These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. Taoism was a school of thought and method for survival in turbulent times, and its eighty-one short books explain what the Tao (roughly translated as “the way”) consists of. You could interpret this as noting how people can hide lies in flowery speeches, while the truth is much easier to find in simple, straightforward statements like the Tao masters use. Source: The Complete Tao Te Ching Translated by Gia-Fu Feng (馮家福 Feng Jia-fu, 1919–1985) and Jane English (1942–) Vintage Books, 1989. Therefore wise men embrace the one And set an example to all. Very often it appears to be its opposite, or maybe it’s made of opposites that exist at the same time. Chapter 26 takes us deeper into metaphor land when it asks “How can the lords of ten thousand chariots / Apply themselves lightly to the world?” (26.7-8). Instead, the way, or the tao is “nameless.” The tao is also what created heaven and earth. However, if one rules according to the way, the forces of evil do not harm people, and the ruler also does not harm people. Read the world’s #1 book summary of Tao Te Ching by Lao Tse here. Let’s talk about military strategy. Peace like the Earth. The Lesson of Simplicity. Tao Te Ching Chapter 36 J Legge When one is about to take an inspiration, he is sure to make a (previous) expiration; when he is going to weaken another, he will first strengthen him; when he is going to overthrow another, he will first have raised him up; when he is going to despoil another, he will first have made gifts to him:–this is called ‘Hiding the light (of his procedure).’ Unfortunately, little is known about … It doesn’t speak but always answers. Great perfection, a.k.a. 1) It’s deep… like spiritually deep, man. It cannot be ruled by interfering. Comment below or tweet to us @storyshots. One of the greatest works of classic liturature. People who have courage without being overly aggressive are the ones who will survive. Nameless, is the origin of Heaven and Earth; The named is the Mother of all things. Naming is the origin of all particular things. "Tao Te Ching Summary". what makes a good ruler? Traditionally attributed to Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, the true authorship of the Tao Te Ching, as well as the date around which it was written (usually said to be 6th c. BCE to 4th century BCE), is often debated. In the beginning, there was only the one Tao, but then it split into yin and yang, which then split into everything there is. If nobody is selfishly lusting after profit in our society, then there would be no stealing. In this way, it’s a whole lot like the Tao. People who are with the Tao hate arrogance and treat it like “leftover food or tumors” (24.7). This existence or non-existence or the contrast introduced by Lao-Tse is the actual bottleneck. Thus, the constant void enables one to observe the true essence. “Tao Te Ching PDF Summary” In the first 10 Brief Sections, Laozi places emphasis on the world, and the absolute nature of the Tao. With the two most important of these texts being the Tao-te Ching and the Chuang-tzu, these texts give the modern world a glimpse into the ancient Taoist beliefs concerning the nature of the universe and the life of man. If we’re too bold, we’re just begging to die. Full Summary . In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped. Free from desire, you realize the mystery. When you have a firm spiritual foundation in the Tao, you’ll be everlasting. This text was written before 500BS in China. If we don’t get all wrapped up in the world, will we be clean of imperfections? Yet it is completely naturalistic. and may have held the position of archive-keeper in one of the petty kingdoms of the time. The book argues that “the greatest misfortune is the self,” which might mean that the worst thing that can happen to us is for us to get too wrapped up in ourselves (13.2). Idea 2: Be Fluid . Therefore we should respect the Tao and value the virtue. God does not sit “up there” to dictate our lives, but instead God created a perfect system by which we create our own lives. In order to be at one with the eternal Tao, we have to keep these concepts in the front of our minds. Kindness in giving creates love.”. Those who speak do not know.”, “The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth.”. If we find true stillness, then anything is possible. Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching, or -The Classic of the Way and Its Virtue, - is one of the true classics of the world of spiritual literature. The world is ruled by letting things take their course. The Tao is the mother of the world and every living thing. Then we’re reminded that the biggest trees grow from small saplings and that the tallest towers start from heaps of dirt. The book is warning us that it’s a bad idea to be over-competitive and to constantly be searching for something. Depth of understanding makes the mind good. 22. The eternal Tao is actually the nameless origin of everything there is. Lao-tzu (also spelled Lao Tzu and Laozi) may have been an older contemporary of Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) Unattached action is the way to go. Lack of desire allows us to see the “essence” of the Tao, while desire lets us see its “manifestations” (1.5-6). It does not talk about gods, revelations, and miracles, but about harmonizing with the flow of nature. The Tao Te Ching ends this chapter with one final wisdom bomb: people who love themselves in the same way they love the world can be entrusted with the world. People who talk all the time don’t know that much, but people who are silent know a lot. / Sow the great in the small.”— Tao Te Ching. There’s not much point in using soldiers to solve problems since eventually, somebody else’s soldiers are going to attack you in retaliation. This chapter drops some wisdom about dualities. The Earth without peace erupts. Tao Te Ching Books 60-81 Summary & Analysis. This one’s all about the awesomeness of emptiness. The Tao (the Source) is not just the source of everything that is, was or will be, but it is also your Source and you are connected to it, by virtue of life itself. It’s changeless but is endlessly circulating. If we have that strong spiritual foundation, we can see it for what it is. More about the book here. Tao Te Ching is made of 81 chapters. But how do we know that the world is? This chapter kicks off by asking us a bunch of questions: Is it possible to be totally at one with everything and never stray from that oneness? This chapter takes the idea of humility and applies it to the way that large, powerful countries ought to behave. Dimming the glare is also a good idea. Then it tells us that you’re strong if you overcome others, but it’s only when you overcome yourself that you’re truly powerful. When nothing is done, nothing is left undone. The Tao Te Ching Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. D.C. Lau’s, published in 1963 by Penguin, is the one we used primarily until the Tao Te Ching, Word for Word was finished. If large countries are humble, then they’ll retain their influence. After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. Eventually, the Tao has its way with everything. This one starts by talking about some formless thing that existed before Heaven and Earth. A Summary Of The Torah And Tao Te Ching 1270 Words 6 Pages Ancient text like the Torah and Tao Te Ching reveals what it means to be a successful human. We figure this means they exist in a state of simplicity, not that they scream all night and poop themselves. Just because a leaf of grass bends doesn’t mean that it won’t be straight again. Tao Te Ching Summary & Study Guide Stephen Mitchell This Study Guide consists of approximately 29 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Tao Te Ching. In order to have the looseness needed to be with the Tao, you also have a grounded kind of personality. This chapter begins by observing that dead things are dry and brittle while living things are soft and flexible. Chapter by Chapter Summary of Tao Te Ching, “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”, “Time is a created thing. The sages take a cue from the Heaven and Earth and also think of people without bias. If it could be compared to anything, then it wouldn’t be the Tao. The unnamable is the eternally real. First, we’re advised to deal with small problems before they turn into big ones. Tao Te Ching Chapter 8. Fake Lao Tzu Quotes Erroneous Tao Te Ching Citations Examined. This chapter claims that we can know the Tao without ever going out the door or looking out of a window. After our series of postings translating the Tao Te Ching chapter 1-10, I am sure it did open your vision to something new, something that makes sense to you, rather than just a bunch of vague babbles with no subject defined. Adapted from the Taote meaning blog post, Sloww website, and Shmoop study guide. People who hide behind etiquette and rules to show that they’re good are posers when it comes right down to it. It talks about the art of living with humor, grace, large-heartedness, and deep wisdom. The Tao Te Ching is one of the most famous Chinese classic texts and one of the founding texts of Taoism, an ancient Chinese philosophical and religious tradition. If we do, then everybody starts fighting because they want to be a big deal too. If the people’s lives are awful, they won’t care if they die, so there’s no reason they won’t violently rebel against their corrupt ruler. Since good words and actions can improve people, we should never abandon people who are unkind. (What are) Tao and Te, the basics of Taoism; The (attainment of the) human spiritual perfection (sageness) in relation with the Tao; The art of ruling through applying the Taoist principles. When something becomes excessive, it reduces it. Although almost completely unheard of in our Western world, the canons, or sacred texts, of Taoism have greatly impacted the Eastern world. Not putting on a display, They shine forth. One of the greatest works of classic liturature. Muhoza, Adeline , et al. That all may sound kinda pointless, but maybe what the Tao Te Ching is saying is that even though the Tao is metaphysical (spiritual, intangible) in nature, we should try to attune ourselves to it. The best way to describe it is “great,” and “great” means that it’s constantly receding and returning like a big, whopping ocean of everything (25.9). The value of D.C. Lau’s translation may lie in the fact that he does not seem to be a ‘true believer’. If we focus on loss, then all we are is loss. The dust of everything mixes together. If you do happen to get famous, says the Tao Te Ching, it’s best to take a step back from it. After any fight, there’s bound to be some residual bad feelings. The main concepts presented in this Book are: Tao, te, wu-wei, human perfection, p’u (simplicity), fu(returning), the power of the weakness, the valley spirit, water-like conduct, the art of ruling, military strategy. Next, we’re reminded that there’s not much good in debating; it’s just a waste of energy, really. Wu wei (also known as unattached action, effortless action, or the action of no action) is a big-deal concept in Taoism. This study guide consists of approx. Of original and authoritative translations, D.C. Lau’s is one of the most faithful to the original Chinese, except for the more literal Tao Te Ching, Word for Word . Don’t give honours to the worthy, Protect people from ambition. More than a few of these passages made us stop, put the book down, and reflect on life. It is an important text to Chinese culture. The Tao Te Ching refers to All under heaven often. However, the true basis of the Tao Te Ching, as well as of Taoism overall, is the “Tao”--an abstract concept most commonly translated as the “Way.” The Tao refers to, in rough terms, the natural order and progression of the universe. Easy. Think of them as a series of small tasks. Eww. Sharp things gets dull. Still, the Tao does its thing without stopping. This is a summary of the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, this is the penguin classics version translated by D. C Lau. The main thing to avoid is being too aggressive. Basically, these are the two opposing forces within the Tao that work in harmony to keep everything rolling along. The chapters are traditionally divided into two sections: The First 37 chapters are The Classic of Tao (the Way) and the rest are The Classic of Te. The more I read this book, the more it surprises me how such an ancient book’s principles are universal across all cultures and timelines. 1) Know themselves, but don’t brag about themselves. The true Tao is hard to understand and full of contradictions. You’re pretty smart if you understand others, but you’re totally enlightened if you understand yourself. The named Tao is the “mother of myriad things,” which you might interpret to mean all the different stuff that eventually came to physically exist in the Universe—which is a lot of stuff (1.4). This chapter represents the dangers in life with rhinos, tigers, and soldiers, and it points out ways to avoid them. If we are rigid and superset in our ways, then the world is going to break us. Although we call them by different names, they are but two sides of the same coin. The TTC admits that it doesn’t know the name of the Tao; Tao is only the name that’s used. Tao Te Ching III Written By: Lao Tzu Literary Element #2 By: Maria Zakhem Taoism The philosophical system evolved by Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu, advocating a life of complete simplicity and naturalness and of noninterference with the course of natural events, in order to attain a Eventually, the Tao has its way with everything. So if somebody comes at you with some conflict, just let them do their thing and go about their business. Related: Tao Te Ching Summary: Lessons From Lao Tzu - Lesson 2. When something is reduced, it fills it up again. The best thing is for people to live at peace in their homeland, enjoying their simple lives and customs. The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu. This chapter is all about what we can learn from the ancient Tao masters. The Tao that can be named isn’t actually the eternal Tao. But in the Tao, nothing isn’t nothing. It’s the place where Heaven, Earth, and all that good stuff came from. The book advises us to have no trust in rulers who don’t have any trust in themselves. We’re reminded that the Tao can’t be tasted, seen, or heard. If we accept it impartially, then we can get rid of the self and be at one with the eternal Tao. 38 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more – everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Tao Te Ching. This chapter starts with some oldies but goodies. Nameless, is the origin of Heaven and Earth; The named is the Mother of all things. The ever-wise Tao Te Ching advises that it’s a bad idea to overfill your cup. All right, time for some more seeming contradictions about the Tao. It’s kind of their job to take care of all people, like parents take care of children. And we’ve hit rock-bottom when a ruler is totally incompetent and despised. This all might be getting at the way Tao masters live simply and quietly. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. The true sage looks inward to find the Tao. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t value ourselves, though. The chapter ends by telling us again that humility is the way to go. Now, we get some advice on how to run a society. They don’t do more than is necessary, but when they do something they make it count. Click the image to see the book at Amazon. Principles of Taoism in the Tao Te Ching and The Tao of Pooh, The Dichotomist Views on Action in Wollstonecraft and Lao-Tzu, The Tao: Redefining Heroism in the Twenty-First Century. An editor It gathers in unpopular places. The title can mean "The Book of the Way and its Virtue." It’s quiet. And when all we are in the things we have, then we’ve lost something that’s pretty darn important: our true selves. When a ruler is too forceful and controls every little thing, the people eventually become hard to control. If we focus on the Tao, we’re with the Tao. Be moderate and give yourself over to the Tao, and you’ll steadily accumulate virtue. It’s slippery to define, but mostly it’s about living in the moment, being relaxed, and not obsessing over outcomes. The Tao Te Ching is a short text of around 5,000 Chinese characters in 81 brief chapters or sections (章). A world that’s full of greed and dissatisfaction is a pretty miserable place to be, and it’s not a place where people are at one with the Tao. Translated by Derek Bryce from Lao-Tzu on Wieger's 1913 French rendition of his Les Peres du Syteme Taoist. 4) It controls everything within its power equally and impartially. Ikigai by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles, Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (Open in the app), Atomic Habits by James Clear (Open in the app), Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (Open in the app), Be Here Now by Ram Dass (open in the app), The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin (Open in the app). This does not mean having a rigid set of rules, but challenges us to live … This chapter argues that there’s not much point in capital punishment since it does absolutely nothing to deter crime. Tao Te Ching Summary. Internal structure. His thoughts are still relevant and cherished the whole world over. Tao Te Ching Online Translation The above is the most accurate translation of the ancient classic available anywhere at any price. Each chapter consists of a short essay on various topics and concepts. They remain detached from the whole thing and don’t find any glory in victory. Full Summary . Download our free top-ranking app to get the audiobook, PDF and animated versions of this summary. If we concentrate our energy and find total relaxation, can we be as simple as babies again? If we live our lives distrusting everybody, then nobody will trust us. The author states that “the way” (or tao) cannot be described with words. Tao Te Ching Books 1-10 Summary & Analysis. Life is a “fertile valley” where we plant and create anything we want and God stands ready to assist us in anything. Other people may seem bright and clear, but you can seem muddled. And if our nations are in chaos, we need to know that somewhere there are ministers who are loyal. The best rulers are so subtle and good at what they do that the people don’t even notice them. There will be no need to force things to be good; they just will be good. Manage things, but don’t interfere too much. It doesn’t do things in a rush but gets everything done. Mitchell Last updated 20 July 1995 1 The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao The name that can be named is not the eternal Name. It seems like it’s reminding us to recognize the sacred power of femininity, which is pretty darn impressive because all life come from it. Laozi [Lao Tzu? You can help us out by revising, improving and updating Tao (The Way) that can be spoken of is not the Constant Tao. It’s useless to try to control the world because the world cannot be controlled. We get the same kind of idea next with the metaphor of an over-sharpened knife. More about the book here. But gaining isn’t always a good thing since all it does is make you want to gain more of the same thing. From a translation by S. Mitchell The chapter ends by telling us to observe the world with the world. Learn more about Tao Te Ching with a detailed plot summary and plot diagram. To be a great Tao master you needed the following qualities on your resume: Careful and cautious, but not crazily so. The Bhagavad Gita. Naming is the origin of all particular things. So the demons must be all the bad stuff like violence and turmoil that can happen when a ruler’s got no Tao. Knots come loose. The ancient sages knew they could never fully understand the Tao; Because they couldn’t totally figure out the Tao, they were forced to describe it. For one, they live with the wu wei, or unattached action. The name that can be named is not a Constant Name. Lights go dim. 389 quotes from the foremost Taoist classic, divided into 51 prominent topics. After all, there is nothing like a true believer’s i… Written by Adeline Muhoza and other people who wish to remain anonymous. This detailed literature summary also contains Topics for Discussion on Tao Te Ching by Stephen Mitchell. The book goes into a description of how living as a Tao master can separate you from other people. And if we live with excess, overindulging in everything, those rhinos, tigers, and soldiers are going to have us in no time. Another case in point: Chapter 29 says, With desire choosing anything, of doing I see no satisfied end. The Tao Te Ching is basically everybody's handy guide to Taoism. The chapters… If we’re overly cautious, we never truly live. Click the image to see the book at Amazon. You can learn from good people and bad people too. If we want to seize something, we have to give that thing first. That a good commander achieves the necessary results and then stops large country is like drawing a bow points. These passages made us stop, then the few sneaky schemers, then virtue is infinite and beyond... 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