Favorite Quotes From the Tao Te Ching

[Still_Waters]

The Tao is reportedly the world's third-most translated book so I thought it would be a good idea for all to share their favorite quotes from the Tao Te Ching. The quote below is quite well known, and seems to be a good start.

"Those who know, don't talk.
Those who talk, don't know".

[winter light]

Difficult to choose. Today I choose:
The sharper the knife
the easier it is to dull.
The more wealth you possess
the harder it is to protect.
Pride brings its own trouble.
Here are four translations side by side:
https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:1

[FallingLeaves]

from ch 3

These entirely result in people
Who are absent of knowing and absent of desire
In the end they also result in the wise not venturing to act.

When acting without acting
An absence of being without governing follows.

[Rah nam]

The sage does not expect that others
use his criteria as their own.

[Rah nam]

From Verse 18



When intellectualism arises,
hypocrisy is close behind…






When the country falls into chaos,
politicians talk about ‘patriotism’.

[Still_Waters]

From Verse 18



When intellectualism arises,
hypocrisy is close behind…






When the country falls into chaos,
politicians talk about ‘patriotism’.


Nice quotes. "Intellectualism" was one of my own major personal obstacles.

[Still_Waters]

"Moving from knowing to not knowing ---
........this is good.

Moving from not knowing to knowing ---
.........this is sickness."

(71 - Brian Browne Walker translation)

[Still_Waters]

from ch 3

These entirely result in people
Who are absent of knowing and absent of desire
In the end they also result in the wise not venturing to act.

When acting without acting
An absence of being without governing follows.

This quote from the Tao is awesome and focuses on one of my favorite aspects of realization ---- "absent of knowing and absent of desire".

:smile:

[FallingLeaves]

"Moving from knowing to not knowing ---
........this is good.

Moving from not knowing to knowing ---
.........this is sickness."

(71 - Brian Browne Walker translation)

my favorite verse.

Here is how I translate the whole thing:

in considering knowing vs the lack of knowing
it is better, the lack of knowing
knowing is like a disease

In the end only when the disease is sick
is a realistic way to come to lack the disease.

Sages lack the disease
It happened the disease was sick.

Appropriately, lack of the disease happened.

the bible said something similar with god's injunction not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. In my mind the two statements complement each other...

[FallingLeaves]

This quote from the Tao is awesome and focuses on one of my favorite aspects of realization ---- "absent of knowing and absent of desire".

:smile:

yeah the acting without acting is a big one for me too, because, it is terrible to be after absence of knowing/desire without having the presence of some trying to do that lol

[ribiq]

In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired.
In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.




Yield and overcome;
Bend and be straight;
Empty and be full;
Wear out and be new;
Have little and gain;
Have much and be confused.

[FallingLeaves]

In the absence of names
Lies the origin of heavens and earth
The presence of names
Is mother to the 10000 things.

[Still_Waters]

In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired.
In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.




Yield and overcome;
Bend and be straight;
Empty and be full;
Wear out and be new;
Have little and gain;
Have much and be confused.
"In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped".

That says it all. As the Buddha reportedly said, there is nothing to learn (do) but much to unlearn (undo). I like that quote.

[Still_Waters]

I'm not sure how many are you are familiar with "The Unknown Teachings of Lao Tzu, the Hua Hu Ching". These teachings are reportedly the teachings given in inner Taoist circles that were passed on through oral tradition and eventually written down.

QUOTE:

"Just remain in the center watching. Then forget that you are there."

[FallingLeaves]

I'm not sure how many are you are familiar with "The Unknown Teachings of Lao Tzu, the Hua Hu Ching". These teachings are reportedly the teachings given in inner Taoist circles that were passed on through oral tradition and eventually written down.

QUOTE:

"Just remain in the center watching. Then forget that you are there."

it has been suggested that that book is a forgery, written in a battle for supremacy against the buddhists... (for example see the notes on wikipedia, there are also other web sources that claim this more voricifously).

Personally when I first saw that quote I thought 'buddhism' because of the specifics of the reference to the 'center', but, it does have a quality found also in the tao te ching, so I really don't know where it came from.

[FallingLeaves]

by the way the history I knew of Lao Tzu is he basically left civilization and someone implored him to write something before he went, hence the tao te ching. Is that not correct?

[Still_Waters]

it has been suggested that that book is a forgery, written in a battle for supremacy against the buddhists... (for example see the notes on wikipedia, there are also other web sources that claim this more voricifously).

Personally when I first saw that quote I thought 'buddhism' because of the specifics of the reference to the 'center', but, it does have a quality found also in the tao te ching, so I really don't know where it came from.

You may indeed be correct. It's hard to say. In any case, I did like the book but, I must add, I look very favorably on Buddhism as well.

You are also correct that there was indeed an intense rivalry between the Taoists and the Buddhists in China. Your points are quite plausible. Thank you for sharing.

[Still_Waters]

by the way the history I knew of Lao Tzu is he basically left civilization and someone implored him to write something before he went, hence the tao te ching. Is that not correct?

That is my understanding as well though there are many who dispute that story and say that "Lao Tzu" is really a composite of a number of other sages. As I mentioned in my previous post, such things are often difficult to assess. Therefore, I rely more on the content and use what I consider to be wise and beneficial.

[FallingLeaves]

That is my understanding as well though there are many who dispute that story and say that "Lao Tzu" is really a composite of a number of other sages. As I mentioned in my previous post, such things are often difficult to assess. Therefore, I rely more on the content and use what I consider to be wise and beneficial.

yeah i agree. But in this society it is hard to make a difference between all the competing stories dancing around in the mind like a pretty light show, and the demand to know everything's exact place in the scheme of things.

As far as to the wise and beneficial there could be construed to be a danger therein... but of course to the extent you learn not to try to get anywhere such danger jsut kind of disolves :smile:

I haven't followed buddhism before, for personal reasons. Although I suppose it is a bit much to be so stuck in just one genre. That said I'm not sure there is really anything new under the sun, beyond different colored candles.

[Still_Waters]

yeah i agree. But in this society it is hard to make a difference between all the competing stories dancing around in the mind like a pretty light show, and the demand to know everything's exact place in the scheme of things.

As far as to the wise and beneficial there could be construed to be a danger therein... but of course to the extent you learn not to try to get anywhere such danger jsut kind of disolves :smile:

I haven't followed buddhism before, for personal reasons. Although I suppose it is a bit much to be so stuck in just one genre. That said I'm not sure there is really anything new under the sun, beyond different colored candles.

You are so right about all the "competing stories dancing around". I take what resonates most with me and go with it.

I'm not sure if you've read "The Book of Balance and Harmony", which is a renowned anthology of writings by a thirteenth-century master of the Complete Reality School of Taoism. There is one quote in there that I really like.

"Effecting ultimate openness, keeping utterly quiet, .... I thereby watch the return".

A variation of that is: "In utter emptiness and complete silence, simply watch the return (to original nature)."

[Still_Waters]

Translation by Brian Browne Walker (4)

"Something is there, hidden in the deep!
But I do not know whose child it is ---
It came even before God."

[Still_Waters]

"Meet the difficult while it is still easy;
Cross the universe one step at a time.
Because the sage doesn't try anything too big,
She's able to accomplish big things."

[FallingLeaves]

Those ancients who valued acting in tao
Did not come to be luminous
People attaining it came to be foolish.

[Still_Waters]

"Out of silent subtle mystery emerge images.
These images coalesce into forms.
Within each form is contained the seed and essence of life.
Thus do all things emerge and expand out of darkness and emptiness."

[Philos_Tone]

"Out of silent subtle mystery emerge images.
These images coalesce into forms.
Within each form is contained the seed and essence of life.
Thus do all things emerge and expand out of darkness and emptiness."

Hello, I enjoyed the quote very much. I have been wondering about how did something come from nothing.

It just makes an impossible heavenly eternity possible for everyone, after this life or 2. 😅

I think.

[Philos_Tone]

"Out of silent subtle mystery emerge images.
These images coalesce into forms.
Within each form is contained the seed and essence of life.
Thus do all things emerge and expand out of darkness and emptiness."

Hello, I enjoyed the quote very much. I have been wondering about how did something come from nothing.

It just makes an impossible heavenly eternity possible for everyone, after this life or 2. 😅

[Philos_Tone]

What a funny double post. I'm so indecisive about the Mystery.

[Philos_Tone]

Another thought:

The whole reincarnation / dream ability would be pointless if there was always death in every incarnation. Yay eventually.

[MChang]

When using a translated text we must always be careful. Many scholars translate, but use words in their translation of what 'they think it means, VS performing a literal translation. To my knowledge the first scholar to translate the Tao te Ching was James Legge and he did it with a literal translation.

His translation appears in "The Texts of Taoism" part 1 first published in 1891.

From the 2nd section stanza 42. "The Tao produced One: One produced Two; Two produced Three; Three produced All things....

Thanks.

Brian

[ImthatIm]

May not the space between heaven and earth be compared to a
bellows?

[Still_Waters]

When using a translated text we must always be careful. Many scholars translate, but use words in their translation of what 'they think it means, VS performing a literal translation. To my knowledge the first scholar to translate the Tao te Ching was James Legge and he did it with a literal translation.

His translation appears in "The Texts of Taoism" part 1 first published in 1891.

From the 2nd section stanza 42. "The Tao produced One: One produced Two; Two produced Three; Three produced All things....

Thanks.

Brian

Thanks for the alternate translation. I agree completely with your point that "Many scholars translate, but use words in their translation of what 'they think it means, VS performing a literal translation." That is so true !

Thanks again for providing the alternate translation along with a very valid insight into the process of "translation" and its pitfalls. :smile:

[MChang]

Still_waters:

If you are interested. I have studies Taoism for over 28 years now. Man I'm old. I have some writings related to Taoist ideas and concepts and even a research work posted here. If you are interested in the research work let me know and I will send you a pdf copy.

thethreeandtheone.com

Thanks.

Brian

[ketzer]

The tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named
is not the eternal Name.

The unnamable is the eternally real.
Naming is the origin
of all particular things.

[ketzer]

I agree completely with your point that "Many scholars translate, but use words in their translation of what 'they think it means, VS performing a literal translation." That is so true !:

My understanding is that there is no literal translation (although agreed some interpret more then others when attempting to translate). One has to look at the Chinese and do ones best to find words with similar meaning in English.

Even then, there is always the central problem that the Tao Te Ching warns about in the first verse.

"The tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao"

or as Siddhartha puts it

“Wisdom cannot be imparted. Wisdom that a wise man attempts to impart always sounds like foolishness to someone else ... Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.”

[MChang]

The tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named
is not the eternal Name.

The unnamable is the eternally real.
Naming is the origin
of all particular things.

What does this mean for you? thanks Brian

[MChang]

My understanding is that there is no literal translation (although agreed some interpret more then others when attempting to translate). One has to look at the Chinese and do ones best to find words with similar meaning in English.

Even then, there is always the central problem that the Tao Te Ching warns about in the first verse.

"The tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao"

or as Siddhartha puts it

“Wisdom cannot be imparted. Wisdom that a wise man attempts to impart always sounds like foolishness to someone else ... Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.”

I agree. Legge did it as a word for word Chinese to English without putting into the translation what he believed. He added notes on what he thought it meant, but not in the translation. Have you read his translation?

I read the quote you use as meaning it must be experienced. It is like trying to explain to someone what it feels like to hit a golf ball right that doesn't know what golf is. That feeling of being in the moment out of your head and letting muscle memory take over and it working the way it is supposed to. With Taoism If you talk with someone who has had the experience then you can have the conversation because they have that experience to draw upon.

What does it mean for you? Can you give an example? Thanks Brian

[ketzer]

I agree. Legge did it as a word for word Chinese to English without putting into the translation what he believed. He added notes on what he thought it meant, but not in the translation. Have you read his translation?

I read the quote you use as meaning it must be experienced. It is like trying to explain to someone what it feels like to hit a golf ball right that doesn't know what golf is. That feeling of being in the moment out of your head and letting muscle memory take over and it working the way it is supposed to. With Taoism If you talk with someone who has had the experience then you can have the conversation because they have that experience to draw upon.

What does it mean for you? Can you give an example? Thanks Brian
Not sure which translations I have read. I have an old paperback somewhere, I will have to find it and see who authored it. When I find translations online, I sometimes find I don't recognize them and sometimes feel like they don't represent my understanding at all. I think the mistake many authors make, though well meaning, is to try to put something in plain English, that probably can't be put into plain words no matter what the language. I believe that one can understand the Tao Te Ching, but I don't believe one can explain it. My first time reading it (20.?.30 years ago) was rather strange. It sounded like gibberish, yet I liked it and wanted to make sense of it. Now I read certain parts and feel like I understand what is being conveyed. I see parallels from seemingly unrelated things, nature mostly, often quantum physics, but trying to explain it to someone else is usually just a disaster, so I have stopped trying. This is what I think is being conveyed in the opening verse. The Tao Te Ching begins with a fair warning to the reader, "be aware, the Tao is not something that can be captured in words or thoughts". The verses that follow are more Zen like, fingers pointing to the moon, rather then the moon itself.

[MChang]

I could not agree more. It is an experiential thing. I began to meditate @ 1997 to deal with a difficult work situation and early on kept hearing the phrase 'balance and harmony.' One day in Merriville, IN, while out of town on business, I walked into a bookstore and on the shelf was "The Book of Balance and Harmony" translated by Thomas Cleary. This is what started it for me.

Since then I have written a 365 page 265 footnote research work on Taoism, because I could not help myself, and it was the universes' way of teaching me about Taoism. I am college educated but not a scholar just had to do it.

I discovered hidden things within Taoism, I believe some of the secrets that are hidden in plain view that I try to make part of my day to day practice towards Balance & Harmony.

Duality, heaven earth man, the animal soul and the spiritual soul, how do we shift our consciousness from human to spiritual and experience the world from the soul not the human brain, how do we manage the energy of the universe around us, in the moment to stay in our center... on and on and on...

[Philos_Tone]

That quote is very similar to what I have found in my own thoughts.

"The Tao that can be spoken is not the Eternal Tao."

It sounds like they mean, if you can say something about the Tao, it is actually not true everywhere.

I deduce there must be universes where you do not die, and universes where you only die.

Very nice

[ketzer]

I could not agree more. It is an experiential thing. I began to meditate @ 1997 to deal with a difficult work situation and early on kept hearing the phrase 'balance and harmony.' One day in Merriville, IN, while out of town on business, I walked into a bookstore and on the shelf was "The Book of Balance and Harmony" translated by Thomas Cleary. This is what started it for me.

Since then I have written a 365 page 265 footnote research work on Taoism, because I could not help myself, and it was the universes' way of teaching me about Taoism. I am college educated but not a scholar just had to do it.

I discovered hidden things within Taoism, I believe some of the secrets that are hidden in plain view that I try to make part of my day to day practice towards Balance & Harmony.

Duality, heaven earth man, the animal soul and the spiritual soul, how do we shift our consciousness from human to spiritual and experience the world from the soul not the human brain, how do we manage the energy of the universe around us, in the moment to stay in our center... on and on and on...

Hidden in plain view is not a bad way way to put it. Sort of like a 3d stereogram. The harder you look for the 3d image, the less likely you are to see it, all you see is what appears to be a random pattern. But relax the eyes and the 3d image pops out at you. Now, try to tell someone else how to see it and they just get frustrated trying, they must see it for themselves. And then once you have seen the pattern in becomes much easier to see again, whether you see the pattern in that particular stereogram or somewhere else. It pops out at you sometimes where you didn't expect to see in, making a connection you never suspected was there.

[MChang]

Hidden in plain view is not a bad way way to put it. Sort of like a 3d stereogram. The harder you look for the 3d image, the less likely you are to see it, all you see is what appears to be a random pattern. But relax the eyes and the 3d image pops out at you. Now, try to tell someone else how to see it and they just get frustrated trying, they must see it for themselves. And then once you have seen the pattern in becomes much easier to see again, whether you see the pattern in that particular stereogram or somewhere else. It pops out at you sometimes where you didn't expect to see in, making a connection you never suspected was there.

Ketzer:

Some things I have written if you are interested.

thethreeandtheone.com the about page is a summary with links

[MChang]

That quote is very similar to what I have found in my own thoughts.

"The Tao that can be spoken is not the Eternal Tao."

It sounds like they mean, if you can say something about the Tao, it is actually not true everywhere.

I deduce there must be universes where you do not die, and universes where you only die.

Very nice

I always took it to mean words will always fall short of the actual experience. I think and I paraphrase, but Laozi says something to the effect, but we must try anyway.

Thanks.

Brian

[Still_Waters]

I always took it to mean words will always fall short of the actual experience. I think and I paraphrase, but Laozi says something to the effect, but we must try anyway.

Thanks.

Brian
My interpretation of "The Tao that can be spoken is not the Eternal Tao" is the same as yours. :smile:

[ketzer]

Ketzer:

Some things I have written if you are interested.

thethreeandtheone.com the about page is a summary with links


Thanks, I thought it was interesting stuff.

A thought occurred to me when I was reading it. The word balance is often understood to mean staying in the center, not too much of one thing or another. Not to much joy lest there be too much sorrow to follow. But balance can also be understood to mean equal and opposite forces. A scale with one pound in the right basket and one pound in the left is balanced, but so is a scale with 1000 pounds in the left and 1000 lbs in the right. And then there is the leverage we can give one side or the other. 10 lbs in a basket 10 feet away from the fulcrum will balance out a basket with 100 lbs 1 foot away. Is it important to go through life even keeled in all things, or is it OK to seek out great joys as long as we understand that we will experience great sorrows as well? Perhaps the scale will balance itself. As long as we understand that, we can seek to add to one side, but we must accept the consequences on the other side.