The Origins and History of Taoism

The Sacred Birth on the Fifteenth Day of the Second Lunar Month This date is traditionally celebrated as the birthday of Laozi, the deified founder of Taoism.

The Sacred Record of the Supreme Lord Lao, the Primordial of the Golden Gate Laozi is here referred to by his exalted title, Taishang Laojun, the "Supreme Lord Lao.". According to the Scripture of the Nine Talismans of the Pure Teachings of the Primordial Sovereign of the Cavern Mystery and Numinous Treasure Original title: Dongxuan Lingbao Yuanshi Shangdi Zhenjiao Jiufu Jing, the Lord of the Way addressed the Emperor, saying: In the ancient past, before Heaven and Earth were divided and before Yin and Yang were differentiated, all was a vast, murky chaos—dark, profound, and primordial. This state was the Great Brahman In Taoist cosmology, Dafan (Great Brahman) refers to the original, pure sound or breath of the universe before form existed., boundless and without light. Within this natural state of the sacred, there were hundreds of millions of layers of "Righteous Breath" which condensed and gave birth to the Sacred Lord of Wondrous Non-existence Miaowu: A state of "wondrous nothingness" from which all things eventually spring.. His honored title is the Sovereign of Wondrous Non-existence, and he is also known as the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning Yuanshi Tianzun: The first of the "Three Pure Ones," representing the initial phase of the universe’s creation.. Another of his titles is the Elder of Heavenly Treasure. He existed through a span of nine hundred and ninety-nine billion, nine hundred and ninety million eons Kalpa (Chinese: Jie): An immense cycle of time in Eastern philosophy, often lasting millions of years.. Next, hundreds of millions of layers of "True Breath" condensed to give birth to the Sacred Lord of Wondrous Existence. He called himself the Great Emperor of Wondrous Existence, also known as the Great Lord of the Way of the Jade Morning of Emptiness. Another of his titles is the Elder of Numinous Treasure Lingbao Tianzun: The second of the "Three Pure Ones," representing the manifestation of the Tao and the regulation of the universe.. He existed through eight hundred and eighty-eight billion, eight hundred million eons. Next, hundreds of millions of layers of "Tao Breath" condensed to give birth to the Sacred Lord of Primordial Chaos. His recorded title is the Great Emperor of Ultimate Truth, who governs the ten thousand transformations of Chaos...