RussellKirkland
[1] Asissooftenthecase, theissueofdeathanditstranscendencerevealsthattheTaoisttraditiondidnottypicallyformulateorpromulgatespecificpositions, nordemandadherencetocommonpositionsasacriterionof “membership” in “Taoism”.ThosewhowereattractedtoTaoismseemtohavebeenthosewhowerenotinterestedinlaboringtodeterminebetterorworse, muchless “correct”, , theyseemtohavebeenthosewhowouldgladlydrawuponanycombinationoftraditionalandcontemporaryculturalelementstofacilitatetheirefforttolivetheTaoistlifeasfullyaspossible.
[2] , fromthefifthcenturyonward, , withofcoursewhatevermodificationsorenhancementsseemedappropriateinlightofcurrentrealities.
[3] Yet, itwouldbewrongtosurmisethatallthosemanymodelsofandforthespirituallifehadnounderlyingcommonalities, , onverybroadterms, elementsofacommon “Taoistworldview”, aswellasacon-comitant “Taoistethos”, whichinformedandstimulatedTaoistpracticeinallitsmanyforms, aswellasTaoistmodesofengagementwithotherelementsofChinesecultureandsociety.
[4] Atthemostbasiclevel, , , forsuchpeople, .
[5] However, inthisview, the “truenature” ofpeople’srealityisnotsomethingontologicallyalientothem — notsomething “outthere” , thestartingpointformakingourlivesintowhattheyshouldbeislearningtodiscriminatebetweenafruitlessexistence — meresurvival, thenpointlessdeath — ontheonehand, andaformoftruelivingontheotherhand — livinginaccordwithwhatreallyis, ’, theTaoistlifeconsistsinaprocessthatisfocusedonachangeinexperientialawareness.
