Tao Te Ching

I haven't posted or checked in recently even though I planned to because my internet connection in China is a bit sketchy.

Anyway, I recorded the full text of Stephen Mitchels translation of the Tao Te Ching to MP3 the other night.

If you want to listen to it, you can download it here:
http://www.wudangquan.com/taoteching.mp3

I also recorded the following other stuff for people to listen to if they want:

Chi Wen Dong - The Red Streaked Cave
The Pivot Of Jade
The Hsin Yin Ching - Imprint Of The Heart
Ching Jing Jing - Purity And Rest
Tai Hsi Ching - Respiration Of The Embryo
Universal Understanding

Sometime tonight I'll probably finish recording the entire Zhuang Zi, so if anyone doesn't think my voice is to over the top ridiculous or something, and wants that let me know.

I'm just recording these for myself, but since they're already recorded, I figured some people might like to listen to them on their mp3 player or computer also.

Regards,

Jonathan

I dont know if this is the proper forum to put this question in but which book of the Tao Te Ching is the closest to the original version only printed in english? Thanks!

There was never an original compilation according to most scholars of the subject.

Much of it was a collection that took place over a pretty good length of time.

Having said that, for all intents and purposes, any copy will do when it comes to getting started.

personally, I've always liked the one done by...Gui Fu Feng??? and Jane English. The large trade version with the nice black and white pics and illustrations.

reading about the tao is pointless anyways...;)

They all mean the same thing

****...I hope that Lao Tzu guy is getting some royalties...

Mawangdui and Guodian texts

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oso

****...I hope that Lao Tzu guy is getting some royalties...

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Seriously. Gotta feed that Ox.

There is a very good book available entitled: “TAO TE CHING, The Definitive Edition”, by Jonathan Star. The author is very careful to make clear that the title is not meant to imply this book is the definition by which all other versions should be measured. It is closer to a text book about the Tao Te Ching! The book contains a concordance of each Chinese character line by line and verse by verse with the various meanings of each character included.

He also explains why translations vary. It has to do with the way the Chinese language, both grammar and how it is written, is structured.

I always recommend to others to read a number of translations to get a variety of interpretations of the text. If one really wanted to read and understand the text it would be wise to learn Chinese grammar and calligraphy. But this is not necessary in order to understand the principles of Tao, only to understand the Tao Te Ching as it is is written in the original Chinese.

Keep in mind that the Tao Te Ching is a descriptive book, NOT a definitive book. Tao exists, its process and principles are directly observable and then these are described by the observer. The Tao Te Ching was written in order to assist others in understanding principles that already exist, Lao Tzu did not create the principles of Tao, he described them.

The Tao Te Ching does not define Tao, it describes how the the principles occur as processes. Think of it this way, a person who describes the qualities of water did not create the properties of water. He merely observed the qualities of water and then described them to others. The value of the description is determined by how closely the description informs the reader in order for the reader to recognize and understand the principles of water when he experiences water for himself first hand.

The Tao Te Ching is one man's experience and description of his experience with the principles of Tao. While it is accepted as the central text, it is still one man's perspective only. The Tao that is defined is not the True Tao! Tao is to be directly experienced.

So consider the Tao Te Ching as a finger pointing the way for each individual to directly experience the qualities Tao for themselves. The Tao Te Ching is not required in order for one to understand the qualities of Tao, but it is a helpful assistant to anyone interested.

Once you have experienced Tao for yourself you no longer require someone else’s description.

Greetings..

The Jane English/Gia version is very 'user-friendly', and seems to be a reasonable translation..

Red Pine's translation has excellent commentary by noted historians..

And there's a translation called "The Gate of All Marvelous Things", i can't remember the author, and the book's at the school.. but, it has the most original, by consensus, Chinese characters for the text.. a direct translation, character by character.. you can see the complexity of getting a good english meaning.. and a standard English interpretation.. those three work well as cross-references, for a grasp of the experience intended to be communicated..

Be well..

The world will no longer have any hero if Lao Tzu's idea is popular. Everybody want to step back and nobody want to step forward.

For scholarly work, I recommend Starr's version: for a personal copy of the Tao Te Ching, I recommend the Jane English / Gia Fu Feng translation.

The Jonathan Starr text is nice because it has all of the Chinese characters with all of the different meanings. He also compares various versions of the Tao Te Ching.

I find that his final translation, however, has less flow than the J.E. / G.F.F. edition - which, by the way, is available in both a large format paperback with nice illustrations and a small pocketbook format without illustrations.

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