[Buddha-l] Taoist-Tibetan connection

[Nyigmu at wmconnect.com]

I pondered this, and apologize for not still possessing my Taoist Texts for 
reference.

There are external physical form Taoist water-wheel yogis (there is an 
unimportant Taoist text out there that has the images) that are strikingly similar 
to a few of the esoteric dzogchen yogis described and depicted in the 'Dali 
Lamas Secret Temple Paintings.'  One of those Tibetan yogis may be depicted in 
the 'Yogis of Tibet' video.  The 'Tibetan Book of Yoga'  give one an idea as to 
what  are most likely the inner and secret meditations of those yogis. But 
there are also Indian yogis that are form similar to Tibetan yogis, but the 
internal mahayana aspect of compassionate vow to benefit all beings appears to be 
missing in both the Indian and Toaist yogis. 

The Taoist water wheel meditation is very different from the Tibetan High 
Yogis.  Though it is like its Indian counter part indealing with root 
energy-kundalini, winds, channels, and drops.  As the momentum of Indian Yoga and Taoist 
water wheel is at the muladahara chakra).  The terminology to correlate these 
things from Taoist to Tibetan will be difficult to glean from textual 
references.  I have had reference from 2 Taoist yoga practitioners (both receiving 
their teachings in Asia) to the waterwheel practice involving the kundalini 
traveling up the centerline and into a frontal meridian.  This practice also 
invokes wind or pranayama yoga's.  The application of this is very different in High 
Yoga.

The waterwheel or microcosimic orbit may be a connection between the center 
line and the meridian the kundalini yogi's (see KundaliniVidiya the Science of 
Spiritual Transformation only available via internet) call the tenth door. The 
kundalini yogis also describe 4 levels to the center line, where the rarest 
of yogis reaches the center of the center. The water wheel is said to have 
small openings to the chakras at the back and larger at the front meridian.  The 
esoteric teachings do not operate in any of the side channels.   The Taoist 
like the Indian aquires/creates an immortal body.  In this case Indian bhagavan 
(bhaga here meaning vagina) means human born deity.  The yogi or Taoist attains 
the siddhas and immortality.  Though in both cases madness is known to occur. 
 For the Taoist if the orbit is not closed with the tongue on the roof of the 
mouth the energy gathering in the crown leads to great instability.  The 
bhagavans death is only incurred by decapitation. For the Hindu deities such as 
Shiva and Vishnu madness was said to occur at the end of every incarnation.  

The Devaputt texts on the Hindu deities are very simple and clear.  The 
shavite tantras are entirely dependent on the kundalini opening the chakras.  
Specifically by the kundalini of the deity consort.  There is interesting reference 
by Bernard in Chinnamastra of Shatki's emanating 10 wrathful selves when mad 
at Shiva, and her Lalita form emanates the playful seductive goddess.  The 
only Taoist text I'm familiar with that shows emanation is the Golden Flower.  
There are also Taoist references to a true human wearing rags and emanating 
light when he opens his mouth and eyes.  It may be difficult to differentiate what 
is original Taoist teaching and Buddhist Taoist fusion in contemporary 
translations.  

There is a line in the History of Chinese Philosophy text about the Yu 
(umlaut u) ever being present in the Wu.  Wu being the original emptiness.  Yu 
translating as substantiality.  This draws an association with High Yoga statements 
of clarity or luminosity being present in emptiness. Though I suspect that 
the void for Taoists may often be more related to the great 'meditative 
absorptions' .

The biggest differences I found between Taoism and High Yoga was that the 
Buddhist is practicing for the rupakaya (emerging from the dharmakaya) to benefit 
all beings. This the heart of the mahayana doctrine.  The Taoist is simply 
seeking self immortality in harmonizing with the primordial energy of the 
universe. If his Yu is Buddha nature he then becomes liken to a solitary realizer, 
still obscured. And unable to operate in 6-infinite realms.  Similarly the 
Indian yogi is working with kundalini, winds, channels and drops for his own end 
of union with god.  Clearly the Taoists and Indian yogi both achieve nirvana 
(extinguishing the winds that the concepts ride upon) operating in the realm of 
kundalini, drops and rivers (nadis). 


Stating it simply due to his compassionate vow and the lineage blessing of 
dharma transfer (water to water) or anointment, the Buddhist realizes the 
ability of his empty mind to spontaneously generate empty form. This original nature 
leading to 'nirvana without remainder.'  If the Taoist or Indian yogi were 
able to do this they would be Buddhist.  I would suggest doing a triad 
comparison (using the Indian yogic system as well) as my physics teacher said that when 
making inferences 3 points pointing to a conclusion was reasonable.  


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