In 81 short chapters, he presented the world according to. Laotzus tao te ching is the classic manual of the art of living. I dont think its a coincidence that he wrote books of taoist thought which didnt sell before he created this version, or that he doesnt speak any chinese. New introductions commissioned from todays top writers and scholars. We are glad to make it a free download for everyone, thanks to special permission from the publisher of tao te ching. Derek lin is an awardwinning, bestselling author in the tao genre. He left out large chunks of the original and added his own texts. Many taoists venerate laozi as daotsu, the founder of the school of dao, the daode tianjun. Thus, the constant void enables one to observe the true essence. Unsure, found online awhile back and could not refind. Laotzus taote ching and the writtings of chuangtzu are published in two volumes.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name. Its key tenet is wuwei, naturalness and simplicity, a mystical. The tao te ching translated into english means the way and its characteristics. The tao is a book that is felt rather than intellectualized, and it can be read in its entirety in one afternoon yet. I was asked by someone from my goodread networks for the best translation of tao te ching book he could buy. Tao te ching by lao tzu, the tao of pooh by benjamin hoff, tao. The tao te ching, along with the zhuangzi, is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious taoism. Taoism, known widely today through the teachings of the classic tao te ching and the practices of tai chi and fengshui, is less known for its unique traditions of meditation, physical training, magical practice, and internal alchemy. Three things to learn from tao te ching the way, not. The first thing that youd have to learn is to see yourself as part of the universe that you are in. The book has become one of the foremost world classics of wisdom maybe even more relevant today than it was to lao tzus contemporaries. Covering all of the most important texts, figures, and events, this essential guide illuminates taoisms. A very early system of symbols is found in the i ching, considered to be an ancient text even among the chinese themselves, who boast a very long recorded history. 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.
It was written by lao tzu roughly 600 years bc and it. Taoism dictionary p rovides the basics explained in plain words. It is nothing more than a collection, filled with nuggets of wisdom that the ancient chinese felt were very effective when applied to life. However, they do serve to describe the processes and practices you can undergo to experience her which processes are beyond our discus. Tao te ching, the book of the way by lao tzu audiobook lvr. Tao te ching was written by lao tzu at the request of yin hsi, the guardian of the pass. The essential translation of the ancient chinese book of the tao. Now jane english and her longtime editor, toinette lippe, have revised and refreshed the translation so that it more faithfully reflects the classical chinese in which it was first written, taking into account. The great taoist philosopher and author of the tao te ching, lao tzu, begins his first chapter with the warning words, the tao that can be described is not the eternal tao. The twopart program contains an unabridged reading of the text o. I looked around and realise the best version is a free pdf i found done by lok san ho in hong kong because it harnassed the fact that most hong kong chinese are brought up bilingual with english and classical chinese cantonese as our mother tongues. In eightyone brief chapters, laotzus tao te ching, or book of the way, provides advice that imparts balance and perspective, a serene and. The tao te ching brooklyn public library overdrive.
Actually, the tao te ching is completely unlike the holy books you have studied. The prose doesnt flow, and it seems to be worded in such a way to actually be saying the opposite of other translations i have read. When you try to define taoism, you immediately run into trouble. The tao te ching is a guide to the philosophy of taoism and commonly credited to 6 thcentury bce chinese philosopher and writer lao tzu, though some portions of the text date back to the late 4 th century. In 81 brief chapters, the book looks at the basic predicaments posed by being alive and gives advice that imparts balance and perspective, a serene and generous spirit. The intend was to provide a handbook of teachings dealing with the way, or the path one should follow in order to avoid failure and attain success. Laotzu and taote ching revealed this is the ebook version of the course with the same title. Many books have been written about the ancient chinese text, the tao te ching, but towlers view is uniquely grounded and. For nearly two generations, giafu feng and jane englishs bestselling translation of the tao te ching has been the standard for those seeking access to the wisdom of taoist thought. What is known about the warring states period is as much archaeology and anthropology as it is history. Besides which, the chinese did not use western historiographical methods until relatively recently.
Through aphorisms and parable, it leads readers toward the tao, or the way. Derek lin is director of tao studies at the great tao foundation of america and is an active speaker and educator on the tao te ching and tao spirituality. The tao te ching speaks to everybody on many different levels of understanding. The tao te ching is basically everybodys handy guide to taoism. The tao te ching is too busy telling us about the power of humility and simplicity to worry about our sex lives. My words are easy to understand and easy to perform, yet no man under heaven knows them or practices them.
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. The book of the way paperback august 10, 2012 by lao tzu author 4. Audiobook tao te ching by lao tzu a timeless spiritual classic. He was born in taiwan and grew up with native fluency in both mandarin and english. Alan watts wrote the best introductory book to taoism. The texts true authorship and date of composition or compilation are still debated. Tao te ching every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.
It is a must for anyone wishing to seize the very core of tao teachings. The tao te ching is one of the worlds most revered sources of spiritual wisdom. The tao can only be understood by experiencing it, and words alone can only be about her. Taoism was a school of thought and method for survival in turbulent times, and its eightyone short books explain what the tao roughly. The tao te ching by laotzu is a classic work of chinese philosophy that talks about the art of living, embracing an inscrutable, eternal way tao. In 81 short chapters, he presented the world according to tao, the way, and how mankind should adapt to it. Allusions the tao te ching doesnt give us any specific shoutouts to other philosophical texts, but its important to think about the fact that this book is a collection of.
An outstanding book covering the middle period is the chien tzu wen thousand character classic of chou hsingszu, written some time between 507 and 521 a. Tao the way is one of the most profound and influential of the worlds spiritual traditions, and the tao te ching the book of the way and its virtue has left its imprint on far eastern philosophy, art, and literature for over two thousand years. 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. His background lets him convey eastern teachings to western readers in a way that is clear, simple and authentic. This classic of meditative insight was an important influence on buddhist thought. Several mustread books selected from the online bookstore. Tao te ching is the 2,500 years old source to taoism, written by the legendary taoist philosopher lao tzu. Because men do not understand, they have no knowledge of me.
Basically i used the audiobook read by steven weber to replace my inner voice, i invested in the first. 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. Top 10 books on taoism watkins mind body spirit magazine. A while back i acquired a copy of the tao te ching and it turned out to not be the best translation. I had heard a lot about taoism or daoism and this book in particular while. Stephen mitchells attempt at the tao te ching may be pleasant, but its not the tao te ching. In practicing the tao te ching, solala towler offers a thoughtful and practical guide to the practice of taoism. Iching dictionary provides the basics explained in plain words.
This is the full audio book of the tao te ching by lao tzu. A road, a path, the way by which people travel, the way of nature and finally the way of ultimate reality. This program presents the bestloved and most authoritative modern english translation by giafu feng and jane english of this ancient chinese classic. Among other things, the i, as it is known, is a treatise on the practice of divination, or foretelling the future.
The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving to the contrary, the low place which all men dislike. Ancient chinese books were commonly referenced by the name of their real or supposed author, in this case the old master, laozi. In eightyone brief chapters, the tao te ching llods at the basic predicatment of being alive and gives advice that imparts balance and perspective, a. The above is the most accurate translation of the ancient classic available anywhere at any price. This book offers a totally new, holistic approach to career development, involving the wisdom of the unconsciousexpressed in dreams, symbols, personal myths, intuitions, and memoriesas well as the analytical skills needed to set goals and plan strategies. This short audio book gives the listener a brief glimpse into chinese culture through the wisdom of a. Stephen mitchell presents it in a free translation, with endnotes that offer literal translations in some cases, short commentaries, and examples. Tao te ching, the world is a sacred vessel, more easily harmed than improved or controlled. Tao is the way, not your way there are many things that you can learn in tao te ching, and these are three of them first, staying detached. For the individual seeker interested in exploring tao, this work will speak sincerely to the heart and mind.