As a relative newcomer to the Tao Te Ching, I've struggled with some of the translations that I've encountered. Many links have directed me to the translation of Peter A Merel. A little digging, though, has shown that Merel has created several different versions of his translation.

Version 2.07 seems most commonly cited. The most recent that I’ve discovered is labelled version 4.1.

To that end, I’ve created a side-by-side comparison of Merel’s translations of the Tao Te Ching (PDF 345 KB).

Offered up with respect by a newbie.

Thanks, it reminds me that sooner or later everyone should translate & write down there holy books (or portions within) by hand.

Back to the subject. I like the second abrieviated one more. KISP I always say.



Michael





keep it short & poetic

Thanks Mike. Very interesting comparison. Kind of with Learner, like the poetic v.4.1

Learner- Could you please expand on your idea of translating and writing down holy books? Are you refering to translating from the original texts (and language) or getting it down as you read it in your own mind?

Cool!

Nice document to have.

If you like comparisons, check this out...

Go here: http://home.pages.at/onkellotus/TTK/_IndexTTK.html

Click on Compare Vertikal

Then choose a translation on the top left, and another on the top right.

Play with the little buttons and numbers in the top middle. You can choosetranslations, change chapters, keep both sides in synch & etc.

Quite cool!

There is a gulf between learning and integrating, a huge one. Take the TTC, you read and think, that great, very deep, then we walk away and kick the dog.

Writing it down, by hand, neatly, with full concentration is an age old mostly ignored tradition. It a way to connect w/ the writings on a deeper level, bridging the gulf. Making it yours.

Translating it is egotistic, but forces you to think, to go to bed with the material. . If words are holy, it makes sense to connect deeper to them.


Michael

Errata
I think one of the ancient 613 Judaic Mitzvahs is to write down a torah scroll. Many of the great Martial artists of the past were great calligraphers.

Thanks Learner. Coming from an artist's perspective, the same sort of process happens with drawing and your subject. They say that a drawing is with you forever. A very helpful artistic exercise is to re-draw a subject from memory. Very interesting approach, thanks again for bringing it up.

A gulf? More like a chasm for some of us.

Rungs in my ladder to actualizing were something like: reading, learning, understanding, understanding how it can be applied, breaking habits, integrating, actualizing.

When I was in the breaking habits and integrating phase several years ago I wrote some rules (probably better called benchmarks) for myself. If I already shared them, pardon the double posting.

When you actualize The Way in your day to day life you can let go of rules - your actions kind of naturally meet appropriate benchmarks without thought. "My Rules" are nostalgic to me now, but at one time they were very helpful in keeping me on track.

Enjoy!

My Rules - 我的规则

Be Honest (是诚实的)
When I live right I have nothing lie about. When I tell the truth, I don't have to remember stories for future reference. But recognize that gentle semantics can be of value if brutal honesty will harm a good relationship. Be honest enough with myself to recognize when the rules should change.

Be Trustworthy (是信得过)
I try to keep all my promises. If my friends need help (need not want) and I can give it, I do. It's simple; I want to trust the people in my life, so I need to be trustworthy.

Be Sincere (是恳切的)
If I say it, I mean it. Report, and when things change, report again. Nobody knows where to walk if they don't know where they stand. Apologize when appropriate.

Be Respectful (是恭敬的)
Honesty, trust, and sincerity are the behaviors - respect is the foundation. I will respect all life. I will respect all people until I see them hurt someone (or hurt me), or see them consistently break these rules.

Be Caring (是关心)
I will care about my son, my family, my friends, my work, about many things. Caring is what brings depth and meaning to my life. Love easily – allow lots of space, and let go when appropriate.

Be A True Friend (是一真实朋友)
I will build meaningful honest friendships and relationships. Anything less is a waste of time, and becomes an acquaintance or something less.

Act With Integrity (是操守)
Life is huge and very long. The two most important events are birth and death – the rest is details. The rules are for the details. I don't break the rules for short term gain, or laziness – though sometimes rules can be bent when the details make it appropriate. And the rules can change if someone shows me they are wrong.

Choose Quality Friends (有真正的朋友)
Young at heart, open minded, and intelligent, internationally diverse. This keeps my mind open, my curiosity high, my leisure time creative, and my conversation interesting.

Choose Right Priorities (选择正确的优先权)
My son, my family, my partner, my work, my friends, and my rules.

Accept Change (受理变动)

When I first approached the Tao, many moons ago, I copied out by hand the TTC as a gift and request for teaching from my first teacher. Though I was meticulous in this task, I didn't have a clue as to the meaning of the words I wrote or of their implications for the path ahead. I simply copied out each chapter because it seemed like a nice thing to do and I had no artistic talent whatsoever so a picture or poem was out of the question. My teacher, despite having translated the TTC himself, seemed to appreciate my more humble effort, or at least was kind enough to not laugh out loud at this innocent petitioner.

Later on I became much cleverer. The TTC became just one among the many spiritual tomes I mastered and I completed my own translations of texts from Sanskrit and Tibetan and encouraged others to appreciate and understand them all just as I had. So clever did I become that some called me teacher and after a while my understanding became their understanding and the 'Tao of ZenBrook' was born.

Still later, I became stupid again. Now I realize that first copy I made was the only version truly worth having. And though I'll never quite be that innocent again, I can at least try.

Making it ours.

Peace,
ZenB

Write it down by hand ... That's a very helpful recommendation.

I think that it echoes the old advice that the best way to learn something is to try to teach it to someone else. Starting a blog about Taoism was an attempt to follow just that advice. By forcing myself to talk about these matters and engage with others, I force myself to decide what I believe and to discover what I do (and don't) understand.

Peace.


Turtle: I've just realised that I have no idea what my rules are.

Wow.

I really have to rectify this.

Thank you.

Your rules should be a stepping stone in your cultivation. A way to turn your behaviors to what you eventually want them to be. Ask yourself, "how will I act and be when I have actualized The Way?" It's a blunt stick approach to breaking old habits to allow your harmonious nature to emerge.

Eventually, through actualizing The Way, your harmonious natural way of being will fit into the rules (assuming your rules were correct). Then you can leave that stepping stone behind.

The rules will change as you grow until you change enough to let go of them and still act rightly.

Peace,