What is the sacred text of Taoism?

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Mahabharata, Sanskrit for Great Story, is one of the great epic poems of ancient India. Written between 300 BC and AD 300, it was meant to be a secular work. However, because of its many religious qualities, it has given many ideas for Hindus to live by. The Mahabharata focuses on a contest between two noble families for the possession of a kingdom in northern India. One segment of the poem, the Bhagavad-Gita, is a dialogue between Krishna and the hero Arjuna on the meaning of life. It has given insight for centuries to devout Hindu believers on the true meaning of life.

Ramayana is the shorter of the two great Sanskrit epics of ancient India. Rich in descriptions and poetic language, the Ramayana consists of seven books and 24,000 couplets. Written in 3rd century BC, the Ramayana tells the story of Rama, and his wife, Sita. Rama and Sita are generally seen as ideal examples of great manly heroism and wifely devotion. Reciting the Ramayana is considered a religious act, and scenes from the epic are portrayed throughout India and Southeast Asia.

 

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Taoism has no specific canon of scripture however there are several books which are considered to be the main sources of doctrine of this faith. The first is the Tao te Ching (or Dao de Jing - "Morality Scripture"), which is a collection of poems and stories which were written by the Chinese philosopher Lao Tze. The book itself is sometimes also called Lao Tze.

The second most important work is the Chuang Tzu or Zhuang Zi, written by the man of the same name. In this book the completion of the primary doctrines of Daoism are contained (specifically the doctrine of Wu-wei).

The final main text is the Lie Zi, which was named after the man who was believed to have written it. This however is probably an apocryphal association.

 

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There are not holy books or manuscripts in Taoism. There are compilations of the ideas and beliefs of Taoism and books about what is the Tao but none is considered a holy book. Taoist teaching were traditionally oral.

Lao-tzu is usually recognized as the first to write about the Tao and to compile the Taoist teachings.

 

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The Tao-Te Ching and Chuang-tzu make up the canon on Taoism.