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Taoism vs Zen - What's the difference?

taoism | zen |

As nouns the difference between taoism and zen

is that taoism is a chinese mystical philosophy traditionally founded by lao-tzu in the 6th century bc that teaches conformity to the tao by unassertive action and simplicity while zen is (religion) a denomination of buddhism.

As an adjective zen is

(religion) pertaining to this denomination of buddhism.

taoism

English

(wikipedia Taoism)

Noun

(en noun)
  • a Chinese mystical philosophy traditionally founded by Lao-tzu in the 6th century B.C. that teaches conformity to the tao by unassertive action and simplicity
  • a religion developed from Taoist philosophy and folk and Buddhist religion and concerned with obtaining long life and good fortune often by magical means

    • Related terms

    * tao * Taoist

    Anagrams

    * * English words suffixed with -ism

    zen

    English

    (wikipedia Zen)

    Alternative forms

    * zen

    Noun

    (-)
  • (religion) A denomination of Buddhism elaborated in Japan.
  • (informal) A philosophy of calm, reminiscent of that of the Buddhist denomination.

    • Related terms

    * Zenji

    Usage notes

    Usually capitalized in all senses, almost always when talking about the denomination proper (compare (Catholicism)), usually but less often when referring to a looser sense of the philosophy or calm: “That’s very zen.” versus “She studies Zen Buddhism.”

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (colloquial) Extremely relaxed and collected.

    • Anagrams

    * ----