 |
| The rainbow body phenomenon is a third person perspective of someone else attaining complete knowledge (Tibetan: རིག་པ, Wylie: rigpa). ... The lhun grub aspect has to do with esoteric practices, such as (but not limited to) Thödgal, that self-liberate the human body into a Sambhogakāya (rainbow body phenomenon). |
 |
| The Laws of The Sun @ https://vimeo.com/451514619 |
| Buddhism | Taoism | |
|---|---|---|
| Practices | Meditation, the Eightfold Path; right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration | Philosophical maturity, virtuous conduct, internal alchemy, and some sexual practices. |
| Place of origin | Indian subcontinent | China |
| Use of statues and pictures | Common. Statues are used as meditation objects, and revered as they reflect the qualities of the Buddha. | Common |
| Belief of God | The idea of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent creator is rejected by Buddhists. The Buddha himself refuted the theistic argument that the universe was created by a self-conscious, personal God. | Tao literally means the Way, which indicates the movement of a dynamic existence that is composed of opposing forces. Taoists do not believe in a personal God. |
| Founder | The Buddha (born as Prince Siddhartha) | Lao Tzu |
| Life after death | Rebirth is one of the central beliefs of Buddhism. We are in an endless cycle of birth, death and re-birth, which can only be broken by attaining nirvana. Attaining nirvana is the only way to escape suffering permanently. | If immortality isn't attained during life, the Tao will continue to evolve and manifest in different forms, in accordance with the entity's general conduct during a state of existence. This applies to all sentient and insentient beings. |
| Literal Meaning | Buddhists are those who follow the teachings of the Buddha. | To follow the Tao. |
| Clergy | The Buddhist Sangha, composed of bhikkhus (male monks) and bhikkhunis (female nuns). The sangha is supported by lay Buddhists. | Taoist clergies are led by the daoshis, masters of the Tao, and followed by daojiaotus, followers of Taoism who also support the clergy, although it is not common. |
| Human Nature | Ignorance, as all sentient beings. In the Buddhist texts, it is seen that when Gautama, after his awakening, was asked whether he was a normal human being, he replied, "No". | If humans are in tune with the Tao, their sufferings will cease. Taoism teaches that humans are capable of experiencing immortality. |
| View of the Buddha | The highest teacher and the founder of Buddhism, the all-transcending sage. | Some Taoists argue that the Buddha was a student of Lao Tzu, although there is no concrete evidence for it. Most Taoists respect and follow the Buddha's teachings. |
| Original Language(s) | Pali(Theravada tradition) and Sanskrit(Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition) | Old Chinese |
| Place of worship | Buddhist monasteries, temples, shrines. | Taoist monasteries, temples, shrines. |
| Followers | Buddhists | Taoists |
| Scriptures | Tripitaka - a vast canon composed of 3 sections: the Discourses, the Discipline and the Commentaries, and some early scriptures, such as the Gandhara texts. | Daozang, a collection of 1400 texts organized in 3 sections which includes the Tao Te Ching, Zhuang Zi, I Ching, and some others. |
| Status of women | No distinctions between men and women. Women are equal to men, and men are equal to women in the Sangha. The Buddha gave Men and Women equal rights and a major part in the Sangha. | No distinctions between men and women, as both are seen as manifestations of the Tao. |
| Principle | This life is suffering, and the only way to escape from this suffering is to dispel one's cravings and ignorance by realizing the Four Noble Truths and practicing the Eightfold Path. | The Tao is the only principle. The rest are its manifestations. |
| Goal of religion | To attain enlightenment and be released from the cycle of rebirth and death, thus attaining Nirvana. | To be one with the Tao. |
| View of other Dharmic religions | Since the word Dharma means doctrine, law, way, teaching, or discipline, other Dharmas are rejected. | Taoism has many similarities with Buddhism. Taoists are neutral against other Dharmic religions. |
| Holy days/Official Holidays | Vesak day in which the birth, the awakening, and the parinirvana of the Buddha is celebrated. | Chinese New Year, 3 Day Festival of the Dead, Ancestor Day. |
| Time of origin | 2,500 years ago, circa 563 B.C.E. (Before Common Era) | Approx. 550 B.C.E (Before Common Era) |
| Goal of Philosophy | To eliminate mental suffering. | To gain balance in life. |
| Views on Other Religions | Being a practical philosophy, Buddhism is neutral against other religions. | Taoism teaches that all religions are as anything else; manifestations of the impersonal Tao. |
| Can atheists partake in this religion's practices? | Yes. | Yes. |
| Geographical distribution and predominance | (Majority or strong influence) Mainly in Thailand, Cambodia, Sri lanka, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Japan, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Vietnam, China, Mongolia, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Other small minorities exist in other countries. | China, Korea, to lesser extent Vietnam and Japan. |
| Concept of Deity | n/a. According to some interpretations, there are beings in heaven realms but they are also bound by "samsara". They may have less suffering but have not yet achieved salvation (nibbana) | Being manifestations of the Tao, Gods are seen as higher life forms. |
| Means of salvation | Reaching Enlightenment or Nirvana, following the Noble Eightfold Path. | Following the Tao. |
| Marriage | It is not a religious duty to marry. Monks and nuns do not marry and are celibate. Advice in the Discourses on how to maintain a happy and harmonious marriage. | A social bonding, applicable with clerics as well. |
| Population | 500-600 million | 30-40 million. |
| Authority of Dalai Lama | Dalai Lamas are tulkus of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. They are cultural figures and are independent of the doctrinal basis of Buddhism. | Taoists respect the general Buddhist traditions, but the Dalai Lamas have no special significance to Taoists. |
| Confessing sins | Sin is not a Buddhist concept. | Sin is not a Taoist concept. |
| Symbols | The conch, endless knot, fish, lotus, parasol, vase, dharmachakra (Wheel of Dharma), and victory banner. | The Yin and Yang. |
| Sources of Teachings | Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha), and later masters, such as Nagarjuna, Bodhidharma, and Dogen. | Lao Tzu, and some other Taoist masters, such as Zhuangzi. |
| Offshoot Sects | None. Although Buddhism is divided into many sects in itself. Mahayana and Vajrayana are the two big yanas, while Theravada is closer to earlier Buddhism. | Confucianism was based on early teachings of Taoism, and many folk religions derive from Taoism. Zhengyi and Quanzhen are the two big historical sects within Taoism. |
| General Belief | Belief in the Buddha's doctrine until one experientally sees the Dependent Origination, which opens the door to nirvana. | Belief in one's own potential to reach the immortal state and become one with the Way, a.k.a the Tao. |
| Teachings about General Conduct | Abstain from evil, strive for nirvana, constantly cleanse the mind. | Live in accordance with the Tao, find balance in life. |
| Status of Vedas | The Buddha rejected the 5 Vedas, according to the dialogues seen in the nikayas. | Foreign texts from the perspective of the Taoists. |
| Religious Law | The Dharma. | The Tao. |
| Clothing | Bhikkhus (monks) and bhikkhunis (nuns) are supposed to wear the Buddhist robe. There is no such rule for lay followers. | No clothing rules. |
| Animal Rights | The Buddha taught that animals have equal rights as humans. They are still bound in samsara, and suffer as humans do. Although he urged vegetarianism, he didn't restrict monks from eating meat when it was offered. | Animals are manifestations of the Tao, as living entities, they are not different than humans, so they should be treated accordingly. |
| Moral Obligations | The Buddha taught that karma is the reason that we exist. According to the teaching, all our actions of body, speech and mind, will yield results, either in this state of existence, or in a later one. | Lao Tzu taught that understanding the reality of the Tao will naturally result in balance, self-control, and virtuous conduct. |
| Sexual Conduct | The Buddha taught that a lay follower should subdue sexual misconduct, which includes consciously cheating on one's spouse, sexual intercourse with another's wife or husband, a minor, or an animal. Monks and nuns are celibate. | Sexuality is a natural phenomenon that occurs due to the yin and yang aspects of existence. A balanced, virtuous sex life will lead to enlightenment. The whole topic of sexuality is finely dissected and categorized in the texts. |
| Compatibility with Science | Aside from the concepts of karma and rebirth, Buddhism is said to be compatible with many scientific findings. Most Buddhist practices can also be labeled as cognitive science. | Taoism is said to be compatible with science, although it has its own ontological understanding of existence. |
| Homosexuality | The Buddha accepted both homosexuals and asexuals into the Sangha. In the Buddhist understanding, it is a natural phenomenon, and not different than heterosexualiy. | Homosexuality is a natural manifestation of the Tao. |
| Ontology | Existence is called samsara; literally, "rounds of becoming". To not become is only possible through attaining nirvana; literally, "blown out". | Existence is called
the Tao; literally, "the Way". We are subjects, and the Way is the
object. If we become the object, we are freed. |
^> Buddhism and Taoism are two major religions in the orient, especially China. There are several similarities and differences between the two. @ https://www.diffen.com/difference/Buddhism_vs_Taoism
---------------
The reconstruction of the Yi-globe - The spherical arrangement @ https://www.i-ching.hu/chp00/chp2/reconstruct.htm?fbclid=IwAR3PbiRuhigHXU8B5ITsQ8Eh8yfa_KwBrp5iDYyUAbxe582QGJZa7B4N4ro
Daodejing
(Tao Te Ching) To Daoist alchemy (Buddhism)
Daodejing
(Tao Te Ching)
The
Daodejing, the Classic
of the Way of Power, is perhaps the best-known book of Chinese Daoism
and is a classic of world literature and spirituality. It is the most
widely translated work from Chinese, translated into English alone
more than 30 times. It is organized into two books that total 81
topics. The work was originally simply called the Laozi, the book of
Laozi. But by the second century c.e. it was also called the
Daodejing. The first half is in fact the Dao Jing, the second the De
Jing. These titles do not indicate significant themes of the two
parts; they reflect simply the first words in each half. At 5,000+
Chinese ideographs the Daodejing is a relatively short work.
The
Daodejing is traditionally attributed to Laozi,
who lived roughly around the time of Confucius, in the fourth-fifth
centuries b.c.e. The work is clearly an anthology, a collection
assembled from various sources and by different individuals. What
unites the passages is that they relate to the school of Daoism (dao
jia), one of the competing philosophic schools of the period. in this
school the idea of Dao is central. Dao is inexpressible. it is the
source of all things and events. it prexisted the universe. it
transcends distinctions and is the key to all possibilities.
This
foundational work in Chinese spirituality is well worth reading and
rereading. it is difficult to top this opening:
The
Dao that can be told of is not the eternal Dao; 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 all things. Therefore let there always be
non-being so we may see their subtlety, And let there always be being
so we may see their outcome.
The
two are the same, But after they are produced, they have different
names.
They
both may be called deep and profound.
Deeper
and more profound, The door of all subtleties!
(Wing-Tsit
Chan, A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy [Princeton, N.J.: Princeton
University Press, 1963] 139)
Daoism
(Taoism)
Daoism
as a formal, organized
religion is not as widespread or popular as other Chinese religions,
for instance, Buddhism or Christianity. However, as a system of
concepts, a way of interpreting the world, Daoism exerts a strong
pull on many people. And in Chinese culture, as well as many other
Asian cultures, Daoism continues to live in a range of popular level
practices, from medicine to martial arts to ritual feasts in
villages.
Daoist
teachings focus on humanity’s relationship with nature.
unlike in many religious systems, there is no all-powerful deity
figure who created the universe. All phenomena, instead, enter into
existence through a process of constant multiplication and decay.
Tuning into this process is a major goal of the Daoist practitioner.
Daoist teachings also include political considerations, such as the
correct role of the ruler in regard to the subjects, as well as
issues of correct diet and regulation of the body.
Daoism
is the most uniquely Chinese religion, and yet it remains a subject
of great misunderstanding. Some see it as identical with the early
texts Daodejing and Laozi. others see it as an imitation of Buddhism.
There
are four periods in Daoist history: proto-Daoism, classical Daoism,
premodern Daoism, and contemporary Daoism.
PROTO-DAOISM
In
proto-Daoism there was no formal religious organization. The earliest
"Daoists" were most likely shamans who helped people in
this world understand "secret" or hidden phenomena. Still,
many core Daoist ideas and beliefs formed at this time. Several
classic books on philosophy and mysticism were written in this
period, including the Laozi, Zhuangzi, and Neiye.
LAOZI
Sima
Qian, an early Chinese historian, stated that Laozi was an
"archivist" who lived in the Zhou dynasty (1027-221 b.c.e.)
and was one of Confu-cius’s teachers. Laozi retired and journeyed
west but was stopped at the Hangu Pass by Yin xi, the gatekeeper. Yin
xi asked him to write a text containing his philosophy. The result
was the Daodejing, the Scripture of the Way and Its Power.
The
Daodejing, or Laozi,
is a terse statement of important philosophical positions. It
explains the creation of the universe and the forces at work in it.
The
Daoist myth states that Laozi continued on to India and appeared
there as Sakyamuni, the Buddha. He then traveled farther west and
became Mani, the founder of Manichaeanism, a dualistic Christian
sect.
ZHUANGZI
Zhuangzi
was a Daoist leader who lived a few hundred years after Laozi. The
classic that is known by the philosopher’s name has never been used
much by Daoists. Instead it is important because it explains the
concept of the sage, the enlightened being who can live without being
fettered by social and cultural conventions. This perfected person
was called a zhenren, a "true person." In this image,
Daoism becomes a personal spiritual quest.
NEIYE
A
third proto-Daoism text is the Neiye, "inward training,"
which is a smaller section of a larger work, the Guanzi. The Neiye is
the first of a long line of Daoist writings to focus on such
techniques for longevity as breath meditation. In the inward training
the practitioner focuses on internal energy, and especially the QI or
"vital energy." The refined form of qi is jing, or
"essence." The person who can cultivate jing can improve
the circulation of qi in the body. Through cultivation of such qi the
person becomes attuned to the energy of the cosmos, the universal Qi.
CLASSICAL
DAOISM
Classical
Daoism began in 142 c.e.,
when Zhang Daoling started the Way of Orthodox Unity, the first
organized Daoist religion. In this period two other important Daoist
groups started as well: Shangqing Daoism (the Way of Highest Clarity)
and Lingbao Daoism (the Way of Numinous Treasure). Classical Daoism
took general shape in this period as an organized religious spirit.
It developed fixed rituals and important texts. Classical Daoism thus
corresponds roughly with medieval Chinese history—from the Han (221
B.C.E.-220 c.e.) through the Tang (618-906 c.e.) dynasties.
Politically, Daoism reached the peak of its influence as the official
religion of the Tang during the reign of the emperor xuan Zong
(713-756). During the Tang, Daoism also spread into neighboring
countries, such as Korea, japan, and Vietnam. Several important new
Daoist religious movements developed in China during the classical
period.
ZHENGYI
DAO (WAY OF ORTHODOX UNITY)
The
end of the Han dynasty saw several revolutionary movements spring up.
Zhengyi Dao (or, in another name, the Way of Celestial Masters—
Tianshi Dao) was founded in 142 c.e. by Zhang Daoling, in Sichuan, in
far western China. Zhen-gyi Dao was a theocracy—civil and religious
administrations were the same. The group also used public ritual to
expatiate or atone for sins. It taught that Laozi was a god. All
offices in Zhen-gyi Dao were hereditary. So eventually Zhang
Daoling’s son and grandson took over. Zhang Lu, the grandson,
finally surrendered power to the revolutionary leader Cao Cao in 215
c.e. At this point all Zhengyi followers dispersed to different
regions of China.
SHANGQING
(WAY OF HIGHEST CLARITY) SCHOOL
This
movement arose among the higher classes in southern China, in the
300s c.e. The pronouncements of a Daoist immortal, Lady Wei Yang, who
khad lived on Mt. Mao near Nanjing, in central China, were collected
by Tao Hongjing (456-536 C.E.), who founded the Shangqing school.
Shangqing
Daoism was not a communal movement.
instead it emphasized personal self-cultivation and the deities of
the stars and the Big Dipper. These gods were seen to enter the
person’s body during meditation. They then helped the cultivator to
transform into a celestial immortal. The goal, then, was immortality.
THE
LINGBAO (WAY OF NUTREASURE)MINOUS
The
Lingbao were probably originally spirits or
shamans who guarded certain places. Later, Lingbao referred to
talismanic objects such as small books, chants, or diagrams that had
spiritual powers of protection. The Lingbao school was centered
around belief in five sacred diagrams, one associated with each of
the five directions. These diagrams were in a collection of texts
written by Ge Chaofu and made public in 401 c.e.
Large
incense burner, Daoist temple in Guangdong, China; names of donors
are listed on the side of the burner
Numinous
Treasure Daoism is clearly influenced by Buddhist ideas. The
talismans and charts were said to help all sentient beings to attain
salvation, which is a key goal of Buddhist practice. Lingbao
liturgies and rituals showed a way to save people from a complex
series of hells and purgatories where people suffered for karmic
sins. All these were Buddhist ideas. Daoism also borrowed the idea of
taking precepts or vows to abstain from meat and sex.
Lu
Xiujing (406-477) was
the seventh celestial master. He standardized the Lingbao texts and
broke Daoist ritual into three types: ordinations (jie), fasts
(zhai), and offerings (jiao). These three types were all practiced at
the imperial courts whenever Daoism was in favor. Lu also developed
popular rituals. Today jiao is the main kind of public ritual
performed by Daoist priests.
PREMODERN
DAOISM
The
premodern period of Daoism
began with the Song dynasty (960-1279). In this period the borders
between Buddhism and Daoism became blurred. There was another kind of
influence at work as well: local cults. All over China people
worshipped local heroes and gods. Such worship practices became mixed
into the Daoist hierarchy of gods.
In
this period the most significant new movement
was Quanzhen Dao (the Way of Complete Perfection), which was started
by Wang Chongyang (1112-70), a former official of the Liao dynasty
(907-1125). Quanzhen is significant today as one of the two organized
forms of Chinese Daoism still practiced. Quanzhen was based on
Chinese alchemy ideas. However, over the years its focus has shifted
more to community religion. It is also a blend of Confucian, Daoist,
and Buddhist ideas. Quanzhen was most influential under the Yuan
dynasty (1279-1368). Qiu Chanchun (1148-1227), a famous Quanzhen
leader, visited the Mongol emperor Genghis Khan and debated Buddhists
at his court. Quanzhen had influence at court, clearly. However, such
political support could come and go: a later debate with Buddhists in
1281 was lost.
Daoism
later made a comeback during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). It was
during the Ming, in 1445, that the Daoist Canon (Daozang), or
collection of Daoist written works, was first compiled, under the
Yongle emperor. This collection included around 1,500 different
texts, including hymns, liturgies, recipes, and myths.
CONTEMPORARY
DAOISM
The
final period, the
modern or contemporary, started with China’s modernization in the
late 19th century. Daoism, along with Buddhism and Confucianism,
gradually lost influence among China’s educated elite. By the time
the last empire was overthrown, in 1911, the educated classes were
clearly looking for alternatives to traditional religious systems of
thought. Institutional Dao-ism, including its system of monasteries
and rituals, experienced financial problems.
Today
Daoism survives in three major ways. First, it remains a powerful
system of ideas and mysticism. Such a cultural network influences
Chinese culture in many areas, for instance, in martial arts
training, art, and literature.
A
second form of influence is institutional.
Daoism as an institution takes two forms today. First is Zheng Yi, or
"Orthodox One," Daoism. Zheng Yi Daoists are individual
Daoist teachers who pass their ritual knowledge to disciples. This is
not a communal religious practice, although Zheng Yi Daoists do
officiate at local community temple celebrations. Quanzhen Daoism, in
contrast, is communal and, in a limited way, monastic. There are
networks of Quan Zhen temples now in Hong Kong and China that perform
com-munity functions such as holding funerals and celebrating major
holiday.
Large
stone stele, or memorial, placed on a turtle, symbol of the East, in
the Qingyang gong, a Quanzhen Daoist temple in Chengdu, Sichuan,
western China
A
third form of Daoism active today
is best understood as "popular Daoism." There are ritual
specialists who, though not formally ordained or trained as Quan Zhen
or Zheng Yi Daoists, are nevertheless called "Daoists" in
many villages and towns. These specialists are called on to perform
rituals at village feasts and important celebrations. They are
respected, and paid, because of the ritual knowledge they possess.
Such specialists may also tell fortunes and dabble in FENG shui.
Other people offer Daoist knowledge in the marketplace, including
divination using the Book of Changes (Yi Jing) and Chinese medical
advice based on Daoist principles.
Daoist
alchemy
Daoism
includes a number of intriguing practices,
many of which can be considered more or less mystical, and at times
highly esoteric (secret). Some of the most misunderstood of these
traditions have been focused on transcending death and attaining
"immortality." It has become common among scholars to label
such traditions alchemy, a term usually associated with occult
practices in the West.
One
type of Daoism closely associated with alchemy is "hermit
Daoism." As might
be surmised, hermit Daoism is particularly associated with mysterious
"hermits" who lived in seclusion far off in the mountains.
in their hidden dwellings, these hermit alchemists spent their days
working with the cosmic forces in the body, practicing intense
meditations, and concocting (and consuming) magical elixirs intended
to promote longevity or even to enable the practitioner to transcend
the mortal realm.
These
practices and the ideas behind them are not necessarily as
far-fetched as they may appear. Daoist alchemy is rooted in important
philosophical texts (e.g., the Book of Changes and Daodejing), and
probably dates to ancient—even prehistoric— shamanistic practices
that formed the original basis of Chinese culture. In whatever form
we find it, Daoist alchemy is premised on understanding and
acceptance of life and death, sickness and health, and a conviction
that these dualities can be transcended. Such views are fully in
keeping with the ideals of "free and easy wandering" and
radical freedom (even invulnerability) espoused in the Daoist sage
Mencius’s great work Zhuangzi.
ORIGINS
AND BASIC FEATURES OF ALCHEMY
The
Chinese term most often translated as "alchemy" is jindan
("gold-cinnabar"), undoubtedly because it names the two
principal ingredients in most alchemical elixirs.
Daoist
alchemy was encouraged by techniques of metallurgy.
China was one of the first ancient civilizations to attain high
levels of development in the casting and smelting of bronze. Some of
the earliest masterpieces of Chinese art were the great bronze
vessels of the Shang (1766-1027 b.c.e.) and Zhou (1122 B.C.E.-256
b.c.e.) dynasties, and the earliest dynastic histories speak of such
vessels as among the most treasured royal objects. Such vessels
(often tripods or cauldrons) were only used in official sacrificial
ceremonies. By serving as containers for sacrifical offerings, the
vessels themselves became sacred; they became bridges to heavenly
realms. The effect was to engender a deep-seated cultural association
between prized bronzes (cauldrons and the like) and the divine. it is
but a short step to putting such sacred vessels to other uses such as
preparing special mixtures for attaining a divine state of
immortality.
Daoist
alchemy essentially shares the same
theoretical basis as most Chinese medicine. Since the Chinese have
generally not maintained a strict separation of "mind" and
"body" (both were thought to be composed of the same
essential stuff), it was not difficult to conceive of survival after
earthly life in some sort of transcendent bodily form. Daoists speak
of the body as comprising three forces or life principles: QI
(matter-energy, "breath"), jing ("essence," often
equated with semen), and shen ("spirit," or more
appropriately, "consciousness"). Each of these principles
is also present in the larger cosmos. in such a cosmos it is
relatively easy (at least theoretically) to transform from one level
to another; such changes are essentially changes in form, not in
substance.
"IMMORTALITY"?
The
goal of Daoist alchemy has long been said to be "immortality,"
which referred to more than a simple "deathless state."
Daoist "immortality" could be understood as physical, as a
type of afterlife beyond the mortal body (as pure "spirit"),
or perhaps a more mystical sense of merging with Dao. The latter
would seem to be based on mystical experiences in which the
practitioner realized she or he would never lose her/his true
identity, even in physical demise. In some later forms of Daoism, the
immortals ascend to the heavenly realms, where they take their places
in an elaborate bureaucracy.
The
most common Chinese term for "immortal" is xian,
a word composed of the characters for "human being" (ren)
and "mountain" (shan), making for a more or less literal
translation of xian as "mountain man." In some respects
this is actually a rather apt translation when we bear in mind the
prominent role mountains have played in Daoist lore. Some scholars
have tried to avoid the problematic associations with the term
immortal by translating xian as "sylph," originally a Latin
term that denotes a type of fairy (often female) supposed to inhabit
the air. However, this rhetorical move conveniently avoids the whole
matter of death and how it is to be overcome, the main Daoist concern
in alchemical practice. The recent scholarly consensus is to stay
with immortality for the sake of continuity with the understanding
that Daoist "immortality" might best be conceived as a type
of transcendence and transformation.
TYPES
OF ALCHEMY
It
has become customary for scholars to distinguish two forms of Daoist
alchemy: "external
alchemy" (waidan) and "internal alchemy" (neidan).
"External alchemy" focuses on preparing various herbs,
drugs, and elixirs that are consumed in order to prolong life or
achieve immortality. There is some indication that these procedures
were the outgrowth of the search for a way to turn baser substances
into gold, the guiding idea in Western alchemy as well. By contrast,
"internal alchemy" is a path of meditative cultivation that
includes strict moral discipline, a regimented diet, and specialized
exercises to nourish and purify qi.
"External"
and "internal"
alchemy were never truly separate in ancient and medieval China. In
addition, various learned scholars (e.g., Ge Hong, 283-343) were
deeply involved in alchemical pursuits. Toward the end of the Tang
dynasty (618-906), however, "internal" alchemy was
predominant, in large part because of the numbers of adepts who died
of poisoning after consuming cinnabar elixirs. Nonetheless, it is
helpful to consider both forms of Daoist alchemy separately with the
understanding that aspirants engaged in practices from both.
"EXTERNAL
ALCHEMY" (WAIDAN)
Although
"external alchemy" is undoubtedly a very ancient practice,
the first clear evidence of it is from the pre-Han and Han (206
B.C.E.-220 c.e.) eras with the rise of a certain class of
proto-Daoists usually called "fangshi" (lit. "Masters
of Techniques"). A very eclectic group, the fang-shi were
essentially magicians and thaumaturges ("wonder workers")
who had great reputations among the Chinese populace and were often
sought after by various rulers.
Among
the most famous of the fangshi was Li Shaojun (d. 133 b.c.e.),
a powerful sorcerer who allegedly persuaded Emperor Wudi (r. 140-87
b.c.e.) to permit alchemical experiments that included invoking the
aid of the Stove God in the transformation of cinnabar mixtures. The
purified cinnabar concoction would be fashioned into special vessels
and those eating from such dishes would be assured of immortality.
Although his techniques differed from those of later alchemists, in
the case of Li Shaojun, we clearly see evidence of someone engaged in
alchemical practices aimed at transcending the bounds of mortal life.
By the late Han and the ensuing "Period of Disunity"
(220-589 c.e.), small groups of wai dan practitioners were widespread
throughout China.
Followers
of the Way of wai dan needed to prepare rather rigorously.
Such training would typically include progress in various forms of
meditation, calisthenics (e.g., qigong), and strict ethical striving.
Serious Daoists have consistently maintained that pursuit of
immortality required detachment from sensual desires and the purging
of negative attitudes such as hatred, which were considered harmful
to the aspirant. only with a firm foundation made strong through such
cultivation could one actually begin procuring and mixing the
ingredients necessary for the elixir that would confer immortality.
Actual
consumption of an elixir might have any number of effects,
depending on its potency and on the adept’s constitution. in theory
it could transform the alchemist’s body into one of pure light and
air, enabling him to soar into the heavens to join the other
immortals. In practice, though, the effects were rather different.
Texts indicate that the elixir was to be taken in small doses at
regular intervals and accompanied by a special diet. Some alchemists,
however, took large doses that invariably caused their deaths. in
small doses elixirs seem to have had a sedative effect, aided the
breathing, warmed the body, and even promoted hair growth. In
addition, those who took the elixirs experienced heightened sexual
energy, general sensory arousal, and possibly even hallucinations.
Perhaps the most important side effect was the preservation of bodily
tissues. The bodies of those who died of elixir consumption resisted
normal decay, retaining a lifelike appearance that may have been
taken as direct proof of immortality.
External
alchemy continued to be practiced throughout the medieval period,
yet during the latter sixth century there is evidence of growing
skepticism in some alchemical circles. Thus, for instance, we read of
instances when condemned prisoners facing execution were used as
guinea pigs to test various elixirs. Nonetheless, the Way of waidan
enjoyed something of a renaissance in the Tang dynasty (618-907
c.e.). During this remarkable period of cultural flowering many
wealthy and powerful patrons employed professional alchemists who
worked to perfect their techniques. Yet invariably there were many
poisonings. In fact, during the Tang more emperors died of ingesting
alchemical elixirs than in any other period. The increasing evidence
of failure provoked a major rethinking of the entire art of alchemy
and the eventual decline of waidan as a viable practice.
"INTERNAL
ALCHEMY" (NEIDAN)
The
Way of "internal alchemy"
developed originally from meditation techniques used by practitioners
of "external alchemy." We can see such ideas at the fore in
the life and work of Ge Hong. Ge Hong was a well-known scholar who
actively sought ingredients for concocting elixirs but who also led a
disciplined personal life. He was an accomplished practitioner of
complex meditations, notably techniques of visualization known as
shouyi ("Guarding the One"). In his masterpiece, the
Baopuzi, he writes:
Guard the One and visualize the True One; then the spirit World will be yours to peruse!Lessen desires, restrain your appetite—the One will remain At rest! Like a bare blade coming toward your neck—realize you Live through the one alone! Knowing the one is easy—keeping it forever is hard.
Guard the One and never lose it—the limitations of man will Not be for you!
On land you will be free from beasts, in water from fierce Dragons. No fear of evil spirits or phantoms, No demon will approach, nor blade attain!
In
this and other passages Ge Hong seems to
promise freedom and superhuman powers merely from practicing the
mysterious meditation techniques rather than ingesting actual
elixirs. As time went on, alchemists increasingly began to turn to
such practices as offering an alterative path to ultimate
transformation.
It is really only in the late Tang and the period immediately following the dynasty’s collapse that we find Daoist thinkers self-consciously distinguishing the Ways of "external" and "internal" alchemy. In part this was due to growing skepticism among alchemists that immortality (in at least the grossest, most literal sense) was even possible. Under the steady influence of Buddhism, some alchemical thinkers concluded that immortality properly construed was really liberation (nirvana) from the
beginningless
cycle of life and death (samsara). Others took a more rationalist
view and maintained that so-called immortality was really about
cultivating health and longevity. In their entertaining such notions,
we see that many Daoists in the later middle Ages were actively
reinterpreting their received traditions. Most also began to
emphasize the various meditations and systems of bodily exercise that
had traditionally been regarded as adjunct practices in the
concocting of elixirs.
It
is often difficult to decipher instructions for practices of neidan,
since alchemy is generally an esoteric tradition passed on only to
initiates who have been trained in its secret lore. As such, the
language typically found in alchemical texts is cryptic and highly
symbolic, resembling the "twilight language" of Hindu and
Buddhist tantras. The guiding principle seems to be visualizing the
body and its energies as the furnace and cauldron in which the elixir
of immortality (the "Golden Elixir" or "Golden
Flower") is purified. Essentially then, the same steps in
"external alchemy" are still performed albeit internally.
Actual
methods of neidan seem to vary
tremendously but share a view of the body as being divided into three
"cinnabar fields" (dantian) located in the abdomen, chest,
and head. Practitioners would engage in special techniques of
breathing, visualizing light (qi made visible) and then circulating
it through the "cinnabar fields" in what was sometimes
called a "microcosmic orbit." With practice, this might be
extended to the limbs in a "macrocosmic orbit." Other
practices involved nourishing the yin-yang energies of the body and
uniting them to create a "spirit body" (often described as
the "embryo") that would depart the body at death and live
on beyond the gross material realm.
Neidan
probably reached its height in the period
from the late 10th to mid-14th centuries during the Northern and
Southern Song (9601279) as well as the Yuan (1279-1368) dynasties.
one important "internal" alchemist was Zhen Xiyi, who
allegedly studied under Lu Dongbin. The most important master of
neidan, though, was Zhang Boduan (987-1082), a government official
who received revelations from Lu Dong-bin and retired to alchemical
pursuits. He earned great fame for a collection of poems entitled the
Wuzhen pian (Awakened to reality). Other practitioners founded rival
lineages that used other techniques. Despite their differences,
however, nearly all practitioners of neidan agreed that the proper
Way required physical and psychological cultivation. Thus, we can say
that Daoist alchemy became a means of training both mind and body or,
as some scholars have recently put it, a "bio-spiritual"
tradition.
DAOIST
ALCHEMY TODAY
Daoist
alchemy (particularly neidan) is still actively practiced.
It has transformed over the years and can now be found most obviously
in the various movements of qigong. Qigong is a generic term for
various complex systems that include meditation, gymnastics, martial
arts, and breath control. Although it has ancient origins, it only
developed into an integrated system during the mid-20th century. It
is in this form (along with the related art of Taijiquan) that
teachings and practices based on methods of "internal alchemy"
have been most often made available to Western students. The stated
aims of both arts are to promote physical and mental balance, health,
and so on, although reports of developing supernatural powers (e.g.,
clairvoyance, telepathy) are not uncommon.
The
renowned psychoanalyst C. G. Jung (1875-1961)
was very interested in Western forms of alchemy, and in conjunction
with his friend Richard Wilhelm (1873-1930), a renowned orientalist,
published a new translation of an alchemical treatise entitled the
Taiyi jinhua zong-zhi (Supreme unifying secret of the golden flower)
with his own commentary. The resulting volume (translated into
English as The Secret of the Golden Flower) has become a classic of
Jungian psychology and has opened up the exploration of Daoist
alchemy to many contemporary people.
<^>
From above more @
http://what-when-how.com/buddhism/daodejing-tao-te-ching-to-daoist-alchemy-buddhism/
---------------
Its
many riddle-like poems are famously obscure. However, once you can
interpret them you'll find that it is actually a very practical
philosophy book that dispenses timeless wisdom about leadership
qualities and interpersonal relationships ...and maybe the Theory of
Everything. Perhaps Steven Hawkins is looking in the wrong place...
The
Dao De Jing consists of 81 chapters. It can be read from the first to
the last chapter as a typical book but it is or necessary to do so.
In any event, true understanding will require multiple readings. For
this reason, in addition to the Next and Previous page buttons we
have provided a Random button which will take you to a randomly
chapter.
The
complete text of the Dao De Jing is presented here side-by-side with
three different translations. Translation is an inherently difficult
task not just because of the difficulty of translationg words without
exact equivalents but also because translators tend to overlay their
own religious and social contexts on the translated work. It is hoped
that by presented these three translations side-by-side the reader
could better determine the true meaning of the original text. The
sources of the three translations are:
-
"The Tao Teh King" or "The Tao and Its Characteristics", translated by James Legge, 1891. (Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/216 )
-
"The Canon of Reason and Virtue", translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913. (Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/tao/crv/)
-
"Laotzu's Tao and Wu Wei" translated by Dwight Goddard and Henri Borel, 1919. (Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/tao/ltw/)false queen
Mount Meru (Sanskrit: मेरु) or Sineru or Mahameru is a sacred cosmological mountain with five peaks in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology and is considered to be the center of all the physical, metaphysical and spiritual universes.
Hindu Mount Meru
^<>v
Buddhist Mount Meru
Mount Meru (or Sumeru) is the center of the universe, and the island of Jambūdvīpa, where the continents of the Earth lie, is "south" of it. The mountain is 32,000 yojanas wide at the top and 84,000 yojanas high (1 yojan is about 8 miles). The Sun and the Moon revolve around Mount Meru. The mountain has four sides — each of a different material; the north face is of gold, the east is of crystal, the south is of lapis lazuli, and the west is of ruby. We are part of the island of Jambudvipa. This continent derives its name from the Jambu (Jambu) tree (also called Naga) that grows there. Its trunk is fifteen yojanas in circumference, its spreading branches fifty yojanas in length, its shade a hundred yojanas in extent, and a hundred yojanas in height. The area of the island is one hundred thousand yojanas. Jambudvipa is the region where humans live - and it is the only place where a being can attain enlightenment by being born as a human being. It is in Jambudvíp that one can receive the gift of dharma and understand the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and finally realize liberation from the cycle of life and death." ~ https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/5/16/
Ame-no-Minakanushi (アメノミナカヌシ, lit. "King of the August Center of Universe"[1][2]) is an Omnipotent in Japanese mythology <^> equal to Amon-Ra
<^v>
others like the other culture ALL Play Parts in the great story but not the "creator" of the story to which I claim by many but not all... ***in the picture, there is a pattern to everything else I add the Norse Nine Realms to the picture to give aid***
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buddhism,
Bardo (Tibetan བར་དོ་ Wylie: bar do) or antarabhāva (Sanskrit) is an intermediate, transitional, or liminal state between death and rebirth. It is a concept which arose soon after the Buddha's passing, with a number of earlier Buddhist groups accepting the existence of such an intermediate state, while other schools rejected it. In Tibetan Buddhism, bardo is the central theme of the Bardo Thodol (literally Liberation Through Hearing During the Intermediate State), the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
Used loosely, "bardo" is the state of existence intermediate between two lives on earth. According to Tibetan tradition, after death and before one's next birth, when one's consciousness is not connected with a physical body, one experiences a variety of phenomena. These usually follow a particular sequence of degeneration from, just after death, the clearest experiences of reality of which one is spiritually capable, and then proceeding to terrifying hallucinations that arise from the impulses of one's previous unskillful actions. For the prepared and appropriately trained individuals, the bardo offers a state of great opportunity for liberation, since transcendental insight may arise with the direct experience of reality; for others, it can become a place of danger as the karmically created hallucinations can impel one into a less than desirable rebirth.
Metaphorically, bardo can describe times when our usual way of life becomes suspended, as, for example, during a period of illness or during a meditation retreat. Such times can prove fruitful for spiritual progress because external constraints diminish. However, they can also present challenges because our less skillful impulses may come to the foreground, just as in the sidpa bardo.[citation needed] The concept of antarabhāva, an intervening state between death and rebirth, was brought into Buddhism from the Vedic-Upanishadic philosophical tradition which later developed into Hinduism.
Timeline order from most recent to ancient, the pattern across space and time on:
Judao-Roman verion of ChristianityDivine comedy: Inferno (pronounced [iɱ'fɛrno]; Italian for "Hell") is the first part of Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem Divine Comedy. It is followed by Purgatorio and Paradiso. The Inferno tells the journey of Dante through Hell, guided by the ancient Roman poet Virgil. In the poem, Hell is depicted as nine concentric circles of torment located within the Earth; it is the "realm ... of those who have rejected spiritual values by yielding to bestial appetites or violence, or by perverting their human intellect to fraud or malice against their fellowmen". As an allegory, the Divine Comedy represents the journey of the soul toward God, with the Inferno describing the recognition and rejection of sin.
Purgatorio (pronounced [purɡaˈtɔːrjo]; Italian for "Purgatory") is the second part of Dante's Divine Comedy, following the Inferno, and preceding the Paradiso. The poem was written in the early 14th century. It is an allegory telling of the climb of Dante up the Mount of Purgatory, guided by the Roman poet Virgil, except for the last four cantos at which point Beatrice takes over as Dante's guide. Purgatory in the poem is depicted as a mountain in the Southern Hemisphere, consisting of a bottom section (Ante-Purgatory), seven levels of suffering and spiritual growth (associated with the seven deadly sins), and finally the Earthly Paradise at the top. Allegorically, the Purgatorio represents the penitent Christian life. In describing the climb Dante discusses the nature of sin, examples of vice and virtue, as well as moral issues in politics and in the Church. The poem outlines a theory that all sins arise from love – either perverted love directed towards others' harm, or deficient love, or the disordered or excessive love of good things.
Paradiso (pronounced [paraˈdiːzo]; Italian for "Paradise" or "Heaven") is the third and final part of Dante's Divine Comedy, following the Inferno and the Purgatorio. It is an allegory telling of Dante's journey through Heaven, guided by Beatrice, who symbolises theology. In the poem, Paradise is depicted as a series of concentric spheres surrounding the Earth, consisting of the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Fixed Stars, the Primum Mobile and finally, the Empyrean. It was written in the early 14th century. Allegorically, the poem represents the soul's ascent to God.
The portal to the Norse Realm of Vanadium is there ie the Garden (Eden) is near Stonehenge. since Stonehenge was artificially built to be a corner of a triangle. The dark elite actually moved it in the 1930's to a different site and altered it. There's a massive underground network of tunnels under Salisbury plain, now used by the military. All old sites were built on connecting ley lines, which the Cabal over centuries have either usurped or destroyed for their own gain of power." With Hollow Earth the Tunnels in England maybe in the past went deep enough into the earth to come though the other side to the inner curve. Which in a cave or on land water surrounded by crystals to mirror light for the "isle of glass" leading to Avalon. Saying to have a castle on either side of the curve with tunnels connecting the two.
| Cepheus is Sisyphus Jotunheim the Greek/Norse Giants thus the Titans are also Bible Nephilim much like the Predators from Aliens vs Predators. Also Greek Sisyphus forever pushing a boulder up hill which is the star constellation Cepheus then you would be forever pushing a bolder up a hill... |
Timeline of the Movie filming
Amon-Ra's Boat is connected to Sirius to also why Goddess Nut gives Birth also with Sirius. Sirius is Queen of giving Birth thus Queen Mother. Which is Also equal Brahma's River Lotus Sirius to Give Birth which Druga - Sirius to Give Birth; thus Queen of Heaven.
The Furthest and Farthest away from Amon-Ra or Brahma is Polaris who is Kali. That Durga and Nut both are said to have the power of all three Creation, Preservation, Destruction. Being the Furthest and Farthest away from the Creator makes Polaris Hell and NOT Heaven. In the modern BIBLE Lilith is only mentioned once in Isaiah 34:14 - The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there and find for herself a place of rest. --- two parts "beasts of the island" & "screech owl also shall rest there and find for herself a place of rest." should be huge flags for those who study. For Lilith with Epstein's island. You could make the connection with the "owl" at Bohemian Grove with Isaiah 34:14; since also the owl is surrounded by water.
Durga/Nut is the Cosmic Isogon/Egg - Sirius (Zenith) is the Birth and Polaris (Nadir) is the Death
 |
| Nielihiem leads to Hel\Eris\Nepthys\Lilith Polaris the Chaos Star to why NOTHING has been done about it so far by world governments. Alcyone star group did NOT say or do this I alone did this - Alcyone's Queen of Heaven the Chaos Star who is behind Epstein’s island |
The "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" the played by jonathan majors character "kang the conqueror" who also played "he who remains" from Disney tv show Loki (Loki is Satan) that makes jonathan majors Zeus (Zeus is Adam as in Atom). In Greek Ares tricks mortal by claim himself the King. for the FACE the Rome uses with the Fallen (dark elves) the Pleiadains.
Islam 4 wives = Greek 4 Pillars = Native American 4 Whirling snakes
The Meaning of the Four Directions in Native American Culture <^> Remember with and in "everything" “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” ~ Nikola Tesla
Islam King Muhammad is Zeus is Osiris who is in Christian terms one name to say Zeus was ADAM than Eve is Isis (Sirius) and Lilith (Polaris) is Nephthys.
Also, Islam Prince Ali (marriage to Islam Fatimah ie Latin Fatima {Sirius} Fatimah=Fatima) is Apollo is Horus is Krishna who is in Christen term Jesus with Isis (Sirius) being the Virgin Mary (Sirius). Many times though out the ages, Spiritual Magi's through the ages would reuse same characters over and over again based on star pattern frequencies or ways of life.
The Four pillars equal to the Higgs field &
Magnetic fields are spherical ~ as above so below <> Quadrupole Magnetic Field Effects @ https://plasma.physics.berkeley.edu/physics/quadrupole-magnetic-field-effects
Mayan
"The ancient Maya had a complex pantheon of deities whom they worshipped and offered human sacrifices. Rulers were believed to be descendants of the gods and their blood was the ideal sacrifice, either through personal bloodletting or the sacrifice of captives of royal blood. The Mayan vision of the universe is divided into multiple levels, above and below earth, positioned within the four directions of north, south, east and west. After death, the soul was believed to go to the Underworld, Xibalba (shee bal bah), a place of fright where sinister gods tested and tricked their unfortunate visitors. As with all Myths about Gods and Goddesses Mayan creational mythology discuss connections with being from other realms who came to Earth to seed the planet. Many people connect the story of the Popol Vuh with a story of extraterrestrial Gods who came to earth and made man in their own image. When they first created man, he was perfect, living as long as the gods and having all of their abilities. Fearing their 'creation', the gods destroyed them. In the next evolution, a lower form of entity was created, 'human', as he exists today. Within Mayan culture they have legends of visiting Gods from outer space. As in all creational myths, religions, and prophecies, the gods promise to return one day. @ http://www.crystalinks.com/mayangods.html
"The Maya equivalent of "chi" (China) is referred to as coyopa or "lightning in the blood," which enables one to perceive within the body messages from the external worlds - both natural and supernatural...There is no one word for this in English, but it means something like, "vital force spirit." The Hidden Maya, Martin Brennan
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