any one get the feeling of too much dogma from this book? that is to say i think there is more then one way to do anything.
I see the hand of at least two very different authors. Verses 1 - 53 (in my translation by Brian Walker) could have for the most part been written by an Early Buddhist. At Verse 54 it jumps abruptly into religious Taoism. It is, however, at the moment my favorite Taoist text, followed closely by Zuangzhi.
From Lao Tsu to Birmingham: There are three jewels that I cherish: compassion, moderation, and humility.
i'm new to this book and i'm interested in finding another translation but i won't get too caught up with it. i may read the chinese one day. i wasn't dissing brian, i was just dissing his work. i know the page about the 3 treasures well. they're compassion, frugality and humility in my translation. complicated words - i wish there were simpler alternatives. but tao te ching also says: heaven and earth are not kind. and great leaders are not kind. i think brian would benefit from reading my comments. upon reading this far into brian's translation: "I reach the Integral Way of uniting with the great and mysterious Tao. My teachings are simple; if you try to make a religion or science of them, they will elude you. Profound yet plain, they contain the entire truth of the universe." ask yourself... what would an uneducated kid on the street think to this? it's not real. * instead of integral way, try key way * 'they will elude you' could be 'they will hide from you' * 'entire truth' could be 'whole truth' last page of the tao te ching says: sincere words are not pretty. pretty words are not sincere. last word of my post says: brian needs to fix his 4th line: "Go to Introdcution..."
I don't see how any of your changes would make the book any more palatable to the "uneducated kid on the steet." Perhaps because this is not a book for him, it is for someone already sincerely given to the path of Dao. The Hua hu Ching is not a primer. That said, all your corrections, in my opnion, are but cosmetic changes that don't really add to (or take away from) the teaching. And digging out typos as a reason to criticize the book is perhaps a bit nit-picky and missing the point of the whole thing? Finally, it is the most popular translation out there for a reason. He has made the book available to the layperson like me, who is neither interested in semantics, nor dogma, but in finding something to enrich the experience of life. And if the words are beautiful, that is a bonus.
the great leader accepts all, rejects none. your word palatable is a bit pretty too music and sweets make passing guests pause. great tao emerges, flavourless and bland.
Don't take the master's words at face value. Meditate and touch true meaning of them. By your use of his words, the next time you are offered tasty food you should reject it and chew cardboard. The Tao te Ching is not out to prescribe a diet. Those who understand understand. Those who don't will.
Exactly. Nourishment is nourishment, whether it be in harsh and uncouth words or carefully constructed poetry.
but studying is not recommended. pursuing knowledge is not recommended. acting without dependence of knowledge of fine words is recommended. pretty words are less accessible. To be most accessible they should be most simple.
Don't generalize. To some people it is the poetry that is appealing, that touches them and sparks inspiration in them, that nourishes them. To some people it is less accessible. If JW's translation is not suited to your needs, that is fine. Don't condemn it across board. It has its place and its value for many.
No kidding! When I first read it, I saw two authors (or groups of authors), one early Buddhist, the other Taoist. Now I see five. One, an early Buddhist. Two, a disenchanted later Buddist. (Although #1 and #2 might be possibly the same author) Three, a Lao-Chuang Taoist. Four, a Confucian. Five, a religious Taoist. I still like the book very much, but you certainly have to keep your mind engaged while reading it.
which phrases from this book would you say have taught you the most? (same question also to Bhaskar, and everyone else...)
I am not ordering anything. If you must generalize, brand and condemn, do so. I doubt if it is going to do you any good, just as arguing with you is going to do me no good.
