IsmailaGodHasHeard
Well-Known Member
I have no idea what that is.
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What is the Tao?
- Thread starter IsmailaGodHasHeard
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IsmailaGodHasHeard
Well-Known Member
Oh, okay. Thank you for telling me. That is interesting.
Neither do I.
It's really just a metaphor for "the way things naturally are". We can only ever be aware of how things actually are relatively speaking, you know the little taos in life. The Great Tao cannot really be adequately contained with words. There's always a bigger picture that we simply cannot fit within the categories of mind, at least not with perfect objectivity. We can infer things about the Tao by the way it acts, though, and then put ourselves into accordance with it. It seems to flow effortlessly like water, giving of itself freely to all things, and abiding even in the most uncomfortable places which is where my other definition of "the cosmic flow" comes from.
The Tao Te Ching is dedicated to inferring things about the Great Tao indirectly by observations of the little taos of nature. Probably the most one can learn about the Tao is by looking within oneself for direction and guidance. The Great Tao manifested within the individual is call Te which may translate as "power; virtue; integrity". It refers to one's potential and internal consistency with the natural world. I could go on but the point here is that we can only infer things indirectly about the Tao, like a finger pointing at the moon. Don't get stuck obsessing about the finger that you forget to look at the moon.
Hope this helps.
Wiki: always an ok intro and would recommend starting there for a light intro, some pages more worthy of consideration than others.
Tao
Taoist
A well known just by name, maybe the most well know Taoist text- Tao_Te_Ching
It's author- Lao Tzu
Check em out, I hope you find well.
The Tao Te Ching is easy to find in it's entirety through a google search.
:namaste
SageTree
Tao
Taoist
A well known just by name, maybe the most well know Taoist text- Tao_Te_Ching
It's author- Lao Tzu
Check em out, I hope you find well.
The Tao Te Ching is easy to find in it's entirety through a google search.
:namaste
SageTree
I thought you just said it meant "Deity"? I'm confused... Can you please clarify for me?
internationalist
Member
That's Tao.
We really can not define Deity(Truth), Laozi realized this conceptually; therefore, he used a pointer term Tao to pointedly define Deity(Truth). I think that Deity is a broader concept than Truth; therefore, I rather translate Tao as Deity. Translating it as Truth also makes sense.
Maybe we're just having some kind of communication problem. To me, "Deity" refers to an actual intelligent sentient being. It's not synonymous with "Truth". It seems that the Tao is directly related and referring to Nature as well. At least we agree that we cannot adequately define "Tao", we can only infer what it is based on external observations and internal contemplation.
To each his own tao I guess.
I can only point out some natures and attributes of Deity, but I can not use my finite mind to define an infinite being. Truth to me is only experiencible through personal living. If two people are living the same piece of truth, they can share their personal experiences.
Chapter 1
The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named is not the eternal name
The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth
The named is the mother of myriad things
Thus, constantly without desire, one observes its essence
Constantly with desire, one observes its manifestations
These two emerge together but differ in name
The unity is said to be the mystery
Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders
From the above translation, we can see Tao does not mean "way" or "path". Laozi used Tao to point to something which is eternal.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name
The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth
The named is the mother of myriad things
Thus, constantly without desire, one observes its essence
Constantly with desire, one observes its manifestations
These two emerge together but differ in name
The unity is said to be the mystery
Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders
From the above translation, we can see Tao does not mean "way" or "path". Laozi used Tao to point to something which is eternal.
Yes, the eternal way or path haha.
It cannot be adequately apprehended by the human mind. We can only name the heavens and the earth, but not that which is the origin of both.
Breathe
Hostis humani generis
In the Tao Te Ching, it appears that the Tao is personified.
Do you see these personifications as metaphorical, or do you believe that the Tao has some semblance of, for lack of a better term, Will, Sapience, or Intelligence?
Tao has two literal meanings: noun: way or path, verb: speak. Laozi wrote literally:
Tao can be Taoed is not the Tao usually used. So he used Tao differently in Tao Te Ching.
I view it as metaphorical since its meant to be poetic anyway. The Tao Te Ching can get a little too abstract in some ways, which is why I think the Zhuangzi is a good companion to it. If Laozi is the Yin then Zhuangzi is the Yang. It focuses on more concrete worldly examples of the Tao in action, or rather inaction lol.
I also tend to view God-beliefs as essentially metaphorical in nature, although many has become mistaken for facts. God is a metaphor for that which transcends all human categories of knowledge, much like the Tao. We undervalue the use of metaphors these days.
If by that you mean "natural law" I suppose so, but you have to be careful because Taoism isn't a dharmic tradition and differs considerable in many of its teachings from Indian religions.