surfingbudda Posted December 3, 2010 I am sure most people on Tao Bums are already well versed in the teachings of Lao Tzu. But being the new beginner to Taoism that I am, I have been really enjoying reading the sayings of Lao Tzu. Heres a great website I found which has a good amount of his quotes My link. Really, I have never found a person who's quotes or teachings I have 100% agreed with from as much as Lao Tzu. His sayings are a gold mine of wisdom and he must have been a truly magnificent human being. To anyone who has never really checked out his teachings, I would highly recommend just checking out that site and have fun learning from a real master of Taoism, I know I am . So enjoy, just thought I'de share what I've recently been having fun with. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted December 3, 2010 Check out the Hua Hu Ching also. It's attributed to him...who knows if the same dude actually wrote it. But definitely a great book. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aaron Posted December 3, 2010 I'm glad you're enjoying learning about Taoism. Chapter 41 of the Tao Teh Ching says... Â "WHEN a wise scholar hears the Tao, He practises it diligently. When a mediocre scholar hears the Tao, He wavers between belief and unbelief. When a worthless scholar hears the Tao, He laughs boisterously at it. But if such a one does not laugh at it, The Tao would not be the Tao!" Â (tr. Wu) Â I hope you enjoy your readings. A good site for resources about the Tao Teh Ching and Taoism is Terebess Asia Online. You should check them out. Lots of resources and different translations of the Tao Teh Ching on that page. Also the FAQ topic on this post, is less of a FAQ and more of link for resources, so you could check that out too. Â We're also discussing the chapters of the Tao Teh Ching in order in the Tao Teh Ching subforum. If you want to learn a bit more or have any questions, that might be good resource too. Â Aaron Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aaron Posted December 3, 2010 (edited) accidently posted multiple times  Aaron Edited December 3, 2010 by Twinner Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aaron Posted December 3, 2010 (edited) Double post... lag monster hit. Sorry. Edited December 3, 2010 by Twinner Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
surfingbudda Posted December 3, 2010 Hi Twinner, I actually just read that quote from Lao Tzu before you posted it here and it really struck me. It kinda says to be diligent in your practice, while not taking yourself too seriously and to just enjoy life. Great saying  I also came across this an excerpt from The Book of Understanding by Osho and thought it was very enlightening.  In paradise one afternoon, in its most famous cafe, Lao Tzu, Confucius, and Buddha are sitting and chatting. The waiter comes with a tray that holds three glasses of the juice called "Life," and offers them. Buddha immediately closes his eyes and refuses; he says, "Life is misery."  Confucius closes his eyes halfway - he is a middlist, he used to preach the golden mean - and asks the waiter to give him the glass. He would like to have a sip - but just a sip, because without tasting how can one say whether life is misery or not? Confucius had a scientific mind; he was not much of a mystic, he had a very pragmatic, earthbound mind. He was the first behaviorist the world has known, very logical. And it seems perfectly right - he says, "First I will have a sip, and then I will say what I think." He takes a sip and he says, "Buddha is right - life is misery."  Lao Tzu takes all the three glasses and he says, "Unless one drinks totally, how can one say anything?" And Lao Tzu says, " He drinks all the three glasses and starts dancing!  Buddha and Confucius ask him, "Are you not going to say anything?" And Lao Tzu says, "This is what I am saying - my dance and my song are speaking for me." Unless you taste totally, you cannot say. And when you taste totally, you still cannot say because what you know is such that no words are adequate.  Buddha is on one extreme, Confucius is in the middle. Lao Tzu has drunk all the three glasses - the one that was brought for Buddha, the one that was brought for Confucius, and the one that was brought for him. He has drunk them all; he has lived life in its three-dimensionality.  My own approach is that of Lao Tzu. Live life in all possible ways; don't choose one thing against the other, and don't try to be in the middle. Don't try to balance yourself - balance is not something that can be cultivated. Balance is something that comes out of experiencing all the dimensions o flife. Balance is something that happens; it is not something that can be brought about through your efforts. If you bring it through your efforts it will be false, forced. And you will remain tense, you will not be relaxed, because how can a person who is trying to remain balanced in the middle be relaxed? You will always be afraid that if you relax you may start moving to the left or to the right. You are bound to remain uptight, and to be uptight is to miss the whole opportunity, the whole gift of life.  Don't be uptight. Don't live life according to principles. Live life in its totality, drink life in its totality! Yes, sometimes it tastes bitter - so what? That taste of bitterness will make you capable of tasting its sweetness. You will be able to appreciate the sweetness only if you have tasted its bitterness. One who knows not how to cry will not know how to laugh, either. One who cannot enjoy a deep laughter, a belly laugh, that person's tears will be crocodile tears. They cannot be true, they cannot be authentic.  I don't teach the middle way, I teach the total way. Then a balance comes of its own accord, and then that balance has tremendous beauty and grace. You have not forced it, it has simply come. By moving gracefully to the left, to the right, in the middle, slowly a balance comes to you because you remain so unidentified. When sadness comes, you know it will pass, and when happiness comes you know that will pass, too. Nothing remains; everything passes by. The only thing that always abides is your witnessing. That witnessing brings balance. That witnessing is balance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
surfingbudda Posted December 3, 2010 I think all too often, spiritual seekers and cultivators get too caught up in their own inward achievements; which is all fine and good, but I think we should use the spiritual knowledge we receive to better help humanity, especially in this time where humanity needs all the help it can get, we should contribute even if its only one small act of kindness a day  "Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." - Lao Tzu  "An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox" - Lao Tzu 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strawdog65 Posted December 3, 2010 I think all too often, spiritual seekers and cultivators get too caught up in their own inward achievements; which is all fine and good, but I think we should use the spiritual knowledge we receive to better help humanity, especially in this time where humanity needs all the help it can get, we should contribute even if its only one small act of kindness a day  "Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." - Lao Tzu  "An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox" - Lao Tzu    Surfingbudda, Hi!  I totally agree with this.  It seems to me that many whom are considered to be cultivators of the spiritual path, are also some of the most cynical/negative. This is of course my own very limited perception of the relative few that I have exchanged views with. Nonetheless... it is puzzling.  We all, individually, have greatness within ourselves to be shared. We all have the ability everyday to affect everyone around us in a positive way.  Our actions towards all we come into contact with, speak more volumes than anything we could ever say. All we do or do not do, makes a cumulative difference. And to me there is no greater life of Virtue than being considerate and positive in the face of any challenge we may face.  Lets get out of our own way, so we are able to accept without negativity. We can "choose" to make a positive contribution to this world....  "Be the change you wish to see in the world" Ghandi.   Peace! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aaron Posted December 3, 2010 Hello Surfingbudda, Â I think it goes even deeper than that. Many people cultivate Chi without really understanding that Chi isn't Tao. Essence comes from Tao, just as the 10,000 things do, but you wont be able to come to the Tao simply through exercise. Â Aaron Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
surfingbudda Posted December 3, 2010 Â Â I think it goes even deeper than that. Many people cultivate Chi without really understanding that Chi isn't Tao. Â Good point that spiritual cultivator should realize Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
