3+Ways+of+Though

 Taoism is a major world religion that started long ago in China. Many believe that it started in the sixth century B.C.E. with a philosopher named Lao Tzu. He wrote down his teachings in a famous book called the Tao Te Ching, but no one knows whether Lao Tzu was real or not!
 * Taoism **

 Legends say that Lao Tzu became disillusioned with war, violence, and corruption in China, and he decided to leave. On Lao Tzu's way out of China, a guard would not let the old man go until Lao Tzu wrote down his teachings. Lao Tzu then wrote down the Tao Te Ching, which became the sacred book of Taoism. He rode off on a water buffalo, and no one ever saw him again.

 Lao Tzu never intended to create a new religion. He didn't want to be a prophet or a leader. However, the people of China loved his teachings. After a while, ideas from his writings combined with the ancient customs of Chinese folk religions. Taoism began to include beliefs in gods, goddesses, dragons, and magicians. The common people added spells and charms, and the worship of ancestors as well.  The symbol often used to represent Taoism is called the Sacred Tao. Tao means "the way". The Sacred Tao has a light side called "yin" and a dark side called "yang", which is why it is sometimes referred to as a Yin-Yang symbol. Yin represents light, and yang represents shadow. They do not represent good and evil. They represent opposing forces of nature. According to Taoists, balance creates peace, harmony and health.  Between the third and the fifth centuries B.C.E., many schools of philosophy arose in China. This time period became known as the period of the Hundred Schools! Taoism and Buddhism became the major religions of China. Confucianism was also important. Confucianism is a school of thought, not a religion. Because of these three paths, China is called the land of the "Three Ways." Taoism encouraged a mystical understanding of life. Buddhism offered a way out of the rounds of rebirth through compassion and peace, and Confucianism emphasized order and respect. All three "ways" influenced China a great deal. Taoism was chosen as the country's national religion in 440 B.C.

 Taoism lost its status as the national religion when the Qing Dynasty ended in 1911, and Taoism declined. After the Communists took over in 1949, people could not freely practice any religion in China. Monks of different faiths had to become manual laborers. The Communists destroyed many temples and religious treasures, as well as religious freedom in China. Since the 1970s, religious freedom has increased a little in China, but there are still many restrictions. Temples have been rebuilt and statues recreated.

More Taoism
• Based on the teaching of Laozi • Humans should see themselves a part of nature • Change is part of everything • People should live a simple life in harmony with nature • Harmony comes from balancing opposite forces of nature, called yin and yang • Daoists do not believe in strong government • Happiness is achieved by thinking about nature and leading a balanced life in tune with nature…not by following societal rules and laws

Confucius (Kong Fuzi) was a famous Chinese philosopher who lived from 551 to 479 B.C., during the Zhou Dynasty. He attracted a large group of disciples and followers. After his death, a new generation of followers collected his teachings in a work called the Analects of Confucius. The work is a collection of brief sayings attributed to “the Master,” as Confucius’s followers called him. The sayings in The Analects highlight Confucius’s belief that the state, or society, is modeled largely on the family. In this view, the ruler occupies the role of a father. In a family, says Confucius, children should obey and honor their parents just like subjects should honor and obey their ruler. Confucius placed great emphasis on learning respect for traditions, respect for one’s elders and other superiors, respect for one’s neighbors. He also stressed education and virtue. He urged people to examine their lives, learn what is good, and do good to others. Those rules applied to everyone, rulers included. Respect for such rules would help to ensure harmony in both the family and the nation. <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The following excerpts are selected from the Analects of Confucius: __<span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Respect/Gentleman __ __<span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Education __ __<span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Government __ __<span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Family __ <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">__More Confucianism__ <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.5;">• Based on the teaching of Kong Fu Zi, who was called Confucius by Europeans <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.5;">• Focused on proper conduct, respect for elders, education, and hard work <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.5;">• Confucius taught that life would be harmonious if everyone was loyal, courteous, honest, and faithful <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.5;">• Children show absolute respect for authority <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.5;">• Rulers need to live by strong virtues and set a good example for society to be harmonious
 * <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Conufcianism **
 * <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“**What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.**”
 * <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“**A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do you know that his future will not be equal to our present?**”
 * <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?”
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Consideration for others is the basic of a good life, a good society.”
 * <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“**He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.**”
 * <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”
 * <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.”
 * <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Go before the people with your example, and be laborious in their affairs.”
 * <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“**The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.**”
 * <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them.”
 * <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order__.”__

5 Relationships


 * 1) Ruler and subject
 * 2) Parent and Child
 * 3) Husband and Wife
 * 4) Sibling and Sibling (Brother and sister)
 * 5) Friend and Friend

<span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">

<span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 2,500 years ago, a prince named Siddhartha Gautama was born in the country we now call Nepal. According to ancient legends, the prince's mother dreamed that she was pregnant with a white elephant. The elephant carried a lotus flower in his trunk. A wise man explained that the child she was carrying would become a holy man. The man's words scared the prince's father who didn't want his son to become a skinny, hungry, holy man.
 * <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Buddhism **

<span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Siddhartha was born in 563 B.C. His mother died when he was a baby, so his father raised him. The king wanted the prince to have the best of everything so that he would grow up to be a good king instead of a holy man. Prince Siddhartha grew up in a white palace surrounded by gardens that had flowers of every color and shape. The prince ate the tastiest food and saw only handsome people. It is believed that he never saw any sickness, poverty, or death during his death.

<span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> When he turned 16, the prince married a lovely girl named Yashodhara. The Prince settled into married life, and when Yashodhara became pregnant Siddhartha's father finally believed that his son would follow in his footsteps and become the next king. He allowed the prince to go outside the palace walls for the first time. <span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Prince Siddhartha saw things that made him wonder about life's purpose. First he saw an old man, bent and wrinkled. Later, a sick man crossed his path. Then, the prince saw a funeral procession. These three sights made him realize that life is full of suffering for many people. Finally, Prince Siddhartha saw a holy man. He realized that the peaceful, holy man was not afraid of old age, sickness, or even death. Prince Siddhartha realized that he wanted to find his own inner peace, but to do that, he had to leave everything that he loved.

<span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Siddhartha went into the forest and sat in a cross-legged position in meditation for six years. Evil spirits assailed him, but he kept on meditating. Buddhists believe that Siddhartha received enlightenment while sitting under a bodhi tree near the Ganges River. Traditionally, the date for this event was the full moon in the month of May. Achieving enlightenment meant that Siddhartha had a deep understanding about life.

<span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> After his enlightenment, Siddhartha passed a man on the road. The man noticed something different about the former prince. The man asked him whether he was a god, a magician, or a wizard. Siddhartha said he was none of these things, but that he was awake! That is how Siddhartha came to be called the Buddha, which means "The Awakened One."

<span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The Buddha began preaching. His teachings became known as the Four Noble Truths: Life is full of suffering. Desire for worldly things causes suffering. Suffering can stop when desire stops. There are eight rules to follow to stop wrong desire. These rules are called the Noble Eightfold Path. Because of the Eightfold Path, a wheel with eight spokes became the symbol of Buddhism.

<span style="color: #081120; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Buddhists do not believe in one god, but they strive for a state called nirvana. Nirvana is a peaceful feeling of joy and freedom. Souls who achieve nirvana don't have to be born again. Buddhists are gentle and kind to all living things because compassion and peace are key parts of Buddhism. Many Buddhists practice vegetarianism so they don't harm any living thing. Even young children are taught how to meditate. The Buddha died in 483 B.C. He had spent fifty years spreading his teachings. Many teachings were not written down until many centuries later. Today, there are different branches of Buddhism throughout the world, especially in the countries of Tibet, China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. Many westerners have also embraced the gentle path of Buddhism.

**More Buddhism**
Buddhism 4 Noble Truths The Middle Way
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">• Based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, later known as the Buddha
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">• Buddha means “enlightened one”
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">• Guatama lived in India from 563-483 B.C.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">• Buddhism started in India and was brought to China by Buddhist monks traveling along the Silk Road
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">• Teachings are based on the Four Noble Truths
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">• 1. All life is suffering and pain
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">• 2. Suffering and pain are caused by desire for wealth, pleasure, fame, or power
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">• 3. To end suffering, one must overcome desire
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">• 4. To overcome desire, one must follow the Middle Way
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">• The Middle Way teaches compassion for all living things, which leads to calmness and purity of mind
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">• Reincarnation – when a person dies, the soul is reborn in a new body
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">• Nirvana – First goal in life is to attain nirvana, the state of having no desires. When one attains nirvana, he or she breaks the cycle of birth and death and no longer is reincarnated into a life of suffering