The taote ching is fundamental to understanding both ancient chinese history and the taoist faith. Laotzus tao te ching, or book of the way, is the classic manual on the art of living, and one of the wonders of the world. Books similar to tao te ching goodreads share book. The tao te ching is basically everybodys handy guide to taoism. Known versions and commentaries date back two millennia, including ancient bamboo, silk, and paper manuscripts discovered in the twentieth century. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. The most translated book in the world after the bible, the tao te ching. Tao te ching translates very roughly as the way of integrity. Those chapters made us think of a mixture of taoism and confucian ethics.
While i loved the ideas written within it, what i really enjoyed was the poetic style the book was written in. Translations at a glance j legge j h mcdonald lin yutang tao te ching chapter 8 j legge the highest excellence is like that of water. Like the tao te ching, these texts often focus on two primary methods by which one can acquire a deeper knowledge of virtue. Tao te ching, translation by stephen mitchell, harper perennial. I strongly advocate reading many versions, and if you really like what you read you should consider picking at the chinese of which there are several different original versions. The book of the way and how it manifests itself in the world. To know when you have enough is to be immune from disgrace.
It is also one of the true classics of world literature. To know when to stop is to be preserved from perils. Within what was is what wears a truth that has been with because it is without knowing. Find books like tao te ching from the worlds largest community of readers. But the thing is, the tao te ching is one of the least ooeywooey books. What is the best edition of tao te ching by lao tzu. It is this tension or contradiction that is at the root of taoism. It does not talk about gods, revelations, and miracles, but about harmonizing with the flow of nature. The essence of taoism is contained in the eightyone chapters of the book roughly 5000 words which have for. How you know what you dont know is to understand that it is in the absence of what you think. I was an army veteran who after being honorably discharged, returned to the us in the sping of 1971. Tao quotes 388 sayings of lao tzu in the tao te ching. The wisdom that she finds in the tao te ching is primal, and her spare.
Shortly before reading this book, i read good news for modern man during a low point in my life. Do you know any similar books as tao te ching by lao tzu. The most translated book in the world after the bible, the tao te ching, or book of the tao, is a guide to cultivating a life of peace, serenity, and compassion. Welcome to my online corner where together we live and share the wisdom of living the tao te ching. Ancient chinese books were commonly referenced by the name of their real or supposed author, in this case the old master, laozi. Tao te ching, the world is a sacred vessel, more easily harmed than improved or controlled. Tao te ching lao tzu a comparative study chapter 8.
Its clear from his teachings that he deeply cared about society, if society means the welfare of ones fellow human beings. The book contains ideas around striving, leadership, listening, being open, achievement, hubris, humility, and more. The main attraction in the ttc is the tao itself, which is the great flow of everythinglike everything. This book follows a different format to other philosophical texts and is very easy to read. The tao te ching, along with the zhuangzi, is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious taoism, and strongly influenced other schools, such as legalism, confucianism, and chinese. These eightyone short chapters cover the ways of the way and lay out all the main ideas of one of the worlds most oldschool philosophies.
Compared with other belief systems, would anyone hazard a guess as to what general percentage of people who identify, or semiidentify with taoism have read the tao te ching. Tao te ching is one of the most famous texts that exists for philosophical taoism along with zhuangzi which i have also included below. Let these books help to liberate your mind and heart. Like stephen mitchell, acclaimed author and poet ursula k. Just as the chinese language has experienced numerous transformations, the tao te ching has changed and evolved over time. I found so much value in the tao te ching stephen mitchells translation and would love to read more books like it. She brings to it a punctuated grace that can only have been hammered out during long trials of wordsmithing. To me, writes smullyan, taoism means a state of inner serenity co translated more often than any other book except the bible, the tao te ching has been a spiritual guide. Solomon 2002, 41, has much in common with what we are calling naturalized spirituality. We dont have any recommendations for taote ching right now. Traditionally attributed to the nearlegendary old master, lao tzu, the tao teh ching teaches that the qualities of the enlightened sage or ideal. Tao te ching the tao and its characteristics translated by james legge. Before going to sleep at night i read a passage from the tao te ching. The title is often translated into english as the book of the way.
Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive. It flows in places men reject and so is like the tao. Reading the tao te ching the spiritual naturalist society. The tao te ching is a short text of around 5,000 chinese characters in 81 brief chapters or sections. There is no calamity like not knowing what is enough. Use these questions to help fully understand the text and its implications. He is known as the reputed author of the tao te ching and the founder of. For those who arent familiar with it, the tao te ching is a classic chinese philosophical text written by. Tao quotes the sayings of lao tzu in the tao te ching here are 388 quotes extracted from the tao te ching by lao tzu, the oldest and most important source to taoism. We dont have any recommendations for taoteching right now. Created for those who are fans of the tao te ching. The text purportedly dates to about the 6th century bc, written by lao tzu, a chinese sage. Through aphorisms and parable, it leads readers toward the tao, or the way. A new translation by giafu feng and jane english first vintage books edition, 1972.
I read tao te ching back in the early 70s when i was looking for more purpose in life. Its also a stirring and delectable little read, 2600 years later. Tao te ching lao tzu 3 if you overesteem great men, people become powerless. Written more than two thousand years ago, the tao teh ching, or the classic of the way and its virtue, has probably had a greater influence on asian thought that any other single book. The tao te ching is the most popular book outside the bible, with over 100 translations into english alone. The book of chuang tzu by zhuangzi the i ching or book of changes the analects by confucius siddhartha by herman hesse. For example, some people like to target christians for not having read the old and new testament, or only reading the good parts. So we must admit that tao te ching is a composite book and we are not able to recognize the original chapters written by master lao. Tao te ching can be translated as the book of the immanence of the way or the book of the way and of how it manifests itself in the world or, simply, the book of the way. Tao te ching, the book of the way by lao tzu audiobook lvr. So the first thing to know is that the tao te ching is an english spelling for concepts represented by chinese characters.
In its 81 verses it delivers a treatise on how to live in the world with goodness and. The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving to the contrary, the. Still, neither of these pronunciations is going to sound spoton to a native speaker. Goodreads members who liked tao te ching also liked. Tao te ching audiobook by lao tsu translated by giafu. The tao is silent is raymond smullyans beguiling and whimsical guide to the meaning and value of eastern philosophy to westerners. Tao te ching inglese copertina flessibile 7 lug 1997. Tao te ching lao tzu tao te ching written by laotzu.
The tao te ching begins with the idea that the tao is nameless and that it is ineffable, as language is not capable of describing it. The tao is like a bellows, even though it appears empty, its workings are obvious. Tao te ching chapter one tao the way that can be spoken of is not the constant tao the name that can be named is not a constant name. India and china as a way of liberation, and is similar in this respect to taoism, vedanta, and yoga. Thus, the tao te ching can be translated as the classic of the ways virtue s, citation needed the book of the tao and its virtue, or the book of the way and of virtue. Few things under heaven are as instructive as the lessons of silence. It adjusts excess and deficiency so that there is perfect balance.
Tao te ching, english by giafu feng and jane english. The tao te ching has a long and complex textual history. Thus, the constant void enables one to observe the true essence. More than a few of these passages made us stop, put the book down, and reflect on life. The master gives himself up to whatever the moment brings.
Le guin has attempted a nonliteral, poetic rendition of the tao te ching. As it acts in the world, the tao is like the bending of a bow. Living the wisdom of the tao te ching one year challenge. By lao tzu laozi compiled and indexed by michael p. However, if the tao te ching is to be thought of as a book of wisdom, what sense can be made of its attacks on wisdom and virtue. As you perhaps know, the tao te ching translated the classic of tao and te was written by lao tzu with the main intent of providing a handbook of wisdom. Unfortunately, many tried to reduce the meaning and usage of this book to abstract philosophy only a few stressed its immediate utility as a guide to the everyday living. The tao te ching, along with the zhuangzi, is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious taoism. Its like ive suddenly produced, and then struck, a 4,000pound gong. The tao te ching, the major text of taoism, is full of riddleesque.
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