The Simple Way of Lao Tsze

by Shrine of Wisdom

1974

THE SIMPLE WAY OF LAO TSZE

This excellent translation of the Tao Teh King preserves the beauty and spirit of the original.

This ancient teaching is ever new.

(ISBN 9780900664076 cloth £10.00  US$19.95)          

http://shrineofwisdom.weebly.com

From 'Immortals on a Raft', part of the frontispiece to 'The Simple Way'

The Shrine of Wisdom:

The Shrine of Wisdom has been publishing works of religious, philosophical and mystical significance since 1919, with the aim of showing the universal significance underlying the teachings of all the world teachers, philosophers, saints and sages.

Although there will always be new modes of expression and interpretation, the aim is not to present anything new as such, but rather to throw new light on what has gone before.  And when such universal teaching becomes a real guide to life, the one great pathway to our ultimate enlightenment and attainment is revealed.

The work of The Shrine of Wisdom is dedicated to the Sacred Majesty of Truth, to the service of the Absolute Good, and to the realization of the Ideals of the Supremely Beautiful.

~*~*~*~*~

#1 The Mystery of Tao

The TAO that can be expressed in words is not the all-embracing and immutable TAO: the Name that can be spoken is not the eternal Name.

Without a name, It is the Beginning of The Universe and Our World: conceived as having a name, It is the Progenitrix of all things.

Those alone who are free from earthly passions can perceive the deep mystery of the Unmanifested One: those who are possessed by desires can only behold the Manifest's outward form.

These two, the Manifest and the Unmanifest, although differing in name, in essence, are identical. This sameness is the mystery, the deep within the deep, the door of many mysteries.

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** The book itself has commentaries after each chapter. Their website posted this one for Chapter 1, the rest are not posted on-line.

Commentary - Heaven and Earth, in the Taoist System, are called Yang and Yin; both are subjective principles, corresponding to Uranus and Gaia in Orphic Theogony. They constitute Duality in its archetypal and unmanifest aspect. The Progenitrix (Tao conceived as having a name) is the Great World Mother, Who is also Providence and Divine Wisdom.