reasons why i like the tao te ching.

[mewtwo]

Tao Te Ching is a Chinese philosophical work, compiled between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE. The author is unknown, but it is popularly ascribed to 老子 Lao Tzu.

 

Its 81 chapters are short, and are written in an aphoristic style (eg: "those who think they know never learn"), and attempt to describe the 道 Tao ("the Way") and the virtues of wisdom.

 

As a religious work, it has six advantages:

1. It doesn't mention God.

2. It's short.

3. You don't get Taoists ringing your doorbell while you're still in bed to lecture you about it.

4. Taoists don't insist that schools should incorporate Taoist rituals in the classroom.

5. People don't wear little gold figures of a man being tortured to death as Taoist jewelry.

6. Taoists don't picket veteran's funerals with signs that say "Tao Hates Fags!"

 

It does have some disadvantages:

1. It is confusing.

2. It is esoteric, especially for people who are not familiar with Chinese mythology.

 

[edit] Themes

 

Many esoteric themes pervade the Tao Te Ching. One of these themes is the benefit of nothingness, stillness, or emptiness. An example of this is that the true usefulness of a jar is the empty volume inside the jar. Another is that everything depends on its opposite to exist as a concept. For example, the term "light" has no meaning without the existence of the term "dark".

 

[edit] Philosophical or Religious?

 

Purely philosophical taoism is called 道家 daojia and treats the Tao Te Ching as a guide to help one's actions conform with the way of nature. Religious taoism is called 道教 daojiao and is focused on extending human life and avoiding evil spirits. It should be noted that many Asian cultures do not make a distinction between religion and philosophy.

[Marblehead]

Nice regardless of who you stole it from.

 

It does have some disadvantages:

1. It is confusing.

That is because it is to be lived more than it is to be understood by the calculating mind.

[zerostao]

"regardless of who you stole it from."

acquire is a word i like to use

 

TTC is brilliantly brilliant in that what ever level you happen to be on with your understanding

the TTC will still be very relevant.

example , a marblehead may see it as a fabulous philosophical work or a guide for political leaders, and a flowing hands may see it as a remarkable shamanistic treatise.

[Marblehead]

 

example , a marblehead may see it as a fabulous philosophical work or a guide for political leaders, and a flowing hands may see it as a remarkable shamanistic treatise.

Hehehe. Point already established, I think.

[lienshan]

It does have some disadvantages:

1. It is confusing.

That the translations of Tao Te Ching into english are confusing is a disadvantage.

 

The Guodian Tao Te Ching version copied before 312 BC in the original classical chinese isn't confusing!

 

It isn't the text that is confusing ... it is the translators who are confused