|
|
TAOISM AND BUDDHISM Introduction One dominant perception within Taoist and Buddhist is the belief in some form of reincarnation. The idea that life does not end when one dies is an integral part of their religions and the culture of the Chinese people. Each religion has a different approach or pathway to this ultimate goal and of applying this concept to its beliefs. This paper will describe a brief history of each religion, the beliefs, teachings or pathways to obtain this goal and the concept of reincarnation as they apply to Taoism and Buddhism. History Scholars believe that Taoism began as a way of thinking around the sixth century B.C.E. But the roots of Taoist thought are much older than that. They are as old as the oldest legends and beliefs of the Chinese people. For many Taoist believers, Taoism can be traced to the great and wise ruler Huang Di, also known as the Yellow Emperor. (Hartz 16) Like the Yellow Emperor centuries before him, the man on whose teachings Taoism is based is semi-legendary. No one is really sure whether or not he existed. It has been suggested that he was not one person but a composite of many wise men of his time. Still, the earliest written history of China, written around the second century B.C.E. includes a biographical sketch a man. He became known at Laozi (Lao Tzu), which is not a name, but a title meaning “The Old One” or “The Master.” (Hartz 20) Taoism currently has about 20 million followers, and is primarily centered in Taiwan. About 30,000 Taoists live in North America; 1,720 in Canada (1991 census). (Manning) Buddhism is one of the major religions of the world. It is believed to be founded by Siddhartha (wish-fulfiller) Gautama, who lived in northern India from c.560 to c.480 BC. This founder of Buddhism was the son a chief of the hill tribe of Shakyas, who gave up family life to become an ascetic when he was some twenty-nine years old. After some years he emerged as the leader, Buddha, of a band of followers who pursued the “Middle Way” between extreme asceticism and worldly life. (De Bary 6) Buddhism rose as a monastic movement during the time of Brahman tradition. The Buddhist movement was open to people of all castes, denying that a person’s worth could be judge by their blood. Today Buddhism is one of the major religions of the world. Its followers have divided into two main branches. The Theravada, or “Way of the Elders,” the more conservative of the two, it is mainly found in India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand and Cambodia. The Mahayana, or “Great Vehicle,” is more liberal. It is mainly found in Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and China. Teachings of Tao Tao (pronounced "Dow") can be roughly translated into English as “the path,” or “the way.” It is basically indefinable. It has to be experienced. It "refers to a power which envelops, surrounds and flows through all things, living and non-living. The Tao regulates natural processes and nourishes balance in the Universe. It embodies the harmony of opposites (i.e. there would be no love without hate, no light without dark, no male without female.)" (Manning) Taoism has provided an alternative to the Confucian tradition in China. Tao is thought to be the first-cause of the universe. It is a force that flows through all life. Each believer's goal is to become one with the Tao. The priesthood views the many gods as manifestations of the one Dao, "which could not be represented as an image or a particular thing." The concept of a personified deity is foreign to them, as is the concept of the creation of the universe. Thus, they do not pray as Christians do; there is no God to hear the prayers or to act upon them. They seek answers to life's problems through inner meditation and outer observation.
|
