Taoism and "evil"

[nac]

Is it true that Taoists believe in evil?

 

See this: http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/St...1101-33587.html

as opposed to this: http://eapi.admu.edu.ph/eapr95/aloysius.htm

 

I ask this for my own understanding.

 

_/\_

[Mak_Tin_Si]

Taoism of course believe there is evil. It is just the opposit from non-evil right?

 

Taoism worship good positive deities, so there are also evil gods that we do not worship and go against!

[nac]

Thanks, Mak Tin Si. _/\_

 

Does Taoism have anything similar to the Buddhist concept of the transmutation (and ultimately, equivalence) of evil into good via alchemy? For instance:

 

When we discuss impure vision, one of the first things we must learn to do is tolerate the use of the word ‘impure’ in connection with our own experience. People often reject the term. But our vision is tainted. It is tarnished. Nevertheless, it is at one and the same time pure, because it is the impurity itself which contains the seeds of purity. It is not a matter of rejecting the impurity within us in order to seek purity elsewhere. We always had the potential. Our angry mind creates the impression that everyone around us is hostile. When we realise how mistaken we are to have such a hateful mind, those upon whom we projected hostile feelings will manifest quite differently. Our attitude to them changes when we realise we have simply been polluted by our own anger. Such anger poisons our relationships and blinds us to all the good things in our lives. In addition to anger, greed, ignorance, jealousy and arrogance also need to be transmuted. It is not a matter of replacing them with pious qualities we don’t have. There is no concept of ultimate good and evil in Buddhism. There is no inherent evil other than the transient, unresolved mind which projects anger and hostility. When we feel angry, this is just a distorted manifestation of what we truly want to be. If we are learning to dance, our feet have to learn the steps. It makes no sense to reject them when they make a mistake. Despite our hopes, we won’t get a new pair of feet to dance with next time! Many spiritual teachings kill the real essence. It is very important for us to remember that impure vision is really the essence of our path. It is our raw material. If you are an angry person, cherish that reality. I am not saying that you should inflame your anger. That would be foolish. But

remember that it is through your anger and the way you deal with it that you are going to grow. Denying anger, or feeling guilty about it will not help. We were all born with our own character and personality. It is also our potential. This is the Buddha nature in hiding. In the olden days, an unborn prince was already thought of as the king. If we lose a piece of jewellery in the mud, and then we find it, we should appreciate the muddiness. After all, the mud provided the background for the gold to stand out. If we reject the mud and refuse to look through it, we will never find the precious jewel!

It is important to see how impure visions are created and how they manifest. What kind of mood do we need to see things the way we do? Why do we wake up in the morning and have a sudden flare of emotion when a moment before we were asleep? How would this happen unless it had been carried over from the night before? Everything is banked overnight. The impure vision is not to be interpreted in a negative way. We must try to understand it at a deeper level. Our impure reflection gives us the potential for pure reflection.

Unless we accept the impurity, we won’t be capable of accepting its opposite. Labelling is very important. If we are angry, everything manifests as hostile. Angry people are restless people. It is as if worms were eating them. The internal foes are much more harmful than the beings outside

us who appear to be causing all the trouble. We hurt ourselves far more than others can ever hurt us.

From: http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/lamdre.pdf

 

PS. Apologies, I come from a Buddhist background and I'm trying to understand Taoism better.

 

EDIT: The Buddha also taught this concept in the form of parables like: http://lotus-inthe-mud.blogspot.com/2007/1...ting-demon.html

Surely with it's emphasis on alchemy, transmutation and transcendence of all dualities, Taoism also teaches something similar?

Edited March 19, 2009 by nac

[Taiji Bum]

Try to remember that there are different kinds of Taoism and Taoists. Religious Taoists do believe in evil but philosophical one's might not. I think most philosophical Taoist are with Shakespere who says, "Things are not good or bad, but thinking makes it so"..... or something to that effect.

[Mak_Tin_Si]

Very much simular, Buddhism and Taoism do have the same thing in them and they go to the same place at the end point, no difference. But in the way we cultivate, it is very different. So if you are already a buddhist with training under a master (sifu), then you are pretty well off already. Which is a very good thing! congrad!

 

Taoism do also have parables teachings too. Just almost the same..

 

 

Thanks, Mak Tin Si. _/\_

 

Does Taoism have anything similar to the Buddhist concept of the transmutation (and ultimately, equivalence) of evil into good via alchemy? For instance:

 

PS. Apologies, I come from a Buddhist background and I'm trying to understand Taoism better.

 

EDIT: The Buddha also taught this concept in the form of parables like: http://lotus-inthe-mud.blogspot.com/2007/1...ting-demon.html

Surely with it's emphasis on alchemy, transmutation and transcendence of all dualities, Taoism also teaches something similar?

 

 

I am sorry, you may have misunderstood the "evil" in my point of view.

 

What is evil can be also good depending on what you think - this is true too in religious taoism. But you need to have the wisdom to turn things aruond. You cannot just go and say "oh, this guy rob the bank, he is evil but I think he is good guy" this is total nonsense right?

 

But if you can make good use of the situation, for example the police can then do something to arrest the robberies and put up posters etc,. to let people know that if you rob the bank, it is not good, you get to jail and lots of other punishments.. Then you reduce the crime rate, which turns this into a good thing.

 

Taoism is taoism, no religious or phillosophy.. what is real and make sense is taoism. Everything in the religion of Taoism can be explained, experienced and prooven to be true by yourself if you are the student. What are there to be so mythical?

 

Try to remember that there are different kinds of Taoism and Taoists. Religious Taoists do believe in evil but philosophical one's might not. I think most philosophical Taoist are with Shakespere who says, "Things are not good or bad, but thinking makes it so"..... or something to that effect.

[NorthWide]

...

Edited July 7, 2010 by TheWhiteRabbit

[Taiji Bum]

Mak I understand your point of view. Your a Taoist fundamentalist and I guess I am a liberal Taoist. Hey look at that.... I'm a liberal!

[Mak_Tin_Si]

How come a fundamentalist taoist cannot be liberal?

What is your view?

 

"nice point"