Best eastern religions books according to redditors
We found 511 Reddit comments discussing the best eastern religions books. We ranked the 204 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
7. Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations)
6 mentions
Used Book in Good Condition
Here's some further reading!
The best and most academically accepted translation of the Dao De Jing
Here, A.C. Graham is an intensely clever and erudite Sinologist - Disupters is definitely a "classic" in the literature of early Eastern philosophy.
Great book on a lesser known section of the Zhuangzi, which Roth shows to be the origin of meditative practice in Daoism. Roth is also my Prof!
A great translation by the same A.C. Graham of most of the chapters of the Zhuangzi. The Zhuangzi, different from the Laozi, uses narratives and short essays in deeply stratified, humorous, and incredibly profound ways well ahead of its time.
Source: I've been studying contemplative practices, cultural anthropology, and Chinese philosophy for most of my undergrad
A few that come to mind:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journey_to_the_West
There are various film adaptions either with that title or something to do with a "Monkey King".
This one is Taoist but I think you would find it interesting and entertaining too.
https://www.amazon.ca/Seven-Taoist-Masters-Novel-China/dp/1590301765
If you're interested in this connection, you should probably read The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism by Fritjof Capra.
Definitely buy the guide that accompanies Words of My Perfect Teacher.
WOMPT is not a book you want to get through quickly. Read it carefully, and reflect on the teachings.
If you come across a profound thought: try your best to understand it, then reflect on the passage, and lastly
mediatemeditate on it.It truly is a life changing book if you take your time with it.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802130313/
What the Buddha Taught is a good start. Its brief, its easy to read and gives you an overview of what Buddhism is about. If you like it from there, get a copy of the Dhammapada
http://www.amazon.com/Dhammapada-Translation-Buddhist-Classic-Annotations/dp/1590303806
The Words of My Perfect Teacher and it's Commentary by Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang go into these states in a lot of detail. As do most Tibetan texts which teach the preliminary practices (ngöndro) or the four thoughts that turn the mind to Dharma.
Two of my favorite books on the topic are very in-depth and detailed:
I seriously can't recommend them enough. I think they are brilliant. They are more academic than "scriptural" if that makes sense. They're the sort of books you'd read in college that are about Tibetan Buddhism.
Now that I'm home, I have the Ursula K. LeGuin version:
Tao Te Ching, Verse 20 excerpt:
"Ignorant, ignorant.
Most people are so bright.
I'm the one that's dull.
Most people are so keen.
I don't have the answers."
> So people who are spontaneous are attractive because people have really good bullshit detectors. I go into some of the evolutionary game theory about why we’d be very worried about hypocrisy and people pretending to be something they’re not, and why we develop, through biocultural evolution, this tendency to like people who seem like they’re not trying.
Speaking of things that should set off your bullshit detectors . . .
Don't waste your time or money on this rehashed Orientalism. There are good and even free translations of the Ching available; the source material is infinitely better than some watered down magic system in a self-help book. Classics are classics for a reason.
think about getting a copy of this: Dhammapada
I went through something similar (no death - just loss) last fall and it helped me find my way through some things that I didn't know if I would ever overcome -and if you're an atheist, you don't need to accept any notions of 'god.' (not there's anything wrong with god if that's what you're into...yadda yadda)
First of all, can I just say how much I love giving and receiving book recommendations? I was a religious studies major in college (and was even a T.A. in the World Religions class) so, this is right up my alley. So, I'm just going to take a seat in front of my book cases...
General:
Christianity:
Judaism:
Islam:
Buddhism:
Taoism:
Atheism:
Might I also recommend reading some original sources. Reading about Buddhism is surely good for context and all that, but you can also dive right in to what those books are about.
Thich Nhat Hanh has been mentioned here recently. His sutra translations are awesome: https://plumvillage.org/category/sutra/
I like this edition of the Dhammapada, but there are version for free online: https://www.amazon.com/Dhammapada-Translation-Buddhist-Classic-Annotations/dp/1590303806/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541179036&sr=8-1&keywords=dhammapada+book
Also check out the Lotus Sutra: https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/lsoc/toc/
That's like the blockbuster of sutras-- it has it all! It also has some clear formulations on what's going on with Buddhism, supposedly from late in Shakyamuni's life.
Oh I forgot to mention, don't get the James Legge translation, it's terrible. This is my favorite, but it seems to be out of print: https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-New-Translation/dp/B000RIWJIG Though I see that there is a kindle version.
The Stephen Mitchell translation is also very good. A bit less poetic, a bit more in the modern vernacular: https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Laozi/dp/0060812451
Supposedly, "karmic results of our actions most frequently do not ripen in the same lifetime in which we commit the actions."
"So for a result to arise in this lifetime, a deed must have great power, and to produce a deed of great power, the person (object) to whom we are doing this deed must be someone special, such as a fully enlightened being. The motivation for doing the deed must be incredibly strong, and the article involved in the deed must be a special object. If either of these elements are not strong enough, then the result will arise in the next lifetime; if they are even less powerful, then the result can only arise after three or more lifetimes. Thus, it is very difficult to obtain a result quickly in this lifetime." - Khenpo Appey Rinpoche
"Some of our acts are what we call karma that is visibly experienced: the act and the motivation are so strong that the result comes in this very life. If we do something extremely good and virtuous in this life, its result might be happiness in this very life." - Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche
"By giving to the poor, giving food, clothing, housing, and medicine, and by generally serving the needy, you create the causes of a long, healthy, and comfortable life. Some of these results may ripen in this life; most will be experienced in future lives." - Geshe Lhundub Sopa
The only one I can help you with is religion. For Christianity, I always suggest The Bible. I know this is obvious, but it seems that very few people read it from cover to cover. This may be going away from what you want, though. Personally, I read The Bible as literature, so that does, for me, place it in fiction. If you want an atheist perspective, I highly recommend The God Delusion; for some shorter pieces, I think one should look at Existentialism is a Humanism (if you like this read, it is basically taken from his book Being and Nothingness). If you want to get into some Asian faith, maybe get a copy of the Tao Te Ching to better understand Taoism. Just to add another, and this is one of my favorites; look at Food of the Gods. This is a really interesting read about how substances have affected cultures and their beliefs. It ranges from different foods to the most illicit intoxicants. For me, it really gave me a greater perspective of the uses and benefits to "drugs" that go beyond taking them simply for a good time. If any of these interest you, I can list more for what specifically interests you. It's not much, but I minor in religious studies, so I guess I have a decent grasp on what is worth one's time.
I think the Victor Mair translation is the best one I've seen. The title is Wandering on the Way.
http://www.amazon.ca/Wandering-Way-Taoist-Parables-Chuang/dp/082482038X
This one is my favorite (by Johnathan Star):
http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Ching-Definitive-Lao-Tzu/dp/158542269X
This is not a pocket edition, and in fact is quite large, because it has a verbatim translation in the back as well as a fairly sizable introduction, which explains some of the difficulties when translating such a text. The gist of his style is to leave the mystery in the words. So he tries to leave the same level of ambiguity from the original Chinese in the translation of each passage.
For a smaller version by Johnathan Star:
http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Ching-Translation-Definitive-Cornerstone/dp/1585426180
Although this one is pretty much just the text.
This may help:
http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/study/comparison_buddhist_traditions/tibetan_traditions/intro_compar_5_traditions_buddhism_bon.html
I can also recommend three comprehensive books:
http://www.amazon.com/Indo-Tibetan-Buddhism-Buddhists-Tibetan-Successors/dp/1570629730
http://www.amazon.com/Indestructible-Truth-Spirituality-Tibetan-Buddhism/dp/1570629102/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1321049941&sr=8-2
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Vajra-World-Tantric-Buddhism/dp/157062917X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1321049984&sr=8-3
Good luck!
What the Buddha Taught is the best "intro to Buddhism" book I've read yet, I highly recommend it. This is a book you will constantly be coming back to, if you decide to keep pursuing Buddhism that is, for it contains all of the essentials (IMO). The author also includes several key suttas given by the Buddha (several especially directed towards lay people like ourselves), and a collection of key verses from the Dhammapada (a classic Buddhist scripture). The other "Intro to Buddhism" book I will recommend is Becoming Enlightened by His Holliness the Dalai Lama, which gives an overview of the Buddhist path to Enlightenment that emphasizes the role of compassion, altruism, and wisdom.
 
For learning to meditate and practice mindfulness, I recommend Mindfulness in Plain English. What the Buddha Taught also has a great chapter on meditation and mindfulness.
 
Once you feel more comfortable with the basic principles of Buddhism, if you'd like to start reading and studying key Buddhist scriptures, I'd recommend starting with the following: In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon and The Dhammapada. The Pali Cannon in the oldest complete Buddhist cannon of scriptures that survives today. The Dhammapada is a short collection of sayings within the Pali Cannon that is thought to summarize the essence of the Buddha's teachings.
Zhuangzi. The Burton Watson translation is good, or the Victor Mair translation, titled Wandering on the Way.
For "where to start" with books, see this FAQ post, from r/askphilosophyFAQ. There are Introductory anthologies, like these. Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy is something I read at about that age, and it was great (with some caveats).
There are also anthologies for Chinese & Indian Philosophy, or introductions to Chinese & Indian Philosophy; or an intro anthology to World Philosophy.
Daoism has been great for me. Maybe you'll like it too?
Check out:
The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu.
The Tao is Silent by Raymond Smullyan
Daoism does not get hung up on these western "existence" questions. Read Raymond Smullian's chapter "Does the Tao Exist" in his book The Tao is Silent.
edit: actually read chapters 3 ("Does the Tao Exist?") and 4 ("Yes, But does the Tao Exist?").
PS: here some pointers –not to be taken for the Moon..
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Alan Watts' The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are
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Alan Watts' The Wisdom Of Insecurity
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Alan Watts' Become What You Are
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Charles Tart's Waking Up
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There are zillions of bibliographies and references on the sub for healing from dysfunctional upbringings and other situations of systematic abuse: r/CPTSD
Search such authors in there for instance, and feel free to follow posts and comments speaking about this reprogramming and many other areas of the 'recovery' work; you may start by detecting, dissecting and unraveling the Consensus Trance.
For a first introduction, another book I can think of is Wayne Dyer's 'Your Erroneous Zones', which you'll find referenced over there too. Enjoy!
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The most accurate in relation to the original language is the translation by Addiss and Lombardo. Although that's my 2nd favorate after the translation by Feng and English.
I really like Ursula Le Guin's interpretation: https://www.amazon.com/Lao-Tzu-Ching-About-Power/dp/1570623953
Of all the translations I have it speaks to me the most. But you should read at least a few and decide on your favorite afterwards.
I tried reading the Tao Te Ching before, but I found it too abstract for me at the time. It was interesting, but I couldn't find anything that I could directly apply to my life at a time when I needed something directly applicable. If it makes any difference, I was reading the Ellen Chen translation.
A frequent question with no easy answer.
To give another option than the ones already mentioned, I recently gave away "Secret of the Vajra World: The Tantric Buddhism of Tibet" to someone wanting to learn the basics of Vajrayana. After reading it, I thought it might make for a sane and solid introduction to people grown up in the modern world. In my experience, older texts like "Word of my Perfect Teacher" are fantastic, but not necessarily for new students.
Anyway, good luck! :)
I have this book, it's great. On page 89, when it references the exact location of the lower elixir field being 1.2 -1.5 inches below the navel, do not take this point for granted and don't make assumptions on its location. Study this point carefully.
If you are into these kind of stories, I suggest reading Chronicles of Tao: The Secret Life of a Taoist Master, by Deng Ming Dao. The stories and historical references are fantastic.
Totally! There are a ton of translations, but I'm partial to this one (or here, if you would prefer to buy it). Some scholars say that it's not a very scholarly translation, but it's much more accessible and poetic than a lot of the other translations out there. This translation actually speaks to me; others, I'm like, wtf is this about...
I also believed for a very long time that the semen retention thing was bunk. Then it just so happened that I didn't ejaculate for an extended period (for reasons unrelated to Daoism) while still wanting to have sex, and noticed an unmistakable increase in attention span, concentration, and cognitive speed/power. It wasn't just a little bit, either; I'm talking about an increase such that others noticed too. I haven't done it again, but I no longer believe that this stuff about jing is totally baseless. One could think of very good evolutionary reasons why we (and other animals) might have developed a cognitive "bump" that only activates itself in males who desire sex but don't get to engage in it very often.
Anyway, that aside, no one's going to say that you're somehow deeply un-Daoist by not practicing semen retention. It's a practice that developed alongside other Daoist practices, some of which you would probably get something out of if it's the psychological and mental dimensions of Daoism that attract you. So don't throw out the baby with the esoteric bath water.
Also, these things (philosophical and "esoteric" or religious Daoism) cannot be easily separated. You mentioned the Yijing; it's a Bronze age divination manual dependent on cleromancy. Sounds pretty unscientific, right? Well, it is. But it's also the root of traditional Chinese philosophy, of which Daoism is just one branch. You can see the debt Laozi owes to the Yijing all throughout the Daodejing; here is a good example of how one can never fully appreciate the Daodejing without understanding the Yijing. The Daodejing is also clearly indebted to another "religious" Daoist text, the Neiye, which looks very much like a meditation manual with esoteric and mystical elements. The point is, trying to pull apart religious and philosophical Daoism is like explaining a joke or dissecting a frog; you can do it, but it just won't be the same thing afterward.
Mises, the economist? I didn't know he referenced Lao Tzu.
This is maybe a topic better suited to /r/taoism; you may want to ask there.
First realize that Taoism has several faces, which are sometimes vague and overlapping: Philosophical Taoism, which is conveyed through writings and is debated ad nauseum in online forums; Religious or Ritual Taoism, which involves a lot more form and ritual than one might expect; Folk Taoism, which arises in part from local cultures and traditional beliefs; Art Taoism, which is conveyed in countless internal energy and martial arts practices, among others; Enlightenment Taoism, which aims at complete attainment of the Tao. To make your way through all this territory it's helpful to know your own deepest interest and aim.
Funny enough, I mainly remember him for eastern philosophy -- specifically The Tao is Silent, which I really enjoyed in my teen years.
I like these types of quasi-historical/legendary books for the same reason that the Arthurian and Norse stories are so compelling, they're grounded in a kernel of truth.
https://www.amazon.ca/Seven-Taoist-Masters-Novel-China/dp/1590301765
I might suggest taking a look at Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy by Bryan Van Norden He's sort of a controversial figure himself because he comes at academia from the perspective of wanting to tear down the biased western institution that prevents proper study of "Eastern" thought. However, he is an expert in his field and keeps that stuff in other books. The one I've linked was one of the most useful introductory texts I found for studying the traditions native to China and those from elsewhere that were integrated into Chinese culture. Many other texts begin by talking about ancient divination practices that are only kind of relevant to the philosophical traditions that sprang up later and are frankly some of the most boring things I've ever read.
Likewise, I've suggested Seven Taoist Masters countless times. It's a narrative and technically only focuses on a specific school of Daoist thought, but it's much more accessible than reading something like the Dao De Jing. It'll teach you about Daoist ideas such as immortality, internal alchemy, and meditation. It's also less likely to make you into an arrogant fortune cookie, as is unfortunately the case with people who start with the DDJ.
Buddhism in China is different than Buddhism in India is different than Buddhism in Tibet. I'd suggest taking a look at the recommended reading on the /r/buddhism subreddit for this and going from there.
Avoid blogs, avoid "spiritualists" like Alan Watts and Eckhart Tolle. They are not good introductions to these topics if what you're looking for is accurate descriptions of how they developed and have been practiced for thousands of years. You might like what they're selling, but what they're selling is tangentially influenced by these traditions, but they're far from the same.
Ursala K LeGuin, just got this one, so far it is my favorite
http://www.amazon.com/Lao-Tzu-Ching-About-Power/dp/1570623953/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376789235&sr=8-1&keywords=Ursula+K+Le+Guin+tao
The Tao of Physics Is a good one describing the parallels.
I appreciate your skepticism as I believe we all should be skeptics until we are proven otherwise.
Seven Taoists Masters is the translation of a Daoist 'folk novel' by practitioner/teacher Eva Wong.
I had kind of a hard time thinking about a response I felt good about. Below are resources roughly sequenced as "stages". All the resources are within or related to the Theravada tradition. I tried to keep everything free. When a preferred resource is not free, I include a free alternative. Buddhism is very much a practice, so when instructions are given put them into practice the best you can. There is also a need to understand why you are practicing, so there is a need to understand Buddhist theory. Some of these resources might not be seem immediately applicable to you, which is fine, just think of it as being similar to reviewing a map before going on the hike. This small collection of selected resources may seem overwhelming, but learning the dhamma is a long process, so there is no hurry to read or listen to everything. It is like walking through mist, you don't necessarily notice getting wet. I just want to reiterate that practicing is very important. Buddhism is about doing, and to lesser degree about acquiring book knowledge. One caution, I put several different meditation styles below; go a head and experiment with them, but figure out which one fits you best and stick with it for a while. If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer skillfully. Remember that persistence will bring rewards. Good luck.
Books:
"Stage 1"
With Each & Every Breath: A Guide to Meditation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana [not free] (Free older version)
Noble Strategy by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
The Buddha’s Teachings: An Introduction by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
"Stage 2"
In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon edited by Bhikkhu Bodhi [not free] (A free "clone" can be found at www.suttacentral.net. It has all of the introductions Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote, but uses free translations of the suttas)
The Dhammapada: A New Translation of the Buddhist Classic with Annotations translated by Gil Fronsdal [not free] (A free and reliable translation of the Dhammapada by Anandajoti Bhikkhu)
"Stage 3"
The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya translated by Bhikkhu Nanamoli & Bhikkhu Bodhi [not free] (Free translations of all of the Majjhima Nikaya suttas can be found at www.suttacentral.net. Thanissaro Bhikkhu has translated a free anthology of the Majjhima Nikaya called Handful of Leaves, Volume II: an Anthology from the Majjhima Nikaya)
The Wings to Awakening: An Anthology from the Pali Canon by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Talks:
"Stage 1"
Introduction to Meditation is an audio course by Gil Fronsdal.
Basics is collection of talks by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
The Buddha's Teaching As It Is: An Introductory Course is a series of talks by Bhikkhu Bodhi
Eightfold Path Program is a series of talks by Gil Fronsdal.
Four Noble Truths is a series by Gil Fronsdal and Andrea Fella.
"Stage 2"
Don't eat your fingers. Seriously though, just listen to talks and get a better feel for the dharma.
"Stage 3"
Seven Factors of Awakening is a series of talks by Gil Fronsdal.
A Systematic Study of the Majjhima Nikaya by Bhikkhu Bodhi
Resources:(There are a huge number of great resource. Below are the ones I frequent or have frequented)
Texts: www.suttacentral.net, www.accesstoinsight.org, www.buddhanet.net, www.dhammatalks.org, www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net
Talks: www.dharmaseed.org (huge variety of teachers have talks here), www.dhammatalks.org (Thanissaro Bhikkhu has a huge catalog of talks. He has a straight forward style.), www.audiodharma.org (Gil Fronsdal has very accessible teaching style. He presents the dharma in an almost secular way, but doesn't doesn't diminish it in the process.)
Video: Buddhist Society of Western Australia (Ajahn Brahm is a much loved and accessible teacher), Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu (Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu has a very calm demeanor, and does live Q&A regularly, StudentofthePath (Bhikkhu Jayasara is a recently ordained monk and is an active redditor, u/Bhikkhu_Jayasara), Dhammanet (Bhikkhu Sujato has "loose" and friendly teaching style, but is a serious scholar.)
> I mean with zen he even made it clear that in Japan they sit and sit and sit. Formal zazen. And that he wasn't a fan of that style of zen. He then went on to share the older chan Chinese Zen
You mean the one 'officially' founded by Bodhidharma, famous for allegedly having sat in front of a wall for years? If you are interested in Chan you are better off reading Cleary and people like Sheng Yen. Cleary is good for Taoism as well. He also regularly warns against certain cultic practices involving an undue focus on sitting, stupidly 'emptying' and surpressing the mind, etc etc. You might find his work interesting.
Btw if you are interested in a 'practical' translation of the Tao Te Ching I can recommend this book: https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Ching-Annotated-Explained-Illuminations/dp/1594732043
Since you are interested in stories, I will just add that Cleary has whole anthologies of Zen, Chan and Taoist stories. There are also translators like "Red Pine" who should have some nice translations of various Chan and Taoist texts. Just throwing this in here. It might benefit someone.
And if you want to more obscure but real religions:
And if you want to be very snarky:
If you're looking for more of a story, [Chronicles of Tao: The Secret Life of a Taoist Master] (https://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Tao-Secret-Taoist-Master/dp/0062502190) is an amazing trilogy that anyone interested in the subject should read:
For the first time in one volume—an extraordinary spiritual odyssey of the making of the Taoist master Kwan Saihung. Born into a wealthy family in a remote province of China, Kwan defies his parents' wishes and enters into the rigorous and mysterious discipline of Taoist practice. Renamed "Little Butterfly" by his Taoist masters, he survives the upheaval of the Japanese occupation, and the later the Chinese Revolution, all the while becoming adept in the Taoist arts. Eventually his inner and outer journey lead him to America, where he becomes a Golden Gloves boxer and martial arts instructor.
Part adventure, part parable, Chronicles of Tao travels through a labyrinth of enigmatic Taoist practice, marital arts discipline, and international adventure.
Harold Roth offers his interpretation of most of your questions in his book Original Tao: Inward Training (nei-yeh) and the Foundations of Taoist Mysticism. The Wikipedia article quotes Roth often, and is generally a good source. In order of your questions:
Ellen Chen's Tao Te Ching has exceptional commentary, and her translation explains the particular Chinese characters in the original and the different meanings they could have.
The Dao De Jing (I like this translation, it's annotated and all around great)
Buddhist Boot Camp - Timber Hawkeye
read the stephen mitchell translation of the tao te ching if possible.
http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Laozi/dp/0060812451/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397964505&sr=8-1&keywords=stephen+mitchell+tao
Carefree Dignity by Tsoknyi Rinpoche
Mahamudra: The Moonlight by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal
Vivid Awareness by Khenchen Thrangu
Lankavatara sutra
Hmm, I find Taoism to have slightly better books. Zen Buddhism and Taoism share a lot of things, but they're not the same.
Any book on Zen Koans will be awesome, especially if you understand that the point of a koan isn't to have an answer, but to provoke thought.
As for Taosim, Tao Te Ching is the obvious choice, but also check out "The Tao is Silent" and (no joke) "The Tao of Pooh"
Edit: Moving geographically West, I'd also highly recommend The Enchiridion and The Discourses by Epictetus, and The Meditiations by Marcus Aurelius. The Stoics have a lot in common with traditional Asian religions such as Taosim, Confucionism, and Buddhism when it comes to the ways they think.
The Gia Fu Feng / Jane English translation is the best. The only one worth reading. All others are cheap knockoffs you'd buy in a back alley in a shady part of some major metropolitan area.
Deng Ming Dao's Chronicle of the Dao is an excellent read.
Also, good book on "Vivid Awareness: The Mind Instructions of Khenpo Gangshar ", by (iirc) the root guru of Ven. Chogyam Trumpa (or at least one of his main teachers). (It used to be free on Amazon Kindle Unlimited.)
https://www.amazon.com/Vivid-Awareness-Instructions-Khenpo-Gangshar/dp/1590308166/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473534460&sr=1-1&keywords=vivid+awareness
I recommend Wandering on the Way, it is a translation of the Zhuangzi and talks a lot about philosophical perspective. Also I recommend thinking, if you think you are a philosopher, and thinking is never a bad hobby.
> been mostly ignored in this forum
Mostly maybe, but not entirely. I purchased Original Tao last week on your recommendation. But I haven’t even cracked it open yet. I have done a little research on Daoist meditation online. I don’t have a ton of reading time but that’s high on my list.
i don't know about answering your questions directly, but this book might be of use to you: https://www.amazon.com/Original-Tao-Foundations-Mysticism-Translations/dp/0231115652/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549060546&sr=8-1&keywords=nei+yeh
Here's a good one, I think, especially for a music therapist: Alan Watts: Become What You Are.
>"Life exists only at this very moment, and in this moment it is infinite and eternal. For the present moment is infinitely small; before we can measure it, it has gone, and yet it exists forever. You may believe yourself out of harmony with life and its eternal Now; but you cannot be, for you are life and exist Now."
>In this collection of writings, including nine new chapters never before available in book form, Watts displays the intelligence, playfulness of thought, and simplicity of language that has made him so perennially popular as an interpreter of Eastern thought for Westerners. He draws on a variety of religious traditions, and covers topics such as the challenge of seeing one's life just as it is, the Taoist approach to harmonious living, the limits of language in the face of ineffable spiritual truth, and the psychological symbolism of Christian thought.
Music takes you out of your own head. No past, no future, just now. This note. Now. Listening to music is oftentimes very similar to meditation.
I would also recommend listening to all of Alan Watt's audio recordings as well.
I'm not a teenager but I am a college student. Early 20's. I have learned a great deal from this book Really goes into some Buddhist practices and everyday life. Deals with issues like parties, drinking, money and women. Really practical for a beginner in an ever changing world. I found it really helpful in tough "college" situations. I also want to put out there that Buddhism isn't a religion but a way of life. Explore the world and live your life while being mindful! Good luck.
If you are looking to combat a rising sense of confusion in practicing chaotic magic and attempting to reach your best self, I cannot recommend Mair's translation of the Chuang Tzu (https://www.amazon.com/Wandering-Way-Chuang-Tzu/dp/082482038X)
No book has better encapsulated the way to let go and just be....
You are a gullible and uncritical thinker because your opinion that the Tao of Physics presents a good argument implies your lack of critical thinking skills and familiarity with physics. I care not one whit about your spiritual education or your path of personal liberation, which as far as I am concerned, are completely irrelevant to the discussion at hand. There is no interest in the topic because your response to any criticism is to go read the book, instead of specifically delineating the points which should, in theory, buttress your argument.
You also engage in ad hominem attacks the moment you get even mildly frustrated. It is incredibly insulting for you accuse Mitchellofire of being in high school, which also implies that high schoolers aren't critical thinkers, and mocking his most beautiful experience as his lost virginity behind the bleachers. You also accuse everyone here, myself included, of being "Bill Maher dick riders," mostly for disagreeing with you. You have made the mistake of assuming qualities about those who disagree with you that are simply untrue. That is why you are an ass.
Hey, thanks again for posting all this. I've been doing a lot of research over the last couple days, and I'm finding Buddhism to be amazingly insightful. I like that being undogmatic is at the core. That's something I strive for myself. I recommend the following, if you want to read the Tao Te Ching: http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Ching-Translation-Definitive-Cornerstone/dp/1585426180/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334240830&sr=1-2
It's my favorite translation. Thanks again and have a great day :)
Yo I think I know a book that maybe will help!
Here: "http://www.amazon.com/Essence-Shinto-Japans-Spiritual-Heart/dp/1568364377/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1453875725&sr=8-2&keywords=shinto". It's called "The Essence of Shinto: Japan's Spiritual Heart." It goes way deep into the philosophy of Shinto. I too noticed many similarities between Taoism and Shinto, in particular a reverence for Nature and naturalness as well as a belief in a single spiritual force or power (like Ch'i) that variously manifests as all the phenomena in the universe. There's also a surprisingly similar emphasis on meditation. I would totally check it out if I were you! Also, there's another book you may be interested in! It's called "Original Tao" and it's a modern translation and commentary of an ancient Taoist text (possibly pre-Lao Tzu) which deals heavily with both the concepts of Tao and Ch'i (and their unity, as both can be seen as the basis of all phenomena). I say this because, for me, Ch'i bridges the concepts of God/Spirit and Tao. Ch'i is related to consciousness, the afterlife and vitality, like Spirit, but like the Tao it is the basis of all existence. As someone interested in comparison religions, you may find that useful.
Here's the amazon link: "http://www.amazon.com/Original-Tao-Foundations-Mysticism-Translations/dp/0231115652"
Good luck on your spiritual studies!!
this one? http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Stephen-Mitchell/dp/0060812451
I'm not sure what you've read thus far, but the three most important books in the Daoist canon are, in generally agreed upon order:
The Tao is Silent by Raymond M Smullyan. I don't know much about Eastern philosophy, but based on that except it looks very interesting and relevant.
You want to go on a serious self-discovery trip? Pick up a copy of this book by Alan Watts https://www.amazon.com/Book-Taboo-Against-Knowing-Who/dp/0679723005/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 (its totally affordable used) --- kick back with this book, ingest some kratom, and contemplate the way of things. You'll never be the same, in a good way, of course!!!
Here is another good one: https://www.amazon.com/Become-What-You-Alan-Watts/dp/1570629404/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
In addition to what the others said, get A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher and read them alongside each other.
Tao Te Ching: A New Translation with Commentary by Ellen Chen. She deals with linguistics, showing you how a word was used in other contemporary works. Having studied paleo writings systems and ancient languages, I know how meanings change over time. So her approach was perfect for the way my mind works and gave me greater insight into what is being conveyed. Saves me from having to learn ancient Chinese to better understand the text. :)
There is good old John Chang, in the Magus of Java books. While John Chang is an interesting dude, don't expect anything practical from the books.
Chronicles of Tao is fiction, but an entertaining story. His writing is esoterically accurate in that he draws from other teachers. For example, the different planes described in Astral Dynamics are things he sees while in deep meditation. This absolutely blew my mind at the time until I read a little more about the guy who the books is about. Now I've come to the conclusion that he draws from other authors and teachers.
The author Hua Ching Ni writes a lot of books. He has an acupuncture school in Los Angeles called Yo San University. Some of his stuff is pretty esoteric, but not much practical instruction.
It's definitely worth it to learn some TCM theory.
I honestly haven't come across any good qigong books. I took a class with one of this guy's students, it had a good breadth of standard stances. The book would probably make a good introduction. I'm pretty sure that book is available online somewhere if you are willing to violate copyright laws.
I read a pdf of this book on Taoist Sorcery. It gave some insight to some of the esoteric spirit petitioning crazyness. A lot of ritual and burning of yellow paper.
Other than that it is a lot of meeting different teachers, learning their practices, then going home and working on that stuff. You shouldn't need to keep paying someone in order to keep practicing.
You would like to read - The Tao Of Physics
The author is talking about a psychological process that occurs subconsciously that, once understood, explains how well our actions (thoughts and reasons for action) rest in accordance with the nature of reality. For instance; in Buddhism "grasping" for sense objects or mental objects is a false way of attaining true happiness. We act under the assumption that if we could just attain enough (fame, fortune, praise, pleasure) we would be happy and content; sad fact is that no matter how much you attain, you will eventually lose it forever.
You can see also that it takes a certain kind of arrogance to pretend to be free of control from natural laws, and act rationally as a free agent, yet secretly know (instinctively) to be doomed to grow old and die and to perish from this earthly existence.
This is our real predicament. Earthly death is the end of all sense experience regardless of your belief in an afterlife; if its in some ethereal world that's not physical, well then, your not receiving physical sense impressions and therefore my original statement would be true. So no matter what religion you abide by, the fact that you will perish from this earthly existence and be without a body is TRUE.
You can see easily how well certain religious beliefs actually accomplish facing this fact courageously and with poise and dignity, without cowardice and a multitude of palliatives that can block access to the mind about adjacent perspectives on existence.
*Buddhism never lays claim to absolute values from either lay people or wise yogis. Buddhism simply states a (as if coming from a scientist) truth in the sentence, "all is impermanent". Buddhist teachers then tells us that to follow this line of thought to it's natural logical end is to be convinced of the imperative to live as though the statement is alive every day, and all the time (of course it takes many years practicing meditation).
I believe the psychological "research" conducted in the form of Buddhist practice and philosophy should be treated as invaluable to the rethinking of old western philosophic problems. Invaluable because it shares with us a perspective of the world that, once acknowledged, it's truth "value" beautifully and logically compliment adjacent perspectives and truth systems. Yes truth is subjective, but accepting this leads to a conjecture about the interacting of two truth groups.
IMHO, forget "articulate, accurate synopsis" and get a very realistic, real-world, human understanding of Buddhism. The Buddha Walks into a Bar...: A Guide to Life for a New Generation! has been a huge help for me. It's a very down-to-earth book that explains things for ley people, even novices like me. (< 1 year practicing Buddhism)
There a few meditation suggestions already and second those suggestions. I identify completely with what you described, and my quality of life was starting to suffer because of the side effects. Mindfulness and meditation is helping me get control of my thoughts and live in the "now". This is the book I started with ( http://www.amazon.com/The-Buddha-Walks-into-Bar/dp/1590309375 ).
yeah sure. you can find countless buddhist parables if you just google that exact phrase. Personally, I found a great deal of contentment reading the Tao Te Ching (Taoism, not Buddhism, but similar concepts). Specifically, this translation is my favorite one.
This is my favorite translation, but I agree with the others: read as many as you can.
Read this man:
A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy my undergrad class was based on it.
Your question about Chinese Buddhism is a larger one. You are going to have to start to read about Buddhism first, then the differences between Theravada and Mahayana. Once you know the basic concepts, Mahayana is based on the Diamond Sutra, Heart Sutra, Lankavatara Sutra. You are also going to want to look at the foundations of Chan (Zen, 禅), books such as Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng. Chinese Buddhism is basically Pure Land+Chan.
Anyway, you could have read all this on Wikipedia. Start there.
Books similar to this had an interesting perspective in my oppinion, there is a particular book on it that ill try to find when I get home and give you the title of it.
The book I am talking about had a westernish approach to an eastern philosophy or more to the point it translated certain confusions that come from the different thought processes.
I crack open my copy of The Tao Te Ching now and then.
http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Laozi/dp/0060812451
^It's ^pronounced ^'Dow ^de ^Ching' ;)
Beyond the obvious choices, Watts' The Book, Ram Dass' Be Here Now, Huxley's Doors of Perception, Leary’s The Psychedelic Experience, and of course Fear and Loathing (all of these should be on the list without question; they’re classics), here are a some others from a few different perspectives:
From a Secular Contemporary Perspective
Godel Escher Bach by Douglass Hofstadter -- This is a classic for anyone, but man is it food for psychedelic thought. It's a giant book, but even just reading the dialogues in between chapters is worth it.
The Mind’s Eye edited by Douglass Hofstadter and Daniel Dennett – This is an anthology with a bunch of great essays and short fictional works on the self.
From an Eastern Religious Perspective
The Tao is Silent by Raymond Smullyan -- This is a very fun and amusing exploration of Taoist thought from one of the best living logicians (he's 94 and still writing logic books!).
Religion and Nothingness by Keiji Nishitani – This one is a bit dense, but it is full of some of the most exciting philosophical and theological thought I’ve ever come across. Nishitani, an Eastern Buddhist brings together thought from Buddhist thinkers, Christian mystics, and the existentialists like Neitzsche and Heidegger to try to bridge some of the philosophical gaps between the east and the west.
The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way by Nagarjuna (and Garfield's translation/commentary is very good as well) -- This is the classic work from Nagarjuna, who lived around the turn of the millennium and is arguably the most important Buddhist thinker after the Buddha himself.
From a Western Religious Perspective
I and Thou by Martin Buber – Buber wouldn’t approve of this book being on this list, but it’s a profound book, and there’s not much quite like it. Buber is a mystical Jewish Philosopher who argues, in beautiful and poetic prose, that we get glimpses of the Divine from interpersonal moments with others which transcend what he calls “I-it” experience.
The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila – this is an old book (from the 1500s) and it is very steeped in Christian language, so it might not be everyone’s favorite, but it is perhaps the seminal work of medieval Christian mysticism.
From an Existentialist Perspective
Nausea by Jean Paul Sartre – Not for the light of heart, this existential novel talks about existential nausea a strange perception of the absurdity of existence.
The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus – a classic essay that discusses the struggle one faces in a world inherently devoid of meaning.
----
I’ll add more if I think of anything else that needs to be thrown in there!
Seven Taoist Masters is a great and entertaining read: http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Taoist-Masters-Shambhala-Classics/dp/1590301765
Sounds like a great place to start, I would also suggest reading Chuang-Tzu as a good followup to the TTC as well as picking up another copy of the TTC by a different translator. There is also a recommended reading list in the sidebar. The books are not overly expensive but there are free ebooks available in places if you'd rather save the money.
Edit: Also, because it has helped me so much, I would recommend trying some breathing meditation.
You might enjoy this
Favorite translations of the Tao Te Ching, anyone?
If you're only going to read one, my suggestion is Derek Lin's annotated translation. It's dreadful poetry, but explains the concepts and messages of the verses (some of which are quite alien) well and concisely.
The western view of knowledge is not all there is. You are right about the big bang, but your mode of thinking isn't correct (you aren't wrong, but there is another way of looking at things, which I'm trying to get at). I was vague because that's all I can be. What is the biggest question there is? Why does the universe exist? As opposed to just not existing? Why, as opposed to why not?
I think this book is relevant to this:
http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Physics-Exploration-Parallels-Anniversary/dp/1570625190
EDIT: Also, if you're finding the anticipation of the dialogue distracting, it may be useful to keep in mind that it's not the dialog itself that is causing the "problem". The distraction is the problem, not the dialogue or the anticipation. (I love the question "Can you feel the shape of your hands?")
I found this topic through Sam Harris as well.
I found that Mahamudra for the Modern World was what I was looking for. It's quite pricey, but it's as close as I could get to getting an authentic teacher without traveling and upending my current life. I also found that spending that large amount of money made me take the CD's more seriously and commit more time to them. A bit of a placebo I think, but it was still effective. He also has various shorter and cheaper CD options for guided meditations on his site, but I don't have have experience with those so I can't comment on them.
The CD's are a combination of lectures and guided meditations. It's given me a far more "deep" understanding of the concepts, but also resulted in some of the most profound experiences and realizations in my life. In particular, a mix of tummo and metta meditation about halfway through the series had a huge effect on my state of mind and resulted in huge changes in how I lived my life.
If the CD's aren't an option, I would also recommend Secret of the Vajra World
by the same author, which has been recommended on this sub in the past.
This will be focused on the conceptual understanding of the practice, but I still find it valuable and fascinating.
Also, be aware that you'll be asked to imbibe some religious thinking/concepts (in the words of Harris) as you start pulling information from Dzogchen and Mahamudra instead of from more Western sources like Harris.
Oh man, I could recommend so many.
Kung Fu and Taoism:
The Making of a Butterfly is one of my favorite books. It is about a white kid who starts learning Kung Fu out of a Chinese master's basement back in the 70s, well before Kung Fu was popularized in the West.
Chronicles of Tao by Deng Ming Dao is excellent, a narrative perspective of how Taoism intertwines with the life of a Kung Fu practitioner.
American Shaolin by Matthew Polly is an entertaining and illuminating story that disseminates a lot of the mysticism surrounding the Shaolin Temple.
The Crocodile and the Crane is a fun fictional book that is basically about Tai Chi saving the world from a zombie apocalypse.
My next goal is to tackle The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Of course, I highly recommend the Tao Te Ching and the Art of War as well.
Buddhism: I highly recommend anything Thich Nhat Hanh. Anger and Peace is Every Step are two of my favorites.
Karate and Japanese Arts:
Moving Toward Stillness by Dave Lowry is one of my favorite books, taken from his columns in Black Belt Magazine over the years. A really excellent study on Japanese arts and philosophy.
Miyamoto Musashi: His Life and Writings by Kenji Tokitsu is wonderful. It includes the Book of Five Rings as well as some of Musashi's other works, including many of his paintings.
The 47 Ronin, by John Allyn, a dramatization of the Genroku Ako Incident, is still quite poignant in 2016.
Music, the Brain, and Ecstasy by Robert Jourdain -- a book that explains in mesmerizing detail why music makes us feel good
Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, Stephen Mitchell translation -- a book that explains (among a plethora of other gems of wisdom) why letting go is the only way to gain.
Upvote for mentioning Smullyan - I haven't thought of him in awhile. The Tao is Silen is a fun philosophical read.
No anger here! Just deep love for Chuang Tzu. ❤️ I highly recommend you find a good translation and experience this sublime work yourself. There is no substitute. ETA this is my favorite, FWIW
https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Chuang-Tzu-Sam-Hamill/dp/1570624577/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?keywords=chuang+tzu&amp;qid=1563981579&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-12
but of course opinions vary.
Yi-Ping Ong's translation was my first read of the Tao Te Cheng. As I've read more various translations, this one I still consider the most "authentic" reading in English of the original:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tao-te-ching-lao-tzu/1100013724?ean=9781593082567
On the other hand, my personal favorite and simplest translation (the one I share if people ask me about taoism) is Jonathan Star's translation. Very different than Yi-Ping's but conveys the messages in 'layman's terms'. I do not think it is 1:1 though:
https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Ching-Translation-Definitive-Cornerstone/dp/1585426180/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1494859323&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Tao+Te+Ching%3A+The+New+Translation+from+Tao+Te+Ching
Oriental is usually considered derogatory. Eastern philosophy, Chinese philosophy, Asian philosophy... This is the book I had in college, that I still think is pretty good. http://www.amazon.com/Source-Book-Chinese-Philosophy/dp/0691019649/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1416496265&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=Chinese+philosophy
I have always been partial to Wandering on the Way, Victor Mair's quite good, rather droll translation of the Zhuangzi. I actually wound up quoting parts of it in a novella I wrote.
I'm glad you found some sense of solace in my story and advise. And i gladly read your rant. Which i dont see as a rant because it was well thought out and and informative. I also know what you mean about the codependency and your life being put on hold until she contacts youNow that being said where do i begin....I think i will first adress your priorities and goals, then the tao te ching, then i will bring it all together.
what i meant that in true love the one you love is more important than your goals but not more important than yourself. When i say you must love the other more than your goals what i mean by that is. Is the goals that dont make you, a better version of yourself, you can cast aside for your beloved. For example if training to win a gold medal is getting in the way of your relationship. Cast aside your attempt at glory, it will do you no good. If training to be a better healthier more loving calm version of yourself gets in the way of your relationship. Try and work the relationship around it. Because something you do which betters yourself should never get in the way of your relationship.
Regarding the tao te ching specifically. What i got from it was a sense of calmness and a philsophy which will allow me to better myself while bettering the world around me. that being said "the eternal tao is not the tao which can be spoken"...tao translates somewhat as "the way". One can interpret this as meaning the advice telling you how to do things can never be the advice for all situations. That being said. Everytime one reads the entire tao te ching in its entirety (its about an hour long read) one can sort of feel the tao rather than know it mentally. (There is a difference). Now regardining chi gong, chi gong is based off of daoism which comes mostly from the tao te ching and another book written by Lao Tzu's disciple. All these teachings will make one a better person. But one must practice them on a daily basis. Kind of like how one must eat everyday to maintain the body. One must practice things everyday which maintains the mind.
To draw this all together. That which is good for you and makes you a happier productive person that spreads happiness to others, is also good for the world. I will give you a few bits of advice if you want to go down the taoist path (i mean the philosophy more than the religion. i dont practice the distorted religion that sprouted from it).
6.Yeah i really dont know what else to say i have said a lot. not sure if you want more of my story and personal journey. Because as bad as your situation sounds. I have been in your boat and gotten back together with a girl, and the situation im in right now is even worse but im pretty sure in the future at sometime i can get back with the woman i love the most in the world, of the woman i've met if i improve myself.
Links 1.(the tao te ching) http://www.taoism.net/ttc/complete.htm
\2.The only good chi gong i found online. Very simple. focus on your breathing while you do it every morning. Your habits make you who you are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-E9vJFAj98
3. books to read. Embryonic breathing http://www.amazon.com/Qigong-Meditation-Embryonic-Yang-Jwing-Ming/dp/1886969736
4. the 7 taoist masters. http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Taoist-Masters-Shambhala-Classics/dp/1590301765
last piece of advice is just to reiterate. your habits make you who you are. not your accomplishments.
Good luck (: Let me know if theres anything more you want me to tell you or share. Or if you have any questions (:
oh also the girl i got back with...she came back to me. in my opinion its ok to talk to the mutual friend but not to your ex. until your ex acts like she wants to talk to you. but if you havent gotten yourself together to the point where you feel you can live without her, maybe not as happy as with her, but still happy. Just tell her you are working on yourself, and you dont feel ready to talk.
Sorry! Forgot to reply, was on the go when I read this.
I haven't read much, in truth. I'm a musician, so sound is my thing. I've listened to probably over 500 lectures/audio recordings by Alan Watts and Adyashanti over the past year. Those two changed my life and opened my mind, allowing me to begin the process of becoming the real me. I'll leave you a few that really, really helped me. In terms of books, though:
https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Insecurity-Message-Age-Anxiety/dp/0307741206/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=HD4HJV4XGZMFYQQ8YHYY
https://www.amazon.com/Become-What-You-Alan-Watts/dp/1570629404/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=HD4HJV4XGZMFYQQ8YHYY
https://www.amazon.com/True-Meditation-Discover-Freedom-Awareness/dp/1591794676/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1493318617&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=adyashanti+true+meditation
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-World-Uncensored-Enlightenment/dp/1591797799/ref=pd_sim_14_4?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=1591797799&amp;pd_rd_r=NTAKM081ZBWQN84XRDF5&amp;pd_rd_w=GbrQB&amp;pd_rd_wg=4ikC1&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=NTAKM081ZBWQN84XRDF5
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1493318650&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=eckhart+tolle+the+power+of+now
http://www.lawofone.info/
Now, below I will list a few audio recordings that I absolutely love:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ4_75nT6_M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om1hJX4JN8U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESVoQzOhZNQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbbCkdrAdeI
I much prefer this translation. https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Text-Only/dp/0679724346/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=QJVKBNG4Q2VHD1PH72QP
It's the most beautiful and coherent I have found.
This is the edition I prefer.
Some academics like the Penguin Classics edition. That should probably be your baseline and then take a look at a few different versions. Your library will probably have a few or order them for you to compare before you figure out which one you prefer.
Is this the new Tao book?
https://www.amazon.ca/Tao-Te-Ching-Translation-Definitive/dp/1585426180/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Tao+Te+Ching&qid=1573011775&refinements=p_85%3A5690392011&rnid=5690384011&rps=1&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Silent-Raymond-M-Smullyan/dp/0060674695/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504067045&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=the+tao+is+silent
Consider the classic Daodejing. There are many, many translations. My personal favorites are Liu Ming, Red Pine and Ellen Chen.
For less metaphysics, and more physics, I highly recommend The Tao Of Physics
Although she doesn't actually know Chinese, I've always liked Ursula K LeGuin's poetic "translation" (but maybe that's just cuz of my love of Earthsea)
> What's the best way to study Taoism?
I don't know the best way, but I think reading multiple translations helps of the same works. My favourite version of the Tao Te Ching is the one by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English. I don't know if it is the most accurate, but it is the most poetic of the ones I have found. There are also several translations freely available online.
I also learned a lot from practising Tai Chi from a good teacher - Tai Chi is rooted in Taoist philosophy.
I also highly recommend The Tao of Pooh and The Te Of Piglet by Benjamin Hoff for an in-depth analysis of Taoism from the viewpoint of one of its great western masters - Winnie the Pooh.
I do not know the Wayne Dyer translation, but I have not seen any other translation mention worshipping the Tao. only honouring and respecting it.
Oh my God. Your own post itself is full of pure preciousness and wisdom it needs its own companion.
Commentaries are, IMHO, necessary for both texts (especially so for the Treasury). The Zindri (Zindri means Kunzang Lama’i Shyalung Zindri. Kunzang Lama’i Shyalung Zindri means a text by Khenpo Ngawang Palzang that elaborates on The Words of My Perfect Teacher. It other words Zindri means the book called "A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher") by Khenpo Ngawang Palzang is the standard companion to Words of my Perfect Teacher (at least for practitioners of the Longchen Nyingthik; (Longchen Nyingthig is a hidden Nyingma teachings & practices on Dzogchen revealed by Jigme Lingpa in the 1700s) *there may be others, though I suspect all Nyingmapa lamas and lay teachers use the KLS (*Kunzang Lama’i Shyalung, the Zindri, the book "A Guide To The Words of my Perfect Teacher) and the Zindri side-by-side as their standard teaching and study texts for the LN ngöndro).
Building on u/Namkha_'s comment, the Treasury is presented as a lam rim (literally a "graded path"). The tertön Kangyur Rinpoche's (KR was the teacher to Matthieu Ricard and Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche. He made commentaries on (Yonten Dzo by Jigme Lingpa) and translated in English it's called the Treasury of Precious Qualities ) commentary is one that I've heard many people describe as accessible. The translation group overseen by Kangyur Rinpoche's son, Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche, translated and published the elder Rinpoche's commentary.
&#x200B;
Note to self: Get the Guide to the Words of...and skip the Treasury for now.
[Chronicles of Tao: The Secret Life of a Taoist Master] (http://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Tao-Secret-Taoist-Master/dp/0062502190)
I was in my "season of growth" and the read hit me all kinds in the right places. Not to take away from the great books listed here: the most informative or moving text will do nothing if you are not ready for the message.
Hmmm. seems I got preachy.
Apologies. Read on!
-asu
I went through a heavy Watts phase in college. A few of his books are just transcriptions of his lectures. Become Who You Are is probably my favorite. Most of what he's doing is taking concepts of mindfulness and self from Eastern traditions like Buddhism, and explaining it through a Western style of understanding.
If you like Watts, you would probably like Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. Very similar tones, except this is more of a universal parable.
I'm not sure if people still read this book, but Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was pretty influential for me.
https://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Tao-Secret-Taoist-Master/dp/0062502190/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=57593958193&amp;hvadid=274693974231&amp;hvdev=m&amp;hvlocphy=9031146&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvpos=1t2&amp;hvqmt=b&amp;hvrand=15573932695288763874&amp;hvtargid=kwd-323677046594&amp;keywords=chronicles+of+tao&amp;qid=1555740422&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1
Wow, huge URL, sorry.... but anyway that's the 3 books in one, or you can get the individual books as I suspect this one is abridged. Read the chronicles twice but on reading the individual books I feel there were moments not contained in the all in one, even though I want to say it claims to be unabridged. Kwan Sai Hung, the protagonist will stick with you... As will Grandmaster and Hua mountain in general... A truly luscious read.
Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1594732043/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Z.RQub1NS07Q4
I really like Chronicles of Tao. It's presented somewhat as a memoir but reads like fiction. True or false, I feel like it's a good read that deals directly with Taoism. If nothing else I love fantasizing about all the mountaintop temples in China.
ahh, sorry I missed this. First, I don't have any idea why zhuangzi is underappreciated. I can tell you that it is not underappreciated in the field. But it is not commonly known the way DaoDeJing is.
If you want to read some good stuff about the Zhuangzi, check out Victor Mair's Wandering in the Way or his Experimental Essays.
The big new Huainanzi is out - and is worth a read. I haven't made much progress with the old stuff beyond this. My own work is in later Daoist stuff.
The Lushi Qunqiu is probably not a great one to look in for Daoist stuff. Not sure about the others. Sorry, I know this is not satisfying!
I'm reading this book called A Million Little Pieces about this guy who was severely addicted to just about everything. A really interesting book. Anyway he was too intelligent to give into AA's god stuff and by accident picked up a copy of Tao Te Ching. You know, it's all transcendental and stuff (I think). Though he got in some trouble after Oprah recommended him and later found out that a significant amount of the story is fiction. Wupps! I'm not an addict or anything but your question made me think of James Frey's book.
I read some of his stuff, long time ago, but he doesn't really appeal much to me, to be honest. One book I read recently that contained really lucid and detailed instructions on this tipe of meditation was Vivid Awareness, from Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. Can't recomend it enough.
https://www.amazon.com/Lao-Tzu-Ching-About-Power/dp/1570623953/ref=sr_1_15?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1526954456&amp;sr=1-15&amp;keywords=tao+te+ching
https://www.amazon.com/Dao-Jing-Philosophical-Translation-Mandarin/dp/0345444191/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1526954555&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=roger+ames
Le Guin's book is of particular interest because she is a master of salt-of-the-earth western metaphors, widely recognized as possibly the greatest master of metaphors in the English language today. She has studied the Tao with the best of us and has her usual distinctive interpretation.
The second book, contains an account of Pragmatic Taoism, which is what pre-dated mainland Chinese Taoism, in the isolated southern mountains. Its not my favorite book, but there is no other book like it on the subject that I know of.
My personal favorite, is the Peter Merel GNL interpolation available for free online.
This would be the best late, late, late birthday present of all time if you could help.
The Tree of Enchantment
Tao Te Ching
Sikhism
Grimoire of Crowley
Angel Tech
The Upanishads
And any of the Vedas pretty, pretty please? Much and thanks!!! ALSO Your link of Angels, Demons by Lon Milo DuQuette is broken, I think.
My favorite has been Wing-Tsit Chan's Sourcebook in Chinese Philosophy
It's hard to say, but this is probably your best bet:
http://www.amazon.com/Source-Book-Chinese-Philosophy/dp/0691019649
The guy is somewhat of a God in China, as he translated all of these texts into English himself. If nothing else, that is a major achievement, as it gives you a clean interpretation of the major Chinese writers where the translation of key terms remains the same.
That being said, his footnotes don't really fill you in on how to really understand the texts - they're helpful, but you might need other companion books. To get a full understanding, you'll certainly need to read other texts. But, having all major Chinese works in one place, all translated by the same author, AND for the translations to be pretty decent, makes it a must-by for someone serious about Chinese philosophy.
Might be able to torrent it too - I dono.
EDIT: companion texts that are good: A short history of Chinese philosophy (Feng You Lan), or A history of Asian thought (probably a bad title), by Bernard Schwartz (google the author to find it). Both good, i really like Schwartz, but Feng You Lan's is more introductory.
I think this may be what you're looking for.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1590309375?pc_redir=1405865875&amp;amp;robot_redir=1
Hey, I know I'm late, but I really recommend this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1570624577/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1406661606&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SY200_QL40
It's a lot more flowery and less of a literal translation, but I hear it captures the tone and style of the original much better than strictly literal translations.
no, but i think i am going to get it. it's not bad at all
http://www.amazon.com/reader/1570623953?_encoding=UTF8&amp;ref_=sib_dp_pop_fc&amp;page=1#reader-link
My favourite short non-fiction book (about 240 pages) is definitely The Tao is Silent.
Here
They've gone through the effort of showing why it's worth paying attention to. It's on you to read it.