Compare And Contrast Buddhism And Confucianism In The Tao Te Ching

How do we describe the Tao in the Tao Te Ching? Do we even explain it as a religion, an idea, a philosophy, or do words hinder the way? Within Taoism we find a mixture of ideas and philosophies from the Chinese; tying together Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. These many different forms flow within each other to enhance one another. Without using doctrines and laws as the only way to describe it, the Tao in tradition focuses more on the energy of life and how to move within that energy for the benefit of people within their society. The creator of the Tao Te Ching, known as Laozi, described the Tao Te Ching as the “way and power”. The focus here will be on a few critical concepts within the Tao described as the “way” itself, virtue, and non-action. The Tao can be described as “the way”, standing as the foundation within Taoism. “The way” is the underlying cause of all of life and in essence holds all things together. Without the mystery of the way, life would not
One thing must be understood, virtue is not the essence itself but is the fruit or the outcome of the one walking within the Tao. This virtue does not appear automatically but must be practiced. What is practiced can seem confusing because it relies more on moving with and receiving the Tao. The goal is to not go against the Tao by force, as that is impossible, but to move with the Tao and not with the contradictory things of the world. To acquire virtue or the fruits of the Tao, one must do the very thing that seems least natural within their life, and that is to cease resisting by following their own efforts, which is very difficult in a culture that praises effort and arduous work. This very path leads to the place individuals are meant to be, and virtue is expressed not by a lack of anxiety and control in moving with life, but instead by being guided by life