FREE ESSAY ON TAOISM, CONFUCIANISM AND BUDDHISM

TAOISM, CONFUCIANISM AND BUDDHISM

Taoism is one of the two great philosophical and religious traditions that originated in
China. The other religion native to China is Confucianism. Both Taoism and Confucianism
began at about the same time, around the sixth century B.C.E. China's third great
religion, Buddhism, came to China from India around the second century of the common era.
Together, these three faiths have shaped Chinese life and thought for nearly twenty-five
hundred years (Legge1, 124). One dominate concept in Taoism and Buddhism is the belief in
some form of reincarnation. The idea that life does not end when one dies is an integral
part of these religions and the culture of the Chinese people. Reincarnation, life after
death, beliefs are not standardized. Each religion has a different way of applying this
concept to its beliefs. This paper will describe the reincarnation concepts as they apply
to Taoism and Buddhism, and then provide a comparison of the two.
The goal in Taoism is to achieve Tao, to find the way. Tao is the ultimate reality, a
presence that existed before the universe was formed and which continues to guide the
world and everything in it. Tao is sometimes identified as the Mother, or the source of
all things. That source is not a god or a supreme being, as Taoism is not monotheistic.
The focus is not to worship one god, but instead on coming into harmony with Tao (Legge
8). Tao is the essence of everything that is right, and complications exist only because
people choose to complicate their own lives. Desire, ambition, fame, and selfishness are
seen as hindrances to a harmonious life. It is only when a person rids himself of all
desires that Tao can be achieved. By shunning every earthly distraction, the Taoist is
able to concentrate on life itself. The longer the person's life, the more saintly the
person is presumed to have become. Eventually the hope is to become immortal, to achieve
Tao, to have reached the deeper life. This is the after life for a Taoist, to be in
harmony with the universe, to have achieved Tao (Legge2, 65). 
To understand the relationship between life, and the Taoism concept of life and death,
the origin of the word Tao must be understood. The Chinese character for Tao is a
combination of two characters that represent the words head and foot. The character for
foot represents the idea of a person's direction or path. The character for head also
suggests a beginning, and a foot, an ending. Thus the character for Tao also conveys the
continuing course of the universe, the circle of heaven and earth. Finally, the character
for Tao represents the Taoist idea that the eternal Tao is both moving and unmoving. The
head in the character means the beginning, the source of all things, or Tao itself, which
never moves or changes; the foot is the movement on the path (Cooper, 122). Taoism
upholds the belief in the survival of the spirit after death. "To have attained the human
form must be always a source of joy and then to undergo countless transitions, with only
the infinite to look forward to, what comparable bliss is that! Therefore it is that the
truly wise rejoice in, that which can never be lost, but endures always" (Leek, 190).
Taoist believe that birth is not a beginning and death is not an end. There is an
existence without limit. Applying reincarnation theory to Taoism is the belief that the
soul never dies; a person's soul is eternal. "You see death in contrast to life; and both
are unreal - both are changing and seeming. Your soul does not glide out of a familiar
sea into an unfamiliar ocean. That which is real in you, your soul, can never pass away,
and this fear is no part of her" (Legge2, 199). In the writings of The Tao Te King, Tao
is described as having existed before heaven and earth. Tao is formless, stands alone
without change and reaches everywhere without harm. The Taoist is told to use the light
that is inside to revert to the natural clearness of sight. By divesting oneself of all
external distractions and desires, only then can one achieve Tao. In ancient days a
Taoist that had transcended birth and death, achieved Tao, was said to have cut the
Thread of Life (Cooper, 13). The soul, or spirit, in Taoism does not die at death. The
soul is not reborn, it migrates to another life. This process, the Taoist version of
reincarnation, is repeated until Tao is achieved. The following translation from The Tao
Te King best summarizes the theory behind Tao and how a Taoist can achieve Tao. The Great
Way is very smooth, but the people love the by-paths…The wearing of gay embroidered
robes, the carrying of sharp swords, fastidiousness in food and drink, superabundance of
property and wealth: - this I call flaunting robbery; most assuredly it is not
Tao…He who acts in accordance with Tao, becomes one with Tao…Being akin to
Heaven, he possesses Tao. Possessed of Tao, he endures forever…Being great (Tao)
passes on; passing on, it becomes remote; having become remote, it returns (Cooper,
109).
The followers of the Buddha believe life goes on and on in many reincarnations or
rebirths. The eternal hope for all followers of Buddha is that through reincarnation one
comes back into successively better lives - until one achieves the goal of being free
from pain and suffering and not having to come back again. This wheel of rebirth, known
as samsara, goes on forever or until one achieves Nirvana. The Buddhist definition of
Nirvana is "the highest state of spiritual bliss, as absolute immortality through
absorption of the soul into itself, but preserving individuality" (Reat, 57). Birth is
not the beginning and death is not the end. This cycle of life has no beginning and can
go on forever without an end. The ultimate goal for every Buddhist, Nirvana, represents
total enlightenment and liberation. Only through achieving this goal is one liberated
from the never ending round of birth, death, and rebirth (Reat, 73). Transmigration, the
Buddhist cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, involves not the reincarnation of a spirit
but the rebirth of a consciousness containing the seeds of good and evil deeds.
Buddhism's world of transmigration encompasses three stages. The first stage is concerned
with desire, which goes against the teachings of Buddha, is the lowest form and involves
a rebirth into any number of hells. The second stage is one in which animals dominate.
But after many reincarnations in this stage the spirit becomes more and more human, until
one attains a deep spiritual understanding. At this point in the second stage the
Buddhist gradually begins to abandon materialism and seek a contemplative life. The
Buddhist in the third stage is ultimately able to put his ego to the side and become a
pure spirit, having no perception of the material world. This stage requires one to move
from perception to non-perception. And so, through many stages of spiritual evolution and
numerous reincarnat6ions, the Buddhist reaches the state of Nirvana (Leek, 171). The
transition from one stage to another, or the progression within a stage is based on the
actions of the Buddhist. All actions are simply the display of thought, the will of man.
This will is caused by character, and character is manufactured from karma. Karma means
action or doing. Any kind of intentional action whether mental, verbal, or physical, is
regarded as karma. All good and bad actions constitute karma. As is the karma, so is the
will of the man. A person's karma determines what he deserves and what goals can be
achieved. The Buddhists past life actions determine the next life, all is determined by
the Buddhist's karma (Reat, 20). Buddha developed a doctrine known as the Four Noble
Truths based on his experience and inspiration about the nature of life. These truths are
the basis for all schools of Buddhism. The fourth truth describes the way to overcome
personal desire through the Eightfold Path. Buddha called his path the Middle Way,
because it lies between a life of luxury and a life of poverty. Not everyone can reach
the goal of Nirvana, but every Buddhist is at least on the path toward enlightenment. To
achieve Nirvana the Buddhist must follow the steps of the Eightfold Path.
1. Right knowledge is knowledge of what life is all about; knowledge of the Four Noble
Truths is basic to any further growth as a Buddhist.
2. Right Aspiration means a clear devotion to being on the Path toward Enlightenment.
3. Right Speech involves both clarity of what is said and speaking kindly and without
malice.
4. Right Behavior involves reflection on one's behavior and the reasons for it. It also
involves five basic laws of behavior for Buddhists: not to kill, steal, lie, drink
intoxicants, or commit sexual offenses. 
5. Right Livelihood involves choosing an occupation that keeps an individual on the Path;
that is, a path that promotes life and well-being, rather than the accumulation of a lot
of money.
6. Right Effort means training the will and curbing selfish passions and wants. It also
means placing oneself along the Path toward Enlightenment.
7. Right Mindfulness implies continuing self-examination and awareness.
8. Right Concentration is the final goal to be absorbed into a state of Nirvana 
Compliance to the path does not guarantee reaching Nirvana, but it is the only path that
leads to Nirvana. Only through following this path established by Buddha does a Buddhist
have a chance to reach enlightenment, to free oneself from the continuous rounds of
birth, death, and rebirth, to have reached the ultimate goal - to be absorbed into a
state of Nirvana. 
The goal in both Taoism and Buddhism is to reach the ultimate goal, to transcend life on
earth as a physical being, to achieve harmony with nature and the universe. The ultimate
goal for both religions is to achieve immortality. The Taoist called this ultimate goal
Tao, while the Buddhist seek Nirvana. Whatever the name, the followers of these religions
believe there is an existence beyond life which can be achieved provided the right path
or behavior is followed. The paths to Tao and Nirvana are similar, yet different. Both
believe there is an inner light to guide a person to achieve eternal bliss. "The teaching
regarding the inner light is just as prominent in the Taoist schools as it is among the
practices of Buddhism" (Reat, 36). The inner light concept is similar, but the actual
path is the difference between the Taoism and Buddhism. The path toward enlightenment for
the Buddhist was defined by Buddha in his Eightfold Path. Only through following this
path does the Buddhist reach Nirvana. The path to Tao is individual, it comes from
within. No one can define a path for the Taoist; it must come from the inner light. "Tao
means way, but in the original and succeeding manuscripts no direct path is explored or
expounded. Desire, ambition, fame, and selfishness are seen as complications. That idea
is consistent with Buddhist teachings; it is the personal life of each individual that
gives Taoism its special form" (Leek, 188). Taoism and Buddhism perceive life, death, and
rebirth as a continuous cycle. This cycle has no beginning and no end. The soul is
eternal, yet the soul is not the object of reincarnation. Taoists believe the soul is not
reborn, it "migrates to another life" (Legge1, 109). Buddhist also believe the soul is
not reborn, but instead a "consciousness containing the seeds of good and evil deeds" is
the object of rebirth (Leek, 171). One major difference between Taoism and Buddhism is
the concept of karma to the Buddhist. This idea that all actions are the display of
thought, the will of man, is known as karma. Karma determines where in the cycle of
birth, death, and rebirth the consciousness return. This return can be in the form of an
animal or human, and the Buddhist must progress through a hierarchy to achieve Nirvana
(Leek, 171). The Taoist has no concept similar to karma, and no mention of the soul
migrating to an animal form. The determining factor to one's life is contained in the
individual behavior fro the Taoist. By forsaking personal desires in life, by
concentrating of the self, a longer life is prolonged. Eventually, by following the inner
light, immortality can be achieved. The similarities between Taoism and Buddhism in the
belief of life after death far outweigh the differences. Both religions believe the
individual must focus on the self to achieve the ultimate goal. To focus on oneself, all
desires and personal ambitions must be forsaken. One must focus on the self and the
proper way of life to reach immortality. The cycle of life continues indefinitely until
the Thread of Life is broken. Only through proper living, by following the correct path
guided by the inner light, can one achieve the ultimate goal of Tao or Nirvana.
Works Cited
1. Legge, James. The Texts of Taoism. Part One. Dover Publishing. NY. 1962.
2. Legge, James. The Texts of Taoism. Part Two. Dover Publishing. NY. 1962.
3. Reat, Noble R. Buddhism: A History. Asian Humanities Press. CA. 1951.
4. Cooper, J.C. Taoism: The Way of the Mystic. Whitstable Litho, Straker Brothers Ltd.
Great Britain. 1972.
5. Leek, Sybil. Reincarnation: The Second Chance. Stein and Day Publishers, Scarborough
House. Briarcliff Manor, NY. 1974.