The Way of Life According to Lao Tzu

by Witter Bynner (Translator)

The Way of Life According to Lao Tzu was originally translated by Witter Bynner in 1949

The Way of Life of Lao Tzu was the way of poise, serenity and complete assurance. His gentle warning on the futility of egoistic struggle have made The Way of Life the basis for one of the world's great religions, Taoism, and on of the most important books that was ever written.

"The 81 saying in this volume shine like gems cut clear and beautiful in every facet.. this translation will stand as the perfect rendering of a classic work." ~ John Haynes Holmes

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Buddhism, Spirituality, China

78 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Mindy Kannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was going to read one passage a day but could not stop myself. WOW! Now I will go back a read one passage a day and ponder. Very thought provoking!

[Debra Ramage · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this over 100 times.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read 20+ translations of this great book, and while I don't know the original Chinese, this translation, which I once found off-putting, has grown on me a bit. Yes, Bynner adds rhythm/rhyme and makes Lao Tzu more "American," and this can be jarring. Still, he does make one see this very familiar (to me, at least) text in a new and enjoyable light..

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that I go back to over and over throughout my life. I always find inspiration within it's pages.

[Dick Baldwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty stupid and cheesy, but in a vague, general sense, it was good.

[Wilbur · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can there be such men as these
Who never hunger, never thirst,
Yet eat and drink until they burst!
There are other brigands, but these are the worst
Of all the highway's harms.

[Deep · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good translation of the master.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in conjunction with the translation by John C. H. Wu. Sometimes the entry was more elegant and well written by Wu, other times by Bynner. I am happy I read both interpretations.

[Danijela Jerković · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Thoughts and Notes on The Way of Life According to Lao Tzu...

"When the heart weeps for what it has lost, the spirit laughs
for what it has found."
~ Sufi


“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
~ Lao Tzu


“Simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world.”
~ Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching


“Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
mastering yourself is true power.”
~ Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching


“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
~ Lao Tzu

[Kate Devine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tao Te Ching is an ancient Chinese text written in 600 B.C. by Lao Tzu, whose philosophy is a logical suggestion of quietism. Lao Tzu states that a man’s responsibility belongs to himself only and that conduct and carrying oneself are innate to natural life. The more humility in an individual, the more stable the community. Quietism makes a man sound, and his value is determined by his internal homogenous entity, not the outside world. The way to do is to be, baby! I thoroughly enjoyed and learned so much from this read.

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read after The Hunger Games. Similar themes.

[Sofia Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice.

[Aims S.C.D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why was this so fire…

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Witter Bynner's treatment of the Tao Te Ching was a bit tainted by obvious populist leanings. It inserts sometimes explicit (and other times implicit) boosterism for the 20th Century marketing conception of "democracy", emphasizes an artifice of quaint whimsy for phrasing with its use of imposed rhyme and inferential terms, and gets a bit explanatory in its expansion-as-translation for some of the antiquities of original Chinese phrasing. While the feel conveyed for it might suit the preferences of some readers, making the whole work more engaging to some demographic division of potential audience for a translation of the Tao Te Ching, I find the newly implanted biases and redirection of implicative meaning serve only as a distraction from the essence of this philosophical classic. As such, a book that in other translations usually rates four or five stars when I list it here on Goodreads comes in at a relatively unimpressive three stars for me in the edition constructed by Witter Bynner.

[Harry Palacio · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a metaphor for the wan light in the uninspired and the search for both fires and clouds repectively (male and female). in all things there is balance.... a war does not want darkness unless there are viewers of night in a loving embrace there is only want yet one fears release yet yearns for it..... to angle in the deep pits of both longing and renunciation we see how greatness in it is a way a true way that needs to be lived as experential or as a still moving in stillness

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book. It wasn't entirely comprehensible, but it has some good ideas. It appears to be rulership advice for Chinese rulers ~2500 years ago. If you are not a feudal ruler, it may be of less use for you. There's still parts that will apply to ordinary persons.

[Aaron · Rating 2 out of 5]

alright yin yang