Parable of the Sower and the Tao te Ching | INFJ Forum

Parable of the Sower and the Tao te Ching

Discussion in 'Philosophy and Religion' started by mayflow, Jan 28, 2009.

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  1. mayflow

    mayflow
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    I haven't read the book "Parable of the Sower" but Merrytrees topic of it and somethings said by Alcyone on that topic got me thinking about the Tao te Ching. Well, you know, the mind when left to play will make a lot of free associations. One of which is to wonder about a title like "Parable of the Sower" - I'm not so much a Christian but the quote attributed to Jesus was (I believe) "As ye sow, so shall ye reap" - and of course according to Merrytrees the book is quite much about empathy, and especially when dealing with difficult situations.

    How this got me thinking about the Tao te Ching which is an ancient Cinese text by Lao Tzu is a strange connection but some sort of odd synchronistic set-up that the Universe used this forum and Alcyone and others here achieve. Maybe it was created by "The Way?"

    Well either way - here are a couple of translations on the opening verse of the Tao te Ching.

    -translation = Stephen Mitchell


    translation from: http://www.taoteching.org/
     
    #1 mayflow, Jan 28, 2009
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2009
  2. ZenCat

    ZenCat Waving Sage

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    I've had a copy of the Tao te Ching since I was 15. I've always got it within easy reach when I need a couple of moments of meditation and reflection.

    Interestingly, how it affected me and how I understood it as a teenager and how I perceive it/how it affects me now are very different.

    This is the edition I have. The accompanying photography is beautiful, as well.

    [​IMG]

    Some which have become my favorites:

     
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    #2 ZenCat, Jan 28, 2009
  3. gOpHeR

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    I had not previously heard of the Tao Te Ching, but from what you've both quoted, I believe I have a new reading assignment.
     
    #3 gOpHeR, Jan 28, 2009
  4. Zero Angel

    Zero Angel Permanent Fixture

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    I also liked "The Art of War (Denma Translation)", it goes well with the Tao Te Ching. That version of the AoW has some very useful essays in it, although the translation is much more vague and poetic than some other of the AoW translations out there. It often makes reference to the Tao as a fundamental force which governs 'victory and defeat'.
     
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    #4 Zero Angel, Jan 28, 2009
  5. dylan

    dylan Bearded Dancing King

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    If y'all are into the Tao Te Ching, you might also be interested in the I-Ching (aka "The Book Of Changes"). It's based on the same wisdom that Lao-Tzu's book is based on, but can also be used as an oracular / divination device, similar to tarot cards. In the I-Ching there are 64 "hexagrams" (graphic symbols made up of 6 broken or unbroken lines), and these 64 hexagrams represent 64 archetypal situations, and by tossing coins and reading the results, you can get insight on whatever your current situation is. It's pretty cool. And even if you don't believe in that kind of stuff (oracles and the like), the wisdom in the book is just astounding.
     
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    #5 dylan, Jan 28, 2009
  6. Black Swan

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    Thanks for posting, I just remembered that I received a book about I-Ching as a gift and I completely forgot about it until now. Thanks for the reminder.

    :smile:
     
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    #6 Black Swan, Jan 28, 2009
  7. alcyone

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    Scary...Ive been used as the universes whore!

    No just kidding, you've paid me a grand compliment mayflow! For that you have my gratitude.

    I too am intrigued by the Tao Te Ching and am going to pick up a translation on my next run to the bookstore. Any particular translation I should look for?
     
    #7 alcyone, Jan 29, 2009
  8. Individuation

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    ZenCat: Hi, those chapters that you quoted are from Stephen Mitchell's book, right? I'm wondering how the edition you have translates them, could you post them?
     
    #8 Individuation, Feb 1, 2009
  9. OP
    mayflow

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    Haha! Universe's whore. Well, I hope it was as good for you as it was for the Universe! :smile:

    The quotes I put here were from Stephen Mitchell, which is available free online.

    http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/core9/phalsall/texts/taote-v3.html

    Thomas Cleary has a translation and I consider him one of the premeir translators of Eastern languages, but I don't find his free online. Here are many versions of chap 1 including Cleary's: http://www.bopsecrets.org/gateway/passages/tao-te-ching.htm
     
    #9 mayflow, Feb 1, 2009
  10. ZenCat

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    No, I posted my quotes from the edition I've always had, picture of the cover posted in an earlier post. Well, that's the 25th Anniversary Edition, which I have now. I had an earlier one back in the late 70's.

    My version is translated by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English.

    Here are the reviews from Amazon

     
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    #10 ZenCat, Feb 1, 2009
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