Path: Supernews!supernews.com!kudonet.com!not-for-mail From: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (xiwangmu) Newsgroups: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.philosophy.taoism,talk.religion.misc Subject: Re: What is taoism? Date: 12 May 1997 14:40:48 -0700 Organization: KudoNet On-Line Services Lines: 67 Sender: tyagi@bjt.net Message-ID: <5l82p0$4tt@kudo20.kudonet.com> References: Reply-To: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (xiwangmu) NNTP-Posting-Host: kudo20.kudonet.com X-Newsreader: NN version 6.5.0 (NOV) Xref: Supernews alt.magick.tyagi:11979 alt.philosophy.taoism:13002 talk.religion.misc:287425 49970512 AA1 Hail Satan! Andrew : >little time to outline in terms as vague as necessary what taoism is? there was a 'FAQ' floating around, though it is disputed. here is a seed core for another: this ('what is taoism?') is a common question here, and deservedly so. it seems a central and obvious issue which, despite the name of the newsgroup, is not at all easy to discern when surveying its contents. and this is perfectly in line with traditional knowledge presen- tation of some Eastern forms. we begin with tangental issues and only later, perhaps mid-way, do we begin to enter into what many Westerners would call 'the meat'. the reason for this style is in part because some topics are impossible to condense to a sound-byte and present upon a platter for sumptuous and convenient assimilation. instead TIME must be taken in becoming familiar with terminology, expression: the appearance of the meal, the aroma, the layout of the utensils and decore, the bouquet of the accompanying refreshment, an appetizer, a first or preparatory course, a palate cleanser, etc. in this way 'what is taoism?' should not be seen as a PRELIMINARY question within alt.philosophy.taoism, and by its long-time participants who have some feel for the topic it is not so considered. indeed, the essence of the query, 'what is tao?' is an extremely advanced and beautiful focus of contemplation for those who walk along the Way and come into the presence of the Supreme. therefore, before asking 'what is taoism?', instead read peripheral discussions, such as that on 'wu-wei', 'p'u', 'jen', or even 'teh'. get a feel for what kind of character the master Lao might have been, the stories told of the origins of the texts which are ascribed to him, and the same for the master Chang Tao-ling. peer into the misty valleys of hermits who huddle around tea in their secluded huts clucking, amused by the perplexity of esoteric expression. reside a while in the natural world where currents and polarities inspire a visceral understanding of the beauty of the 10,000 Things. when you have done all these things, when you have sat and listened to the masters tell their stories and pondered carefully their subtlety and their wry humor, when you have wrangled with them as to their meanings on details of courtly and mystical orientation, then come again and ask 'what is taoism?'. perhaps there will be no answer. >OR perhaps suggest some useful literature that's noso hard to find try _Tao Teh Ching_, by the master Lao Tse (various translations, probably best to try a number of them), or _The Tao is Silent_, by Raymond Smullyan, or _The Watercourse Way_, by Alan Watts. these are adequate introductions to the study of tao and teh. literature is only one facet of the study of tao. it is very abstracted and therefore can take one outside presence. mu