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THE SPIRIT OF TAO

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Presented here are superb translations from the most beloved classics of Taoism, including the bestselling Tao-te Ching and Wen-tzu. Also translated are wonderful Taoist fables and stories from the "Tales of Inner Meaning," and a selection of short teachings from Ancestor Lu, one of the greatest figures of early Taoism. Two-color interior.

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

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About the author

Thomas Cleary

245 books273 followers
Dr. Thomas Francis Cleary, Ph.D. (East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University; J.D., Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley), was a prolific translator of Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, and Muslim classics, with a particular emphasis on popular translations of Mahāyāna works relevant to the Chan, Zen, and Soen systems.

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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Profile Image for John Fredrickson.
735 reviews25 followers
May 11, 2022
Interesting book. Each section is short, many of which are single page entries, none of which exceed more than a few pages. The translations all felt 'true' to me, though this is difficult to assess, as many of the entries are also maddeningly opaque.

This is a book to be returned to, and understood in stages.
68 reviews
December 23, 2018
Great introductory book on Daoist philosophy. Reader should be familiar with Daodejing for best experience.
Profile Image for Charlene Smith.
Author 38 books16 followers
May 16, 2011
"Lao Tzu said: Consider the world light, and the spirit is not burdened; consider myriad things slight, and the mind is not confused. Consider life and death equal, and the intellect is not afraid; consider change as sameness, and clarity is not obscured."

This and other beautiful insights populate this slim, easy to read book, that I refer to over and over again and most particularly when I feel rushed and under pressure, to remind myself of the exhortation to be still. To stop. Let things go. Be at peace.

Profile Image for Mike.
174 reviews14 followers
August 29, 2011
Recently I have enjoyed reading about the spiritualism of Tao, but this book was either beyond me, or maybe I just wasn't in the mood.
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