed to the religious ones.

2 comments:

  1. I understand Taoism as a school of being as much as a school of thought. And I find much spiritual and mystical wisdom there as well. Perhaps this makes me "religious"' but I think that's just a way for other people to categorize me. As I type this I notice that it is 11:11--some sort of oneness, I love those synchonicities.

    Taoism is so intricately connected with Chinese culture, it really is the fundamental element of Chinese culture, and that is how I came to it. All the capital R things about it are just symbols, no more supenatural than, say, quantum physics. Which from one's day-to-day perspective in the here and now can seem pretty supernatural. And all of it is fascinating.

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  2. The religious taoists compare to all religions in their duality. They follow the idea of Yin and Yang as if they were separate entities to be balanced, be this through action, medicine, cooking, merit or such.

    A philosophical taoist sees all as the Tao itself, to them Yin and Yang are interdependent actions of the ever complete Tao. There is nothing to do to draw you into line, to merit or demerit you, no other to go to, no split mind to confound you.

    They just rest in the wonder of it all!

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