Editing Tao (section)

===Taoism===
The translator [[Arthur Waley]] observed that
<blockquote>[Tao] means a road, path, way; and hence, the way in which one does something; method, doctrine, principle. The Way of Heaven, for example, is ruthless; when autumn comes 'no leaf is spared because of its beauty, no flower because of its fragrance'. The Way of Man means, among other things, procreation; and eunuchs are said to be 'far from the Way of Man'. ''Chu Tao'' is 'the way to be a monarch', i.e. the art of ruling. Each school of philosophy has its ''tao'', its doctrine of the way in which life should be ordered. Finally in a particular school of philosophy whose followers came to be called Taoists, ''tao'' meant 'the way the universe works'; and ultimately something very like God, in the more abstract and philosophical sense of that term.{{sfnp|Waley|1958|p={{page needed|date=March 2021}}}}</blockquote>

"Tao" gives Taoism its name in English, in both its philosophical and religious forms. The Tao is the fundamental and central concept of these schools of thought. Taoism perceives the Tao as a natural order underlying the substance and activity of the Universe. Language and the "naming" of the Tao is regarded negatively in Taoism; the Tao fundamentally exists and operates outside the realm of differentiation and linguistic constraints.{{sfnp|Kohn|1993|p=11}}

There is no single orthodox Taoist view of the Tao. All forms of Taoism center around Tao and De, but there is a broad variety of distinct interpretations among sects and even individuals in the same sect. Despite this diversity, there are some clear, common patterns and trends in Taoism and its branches.{{sfnp|Kohn|1993|pp=11–12}}

The diversity of Taoist interpretations of the Tao can be seen across four texts representative of major streams of thought in Taoism. All four texts are used in modern Taoism with varying acceptance and emphasis among sects. The ''Tao Te Ching'' is the oldest text and representative of a speculative and philosophical approach to the Tao. The ''[[Daotilun]]'' is an eighth century [[exegesis]] of the ''Tao Te Ching'', written from a well-educated and religious viewpoint that represents the traditional, scholarly perspective. The devotional perspective of the Tao is expressed in the ''[[Qingjing Jing]]'', a [[liturgical text]] that was originally composed during the [[Han dynasty]] and is used as a [[hymnal]] in religious Taoism, especially among [[eremite]]s. The ''[[Zhuangzi (book)|Zhuangzi]]'' uses literary devices such as tales, allegories, and narratives to relate the Tao to the reader, illustrating a metaphorical method of viewing and expressing the Tao.{{sfnp|Kohn|1993|p=12}}

[[File:Taoist monk.jpg|thumbnail|right|A Taoist monk practicing calligraphy with water on stone. Water calligraphy, like [[sand mandala]]s, evokes the ephemeral nature of physical reality.]]
The forms and variations of religious Taoism are incredibly diverse. They integrate a broad spectrum of academic, ritualistic, supernatural, devotional, literary, and folk practices with a multitude of results. Buddhism and Confucianism particularly affected the way many sects of Taoism framed, approached, and perceived the Tao. The multitudinous branches of religious Taoism accordingly regard the Tao, and interpret writings about it, in innumerable ways. Thus, outside of a few broad similarities, it is difficult to provide an accurate yet clear summary of their interpretation of the Tao.{{sfnp|Fowler|2005|pp=5–7}}

A central tenet in most varieties of religious Taoism is that the Tao is ever-present, but must be manifested, cultivated, and/or perfected to be realized. It is the source of the Universe, and the seed of its primordial purity resides in all things. Breathing exercises, according to some Taoists, allowed one to absorb "parts of the universe."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Daoism |url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761555647/Daoism.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028043813/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761555647/Daoism.html |archive-date=2009-10-28 |website=[[Encarta]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref> Incense and certain minerals were seen as representing the greater universe as well, and breathing them in could create similar effects.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}} The manifestation of the Tao is ''de'', which rectifies and invigorates the world with the Tao's radiance.{{sfnp|Kohn|1993|pp=11–12}}

Alternatively, philosophical Taoism regards the Tao as a non-religious concept; it is not a deity to be worshiped, nor is it a mystical Absolute in the religious sense of the Hindu [[brahman]]. Joseph Wu remarked of this conception of the Tao, "Dao is not religiously available; nor is it even religiously relevant." The writings of Laozi and Zhuangzi are tinged with esoteric tones and approach [[humanism]] and [[naturalism (philosophy)|naturalism]] as paradoxes.{{sfnp|Moeller|2006|pp=133–145}} In contrast to the esotericism typically found in religious systems, the Tao is not transcendent to the self, nor is mystical attainment an escape from the world in philosophical Taoism. The self steeped in the Tao is the self grounded in its place within the natural Universe. A person dwelling within the Tao excels in themselves and their activities.{{sfnp|Fowler|2005|pp=5–6}}
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However, this distinction is complicated by [[hermeneutic]] difficulties in the categorization of Taoist schools, sects, and movements.{{sfnp|Mair|2001|p=174}}

Some Taoists believe the Tao is an entity that can "take on human form" to perform its goals.{{sfnp|Stark|2007|p=259}}

The Tao represents human harmony with the universe and even more phenomena in the world and nature.