Wayism compared to Taoism (2)

Taoism (or Daoism) resulted from LaoTzi’s (Lao Tzu) teaching of The Way in China approximately five hundred BC. The word Daoism translates to Wayism, and Tau Te Ching, the name of LaoTzi's book (the two parts that survived) translates to something like The Way and its Virtues.

Soon after the teacher's message was delivered and his disciples spread the word by copying the text, scholars took an interest. The philosophers of the day found in the teaching of the Way 'ammunition' to counter or refute some of the Confucian arguments that was winning a lot of philosophical ground. There were several other competing philosophies but after a few decades the two main systems that remained were Wayism (Daoism/Taoism) and Cunfucianism. As things go, when it became popular the rulers of the land investigated and wanted some control over the new ideology sweeping the land. When that happens there is always some serious redacting of the text going on because the rulers would have their people sanitize the teaching before adopting it. Both systems were adopted by royal decree and both were severely broken by the editors. What remained is as little as remained of Jesus' original teaching. They removed anything that did not serve their political purposes.

Just as it happened with Christianity, and Buddhism, so it went for Taoism--it became a major organized religion with pomp, parade and hordes of priests. Over time, it too had moved away as it was formed into an organized religion with many layers of heavens, celestial beings and intricate incantations along with sacrifices and rituals that hordes of priests perform on your behalf.

Wayists recognize fragments of the currently available Tau Teh Ching in the Primary Text, just as they recognize fragments of New Testament and Eastern Christian Scriptures' teaching of Jesus in the book. Those truth are now back into context and serve to keep the teaching current and complete again.

This is exactly what Wayism is not, and what LaoTzi intended to correct when he delivered the teaching.

Such is life. Therefore the need for occasional restatement of the basic teaching, so that humanity can start over again.