What is Tao?
The word "tao" is usually translated as "way", "road", "method", "technique" or "principle". As a concept, Tao is the most important topic in the philosophical Taoism (tao-chia).
The Chinese character for tao is made of 2 signs: head and foot or walking. That is the conscious walking or the ancient (way of) walking |
In Tao-te ching, Tao is the name given by Lao-tzu to the Great Pervader or the Mother of all Things. Tao is the creator and sustainer of everything in the Universe. It is described as follows:
There was something undefined and complete, coming into existence before Heaven and Earth... (Tao-te ching, chap. 25, Legge version)
The Tao is the model of conduct to be followed by the Taoist disciples and it is linked with nondoing and emptiness in this respect.
The word "tao" points further to the skills of some people such as: a good archer, musician, painter or writer it was supposed to have his/her own tao. Chinese sovereigns showed very much interest in the gifted people - they were invited at the court, put to the test, and rewarded properly when they proved their skill.
Finally, the Tao concept may be found at Confucianists as well. In this case it points to the art of ruling of the ancient Chinese sovereign taken as models of virtue by Confucius himself.
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Credit to www.Taopage.org/index