 160. Taoism � The Way |
The teaching of Tao (God, as self realization) serves people's lives as religions do, yet it transcends all religions and contains the "essence" of all religions.
The teaching of Tao (God) is not like any of the sciences. It transcends the level of any single subject of science.
The teaching of Tao (God) is the master teaching of all. However, it does not mean that the teaching relies on a master. It means the teaching of Tao (God) is like a master key which can unlock all doors leading to the "integral truth" (sometimes called the "way). It teaches or shows the truth directly. It does not stay on the emotional surface of life or remain at the level of thought or of a belief. Neither does it stay on the intellectual level of life, maintaining skepticism and endless searching. The teachings of Tao (God) presents the core of the subtle truth and helps you to reach it yourself. Tao is also referred to as God-self realization.
-Hua Ching Ni
The Silence of "God-Self-Realization"
"The Tao which can be named is not the true Tao." - Lao Tzu
The reality of the formless, the unreality of that which has form – is known to all. Those who are on the road to attainment care not for these things, but the people at large discuss them. Attainment implies non-discussion; discussion implies non-attainment. Manifested Tao (God) has no objective value; hence silence is better than argument. It cannot be translated into speech; better, then, say nothing at all. This is called the great attainment.
-Lao Tzu
The Buddha maintained a calm silence when the was questioned about the nature of reality and Nirvana. Jesus maintained a similar silence when Pontius Pilate questioned him as to the nature of truth.
"If anyone were to demand of nature why it produces, it would answer, if it were willing to listen and speak: You should not ask questions, but understand keeping silence as I keep silence, for I am not in the habit of speaking."
-Pontius
The correct translation of Lao-Tzu
One who ARGUES does not know the INTEGRAL TRUTH; the one who does not ARGUE, knows (by experience) the INTEGRAL TRUTH.
-Lao Tzu
The one who speaks does not know; the one who knows does not speak.
-OR-
The one who speaks (much, to prove his point) does not know; the one who knows does not speak (on irrelevant subjects). How can one teach...and not speak?
To understand intellectually that Tao is the unity of universal life is not difficult. To be it, meaning to achieve and maintain union with universal being, requires unimaginable effort for people of intellectual habits. They must give up their deviation from what is natural; each moment they must move back from their deviation of creating different centers of life and in projecting a different focus of life so that they can become aware of it. This is the practice on the spiritual level.
