This classic work of Chinese mysticism was written over 2500 years ago. It author was Li Er, an enlightened sage and scholar known to the world as Lao Tzu (Venerable Master), who espoused a philosophy of the Way, or 'Tao' a method of non-striving existence, an effortless 'going with the flow'. Poetic, Humorous, Wise, Deep-hearted, and at times frustratingly enigmatic, the 'Tao Te Jing' is required reading for any student of mysticism and philosophy. It is also the perfect antidote to our contemporary materialist culture of acquisition and self-aggrandisement.

This book, from the series Primary Sources: Historical Books of the World (Asia and Far East Collection), represents an important historical artifact on Asian history and culture. Its contents come from the legions of academic literature and research on the subject produced over the last several hundred years. Covered within is a discussion drawn from many areas of study and research on the subject. From analyses of the varied geography that encompasses the Asian continent to significant time periods spanning centuries, the book was made in an effort to preserve the work of previous generations.

1895. Having written a book on Confucius, Alexander turns his attention to another Chinese classical subject-the life and teaching of the most distinguished of Confucius's contemporaries, Lao-tsze, the Great Thinker. Believing that knowledge of Lao-tsze is to be gained from the thoughts to which he gave utterance in his one great work, the Tao-tih-King, Alexander has made a translation of this piece the focal point of this volume. The Contents are divided into the following three Parts: Origins and Antecedents; Lao-Tsze and His Period; and The Tao-Tih-King.

Originally written for Chinese readers, this book provides a clear description of the Taoist practice of Internal Alchemy, or Neidan. The author outlines the four stages of the alchemical practice and clarifies several relevant terms and notions, including Essence, Breath, and Spirit; the Cinnabar Fields; the "Fire Times"; and the Embryo. The book is based on the system of the "Wuzhen pian" (Awakening to Reality), one of the main sources of Internal Alchemy, and contains about two hundred quotations from original Taoist texts.

Table of Contents

Foreword, vii

INTRODUCTION, 1
The Basis: Essence and Spirit, 3

STAGES OF THE ALCHEMICAL PRACTICE IN "AWAKENING TO REALITY," 11
The Four Stages, 13
"Laying the Foundations," 15
Main Points in the Practice of "Laying the Foundations," 20
The Functions of Essence, Breath, and Spirit, 36
Terms Related to the "Coagulation of the Three Treasures," 52
Conclusion of the Stage of "Laying the Foundations," 63
"Refining Essence to Transmute it into Breath," 65
"Refining Breath to Transmute it into Spirit," 99
"Refining Spirit to Return to Emptiness," 109

CONCLUSION, 119
The "Arts of the Way," 121

Tables, 123
Glossary of Chinese Characters, 133

THIS 20 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East: Medieval China, by Chuang-Tze . To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 076610009X.

The Tao Te Ching is one of the most profound pieces of writing in existence. Having been in continuous print for more than 2,000 years, its writings have inspired countless generations of spiritual seekers.

The language of the Tao Te Ching is subtle, resulting in many different interpretations and translations.

To help readers get past the difficulties associated with studying the Tao Te Ching, this unique special edition includes:

• Five distinct translations of each of the 81 chapters presented together
• A correspondence between the translations so they may be compared easily
• The original Chinese text broken into sections and linked with each of the translations
• The introductions to each of the translations complete with footnotes and Chinese characters
• An Afterward featuring the teachings of a Taoist monk to his Western student

The five translations are by Dwight Goddard & Henri Borel, 1919; Dwight Goddard & Wai Tao 1939; Henry Balfoiur 1884; James Legge 1891; and D.T. Suzuki & Paul Carus 1913.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Reprint of the 1937 edition. The Tao Te Ching is one of the world's great philosophical and spiritual classics, revered by millions. The oldest scripture of Taoism and meditational text, it is also a timeless philosophy of power based on harmony with nature. It has been adopted as a modern leadership manual and is well suited to contemporary life. The title means " The Way of Power" or "The Classic (Ching) of the Way (Tao) and virtue (Te)." The tao determines the te, or the manner in which a person might act who is attuned to the tao. Whatever can be defined is not tao--it is the timeless spirit that runs through all life, creating the essential oneness of the universe. The tao is not even "god," god being an entity that has sprung from the tao.

The Tao Te Ching is a how-to guide for creating harmony in your life. It can transform you, heal you, make you into the person you were always meant to be by teaching you about your true nature. It describes a force called the Tao that operates uniformly throughout the universe and is the causal agent of everything that happens. This edition begins with a discussion on knowing the Tao. With this foundation, it goes on to discuss how to use the Tao to become more conscious, to cultivate yourself, to lead others, to influence group dynamics, and when to refrain from action. Central Idea A central idea in the Tao Te Ching is the importance of avoiding extremes and always seeking the middle path on our journey through life. The objective is to operate from the middle ground between the extremes. This avoids causing any counter-reactions to your own actions. The net effect is one of neutrality. Finding the middle path means not needing to suffer the consequences of an act. In terms of the doctrine of Karma, it means avoiding negative reactions, or bad karma. Harmony with the Tao means living so that we do not swing like a pendulum from one extreme to the other. In human terms this pendulum swing equates to drama, that which creates disturbances in our lives and gets in the way of calm inner reflection. The Tao Te Ching encourages us to sense the world around us directly and to contemplate our impressions deeply from a position of neutrality. It advises against relying on the structures and orthodox belief systems that have been created by others. Such ideologies remove us from a direct experience of life and effectively cut us off from our intuition. Finding and following the Middle Path requires you to develop an awareness of the physical forces that shape your world and direct its events. Such forces operate uniformly at all levels, from the macrocosm to the microcosm. They operate in the universe as a whole and in the minds and lives of individuals. An understanding of these natural laws and the forces they direct gives you the power to direct events in the world without resorting to force, by using attitude instead of action. Subtle influence is better than force Influence on others is achieved through guiding rather than ruling. The objective is always to avoid taking action that will elicit counter-reactions. In Nature, an excessive force in a particular direction tends to trigger the growth of an opposing force. Therefore the use of force cannot be the basis for establishing an enduring social condition. Accepting the inevitability of change When you come to know the Tao, you understand that everything in the universe is in a state of flux. The emotional and intellectual structures that you build for your comfort and security will be subject to change by external forces that are largely beyond our control. The challenge is to accept the inevitability of change. We should not waste our energies propping up what one day must surely fall, defending them against criticisms, and convincing others to believe so that they are recognized as permanent truth. Grasping the reality of the impermanence allows us to align ourselves with the forces of Nature that bring about incremental progress in the social and physical world. We learn to embrace change whenever it occurs. Becoming a force of Nature Our alignment with the forces in Nature makes us a part of those forces, gives us the momentum of those larger forces. Our perceptions become more finely tuned because they are now based on evolving reality, not upon orthodox thinking that may be out-of-date. We see the world as it is, not as we believe it should be. Finding and following the Middle Path is how to create peace and tranquility in your life. A person whose life is chaotic, lurching from one disaster to the next, is unable do much more than merely survive.

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.

Hanshan, which means Cold Mountain, was the pseudonym adopted by an unknown poet who lived in China as a hermit twelve hundred years ago. The poems collected under his name have had an immense impact worldwide, especially among Zen Buddhists, and have been translated into many languages. Peter Hobson's translation of more than a hundred of the poems, almost all of which are published for the first time in this volume, brings those qualities of timelessness, poetic diction and engaging rhythm that do justice to the concepts and language of the original. This edition includes not only a clear and succinct introduction for the general reader but also highly informative sections on Hanshan's place in history and on issues involved in translating Hanshan.

The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name.

Guiding us through the ancient wisdom of the I Ching, A Hymn of Changes provides elemental context, as well as personal direction, for accessing the deeper pathways made evident through this ancient diviniation modality... the gift of confirmation from your own insight and wisdom of a more than 3000 year old sage before you.

Brian Browne Walker's beloved translations of the I Ching, Tao te Ching, and Hua hu Ching are published by Harper and St. Martin's Press and translated into over a dozen languages around the world. This new rendition of "The Art of War" brings his clear voice to the world's most time-honored teachings on leadership, strategy, and conflict. The book includes a provocative and powerful commentary on Barack Obama and our time that reminds America and the world of our most pressing moral responsibilities, touches on the perils of a Sarah Palin, and looks forward with a sense of both gravity and light.

The Tao Te Ching is a spiritual, inspirational work that guides us through life, helping us to live within each moment and find the beauty that is all around each of us. Simple, beautiful, and life changing. The Tao Te Ching is fundamental to the Taoist school of Chinese philosophy (Dojia) and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism and Neo-Confucianism. This ancient book is also central in Chinese Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was largely interpreted through the use of Taoist words and concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and even gardeners have used the Tao Te Ching as a source of inspiration.

THE 2500-YEAR-OLD GUIDE FOR LIVING... Written by Chinese prophet Lao-Tzu, the Tao Te Ching (pronounced Dow De Jing) is the guiding force behind Taoism, China's leading school of thought. Consisting of 81 chapters, the Tao Te Ching has been translated into English more times than any other Chinese document. Approach the Tae Te Ching as though it were a poem, meant to be read slowly, internalized, and savored...and it will change your life, just like it has changed the lives of millions before you. Within this book are the secrets to: Mastering the ancient power of thought...including how to harness this power to dramatically change your life in all aspects. Creating better relationships, make more money, and live a fulfilling life. How you can do less while attracting more abundance in all aspects of your life. Eliminate stress, fear and depression. Millions of people, from spiritual leaders to spiritual students, have all been deeply moved to change thank to the Tao Te Ching. Now, you can as well If you're looking for change and peace in your life, you will benefit from reading this valuable and time-tested message. Read the Tao Te Ching today and experience great change

A decade in the making, Ron Hogans Getting Right with Tao conveys the essence of the Tao Te Ching but with a modern, self-aware sensibility. The original pragmatic treatise on personal development gets a contemporary, Tarantinoesque gloss in eighty-one spare, stripped-down chapters. What does it mean to be alive? What do you want from life? With a unique voice and incisive style, Hogan gets right to what matters.

"Awakening to Reality" ("Wuzhen pian") is one of the most important and best-known Taoist alchemical texts. Written in the eleventh century, it describes in a poetical form, and in a typically cryptic and allusive language, several facets of Neidan, or Internal Alchemy. This book contains a translation of the first part of the text, consisting of sixteen poems, which provide a concise but comprehensive exposition of Neidan. In addition to notes that intend to clarify the meaning of the more obscure points, the book also contains selections from Liu Yiming's commentary, dating from the late 18th century, which is distinguished by the use of a lucid and plain language.

Table of Contents

Preface, vii

Introduction, 1
Translation, 21
Selections from Liu Yiming's Commentary, 75
Textual Notes, 89

Glossary of Chinese Characters, 95
Works Quoted, 101

A new and attentively restored dual-language edition of the 6th-century B.C.E. Chinese Philosophical and Spiritual classic, presented in the celebrated translation of James Legge with the original text at its side. Through 81 transcendent topics, Laozi dispenses his accumulated knowledge and original philosophy of peace and harmony, and the virtues of simplicity. He introduced the doctrine of meekness conquering brutality and repaying injury with kindness to a consistently unforgiving world. And, perhaps most importantly, he introduced the idea that behaviour is a choice, wisdom coming not from learning, but being. Foundational to Taoism, and highly influential in the West for over two centuries, the Dao De Jing's legendary wisdom and sagacious inversion of the apparent is a must read for every student of traditional Eastern philosophy, religion, spirituality, and history.

In 300 BCE, the tutor of the heir-apparent to the Chu throne was laid to rest in a tomb at Jingmen, Hubei province in central China. A corpus of bamboo-strip texts that recorded the philosophical teachings of an era was buried with him. The tomb was sealed, and China quickly became the theater of the Qin conquest, an event that proved to be one of the most significant in ancient history. For over two millennia, the texts were forgotten. But in October 1993, they were unearthed.
The discovery of the Guodian texts, together with other recently discovered Warring States manuscripts, has revolutionized the study of early Chinese intellectual history. Kenneth Holloway argues that the Guodian corpus puts forth a political philosophy based on the harmonious interconnection of individuals engaged in moral self-cultivation. This unique worldview, says Holloway, cannot meaningfully be categorized as "Confucian" or "Daoist," because it shares important concepts and vocabulary with a number of different textual traditions that have anachronistically been characterized as competing or incompatible "schools" of thought. He finds that within the Guodian corpus familiar philosophical concepts and texts are applied in distinctive ways, presenting a worldview that is quite different from the received textual traditions.
In the corpus, the most important function of government is to assist in the harmonization of state and family relations. It sees the relationship between these two entities - the family and the collection of families that ultimately constitute the state - as being inherently conflicting social groupings. The texts posit an interesting solution: State and family disharmony canbe overcome by developing a hybrid government that employs both meritocratic and aristocratic methods. Without knowledge of the emphasis on hybridization found in the Guodian texts, however, scholars were unable to understand the interrelationships between these two methods of government. This new understanding illuminates central issues of government, religion, and philosophy in early China that were overlooked in received texts.
As part of the contribution to our understanding of this particular body of texts, Holloway proposes a methodology for assessing a corpus of texts without relying on assumptions and definitions that derive from two thousand years of scholarship. The Guodian corpus, and Holloway's analysis of it, are now absolutely indispensable to any student or scholar of ancient Chinese intellectual history.

The Tao Te Ching is a spiritual, inspirational work that guides us through life, helping us to live within each moment and find the beauty that is all around each of us. Simple, beautiful, and life changing. The Tao Te Ching is fundamental to the Taoist school of Chinese philosophy (Dojia) and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism and Neo-Confucianism. This ancient book is also central in Chinese Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was largely interpreted through the use of Taoist words and concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and even gardeners have used the Tao Te Ching as a source of inspiration.

The Tao Te Ching is a spiritual, inspirational poem that guides through life, helping us to live within each moment and find the beauty that is all around each of us. Simple, beautiful, and life changing. The Tao Te Ching is fundamental to the Taoist school of Chinese philosophy (Dojia) and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism and Neo-Confucianism. This ancient book is also central in Chinese Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was largely interpreted through the use of Taoist words and concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and even gardeners have used the Tao Te Ching as a source of inspiration.