The Dao Way of Life

2 nd day of the year,  I found myself waking just before 4am and then could not get back to sleep, so decided to listen to The Archers on line, catch up with the happenings in Ambridge the week leading up to New Year. Still awake after so, tuned in to Janie Lee Grace on Radio 2, Love songs... that soon sent me back to sleep.

fictitious Ambridge

Next awakening, 8.38am, argh, too late for yoga,  I was contemplating going to an 8 am class but it's a good thing really, my left shoulder is still hurting. I haven't got full range of movement back with no pain, following my skiing experience. It's making dressing and undressing slightly difficult. I would not have been able to perform downward dog, chatturanga or the sun salutations easily, if at all, so better wait a few more days.  I will go to the gym later to work on my legs though, and soak in the hot tub of bacteria soup!

Chatturanga, my shoulders would not cope!

Yesterday evening, Dave and I visited the Lun Kwong Daoist Temple.  Isn't it strange, I, Suyin, of my own free will, visiting a Chinese temple, not to see the artefacts but to attend a sermon and dinner.... unheard of!  Let me elaborate.  I was brought up a Buddhist and spent many childhood Sundays attending a Buddhist Temple in Brickfields, back in Kuala Lumpur. The whole family went, and it was a lovely Temple, we all removed our shoes, and sat on the cold stone floors, and repeated Pali Buddhist chants, followed by a dharma talk by the Buddhist Monks.  It lasted for about an hour or so I guess,  but to a child it seemed to go on forever. Incense would be burning, as candles at the altar. Offerings of flowers and fruit adorned the altar too. The large reclining Buddha in the temple used to scare me a bit, thinking there was something quite so huge watching everything I did.  This was the God concept though. Buddha does no watching because he was enlightened and is therefore no more, apart from in his teachings and the sangha who help spread his teachings and way of life.

Reclining Buddha at Brickfields

As I got older, in my teenage years, I declined to attend the temple, preferring to spend time doing other things, what though, I now cannot recall, probably sleeping in late. I don't think I shunned the rituals or religion, but I just didn't see the point of uttering those chants without understanding them.  I felt it was important for me to comprehend what was being said, in order to accept Buddha's teachings. I know, I was young and thought I knew it all, I didn't want to be hampered by religious things. I didn't need to be told how to live my life.

This has changed a bit in my 40s. Although I am not a good Buddhist, and I only understand a few of the precepts, and concepts. In addition, I continue to question the validity of reincarnation... but I adopt what I feel is the most fundamental building blocks of the religion, which I believe to be living a pure life, having self-awareness, doing no evil unto others, helping others as needed, being kind to all living beings, having no cravings or attachments.  I do not always succeed in this but I try, and can be very trying at times LOL

Goddess of Mercy, Kuan Yin

Anyhow, back to the temple. We had met Larry and Juanita at our local Chinese vegetarian restaurant a few weeks before Christmas. They were sitting at a table next to us, and had arrived earlier. I was being my normal nosey but friendly self and asked what it was they had ordered as it looked delicious, and we got talking. Larry was interested to know if we were vegetarians and this followed by an invitation to attend the temple for dinner as well as a short sermon. I had told him about my Buddhist background, he said they were more Daoist.  We said we would attend to see if it was something I could go to on a regular basis. It was exclusively cantonese speaking though, which might be a problem,language wise. 

Here's a little bit more information about Daoism

Overview, from http://www.religioustolerance.org/taoism.htm

Taoism is one of the great religions of the world. It is an Eastern religion/philosophy with perhaps 225 million followers. The exact number is impossible to estimate because many of its followers also identify with other religions -- often Buddhism and Confucianism -- and because it is impossible to obtain reliable polling information from individuals in China.

Taoists were heavily persecuted in China after the Communist victory in 1949, and during the cultural revolution from 1966 to 1976. Some religious tolerance and freedom has been experienced over the last three decades.

Taoist concepts, beliefs and practices:

	Tao is the first-cause of the universe. It is a force that flows through all life.
	"The Tao surrounds everyone and therefore everyone must listen to find enlightenment." 1
	A believer's goal is to harmonize themselves with the Tao.
	Taoism has provided an alternative to the Confucian tradition in China. The two traditions have coexisted in the country, region, and often within the same individual.
	The priesthood views the many gods as manifestations of the one Dao, "which could not be represented as an image or a particular thing." The concept of a personified deity is foreign to them, as is the concept of the creation of the universe. Thus, they do not pray as Christians do; there is no God to hear the prayers or to act upon them. They seek answers to life's problems through inner meditation and outer observation.
	In contrast with the beliefs and practices of the priesthood, most of the laity have  "believed that spirits pervaded nature...The gods in heaven acted like and were treated like the officials in the world of men; worshipping the gods was a kind of rehearsal of attitudes toward secular authorities. On the other hand, the demons and ghosts of hell acted like and were treated like the bullies, outlaws, and threatening strangers in the real world; they were bribed by the people and were ritually arrested by the martial forces of the spirit officials." 2
	Time is cyclical, not linear as in Western thinking.
	Taoists strongly promote health and vitality.
	Five main organs and orifices of the body correspond to the five parts of the sky: water, fire, wood, metal and earth.
	Each person must nurture the Ch'i (air, breath) that has been given to them.
	Development of virtue is one's chief task. The Three Jewels to be sought are compassion, moderation and humility.
	Taoists follow the art of "wu wei," which is to let nature take its course. For example, one should allow a river to flow towards the sea unimpeded; do not erect a dam which would interfere with its natural flow.
	One should plan in advance and consider carefully each action before making it.
	A Taoists is kind to other individuals, in part because such an action tends to be reciprocated.
	Taoists believe that "people are compassionate by nature...left to their own devices [they] will show this compassion without expecting a reward." 3

Yin Yang Symbol

This is a well known Taoist symbol. "It represents the balance of opposites in the universe. When they are equally present, all is calm. When one is outweighed by the other, there is confusion and disarray." ₁One source explains that it was derived from astronomical observations which recorded the shadow of the sun throughout a full year. ₃ The two swirling shapes inside the symbol give the impression of change -- the only constant factor in the universe. One tradition states that Yin (the dark side) represents the breath that formed the earth. Yang (the light side) symbolizes the breath that formed the heavens.

One source states: "The most traditional view is that 'yin' represents aspects of the feminine: being soft, cool, calm, introspective, and healing... and "yang" the masculine: being hard, hot, energetic, moving, and sometimes aggressive. Another view has the 'yin' representing night and 'yang' day. ₃ 

Another source offers a different definition: A common misconception in the west is that "...yin is soft and passive and yang is hard and energetic. Really it is yang that is soft and yin that is hard, this is because yang is energetic and yin is passive.  Yin is like a rock and yang is like water or air, rock is heavy and hard and air is soft and energetic." ₄

Allan Watts, describes the yin and yang as negative and positive energy poles: "The ideograms indicate the sunny and shady sides of a hill....They are associated with the masculine and the feminine, the firm and the yielding, the strong and the weak, the light and the dark, the rising and the falling, heaven and earth, and they are even recognized in such everyday matters as cooking as the spicy and the bland." _5,6

However, since nothing in nature is purely black or purely white, the symbol includes a small black spot in the white swirl, and a corresponding white spot in the black swirl.

Ultimately, the 'yin' and 'yang' can symbolize any two polarized forces in nature.  Taoists believe that humans often intervene in nature and upset the balance of Yin and Yang.

Laughing Buddha

We were warmly welcomed to the temple, swapped our outdoor shoes for indoor ones, and washed out hands, as a symbol of leaving all our problems and stresses behind before entering the temple. Larry introduced us to the temple master- Master Chen, we were then led to the altar to bow 5 times to the Laughing Buddha and Goddess of Mercy. Dave first, followed by me, then off to the forefathers of the temple and the master, a bow to each, Dave first again.  Quite a few rituals of ceremonies was going on, and always the men first..... I am not sure about this, already!  On reading the text above, all the concepts are reasonable and teachings I can adopt, but all these rituals I find difficult to tolerate... why men before women? Thought all beings were equal.  Yes, respect, but equal respect for all, I say.

Tofu-yummy

We felt at home and most of the temple 'family' smiled at us warmly, not speaking, probably wondering what an Englishman and his Chinese wife was doing at their temple! Not really, they welcomed us with open arms, shared their food with us, most were vegetarians, and the meal was vegetarian.  They become vegetarians as that is the first step in doing no harm to other living beings. So, they consume no living animals. You could argue that plants are alive too, but plants are not beings.

After dinner, the rest of the family, set up chairs for a sermon, ladies on one side and men on the other, I did not question this, on my first visit, thought I had better keep my big mouth shut! Dave and I were taken to a room with Larry and a senior member of the temple to introduce us to the Daoist religion. I am already aware of some of the practices and rituals, because my mum was a Daoist for many years, and therefore I was brought up in the Daoist way. It was only in the latter years that my mum decided to veer towards Buddhism more, though I think she still performs some of the rituals at religious times of the year.

It was all very pleasant.  Dave felt some of his questions were not answered, but I think that is true of most religions, one cannot comprehend everything, and so must have faith and just believe...for me though, I don't believe until I can comprehend, but that is fine in Buddhism, you are encouraged to question, and to practice what you have understood, and not to follow blindly, you are encouraged to judge what is good and what is bad, accept what you can for now, return to the complicated concepts at a later date.. it may be that I am not ready to understand.  There is no punishment if I do not accept all that is taught. There is no heaven and there is no hell. There is only me and my life and how that affects others..and  my compassion and love for others, including my own life, in order that in my next life, when reincarnated, will be a good one too. Karma!

Here's a bit on Karma from http://dharma.ncf.ca/introduction/truths/karma2.html

In Buddhist teaching, the law of karma, says only this: `for every event that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first, and this second event will be pleasant or unpleasant according as its cause was skillful or unskillful.' A skillful event is one that is not accompanied by craving, resistance or delusions; an unskillful event is one that is accompanied by any one of those things.

Therefore, the law of Karma teaches that responsibility for unskillful actions is born by the person who commits them.

The end of the evening came, the family in the main hall were singing some hymns, and Larry rounded up the sessions by saying we were more than welcome to return, every Saturday, and new moon and full moon on the lunar calendar. We bowed to the idols again, Dave first than I, as well as the master as a show of respect and thanks for welcoming us to their temple. We also took a gift of oranges home. I offered a donation but Larry said, perhaps next time.

I am not sure if there will be a next time.