What is Daoism?

Answer 1

The common, literal sense of the word Tao is a path or a way, but it is used in three ways:

1. Tao is the transcendent Way of ultimate reality - unnamable, ungraspable, ineffable. This is hinted at in the opening words to the Tao Te Ching: The Tao that can be spoken is not the true or eternal Tao. Huston Smith writes of this sense of Tao, "Above all, behind all, beneath all is the Womb from which all life springs and to which it returns." It is clear, quiet, eternally existing, yet beyond our intellectual grasp, so that words never quite reach it: "Those who know do not say; those who say do not know."

2. Tao is not only transcendent, but is the immanent, observable way of the universe, "the norm, the rhythm, the driving power in all nature, the ordering principle behind all life" (Smith). We see it in the yin and yang polarities underlying everything, in the self-balancing Organism of Nature, the flow of forces making up the universe.

3. Tao is also the way of human life when it flows in harmony with the way of the universe as described above. This life enjoys the supreme effectiveness of operating by Tao's power, or te.

Answer 2

Have you ever tried Tai Chi. It is a Taoist system of exercise. and a martial art, but it is also intended to spread Daoist Philosophy. (the terms Tao and Dao are interchangable, just how they are transcribed from Chinese to English. They should both be pronounced as if they start with a hard "D") Taoism says that before there was anything the "way" existed. The way is empty. the way is not in and of itself definable. Toaism says that the nature of the way defines our way. They say to follow your own nature and the nature of the world as it is. This turns it back upon you to search for your own nature and the nature of the world and to become aware of it. Zen Buddhism is very closely tied to Taoism. The best introductory text to Taoism for westerners is likely "The Tao of Pooh" in which the author uses Winnie the Pooh to demonstrate the ideas behind Taoism.

Answer 3

It's actually spelled with a 'T' as in the Tao but pronounced the way you spelled it. Anyway it's a Chinese religion over 4000 years old. There is no personal god, the closest thing being the Tao, which is a supreme force which underlies change through the passage of time. One is to become free of personal desires, and become attuned to the flow of change.

Answer 4

Taoism, the religion is outlined in the Tao Teh Ching, you should read it, Lao Tzu wrote it. Basically they believe that everything comes from the Tao, it is very hard to explain. Just disregard Prophecy+History=Truth, the ignorant will often fear any truth that threatens their views on life...

Answer 5

A Chinese sect claiming to follow the teaching of Lao-tzu but incorporating pantheism and sorcery in addition to Taoism

Religion adhering to the teaching of Lao-tzu

Popular Chinese philosophical system based in teachings of Lao-tzu but characterized by a pantheism of many gods and the practices of alchemy and divination and magic
- Hsuan Chiao

Philosophical system developed by Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu advocating a simple honest life and noninterference with the course of natural events

Answer 6

the english word is taoism.
check out the wiki link for their explanation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daoism

and just a little tid bit of useless information. winnie the pooh is supposedly tao.

check out this link if you want. its pretty cool
http://www.just-pooh.com/tao.html

Answer 7

Taoism. Google it.

Answer 8

just more ungodly trash......