Do not mix up these 2 "tao"

[Mak_Tin_Si]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-Kuan_Tao

 

This link above lead you to see what is called " I Kwun Dao"

 

These people are newly formed religion who claim to blend 5 religion into 1, they say they are the Tao and they also have taoism inside. So these people also call themselves taoist.

 

Watch out! This is what fools most westerners eyes!

 

The words are the same, but the thing inside is 100% different!

 

These are not TAOISM and they do not hold any taoism practise neither. As some buddhism masters also posted before, these people also claim to be buddhist because they say they blended buddhism into their religion with all the buddhism text and scriptures.. but glad to hear that the buddhism masters tood up and told people that these guys are MIS-UNDERSTANDING all the things said in the scriptures and saying things that are 180 degree turned over. Misleading people to off track thoughts.

 

So if you are wondering what these are.. you can now have a better view.

 

Mak Tin Si

[gendao]

Interesting, this is the 2nd time I've seen this symbol (circle with vertical line though the middle) in the last few weeks...

What does it mean, exactly?

[Mak_Tin_Si]

They want to say that the tao is "all linked" so the poke through the circle with a straight line..

 

but if you look at the logo this way.. --> the tao is splited in half without any chance of mixing the yin and yang, what about that? it doesn't seems pleasent but aggressive..~!

[forestofsouls]

Mak,

 

Thanks for warning us about this obscure Taiwanese group that no one has probably heard of until now. Also, beware the Raelians!

 

[Mak_Tin_Si]

You are welcome, but these I-koon-dao is very very popular, if you haven't heard of it, it's time to know it now. In Toronto, they are the first one to come and start the chinese religion field, so most naive people in the chinese culture here in toronto got into this and think they are in taoism. Until now.. they met me and knew they got cheated for 10yrs and they are not in taoism.. but i-koon-dao, a buffet religion of 5 in 1, even better than head and shoulder....

 

It's famous and worldwide now, not in taiwan only, so you should always be aware of these off-shoot and self-claims too, they are rediculous..

[fiveelementtao]

I-Kuan Tao, also Yi Guan Dao, or usually initialized as IKT (一貫道, translated as the "The pervasive Truth") is a new religious movement that originated in twentieth-century China. It incorporates much older elements from Confucianism, Taoism, and Chinese Buddhism, and recognizes the validity of non-Chinese religious traditions such as Christianity and Islam as well. For this reason it is often classified as a syncretistic or syncretic sect, along with other similar religions in the Way of Former Heaven (Xian Tian Dao) family.

 

Sounds COOL! Where do I sign up?

[Squatting Monkey]

so you should always be aware of these off-shoot and self-claims too, they are rediculous..

 

Why come on these boards to 'name call'.

Show some respect instead of peddling your own 'religion'

[Mattimo]

Hey Mak_Tin_Si, you seem to be a prolific poster with aaalot of knowledge. Maybe you can comment on "kundalini psychosis" brought on by tai-chi/qi-gong practices. Something tells me you might be an expert on this topic.

[Mak_Tin_Si]

This is very respectful already. It's fact that this I Koon Dao is not Taoism. Taoism is not my own religion and it is totally not related to I Koon Dao.

 

You can even go around the net and search for some buddhism people and ask them. There was once a very famous buddhism leader in taiwan have posted all over the internet and the news just to say this I Koon Dao is not Buddhism and it have mislead all the people about buddhism scriptures by mis-teaching and explaining them all wrong...

 

So in history, this religion of I Koon Dao has also been banned in taiwan as "evil religion"

 

If you cannot accept it, that's your problem, but it is just some "FACTS" that is already there. Why do you think I am being disrespectful when sharing facts? I have just saw somebody on the net got fooled and think he went into taoism but at the end he didn't. So I told him that and he finally realize he was cheated! So I posted here just to give some alert to those who are on the same line!

 

Why come on these boards to 'name call'.

Show some respect instead of peddling your own 'religion'

[NeutralWire]

From the home page here at ttb:

Most of us are syncretic at heart. Discussion is encouraged to wander eclectically across a wide range of spiritual thought and practice, whether Buddhist, Yogic, Tantric, Judaic, Advaitic, Christian, Islamic, Shamanic, Occult, "New Age", Integral... As long as you are up for a good time, you're welcome to discuss your path. Though we can get rowdy at times, we all do our best to keep it civil.

[taocultivator]

I have some concerns about Mak Tin Si also. I have only been studying Taoism for the last 15 years but I see some misinformation and posts that contradict the following of Taoism and of a "Taoist Priest". Being judgmental, calling people profane names (Bastards), defending oneself, and lashing out at people is not what is taught in Taoism. If you believe you are right there is no need to defend yourself according to Taoist teachings. Stating that I Kuan Tao is "a banned religion in Taiwan" is not correct. It is currently the third largest religion (800,000) behind Buddhism and Taoism in Taiwan. I Kuan Tao does not state, nor believe, that they are Taoists. Following the Tao does make one a Taoist. By the way, I do not follow I Kuan Tao. Making statements such as these, being judgmental, flaming people, and calling people bastards is definitely not the way of a Taoist Priest. At least not in anything that I have read/heard/followed. If you want to have a positive influence on this forum you may want to rethink your approach.

[fiveelementtao]

I have some concerns about Mak Tin Si also. I have only been studying Taoism for the last 15 years but I see some misinformation and posts that contradict the following of Taoism and of a "Taoist Priest". Being judgmental, calling people profane names (Bastards), defending oneself, and lashing out at people is not what is taught in Taoism. If you believe you are right there is no need to defend yourself according to Taoist teachings. Stating that I Kuan Tao is "a banned religion in Taiwan" is not correct. It is currently the third largest religion (800,000) behind Buddhism and Taoism in Taiwan. I Kuan Tao does not state, nor believe, that they are Taoists. Following the Tao does make one a Taoist. By the way, I do not follow I Kuan Tao. Making statements such as these, being judgmental, flaming people, and calling people bastards is definitely not the way of a Taoist Priest. At least not in anything that I have read/heard/followed. If you want to have a positive influence on this forum you may want to rethink your approach.

I strongly suggest that everyone go onto Mak's website and read his bio especially how he was ordained a taoist priest.

[Mattimo]

I strongly suggest that everyone go onto Mak's website and read his bio especially how he was ordained a taoist priest.

 

Oh, well if he was ordained as a taoist priest maybe, there is something to the profoundly absurd, superstitious nonsensical, information he posts This has obviously got to be one elaborate joke, I mean come on.

[Squatting Monkey]

Oh, well if he was ordained as a taoist priest maybe, there is something to the profoundly absurd, superstitious nonsensical, information he posts This has obviously got to be one elaborate joke, I mean come on.

 

 

Agreed.

 

The I Kuan Tao don't even call themselves a Taoist organization. From my understanding it is a mixture of Taoism/Buddhism/Confucianism. Which is in line with most of the population in China

[Mak_Tin_Si]

I have already saw many peopleing coming to our temple saying themselves are in taoism and they are confused what is the difference between i koon dao and taoism. So they are actually really mixing them at the back, bringing confusion to the students all the time!

[WhiteTiger]

This is very respectful already. It's fact that this I Koon Dao is not Taoism. Taoism is not my own religion and it is totally not related to I Koon Dao.

 

Mak_Tin_Si what is your Religion then?

[YMWong]

Mak_Tin_Si what is your Religion then?

 

hehe

 

that was a freudian slip

 

YM

[Mak_Tin_Si]

Religion = Taoism

[taocultivator]

I have already saw many peopleing coming to our temple saying themselves are in taoism and they are confused what is the difference between i koon dao and taoism. So they are actually really mixing them at the back, bringing confusion to the students all the time!

 

 

Being "confused" is much different from your former comment saying that they were saying that I kuan Dao was Taoism. You make some pretty strong comments. You are losing respect.

[Wayfarer64]

Dear Mak tin Si-

 

With all respect due any religion, (as they hold those who believe in them in thrall- and thus hold spirits in limbo)-a so deserve great respect as hoarders of great power...

 

I ask you once again to please stop flooding this fine site with yr foolishness.

 

Most here do not suffer fools gladly. You make a big deal over your new site - why not put your efforts there? Isn't that site working well for you? If not - why not? why come back here to annoy us so much?

 

Taoism as a religion holds little interest for me - as a philosophy and as a way to examine the world around me I hold it as basic to the truth of the world - Your dogmatic approach seems anachronistic at best.

[Mak_Tin_Si]

Why do you think religion taoism is not teaching you about things around you? have you learned in the religion of taoism before? why do you go against this in your point of view? what makes you not interested in the religion?

 

--

 

Yes I am sharing this strong comment of I Koon Dao from someone's experience with it in the past, so I am now just stating FACTs, which is not rude. Just clear that they are B and we are A, different. So people who want to have A can go to A and who want B can go to B. No offending anything here.

 

also to add on to the above.

 

if you say I am making foolish posts, why do you look at them and post replies? are you foolish too?

[Josh Young]

Show me one word, one rock, one leaf, one moment, untouched by tao.

 

Tao is not something that is one thing and not another.

 

Those who speak do not know and those who know do not speak.

 

To say " this or that" is not tao is as foolish as saying "this or that" is tao.

 

 

 

I read someone say that IKT is a combination of religions, however it is not syncretic nor an amalgamation.

Tao is found in everything, everyone, and every religion. It does not mean religions or things are tao or that tao is them.

 

 

Buddha knew the tao, is this so unbelievable a concept? That he found it through the guiding works of Kapila, and thus was known as the sage of the sankyas, or sankymuni, the sankyas being those expounding the works of kapila in the Srmiad Bhagavatam.

 

And who is to say that Kapila did not know dao?

Tell me what is tao that it is not known to the sages?

 

Where are the differences between Tao related understanding and those of the various religions?

Tao is their source, tao is pure, the works and words of our humble species can never contain, prescribe or limit tao.

 

We like to imagine that each religion sprang up on its own, not so, they branched from each other and the source is not syncretic but does indeed contain the essence that is within them all.

 

I do not speak for the Tao, nor the IKT, like all humans though I may delude myself in to thinking I know things, I know that all I have is my opinion and that is all anyone else has.

 

Mr, Mak Tin Si

Perhaps we can attempt to illustrate the actual differences of the core of the beliefs of IKT verses your taoism?

 

I find there are two Tao traditions, one is a developed folk religion, the other is pervasive and inescapable.

[JessOBrien]

I've met some who were educated within the I Kwan Tao. In Taiwan many martial arts people were/are involved with the I Kwan Tao. Some Ba Gua and Xing Yi people from Tianjin were high ranking members who brought it to Taiwan, and so it's been linked with "internal" martial arts for quite a while.

 

It was banned by KMT and also by CCP. But many religions have been banned by authorities over the years, to me that doesn't mean much.

 

Taoism is a wide and vast religion. There are many schools and groups within it. Many of them denounce each other. I don't have any reason to believe some over others.

 

Be smart, investigate what interests you, but don't be an idiot and act like your way is the only way. There are many types of people, so there are many paths for us to follow, most of which are quite useful.

 

Good luck,

 

Jess O

[neidan practitioner]

Taoism is a wide and vast religion. There are many schools and groups within it. Many of them denounce each other. I don't have any reason to believe some over others.

 

Be smart, investigate what interests you, but don't be an idiot and act like your way is the only way. There are many types of people, so there are many paths for us to follow, most of which are quite useful.

 

There is a saying that goes like this, "In Taoism there are no heretics, just different sects".

 

- np -

Edited May 15, 2009 by neidan practitioner

[Stigweard]

Always best to find out for yourself:

 

http://www.taoism.net/enter.htm