Tao Te Ching Translation
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Contents |
道德經 Tao Te Ching Introduction
Book titles are important because they are supposed to capture the essence of the book within them. The books content elaborates and provide information on the title. Let's consider famous books such as the “The Art of Happiness” written by the Dalai Lama and “The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life” by Alice Schroeder. “The Art of Happiness”, without reading it, tells us that the book talks about happiness and how to create happiness. Similarly, “The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life” tells us about the life of Warren Buffett, his ideas and thoughts on business, and how it can be related to life. The title of Tao Te Ching (TTC) is no different than the two books mentioned above because TTC sums up the entire content of the book. TTC talks about the fundamental method to develop and use morality or the proper Way of Virtue. Furthermore, messages within TTC are consistent throughout the times of history. As we continue to explore and apply the teaching of TTC, we will be grateful to Lao Zi’s wisdom. Let’s study each character of Tao Te Ching separately and briefly.
道 (Tao)
Lao Zi provides a detailed description of Tao throughout TTC, but the essence of Tao is beyond the power of words to define. That is what Lao Zi meant when he said, “The Tao that can be said is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name” (Chapter 1). Tao is formless and nameless, yet, it is the essence of the universe. Therefore, the word “Tao” is forcefully used to describe the essence of the universe. In Chapter 25 of the Tao Te Ching, Lao Zi states, “There is something that was mysteriously formed. It was born before the creation of heaven and earth. It is silent and formless, independent and immutable, constantly moving and always harmonious. It is the mother of all the things in the universe. I do not know its name, so I have simply called it Tao.” Tao existed before the creation of the universe. Tao continues to exist after the creation of the universe. Tao will not change throughout time regardless of what era we live in. Tao will continue to exist regardless, even if all species on earth were to become extinct. Therefore, Tao is powerful and unnoticeable due to its subtleness. Tao is similar to “The Force” in Star Wars as in “may the Force be with you”. We can see the manifestation of the Force, but never the force itself. Thus, events that occurred in the universe have successes and failures, Tao does not. All things on earth have birth and death, Tao does not. All the worldly events have its ups-and-downs, Tao does not. The functionality and usage of Tao is absolute; yet we can never see the true essence of Tao and its essence will never be fully exposed to the universe.
Tao is an abstract topic to explore because another meaning of the Tao is “the proper way”. In Japanese martial arts, there is Kendo and Taekwondo. The “do” at the end means “Tao” but is pronounced differently in Japanese. Kendo means the proper way of the sword. If you want to understand the essence of the sword or dance with the sword, study Kendo; furthermore Taekwondo means the proper way of punching and kicking. So, if you want to understand the essence of punching and kicking you have to study Taekwondo. There is also the Tao of Tea, Tao of health, Tao of relationship and Tao of food.
Although born in this physical world with a brain to learn and to create intellectual thoughts, we cannot understand the essence of Tao through the reading of books in any written languages. If we use our intelligence to research or experience the Tao, regardless of the effort, it is impossible to understand the essence of Tao. However, since images and names are part of our lives, we can slowly explore and comprehend the essence of Tao through them. Furthermore, if we have no attachment and no stubbornness on the image, we will not deviate from the path, but come close to understanding the universal truth or the Tao. In order to understand the universal truth, we must understand that there is Tao in humans, which are called True Self.
The True Self, similar to the Tao, cannot be seen or heard, but we can feel its presence and experience it. This True Self in us can guide us in our life if we listen to it. The True Self contains everything: it does not waver, it is crystal clear, forever lasting, and is capable of accomplishing everything. By using our True Self, we can pursue our secular issues accordingly to the Tao.
德 (Te - Virtue)
Lao Zi provides a detailed description of virtue throughout TTC which is actually easier for us to understand and relate to, because we can see and visualize a virtuous event or person. A concept of virtue we have to understand is that virtue is a byproduct of and goes hand in hand with the Tao. In other words, without Tao, virtue cannot exist. Tao can be seen as the body and virtue is the movement. Tao is one and virtue is two. Tao is the epicenter and virtue is the environment created by the epicenter. Lastly, the beauty and expression of Tao is virtue.
Life as we know is possible because of the beauty of heaven and earth. This is the virtue of our planet earth. As the earth orbits and spins around the sun, day and night are created. At the same time, the sunlight and rainfall nourish all beings on earth, without their giving, life would cease to exist. The virtue of the universe constantly provides and gives regardless of color, gender, or species.
There are five virtues associated with human beings: benevolence (仁), righteousness (義), propriety (禮), wisdom (智), and faith (信). These virtues can be fully expressed by a noble character or these virtues might not be expressed at all to create a shallow character. The distinctions of noble and shallow characters do not exist but are a perception through experience and learning that clouds our mind. It is one’s action and thought that generate the difference amongst us.
Virtue is seen through our actions and virtuous actions arise from our True Self or the Tao. If we act accordingly to our True Self, then all actions will be virtuous. The True Self is within every one of us. Again, virtue is created by Tao and Tao is seen through virtue. Tao is the origin and virtue is the action.
So, how do we constantly use our True Self to create a virtuous event if our True Self is covered up by a thick layer of cloud? A famous poem in the 6th Patriarch written by Shen Xiu:
Body is the bodhi tree
Heart is like clear mirror stand
Strive to clean it constantly
Do not let the dust motes land
Cultivation is up to us; not him, her, he, she, nor them, but up to yourself. Throughout the cultivation period, realization of the truth will start to emerge and overtime, one is enlightened. At this stage one will understand what the 6th Patriarch Hui Neng said:
Bodhi really has no tree
Nor is clear mirror the stand
Nothing's there initially
So where can the dust motes land?
經 (Ching)
Ching represents a continuous path, which will never change overtime. The path represents an unchanging course within nature and us. The path represents the universal truth that will continue to exist throughout time. Let’s take an example of a seed. Tao is the seed. Branches, flowers, and leaves are the virtue. The constant growth and path it takes to bear another seed is Ching.
The above are a brief example of Tao Te Ching. Throughout each chapter, Lao Zi will continue to provide examples of Tao and Te. In order to comprehend Tao Te ching, we’ll need to learn Chinese characters. So, read slowly or re-read when necessary.
Tao Te Ching Chapter Translation & Explanation
Chapter 09: http://www.iktfoa.org/english/images/7/76/Tao_Te_Ching_Chapter_09.pdf
Chí ĕr yíng zhī, bù rú qí yĭ 持 而 盈 之 不 如 其 已 hold and overflow it, not as good as its stop
chuāi ěr ruì zhī, bù kě cháng băo 揣 而 銳 之 不 可 長 保 measure and sharp/beat it, not able long protect/preserve
jīn yù măn táng, mò zhī néng shŏu 金 玉 滿 堂 莫 之 能 守 gold jade fill hall/room, not it able keep
fù guì ér jiāo, zì yí qí jiū 富 貴 而 驕 自 遺 其 咎 rich honor and proud, self give one’s trouble
gōng suì shēn tuì, tiān zhī dào 功 遂 身 退 天 之 道。 merit achieve body retire, Heaven ’s way
Chapter 10: http://www.iktfoa.org/english/images/a/a5/Tao_Te_Ching_Chapter_10.pdf
Zăi yíng pò bào yī néng wú lí hu 載 營 魄 抱 一 能 無 離 乎 carry soul/spirit body embrace one can without depart
Zhuān qì zhì róu néng yīng'ér hu 專 氣 致 柔 能 嬰兒 乎 concentrate breath/spirit attain soft, can infant
Dí chú xuán lăn néng wú cī hu 滌 除 玄 覽 能 無 疵 乎 wash away mystery view/vision can without flaw
Aì mín zhì guó néng wú zhī hu 愛 民 治 國 能 無 知 乎 love people govern country, can without knowledge
Tiān mén kāi hé néng wéi cí hu 天 門 開 闔 能 為 雌 乎 Heaven door open close can be female
Míng bái sì dá néng wú wéi hu 明 白 四 達 能 無 為 乎 bright white four approach can without action
Shēng zhī xù zhī 生 之 畜 之 produce them rear/raise them
Shēng ér bù yŏu 生 而不 有 produce but not have/possess
Wéi ér bú shì 為 而不 恃 act but not rely on
Zhăng ér bù zăi 長 而 不 宰 grow but not rule/kill
Shì wèi xuán dé 是 謂 玄 德 this call mystery virtue
Chapter 11: http://www.iktfoa.org/english/images/4/4f/Tao_Te_Ching_Chapter_11.pdf
sānshí fú gòng yì gŭ 三十 輻 共 一 轂 thirty spoke together one hub
dāng qí wú yŏu chē zhī yòng 當 其 無 有 車 之 用 in/on its nonexistence have carriage’s use
yán zhí yǐwéi qì 延 埴 以為 器 mold clay regard as vessel;
dāng qí wú yŏu qì zhī yòng 當 其 無 有 器 之 用 in/on its nonexistence have vessel’s use
záo hù yŏu yǐwéi shì 鑿 戶 牖 以為 室 bore door window regard as room
dāng qí wú yŏu shì zhī yòng 當 其 無 有 室 之 用 in/on its nonexistence have room’s use
gù yŏu zhī yǐwéi lì 故 有 之 以為 利 therefore have it to be advantage/benefit;
wú zhī yǐwéi yòng 無 之 以為 用 have no it to be use.
Chapter 12: http://www.iktfoa.org/english/images/e/e2/Tao_Te_Ching_Chapter_12.pdf
Wǔ sè lìng rén mù máng 五 色 令 人 目 盲 five color cause people eye blind
wǔ yīn lìng rén ĕr lóng 五 音 令 人 耳 聾 five sound cause people ear deaf
wǔ wèi lìng rén kŏu shuǎng 五 味 令 人 口 爽 five flavor cause people mouth miss
chí chĕng tián liè lìng rén xīn fā kuáng 馳 騁 畋獵 令 人 心 發狂 race speed hunt cause people mind get mad
nán dé zhī huò lìng rén xíng fáng 難 得 之 貨 令 人 行 妨 difficult get ‘s goods cause people act obstruct
shì yĭ shèng rén wéi fù bù wéi mù 是 以 聖人 為 腹 不 為 目 therefore sage for belly not for eye
gù qù bĭ qǔ cĭ 故 去 彼 取 此 so leave that take this
Chapter 13: http://www.iktfoa.org/english/images/4/4e/Tao_Te_Ching_Chapter_13.pdf
chŏng rŭ ruò jīng guì dà huàn ruò shēn 寵 辱 若 驚 貴 大 患 若 身 favor disgrace seems startle value big trouble seems body
hé wèi chŏng rŭ ruò jīng 何 謂 寵 辱 若 驚 what call favor disgrace seems startle
chŏng wéi xià dé zhī ruò jīng shī zhī ruò jīng 寵 為下 得之若驚 失之若驚 favor is low/mean, get it as startle lose it as startle
shī wèi chŏng rŭ ruò jīng 是 謂 寵 辱 若 驚 this called favor disgrace as startle
hé wèi guì dà huàn ruò shēn 何 謂 貴 大 患 若 身 what called value big trouble as body
wŭ suŏ yǐ yŏu dà huàn zhě 吾所以 有 大 患 者 I the reason have big trouble one who
wéi wŭ yŏu shēn 為 吾 有 身 because I have body
jí wŭ wú shēn wŭ yŏu hé huàn 及 吾 無 身 吾 有 何 患 if I no body, I have what trouble
gù guì yǐ shēn wéi tiān xià ruò kě jì tiān xià 故 貴 以 身 為 天下 若 可 寄 天下 therefore value regard body as/for the world, seem able entrusted the world
ài yǐ shēn wéi tiān xià ruò kě tuō tiān xià 愛 以 身 為 天下 若 可 托 天下 love regard body as/for the world seem able rely on the world
