Laozi

Excerpt from the book: 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. (Conceived of as) having no name, it is the Originator of heaven and earth; (conceived of as) having a name, it is the Mother of all things. Always without desire we must be found, If its deep mystery we would sound; But if desire always within us be, Its outer fringe...

The Dao De Jing exists on the border between poetry and philosophy, embracing both mythos and logos. Its poetic form can stand alone, but it is enriched when its timeless ideas are analyzed and explained through careful scholarship. For example: "He who knows others is knowledgeable. He who knows himself is wise." These words resemble Socrates' account of his own quest in Plato's Apology. Ancient philosophy, both in China and in Greece, places self-knowledge...

First published in 1934, this translation of Lao Tzu's Tao Tê Ching-unlike previous translations-is based not on the medieval commentaries, but on a close study of the whole of early Chinese literature. The Tao Tê Ching, along with the Zhuangzi, is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism, and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism, Confucianism, and Chinese Buddhism. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters,...

This translation presents Daoism's basic text in highly readable contemporary English. Incorporating the latest scholarship in the field (including the most recent discoveries of ancient manuscripts in the 1970s and '90s), the book explains Daodejing's often cryptic verses in a clear and concise way. The introduction interprets the Daodejing's poetic imagery in the context of ancient Chinese symbolism, and a brief philosophical analysis accompanies...

Lao-tsu (Laozi, Lao-tzu o Lao Tzu) es el autor del Tao Te Ching (Libro del Camino y la Virtud). Es a él a quien debemos el sentido del equilibrio del yin y el yang, el principio de la no acción, y la idea del Tao, el origen de todas las cosas. Se cree que Lao Tsu tiene orígenes sobrenaturales; en cualquier caso, su sabiduría lo convirtió en el padre fundador del taoísmo. Esta corriente de pensamiento tiene una importancia central en el pensamiento...

"The most translated book in the world after the Bible, the Tao Te Ching, or "Book of the Way," is a guide to cultivating a life of peace, serenity, and compassion. Through aphorisms and parable, it leads readers toward the Tao, or the "Way": harmony with the life force of the universe. Traditionally attributed to Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher who was a contemporary of Confucius, it is the essential text of Taoism, one of the three great religions...