Taoism Flashcards
Fundamental beliefs = P’U, the uncarved block
• the fundamental nature is that things in their original form contain their own power… power that is easily spoiled and lost when that form is changed
Taoism originated in ancient _______. It advocates a life of natural simplicity and selflessness.
China
Lao-tzu
Born 6th century
Wrote founding text of Taoism
Founding text of Taoism
Tao-te Ching
Tao
Translated as the Way. It describes both the unchanging first principle by which all things came to be
Taoism = more aligned with the peace and quiet associated with the ____ force
Yin
• unlike Confucianism and its emphasis on action & aggression with the yang force
We-wei
- means non-action
- the preferred path of least resistance
- doesn’t mean the absence of action, but acting without artificiality or over action
Tao-to ching
2 sections
1) 1st part = concerned with the general theory of the Tao
2) 2nd part = concerned with the Te, or the power by which the universal Tao becomes particular in the world
Chuang-tzu
- Describes the mystical aspects of Taoism
* emphasis on transcendence through non-rational means
Neo-Taoism
• different rationalist, aesthetic, and iconoclastic changes made to Taoism were all part of this movement
Beginning of institutional Taoist religion
Identified with the founding of the Heavenly Masters sect
Heavenly Masters sect
Chang Ling = founder. Claimed that Lao-tzu appeared to him in a cave and made him the Heavenly Master
Classic of Great Peace
- Taoism offers a doctrine of salvation
* the Classic of Great Peace = considered to be the most IMPORTANT test of religious Taoism after the Tao-Te Ching
Taoist canon
- Immense collection of over 1,000 volumes compiled over 15 centuries
- discovered by hermits in caves
- divided into 3 Caverns
Chi-Kung
- Meditation and breathing exercises
* Hope to connect their bodies with the gods
2 Taoist sects surviving today
1) Heavenly Masters sect
2) Perfect Truth sect
• allows the greatest Buddhist influence
• noted for its fasting and devoted pursuit of inner alchemy and meditation
The country with the strongest Taoist following besides China is _______
Korea
The Sacred
- Experienced through the fear or awe one feels in the presence of a spirit or god
- the experience of the sacred that first awakens reverential awe is a prerequisite to religion
Mana
- a mysterious, invisible force that causes nature to act as it does
- belief in mana is humankinds original impetus to adopt religion
–-> Bishop Codrington
Paul Tillich defined religion as “that which is of ultimate concern”
Believed that a person’s religion was whatever was most important to them
The key to understanding Tillich’s theology is his “method of correlation”
Way of establishing a connection between Christian revelation and the issues presented by existential philosophical analysis
Systematic Theology
• Paul Tillich’s major 3 volume work
Immanuel Kant
- Demonstrated that one cannot gain knowledge through empirical reason (through the senses)
- argued that religious affirmations are unprovable and that it’s the operation of the moral will — not cognitive reason — that makes people religious
Nature-worship theory
- Max Muller
- similar to the animistic theory
- stated that religion developed as primitive people observed the patterns of nature and tried to personalize them
Animism
The belief that nature is alive and filled with unseen spirits that may be worshiped or placated
Karl Marx
- saw the origin and development of religion as stemming from the social and economic struggle between classes
- “religion is the opium of the people”
Sigmund Freud
- Psychoanalytic approach
* argued that religion originated as guilt that men allegedly feel in hating their fathers
Taoism originated in ancient _______. It advocates a life of natural simplicity and selflessness.
China
Fundamental beliefs = P’U, the uncarved block
• the fundamental nature is that things in their original form contain their own power… power that is easily spoiled and lost when that form is changed
Lao-tzu
Born 6th century
Wrote founding text of Taoism
Founding text of Taoism
Tao-te Ching
Tao
Translated as the Way. It describes both the unchanging first principle by which all things came to be
Taoism = more aligned with the peace and quiet associated with the ____ force
Yin
• unlike Confucianism and its emphasis on action & aggression with the yang force
We-wei
- means non-action
- the preferred path of least resistance
- doesn’t mean the absence of action, but acting without artificiality or over action
Tao-to ching
2 sections
1) 1st part = concerned with the general theory of the Tao
2) 2nd part = concerned with the Te, or the power by which the universal Tao becomes particular in the world
Chuang-tzu
- Describes the mystical aspects of Taoism
* emphasis on transcendence through non-rational means
Neo-Taoism
• different rationalist, aesthetic, and iconoclastic changes made to Taoism were all part of this movement
Beginning of institutional Taoist religion
Identified with the founding of the Heavenly Masters sect
Heavenly Masters sect
Chang Ling = founder. Claimed that Lao-tzu appeared to him in a cave and made him the Heavenly Master
Classic of Great Peace
- Taoism offers a doctrine of salvation
* the Classic of Great Peace = considered to be the most IMPORTANT test of religious Taoism after the Tao-Te Ching
Taoist canon
- Immense collection of over 1,000 volumes compiled over 15 centuries
- discovered by hermits in caves
- divided into 3 Caverns
Chi-Kung
- Meditation and breathing exercises
* Hope to connect their bodies with the gods
2 Taoist sects surviving today
1) Heavenly Masters sect
2) Perfect Truth sect
• allows the greatest Buddhist influence
• noted for its fasting and devoted pursuit of inner alchemy and meditation
The country with the strongest Taoist following besides China is _______
Korea
The Sacred
- Experienced through the fear or awe one feels in the presence of a spirit or god
- the experience of the sacred that first awakens reverential awe is a prerequisite to religion
Mana
- a mysterious, invisible force that causes nature to act as it does
- belief in mana is humankinds original impetus to adopt religion
–-> Bishop Codrington
Paul Tillich defined religion as “that which is of ultimate concern”
Believed that a person’s religion was whatever was most important to them
The key to understanding Tillich’s theology is his “method of correlation”
Way of establishing a connection between Christian revelation and the issues presented by existential philosophical analysis
Systematic Theology
• Paul Tillich’s major 3 volume work
Immanuel Kant
- Demonstrated that one cannot gain knowledge through empirical reason (through the senses)
- argued that religious affirmations are unprovable and that it’s the operation of the moral will — not cognitive reason — that makes people religious
Nature-worship theory
- Max Muller
- similar to the animistic theory
- stated that religion developed as primitive people observed the patterns of nature and tried to personalize them
Animism
The belief that nature is alive and filled with unseen spirits that may be worshiped or placated
Karl Marx
- saw the origin and development of religion as stemming from the social and economic struggle between classes
- “religion is the opium of the people”
Sigmund Freud
- Psychoanalytic approach
* argued that religion originated as guilt that men allegedly feel in hating their fathers
