Buddhism and Daoism, Yin & Yang
Uniting and Contrasting the Buddha and Lao Tzu
The imposing and treacherous Himalayan mountain range including Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh have separated India and China for thousands of years. Yet, despite the merciless terrain, monks and travelers made the journey North and South bringing with them magical images of deities and spiritual beliefs.
At least 3000 years later Buddhism and Daoism flourish with distinct cultural and religious definitions yet strikingly similar.
Spinning the Sphere - Parallels Between Buddhism and Daoism
Without getting into debates over specific sects within Buddhism and Daoism, overall they share some very basic principles including the cultivation of virtues, eradication of bad behaviors, and a reward-punishment system. In each faith, a person’s fate is decided by measuring the sum total of their deeds.
Daoism borrowed the idea of precepts (pivotal creeds which define the code of conduct) from Buddhism and added them to an already existing belief structure of Earth-based healing and living in harmony with nature.
Both faiths count on a vast pantheon of deities whose duty consists of overseeing the functions of daily life and maintaining records of the merits and virtues of its followers. Many of the deities are extremely similar in description although the names are different.
Take for example Kuan Yin (Daoist) and Avalokitesvara (Buddhist) essentially these are the same deity in that she/he embodies the virtue of compassion. How they would be different is that in Daoism Kuan Yin is solely a feminine deity, yet in Buddhism (Hinduism) Avalokitesvara contains an equally important male aspect.
Another example is Shakyamuni Buddha and Lao Tzu. To the devout Buddhist or Daoist it may seem almost sacrilegious to compare such venerated figures. Yet, one can see that both hold the embodiment of their faith, both were actual historical figures who achieved enlightenment and ascended to Heaven, both were born near a symbolic tree in an almost transcended state. The Buddha and Lao Tzu continue to teach the middle path to followers even to this day, yet even in their etheric state, they both report to a higher power, Brahma or the Jade Emporer respectively.
Separating the Poles - Contrasts Between Buddhism and Daoism
By contrast, Daoism and Buddhism remain separated by language, local customs and rituals of praise and practice. Daoism is largely an independent journey in large regard focusing on individual cultivation and living in harmony with nature or one’s environment and, in certain specific lineages, even exorcism.
Buddhism on the other hand, in addition to personal cultivation, places great importance on the development of sangha (community) and promotes sharing resources among members. This communal focus and directive is conspicuously absent from Daoism, allowing a fuzzy lack of definition to surround the name. Buddhism has been actively organized for much longer than Daoism and counts on extensive documentation, elaborate altars and a vast selection of scripture, music and literature. Daoism, remaining more private and exclusive and perhaps even oppressed, is only now discovering the freedom of expression.
Despite the differences in organization, language, geography and local customs, both share a profound respect for virtues and honor. They are inevitably tied in the Western regions of China, birth place of Chan Buddhism and will remain mirror images of Yin and Yang for centuries to come.
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