Chinese Religion and Philosophy

INTRODUCTION
Hello everyone, my topic for this presentation is Chinese Religion and Philosophy.
Originally, I intended only to focus on the philosophy of Daoism, however, due to the
complex nature of Chinese history and tradition, I will also present the philosophy of
Buddhism, because of the interconnected nature between the two ideologies.
Before I begin, I would like to give an overview. We will first look at the origins of
Daoism and Buddhism respectively, and then we shall learn about their key teachings.
Let's begin with...

TAOISM
Daoism (also spelled Taoism) is a religion and a philosophy from ancient China that has

influenced folk and national belief. Taoism has been connected to the philosopher Lao
Tzu, who wrote the main book of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching.
Amongst historians there is uncertainty over the historical facts about Lao Tzu’s
life – some even doubt whether he existed.
The strongest historical sources suggest he worked as a scholar and served as the
keeper of the archives for the Royal Court of Zhou (Čou). Lao Tzu would have had
access to the great literature of ancient Chinese culture and this would have
informed his own philosophy.
The essence of Lao Tzu’s teachings was the importance of seeking to live in
harmony with the Dao. Lao Tzu implied that the Dao was beyond name and form
and could never adequately expressed in words.
The Tao Te Ching gives advice for a seeker to go beyond the limited ego, and gain
a greater appreciation for the invisible power and force which underlies the
universe. The Tao Te Ching is a classic of mystical philosophy. It challenges
conventional wisdom and the earthly pursuit of wealth, power and success. By
contrast, it encourages the qualities of humility, modesty and simplicity.
From the Tao Te Ching:
“The Tao that can be expressed is not the eternal Tao;

The name that can be defined is not the unchanging name.”
“Knowing others is intelligence;

knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”
The Key Teaching of Taoism…
Wu wei means – in Chinese – non-doing or ‘doing nothing’.
According to the the Dao De Jing: ‘The Way never acts yet nothing is left undone’. This
is the paradox of wu wei. It doesn’t mean not acting, it means ‘effortless action’ or
‘actionless action’. It means being at peace while engaged in the most frenetic tasks so
that one can carry these out with maximum skill and efficiency.
The idea of achieving the greatest effects by a wise strategic passivity has been central to
Chinese notions of politics, diplomacy and business. In the manuals on wisdom
produced by Daoists, we are repeatedly told that rather than impose a plan or model on
a situation, we should let others act frantically, and then lightly adjust ourselves as we
see the direction that matters have evolved in.
It is more important to focus on the tactics (actions) rather than the strategy (goals).
Now, let’s look at…

BUDDHISM
Buddhism is one of the world’s major religions. It originated in India with Siddhartha
Gautama, and over the next millennia it spread across Asia and the rest of the world.
Siddhartha Gautama was the first person to reach this state of enlightenment and was,
and is still today, known as the Buddha. However, a major misconception is that the
Buddha is God, which is not true. Buddhists do not believe in any kind of deity or god,
although there are supernatural figures which can help or hinder people on the path
towards enlightenment.
Siddhartha Gautama was an Indian prince who, upon seeing people poor and dying,
realized that human life is suffering. He renounced his wealth and spent time as a poor
beggar, meditating and travelling but ultimately, remaining unsatisfied, settling on
something called the Middle Way.
This idea meant that neither extreme restraint nor extreme wealth were the path to
enlightenment, but rather, a way of life between the two extremes.
The Key Teaching of Buddhism…
The Buddha taught about Four Noble Truths:
“Suffering (dukkha),” which teaches that everyone in life is suffering in some way.
The second truth is “Origin of suffering (samudāya).” This states that all suffering
comes from desire (tanhā).
The third truth is “Cessation of suffering (nirodha),” and it says that it is possible to
stop suffering and achieve enlightenment.
The fourth truth, “Path to the cessation of suffering (magga)” is about the Middle Way,
which are the steps to achieve enlightenment.
THE MOMENT OF CONVERGENCE:
ZEN-BUDDHISM
Zen Buddhism is a mixture of Indian Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. It began in
China, spread to Korea and Japan, and became very popular in the West from the mid
20th century.
The essence of Zen is attempting to understand the meaning of life directly, without
being misled by logical thought or language.
Besides the two philosophies, Zen Buddhism takes elements from Confucianism,
Chinese poetry and folk tales.
CONCLUSION:
In order to embark upon the best possible journey, one must face his fear and distain in
the same way he faces his desire and passion. To achieve this, one must decide to
willfully approach life with moderation.

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INTRODUCTION

Let's begin with...

Daoism (also spelled Taoism) is a religion and a philosophy from ancient China that has

“The Tao that can be expressed is not the eternal Tao;

“Knowing others is intelligence;

The Key Teaching of Taoism…

Wu wei means – in Chinese – non-doing or ‘doing nothing’.

Now, let’s look at…

The Key Teaching of Buddhism…

The Buddha taught about Four Noble Truths:

THE MOMENT OF CONVERGENCE:

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