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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rory" data-source="post: 170425" data-attributes="member: 18138">Hey bhenji, that sounds like a great idea. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> I'll pick up my Tao Teh Ching again and contribute to this, it's a good idea; I think it's important we realize that Truth should be something found not just in Sikhism, but anywhere there is a yearning for it (?)Feel free to pick a verse and post, I'm sure it'll arouse some interest and maybe we'll inspire a few people to pick up the Tao' and give it a read.The tricky thing is there are two "types" of Taoism. Philosophical Taoism is what most of us in the West would identify as "Taoism"; an abstract philosophy based on the writings of the sage Lao Tzu in the Tao Te Ching. It's hard to call philosophical Taoism a religion because these types of Taoists do not have any kind of clergy, any tradition outside reading Tao Te Ching, no holy-days, no temple or any organized gathering. Essentially, there is no institution; philosophical Taoism is basically just philosophy based around the teachings of the Tao Te Ching, and nothing more.This is the most popular form of Taoism in the West, and I would say this kind of "new-age" Taoism has only come about in the past 60 - 100 years, although the Tao Te Ching is dated at about 3rd Century B.C.(Here is a good resource by a philosophical Taoist, the site includes an English translation of the Tao Te Ching: <a href="http://www.taoism.net/" target="_blank">http://www.taoism.net/</a>)Religious Taoism is a little disillusioning, compared to the former; I haven't read a whole lot about it, but it is a lot different and more extensive than philosophical Taoism. Religious Taoism is the "traditional" form of Taoism, which the vast majority of Taoists in China identify with. This traditional Taoism has a pantheon of Gods & Goddesses which are worshiped, and are thought to serve different roles in nature. There is a hierarchical clergy, organized ceremonies, and (as far as I remember) there is a collection of what we would call "saints". This form of Taoism has no specific date of origination, instead it's claimed that traditional Taoism was begun by Lao Tze when he wrote the Tao Te Ching in 3rd Century B.C.This page explains the difference quite well: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/taoism/beliefs/religious_1.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/taoism/beliefs/religious_1.shtml</a>Buddhism is dated around the 4th Century B.C., so it outdates the writing of the Tao Te Ching. The thing is that Buddhism did not significantly enter China until 3rd Century A.D., at which point Taoism already had quite a strong following. As far as I know, it is around this time that ideas from Taoism were merged with Buddhism. I think it's generally agreed that Taoism influenced Chinese Buddhists immensely, despite Buddhism (technically) being 1 - 2 centuries older. Sorry if my explanation was long-winded and confusing, I have a feeling it was. I think the best way to find out this stuff is to research from sites like BBC, who have professional and neat writers. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></blockquote>

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