looking for the Tao article post
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once i read an article posted some time ago by Thusness(?) regarding the concept of tao, or was it i-ching going back to more than 2500 years? the idea of tao was pretty profound.
but the 'search' for this forum are not that effective, and i can't seem to located it. any idea?
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ask the eternal now, he got the url i think.
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seems like damn profound. perhaps famous ppl like zhuge liang understand its basics well.
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fundamental Taoism deriving from the Yi Jing has similarities with mainstream Buddhism. But because of vast commercialization and varying interpretations, the underlying teachings to life is secluded from most people
For example, the Ba Gua (Early and Later heaven) are representation of a core buddhist teaching. Firstly the first verse, "The unmagnifested infinity gives rise to the magnifested finite" -- Meaning all forms abide in space. Subsequently the Yin and Yang represents the dualism views of Samsara e.g.
- Gain / Loss
- Health / Sickness
- Wealth / poverty
- Fellowship / lonliness etc etc
The dots within the Tai Chi represents the seed of the opposite polarity and an infinite no. of Tai Chi within each Tai Chi. Denoting infinite beginning and end.
The turning of the Tai Chi reveals that when 1 extreme moves, it has to give up certain space in order to progress -- denoting change. This is in accord with Buddhism whereby change or impermanence is always in constant motion.
The full and broken stroke outside the Tai Chi denotes time esp for the Later Heaven Tai Chi.
On the whole it represents the spiritual realm of the universe in which we abide. -
tao de ching read before long time ago.
i remember the post i said 'taoism' is now mix with folk believe. then someone said the real tao is not understood. i agreed. another person posted some interesting articles.
AEN said he was surprise by all our knowledge of the real tao.
btw, hmm maybe the technical support can look at the search button which is not effective unlike other forums.
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Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Lao Tzu is also an enlightened being (my master and master han shan says he belongs to the 'Pratyekabuddha' catergory), and Thusness also agrees. The Tao that Lao Tzu spoke of, and the Buddhist Tao is essentially the same. Thusness used to to have an experienced Taoist master too I heard.
The problem with Taoism nowadays is, I believe, too mixed with spirit practises/spirit mediumship. The spirit written in the webpage is different from the spirit I am talking about.
However other than Lao Tzu, I am not sure if there are anyone else as enlightened as him (as in Taoism). My Master says probably only Lao Tzu is fully enlightened. Thusness also agrees. I ask him what's his views of Chuang Tzu then, he seems to suggest, not complete.
[23:09] hi
[23:09] u used to say lao tzu was enlightened rite?
[23:09] yes
[23:10] how about chuang tzu?
[23:10] and did tao te ching teach impermanence, conditioned arising, etc?
[23:10] not as precise like buddhism. Buddhism almost make it a science.
[23:10] oic
[23:11] then how about chuang tzu
[23:11] the steps are so precise.
[23:11] ya
[23:11] true.. tao te ching is so short
[23:11] do u read chuang tzu teachings?
[23:11] chuang tzu is different, only the no-doing aspect until luminosity is clear.
[23:12] icic
[23:12] so
[23:12] but lao-tze is deep and profound. What really has been spoken.
[23:12] is there anyone else in taoism as enlightened as lao tzu
[23:12] icic..
[23:12] nothing really only the 5000 words.
[23:19] even with all our experience when reading the text, will make us feel shallow.
[23:19] will put us into stillness and at once in line with Tao.
[23:19] The Thusness simply flows.
[23:20] it is a different approach. But not to belittle tao de jing.
Tao Te Ching -
Originally posted by Thusness:I am not exactly sure whether the rainbow body is Yang Shen or Yang Body.
From the perspective of a taoist, when one is able to sense the vital energy and channel this vital breath through the microcosmic orbit, the next step is to nuture the “yuan yin”, or the primordial baby. The ‘Yang Body’, which is the grown up primordial baby, is the body that is doing all the tricks like flying around (not the physical body) and passing through walls..etc. However, this achievement was the result of focus attention sensing the chi (vital energy), concentration and visualization. The Yang Body is thus the ultimate thought-form body vitalised by chi as opposed to yin-body. The achievement does not require the awakening of prajna wisdom and thus is not the sort of ‘high’ level from the perspective of Buddhism. After Yang Sheng cultivation, Yang Sheng would have to nuture itself into becoming oneness with Tao. It is here that is of the point of interest. The Yang Sheng dissolves into Tao to realize its true nature. -
Originally posted by Thusness:Yes. ‘I’ Ching ranks the highest in the 4 books and 5 doctrines. Its status to the Chinese is equivalent to that of Bible in the West and Bhagavat Gita or Vedas of Hinduism. ‘I’ Ching affects almost every aspect of the Chinese life -- religion, martial arts, calendar, medicine, philosophy and astrology. Unfortunately nowadays, it is commonly misunderstood as a book of divination.
The Chinese word ‘I’ (yi) means Change. If Heaven and Earth did not change, the power would penetrate nowhere. Everything is in a state of perpetual flux at different moment as a result of interaction and interdependence. I see it as a great complement for understanding the further meaning of change. It is in line with the dharma seals. -
The first thing I recall was about the Thomas Yeo thread and I was right
http://buddhism.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=163204&page=2 -
Yup.. indeed. Interesting postOriginally posted by earthling82:fundamental Taoism deriving from the Yi Jing has similarities with mainstream Buddhism. But because of vast commercialization and varying interpretations, the underlying teachings to life is secluded from most people
For example, the Ba Gua (Early and Later heaven) are representation of a core buddhist teaching. Firstly the first verse, "The unmagnifested infinity gives rise to the magnifested finite" -- Meaning all forms abide in space. Subsequently the Yin and Yang represents the dualism views of Samsara e.g.
- Gain / Loss
- Health / Sickness
- Wealth / poverty
- Fellowship / lonliness etc etc
The dots within the Tai Chi represents the seed of the opposite polarity and an infinite no. of Tai Chi within each Tai Chi. Denoting infinite beginning and end.
The turning of the Tai Chi reveals that when 1 extreme moves, it has to give up certain space in order to progress -- denoting change. This is in accord with Buddhism whereby change or impermanence is always in constant motion.
The full and broken stroke outside the Tai Chi denotes time esp for the Later Heaven Tai Chi.
On the whole it represents the spiritual realm of the universe in which we abide. -
bingo!!Originally posted by An Eternal Now:The first thing I recall was about the Thomas Yeo thread and I was right
http://buddhism.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=163204&page=2
can't remember i also contributed, esp the 'AD 998-1022' and 'Fu Hsi' part.indeed. Fu Hsi was dated 2852 BCE – 2738 BCE(going hand in hand with Egypt thinking). this show that the 'raw' Tao concept (rather than the religion Taoism) or Dharma is a natural phenomenon rather than one's invention. actually, like Moses(prince of Egypt ), Fu Hsi also tapped or seek the supernatural or divine power for insights. their so called 'genius ' is unlike that of Einstein.
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Yes Earthing82,
Polarity certainly isnÂ’t opposites; these extremities are themselves a single whole. Although the power to abstract has brought us to the advancement of science today, it also prevent us from experiencing reality directly, separating the inseparable and dividing wholeness into opposites. Let us be undefined so that we can penetrate into the profundity of Tao.
To speak in Taoist terms, the Pristine Awareness is the great Unmanifest Infinity. It manifests itself as phenomenon existence but conceals itself; this is its great reserve. Momentarily it creates and recreate, this is called the Change. Before yin and yang, this is called the Original. That Presence that can be felt but cannot be defined, this is called the Spirit. Movement without core and center, this is called Emptiness. To see what is as it is, this is called Wisdom. The Tao in its Self-So, this is called Thus. -
Hmm yea... yin and yang are not seperate but only aspects of the same reality. Non-dual..Originally posted by Thusness:Yes Earthing82,
Polarity certainly isnÂ’t opposites; these extremities are themselves a single whole. Although the power to abstract has brought us to the advancement of science today, it also prevent us from experiencing reality directly, separating the inseparable and dividing wholeness into opposites. Let us be undefined so that we can penetrate into the profundity of Tao.
To speak in Taoist terms, the Pristine Awareness is the great Unmanifest Infinity. It manifests itself as phenomenon existence but conceals itself; this is its great reserve. Momentarily it creates and recreate, this is called the Change. Before yin and yang, this is called the Original. That Presence that can be felt but cannot be defined, this is called the Spirit. Movement without core and center, this is called Emptiness. To see what is as it is, this is called Wisdom. The Tao in its Self-So, this is called Thus.
False-imagination teaches that such things as light and shade, long and short, black and white are different and are to be discriminated; but they are not independent of each other; they are only different aspects of the same thing, they are terms of relation and not of reality. Conditions of existence are not of a mutually exclusive character; in essence things are not two but one.
Shakyamuni Buddha
> The Lankavatara Sutra