The Story of Buddhist Scriptures (Latest Colorful Illustration Version)

Author: Wu Zeshun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-12-01
Features: The three characters of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism can already summarize the essence of China. Confucianism is a philosophy of engaging with the world, and "governing the state and pacifying the world" has always been the highest ideal of Chinese scholars. Taoism is a native Chinese religion, reflecting the national psychology. Taoism has absorbed the philosophical thoughts of the pre-Qin Taoist school, especially its emphasis on the Way, respect for virtue, indifference to fame and fortune, and importance of health preservation. Although Buddhism is an import, it has long been sinicized. These three teachings have had their share of conflicts throughout history, but overall, they have coexisted peacefully. The Chinese nation is a wise one, and Chinese wisdom is deeply marked by these three teachings. Taoism advocates self-cultivation for longevity and transcendent immortality, so Taoist figures do not believe in fate. For example, Taoist and Taoist philosopher Tao Hongjing famously proclaimed, "My destiny is in my own hands, not in heaven." During the Northern Song Dynasty, this idea was integrated into poetry by Zhang Bodu, "Now I know my destiny is not determined by heaven." The significance of Taoism in China far exceeds the realm of belief, achieving great accomplishments in philosophy, literature, science, and other fields. For instance, in the field of medicine and health preservation, some principles and specific methods proposed by Taoism, such as Qigong (similar to modern gymnastics), teeth-gnashing (a method for dental health), and breathing exercises (similar to modern Qigong), still have significant reference value today. This book consists of about 100 lively and interesting short stories, telling the fascinating life stories of well-known Taoist figures. Due to folk oral tradition, these figures have been somewhat embellished with a mystical and superhuman aura. It is precisely because of this that their stories have maintained unique charm for thousands of years.