This detailed literature summary also contains Topics for Discussion on Tao Te Ching by Stephen Mitchell. Instead, the way, or the tao is “nameless.” The tao is also what created heaven and earth. People who hide behind etiquette and rules to show that they’re good are posers when it comes right down to it. When something becomes excessive, it reduces it. Laozi was a sage (a wise man) and he was a record-keeper. Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu - chapter 48 In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired. Therefore wise men embrace the one And set an example to all. It talks about the art of living with humor, grace, large-heartedness, and deep wisdom. If you do these things, there’s nothing you can’t overcome. Adapted from the Taote meaning blog post, Sloww website, and Shmoop study guide. The consequences of competition, however, is the result of that natural course. We’re warned against getting too obsessed with knowledge; it only causes worries. Tao Te Ching Books 1-10 Summary & Analysis. Usually translated as the "Way," the Tao is the mysterious, unnamable process through which everything in the Universe happens. But if we’re always all up in everybody’s business, our lives will blow chunks. As a ruler, practicing unattached action, limiting interference, and decreasing personal desire will make the lives of all the people better over time. Again, here, we’re reminded to live simply and selflessly and to decrease our desires. Lights go dim. The Tao’s external manifestations (life, nature, the cosmos, and so on) and its inner wonders (oneness, the living void, the flow, etc.) If we know when to stop, then we avoid danger. 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. 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. From a translation by S. Mitchell Again, the Tao is compared to water; this time it’s compared to a flood that can flow around any object it comes into contact with. While Taoism describes nature as the interaction of two opposite but complementary forces, the Tao itself is unified, eternal and indescribable, and such aspects of its nature are emphasized throughout the Tao Te Ching. Depth of understanding makes the mind good. The sages recognized that the best thing to do is to eliminate extremes, excess, and arrogance. “Nip troubles in the bud. Anyway, the TTC claims that a good commander achieves the necessary results and then stops. Small countries can be well-armed, but they shouldn’t use their arms unless they absolutely have to. The softest things override the hardest things. Tao Te Ching was written by Lao Tzu at the request of Yin Hsi, the Guardian of the Pass. If we focus on the Tao, we’re with the Tao. ]'s Tao Te Ching Plot Summary. Translated by Derek Bryce from Lao-Tzu on Wieger's 1913 French rendition of his Les Peres du Syteme Taoist. More than a few of these passages made us stop, put the book down, and reflect on life. Next, we’re asked some questions that make us think about the relativity of things. The Tao Te Ching is all about the Tao, which is basically the great big flow of everything. 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. If we’re disconnected from the flow, we cause all kinds of trouble. 5) It’s totally adaptable, always changing to match its environment. People believe the book was written around 600 BC.. 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 . God does not sit “up there” to dictate our lives, but instead God created a perfect system by which we create our own lives. 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 So if there’s anything you don’t like about your life, you can take it up with the Tao. Full Summary . ... What are the metaphors and key concepts in Tao Te Ching #60? This chapter gives us a lesson on yielding—and not just when you see a red-and-white, triangular sign. Different kinds of people have all kinds of different reactions to the Tao. The name itself is not nameable, or the concept which can be put into words is subjected to alteration. This encouraged people to live with simplicity. 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. To say 'I don't have time,' is like saying, 'I don't want to.”, “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”, “Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.”, “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.”, “When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everyone will respect you.”, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”, “Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.”, “Those who know do not speak. If we focus on loss, then all we are is loss. These eighty-one short chapters cover the ways of the "Way" and lay out all the main ideas of one of the world's most old-school philosophies. The path of the Tao is wide and simple to walk, but people still get distracted by side paths like greed. It’s better to use fewer words that say a lot rather than a lot of words that say nothing. High and low, long and short—all these opposites support each other and can’t exist without one another. You can learn from good people and bad people too. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Tao te Ching by Lao Tzu. Tao Te Ching Summary. The Tao Te Ching advises us to empty ourselves in order to find peace. When governments pass a ton of restrictive laws, the people end up being poor and turn into criminals to survive. Happily, the Tao Te Ching provides abundant grist for our mind’s mulling mill. The book is warning us that it’s a bad idea to be over-competitive and to constantly be searching for something. To learn the details, get the audiobook for FREE. Tao te Ching study guide contains a biography of Lao Tzu, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. In the end, the sages actually achieve their goals by not being all grasp-y all the time. 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). If it could be compared to anything, then it wouldn’t be the Tao. Still, the Tao does its thing without stopping. To learn how the tao works, one must not have any desires. 38 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more – everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Tao Te Ching. Very often it appears to be its opposite, or maybe it’s made of opposites that exist at the same time. On that note, we’ve got to be the “watercourse of the world” (28.2). The location makes the dwelling good. Book 1 Summary. One of the greatest works of classic liturature. Next, we’re warned about names. Be moderate and give yourself over to the Tao, and you’ll steadily accumulate virtue. In order to have the looseness needed to be with the Tao, you also have a grounded kind of personality. If we concentrate our energy and find total relaxation, can we be as simple as babies again? A world where everybody has the Tao. If large countries spend all their time bossing around all the other countries, they’ll eventually fall and will be taken over by the smaller countries they used to pick on. Less and less is done Until non-action is achieved. Next, we’re advised that if our families are falling apart, we need to focus on love and loyalty. 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. The sages take a cue from the Heaven and Earth and also think of people without bias. So the demons must be all the bad stuff like violence and turmoil that can happen when a ruler’s got no Tao. It’s the mother of the world. Through humility, we gain personal power. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The Tao Te Ching is a guide to the philosophy of Taoism and commonly credited to 6th-century BCE Chinese philosopher and writer Lao Tzu, though some portions of the text date back to the late 4th century. Eww. We’re told that even though the way of the Tao is based on simple, universal truths, it can be tough for people to understand. Knowing that we are the children of the Tao helps us to avoid all the dangers in life. Thus it is like the Tao. Ultimately, though, this chapter leaves us with the idea that nonviolence is the way to go. Next, we dip into ideas about desire vs. lack of desire. 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