Taoism Insubstantial

The last few posts do not reflect the principle of wei-wu-wei.

Originally Posted by TzuJanLi

Do you think you are qualified to condemn others?

As far as meat-eating is concerned I am because I am a vegetarian. I don't claim to be a spiritual leader but those that do should set the proper example at least in such a small austerity as meat-eating.

[Gem]

Where I grew up we take the bows and arrows and find animals to kill and eat and such things as compassion for them were just a part of the whole of nature... so there was no cruelty involved in hunting... only death and life.

I always imagine the eskimos, they have to survive so they kill animals to eat... that way I understand things much better.

Greetings..

Originally Posted by I-Ching

As far as meat-eating is concerned I am because I am a vegetarian. I don't claim to be a spiritual leader but those that do should set the proper example at least in such a small austerity as meat-eating.

You feel qualified to "condemn" someone? We are different, as i feel no one is qualified to 'condemn' another.. would you starve your own flesh to death rather than eat meat? would you condemn a spiritual leader that ate meat rather than die of starvation?

Be well..

Originally Posted by I-Ching

In my opinion Riven, there is a science to attaining enlightenment and to the extent that we follow that science to that extent we will attain the goal. Different paths adhere to that science to different degrees depending on the extent to purity of the humans they were originally given to and the extent they have since then been corrupted by human influence.

Our own belief in the potency of our path has little impact on reality. The laws of nature are not malleable to human concoctions.

Again this is your theory and your beliefs... why would you feel the need to judge others by your path... this feels to me like someone saying 'I am right and everyone else is wrong.'

There is a possibility you might be right... but there is an equal possibility that you are wrong in your thoughts... why worry about what others think... or do... or believe, as long as they are not trying to step in your path and change you direction? I like to look at all paths... take what I like... what works for me, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away...

Greetings..

Originally Posted by pre-dawn

The last few posts do not reflect the principle of wei-wu-wei.

Why do you think this is so? Wei Wu Wei is the pen name of an author named:

Terence James Stannus Gray (14 September 1895 – 5 January 1986), better known by the pen name Wei Wu Wei, was a 20th century Taoist philosopher and writer.

The use of 'wei wu wei' as a Taoist principle is fairly recent, on the other hand, Wu Wei is a Taoist tenet or principle as follows:

Wu wei (simplified Chinese: 无为; traditional Chinese: 無爲; pinyin: wúwéi, variantly written in traditional Chinese: 無為) is an important concept of Taoism (Daoism), that involves knowing when to act and when not to act. Another perspective to this is that "Wu Wei" means natural action - as planets revolve around the sun, they "do" this revolving, but without "doing" it; or as trees grow, they "do", but without "doing". Thus knowing when (and how) to act is not knowledge in the sense that one would think "now" is the right time to do "this", but rather just doing it, doing the natural thing.

Why do you suppose that we are not acting in accordance with our 'nature'? Do you suppose we are not resolving disharmony through the appearance of disharmony? Why is it not wu wei when someone acts to return balance?

Be well..

Originally Posted by TzuJanLi

would you condemn a spiritual leader that ate meat rather than die of starvation?

I hardly think that the Dalai Lama is eating meat because he is dying of starvation. Surely you can think of better arguments than this. Meat eating is permissible if there is nothing else to eat, but in our "society" that is hard a problem.

Originally Posted by Gem

Where I grew up we take the bows and arrows and find animals to kill and eat and such things as compassion for them were just a part of the whole of nature... so there was no cruelty involved hunting... only death.

Why don’t I take some bows and arrows and hunt you and then you can tell me after you got a few arrows in you if there is anything cruel about it. “such things as compassion for them were just a part of the whole of nature”, I don’t know what this is supposed to mean, but compassion is meant to part of human nature, something that separates us from beasts.

Originally Posted by Gem

I always imagine the eskimos, they have to survive so they kill animals to eat

Well I hate to break it to you, but you are not an eskimo, they have nothing else to eat so what can they do. You on the other hand are simply eating innocent animals for your own selfish pleasure.

I too have found Taoism to be too insubstantial for me. It is a beautiful philosophy and I like to study it from time to time but it is of very little help to me in dealing with real life issues. It feels removed and hard to grasp and I am not looking for a challenge. Also, whenever I was into Taoism, I found myself and other Taoists a bit full of it. Like everyone is pretending to be enlightened. Who cares about that? I don't. It's just another trap. I just want to live simply and peaceably and that in itself is almost impossible for me right now. Life is hard and complicated. That's reality. Sometimes it's wonderful and sometimes it's miserable. Fact. But do I want to stay up in my head with trying to apply obscure Chinese texts to my chaotic modern life? No. But hey...it is a beautiful way and I support those of you who can stay with it.

Greetings..

Originally Posted by I-Ching

I hardly think that the Dalai Lama is eating meat because he is dying of starvation. Surely you can think of better arguments than this. Meat eating is permissible if there is nothing else to eat, but in our "society" that is hard a problem.

Your position is inconsistent and irrational, unrelated to the understandings of someone interested in Tao..

Be well..