‘Tao Te Ching’
By Lao-tzu
Translated by Stephen Mitchell
Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc.
This is a wonderful book for which I am grateful to our library. The introduction to the book says this is a book which is translated maximum number of times after Christian bible and only a few other books. It contains a philosophy which is foundation for Taoism religion and has influenced a lot others.
Lao-tzu is said to have lived around 6th century BC, though everything about him is debated and unauthenticated. It is said that he served in some small nation in China and after its downfall he left the state. Before he was leaving, the security personnel at the border asked him to leave his thinking in form of a book, and hence the great philosopher wrote it in the form of this book. Though it is still debated if he himself was the original thinker and author of the philosophy in the pages.
Tao means “way”, and the title of the book is “Tao Te Ching”, meaning “Book of the way”.
It was a delight to go through this book. At many places, I found the philosophy to be similar or same to that of Hinduism, Sanatan Dharma or the Vedanta. This was not surprising, because if there is one truth, no matter who tries to get it and in what geography, one should make the same conclusions and observations. Many times I wondered if Lao-tzu had read the Vedas or if he got the concept of nirguna brahma from there. I am reproducing some texts from this book, with regret if there are any errors.
I also thank the translator Stephen Mitchell for making this book understandable for us.
—
The Tao is infinite, eternal
Why is it eternal?
It was never born;
Thus it can never die.
Why is it infinite?
It has no desires for itself;
Thus it is present for all beings.
—
Fill your bowl to the brim
And it will spill
Keep sharpening your knife
And it will blunt
Chase after money and security
And your heart will never unclench
Care about people’s approval
And you will be their prisoner.
—
Do your work, then step back
The only path to serenity.
—
We join spokes together in a wheel,
But it is the center hole
That makes the wagon move
We shape clay into a pot,
But it is the emptiness inside
That holds whatever we want.
We hammer wood for a house,
But it is the inner space
That makes it livable
We work with being
but non-being is what we use
–
Success is as dangerous as failure.
Hope is as hollow as fear.
What does it mean that success is as dangerous as failure
Whether you go up the ladder or down it,
Your position is shaky.
When you stand with your two feet on the ground,
You will always keep your balance.
What does it mean that hope is as hollow as fear?
Hope and fear are both phantoms
That arise from thinking of the self.
When we don’t see the self as self,
What do we have to fear?
See the world as your self.
Have faith in the way things are.
Love the world as your self;
Then you can care for all things.
–
The Master doesn’t talk, he acts.
When his work is done,
The people say, “Amazing!:
We did it, all by ourselves!”
–
Throw away holiness and wisdom,
And people will be a hundred times happier.
Throw away morality and justice,
And people will do the right thing.
Throw away industry and profits,
And there won’t be any thieves.
If these three aren’t enough,
Just stay at the center of the circle
And let all things take their course.
–
The Tao is ungraspable.
How can her mind be at one with it?
Because she doesn’t cling to ideas.
Since before time and space where,
The Tao is.
It is beyond is and is not.
How do I know this is true?
I look inside myself and see.
–
There was something formless and perfect
Before the universe was born.
It is serene. Empty.
Solitary. Unchanging.
Infinite. Eternally present.
It is the mother of the universe.
For lack of a better name,
I call it the Tao.
Man follows the earth.
Earth follows the universe.
The universe follows the Tao.
The Tao follows only itself.
–
All things end in the Tao
As rivers flow into the sea.
–
The Tao never does anything,
Yet through it all things are done.
–
When there is no desire,
All things are at peace.
–
Teaching without words,
Performing without actions:
That is the Master’s way.
–
Knowing others is intelligence;
Knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
Mastering yourself is true power.
–
Men are born soft and supple;
Dead they are stiff and hard.
Plants are born tender and plaint;
Dead, they are brittle and dry.
You can also get a few quick Wiki links related to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao_Te_Ching ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laozi
- Rahul
