Lao Tzu, et al

Lao Tzu (and several of his friends) are, so to speak...

Lao Tzu (“Master Lao”) refers to a person called Lao Tan, born iaw Chinese tradition about 600 B.C.E., and who founded the naturalistic, quietistic philosophy called Taoism.  His younger contemporary, Confucius, humbly sought advice from him in 517 B.C.E., after which Lao Tzu abandoned the royal court of the Chou Dynasty and “departed westward, depositing with a frontier warden his treatise on the Tao (the ‘way’)”; now often referred to as the Tao-te ching (‘The Classic of the Way and Its Power’).  {B, Vol 13, page 714,}

Confucius “dedicated his life to the attempt to relieve the suffering of the people.  He believed that the solution must be fundamental; a reform of the government that would make its objective not the pleasure of the rulers but the happiness of their subjects.  To this end he advocated such measures as reduction of taxation, mitigation of severe punishments, and avoidance of needless war (which was often pleasant and profitable for the aristocrats.”  (551 - 479 B.C.E.) {EB, vol 6, page 310}Zarathushtra (aka Zoroaster), was born somewhere betwen 630 and 618 B.C.E. and died somewhere between 553 and 541 B.C.E.  According to Iranian tradition, he lived “258 years before Alexander” the Great, which is taken to mean the timing of the principal event in his life; i.e. either his first vision when he was 30, the start of his preaching when he was 40, or his conversion of King Hystaspes two years later.  Zarathushtra “rejected the cult of all the gods except one ahura, Ahura Mazda, the “Wise Lord”.  The other ahuras (Annunaki?), the prophet ignores.”  If we relate this to the Sumerian version, Ahura Mazda is likely to be ANU, the father of both EN.KI. and EN.LIL.             “The origin of evil is explained in Zarathushtra’s system by postulating that at the beginning of creation [of man?] twin spirits, the sons of Ahura Mazda, chose between good and evil.  One, Spenta Mainyu [EN.KI.?] chose good; he is associated with truth, justice and life [i.e. the creator of human life?].  The other, Angra Mainyu, the Lie, chose evil and its attendant forces of destruction, injustice and death.             “According to Zarathushtra, the world was soon to be consumed in a mighty conflagration from which only the followers of the good would rise to share in a new creation.”  “In later Aoroastrianism the end of the world was thought of as in the distant future, and it was also believed that the souls of the damned would be purged in the fire so that they might share in the final Renovation of the world.”             In Annunaki time frames, “soon” might refer to a mere 2600 years later, while in human terms, the endof the world was still in the distant future (e.g. 2012). {Encyclopaedia Britannica, _______________, Vol. 24, page 987.} Gautama Buddha (563-483 B.C.E.), founder of Buddhism.  Gautama was the name of his claim, while his first name was Siddhartha.  “In his 29th year, the prince renounced home and secular life to see the ‘supreme peace of Nirvana.’  This goal envisaged deliverance from the painful realities of life’s transitoriness, as evidenced by the ceaseless round of birth, old age, sickness and successive rebirths.  He finally gained enlightenment through sitting quietly in concentrated meditation.  He detected the cause of suffering in craving due to ignorance, and discovered a path to its removal through right living and mental discipline.  Feeling compassion for all suffering mortals, he decided to share his wisdom.” {EB vol 10, page 36}            Judaism and other religions predate these philosophers with monotheism ideas, but “whereas in other religions the relation between the deity and worshipers is rooted in the natural and physical, in Judaism it is determined exclusively by an act of free choice whereby God discloses his presence and will to his elect.  The denial of any nature bond between God and his people produces results which constitute the distinguishing features of Judaism.” {EB, vol 13, page 103}

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