道教-道家
Daoist Teachings- Daoist Family
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Before its religious and monastic organisation Daoism was called what could be loosely translated as the Daoist Family [dao jia道家] or the Cultivation of the Dao [xue dao学道]. It could be claimed that the “philosophical” aspect of Daoism already existed, after Lao Zi left riding on the back of his oxen towards the West, while Daoism as religion had not yet taken form. Only in the Han dynasty, it became a religion or it was classified as religious teachings [jiao教] . On the contrary Christianity and Buddhism were founded only a few hundred years after Jesus’ death and several hundred years after Shakyamuni transcendence, as humans printed and distributed their teachings.
Originally in ancient Daoism, close to its shamanic roots, there were no Spirit statues:
虚空自然。
Void, empty and natural.
Adepts ought to piously worship [jing feng敬奉] and revere Heaven, Earth and the Ten Thousand Things. Heaven is considered the Father, Earth is regarded as the Mother, while all living beings are brethren and unified in one body [yi ti一体]. Only much later did Daoism become similar to other religions with the advent of statues. The highest pursuit and striving is the Dao, and it is also the highest power.
道无处不在。
There is no place [where] the Dao does not exist.
In this respect the Dao could be likened to God. Since people do not know what God looks like, that is why God is called Supreme Being or Emperor in the literal Chinese translation. The King looks like God, thus, God has a king [di zi 帝子]. Any thoughts or images have no way to describe or fix the notion of God or the Dao. The opening line of the Dao De Jing [道德经] reads:
道可道非常道。
The Dao that can be named is not the Constant Dao.
Later generations did not comprehend this “formless” concept anymore, thus, it had to be spelled out for them: “This is a Lord. That is a Spirit”. Ultimately images were drawn, and the deities were carved out of stone and wood, while it was instilled into people that they had a great deal of authority and power of wisdom, conjuring up reverence and fear in the worshipers.
Yet, the True Dao cannot be pinned into statues and paintings, as it remains elusive and unfathomable:
It is not the Dao, but the Dao is in it.
It is not God, but it is inside of God.
Planet Earth and the universe are all in it,
just as the entire universe is all inside the Dao;
One source – the source of the Great Dao.
Post-Scriptum: This post is collated from notes taken during several courses at Five Immortals Temple. Any mistakes are entirely the author’s.
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