2 comments about The Book of Balance and Harmony: A Taoist Handbook.

1. Cleary is a great translater. I have read many of his books. I think anyone who wants to understand the eastern culture, would be wise to read his works.



2. Expertly translated into English by Thomas Cleary, The Book Of Balance And Harmony: A Taoist Handbook is an anthology of timeless writings by a thirteenth-century master of the Complete Reality School of Taoism, a movement that traces its roots back to the first millennium CE with the initial aim of returning to the pure roots of Taoism's original purposes. Presenting timeless teachings about Vitality, Energy, and Spirit (the "three treasures" of Taoism that carry the keys to mental and physical well-being), The Book Of Balance And Harmony carries its powerful Taoism-centered message to a new generation of readers in the form of essays, dialogues, and poetry to succinctly encapsulate the core of the Complete Reality School.

5 comments about Lieh-Tzu: A Taoist Guide to Practical Living.

1. The Lieh Tzu is the one of the less known Taoist classics, yet perhaps the most accessable and enjoyable one. It's a collection of 111 stories said to be by the noted scholar Leih-Tzu around the fourth century BCE. (Who's it really by? Who knows? And who cares?)

   The stories cover a variety of topics, such as choosing what is important, how to lead a group of people, archery, choosing ones targets well, Confucius, why one chooses to be a Taoist, and much more.

   My favorite quote is "Enlightenment is a very normal experience, attainable by everyone. Therefore, there is nothing mysterious or secretive about it."

   A simply wonderful, tranquil book that is enjoyable to read and contemplate.




2. One point that should be clarified about this book is that it is not a direct translation of Lieh Tzu. In the intro, the author explains that her goal was to "open up" the text for modern Western readers by essentially retelling the stories in her own way. This is a perfectly valid approach, of course, since she is open about it. In some cases, her renditions sharpen the point and even improve the literary quality of the original. In others, she may have reduced some quirkiness of the original in deference to political correctness, or may have added influences from later Taoist thought. This is a good edition to read for contemplation, but if you are interested in the history of Taoist thought at all, stick with A.C. Graham's more literal translation.



3. The Lieh Tzu is truly one of the most magnificent works of all time. I enjoyed it just as much as the Taoist centerpiece text the Tao Te Ching, and much more than than the Chuang Tzu, another widely ready Taoist classic.
   
   Keep in mind that this edition of the Lieh Tzu is not a direct translation; rather, it is Eva Wong's version that is a generally a very loose translation and interpretation.
   
   I actually prefer this edition slightly more than other more literal translations (by AC Graham [entire text], Lionel Giles [roughly 1/3 of the text], and Anton Forke [Yang Chu chapter].
   
   The Lieh Tzu is for the most part a series of philosophical tales and essays. Though it is categorized as Taoist, it most likely incorporates material from a fairly wide variety of sources.
   
   Overall the text is very interesting, and truly a must read not just for fans of Taoism, but for virtually anybody else.
   
   Also see my review of AC Graham's translation.
   
   Rodney Ohebsion



4. Lao Tzu, the first author of Taoism, described abstruse, metaphorical scenes in abstruse language. Chuang Tzu uses prosaic descriptions, but still described philosophical ideal rather than gritty facts. Lieh Tzu came later. He used prosaic words to describe prosaic, everyday scenes, and to find enlightenment in them.
   
   Many ring true for me. The "yellow mare" reminded me of a technician who was finely attuned to the circuits we used. He was always wrong in his diagnosis onf the problems he showed me. That never mattered. He was always right in pointing out that there was a problem, often based on small clues that I might have missed.
   
   Lieh discusses honesty and friendship, poverty and happiness, great riches and death. Still, the language is always modern and clear, and a good supplement to Chuang and Lao.
   
   My problem, though, is that this isn't a translation. It's Wong's interpretation. She says, early on, "Instead of a straight translation of the sematics of the text, I have decided to present the 'voice' of Lieh Tzu." As much as I like Wong's text, it troubles me. Translation is never exact, but there are degrees of inexactness. I am concerned about how much Lieh's text has suffered.
   
   This is good anyway, and I'll probably come back to it eve if I find a more scholarly Lieh Tzu. This is readable and thought-provoking, no matter what it's authenticity.
   
   //wiredweird



5. What a great version of Lieh Tzu -- much better than any I have read before. I know that Eva Wong (who I have found has done a superb job in translating Taoist texts in general) states that this is somewhat of an "interpretation" rather than a straightforward translation, but I haev to say that it works! She captures the spirit and meaning of Lieh Tzu's words very well indeed. This is one book I will keep near to read and re-read many times.

5 comments about Vitality, Energy, Spirit: A Taoist Sourcebook (Shambhala Dragon Editions).

1. This is a must have for anyone interested in Taoism. Has an excelent selection from numerous important authors from Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu sequentialy through the writing of 20th century Taoists. Superb for the beginner and indespensable to the serious collector.



2. Cleary has done an excellent job of putting a number of essential Taoist texts into one volume. The book begins with some Tao Te Ching and leads straight into some translations of Ancester Lu - not everything, just the essentials.

   There are numerous other texts here and, quite framkly, the book stands quite well as a new start in the tradition of the old classics. That is, there appears to be a lot of 'method' to Cleary's 'madness' of taking only sections of the texts in conjunction with the general development of the material.

   This book contains enough of the classics that it is essential to anyone seriously practicing Qigong. If you have this and a couple of Eva Wong's excellent translations you probably don't need much else for your library.




3. If you study the great way then this book will help you much. If you study qi gong and like to mess with energy then there is also much that this book can offer you. In a nutshell it is the most complete book of philosophy and spiritualistic studies I have ever encountered save for Balfour's "Taoist Texts" unfortunately this text is hard to come by as it's last reprint was in 1975 and it's original translation and first printing was done in 1880. One can find it from used or rare book dealers however, I actually purchased mine from the amazon auction store, it was the only one they had however.



4. A great anthology, and typical of Shambhala publications: concise, factual, and comprehensive! An excellent introduction to understanding Taoism.



5. The most Comprehensive, complete book on the subtle aspects of Taoism ever read. Brought many peices together.

5 comments about The Tao of Inner Peace.

1. I absolutely loved this book. It was very informative and insightful; I could barely put it down. I learned how important it is to achieve spiritual peace with your own mind, body, and environment, before reaching peace at a higher community, national, world level. This book is a must-read for anyone who has read the Tao of Peace and for those of you who need a way to de-stress and wind-down your hectic daily life into a more simplistic, wordly, peaceful life.



2. She uses taoism to fit her personal beliefs rather than adapting her beliefs to fit the philosophy. It's clear she doesn't have a good grasp on what taoism is really all about. Her version is way too new age, holistic, hippie tripe for me. Further the book is written in such puerile language as if it is intended for children, give the reader some credit.



3. I used this book in conjunction with my yoga practice......Body Awareness Consious Living. It was very informative and enlightening. It explained how everything we do affect everything in our world. I was very pleased with this book.



4. Diane Dreher presents one of the most practical guides I have read for bringing personal peace into ones life. The quotes from the Tao Te Ching are used wisely. The exercises are spot on. A book with this many good attributes, surely has a few qualities that bring it back to the realm of the less-than-perfect. She does get on the soap box for ecology. But that it is OK, too. It brings poignancy to the failure to practice the peace of Tao, and the failure to view our existence in the context of the very planet upon which we live. She calls for action from those of us who are still waking up to the challenges we face as our world grows smaller, and the demands grow exponentially. Even so, Ms Dreher maintains optimism for a good outcome.
   
   No matter what your position is on ecology, Ms. Dreher presents a compelling argument, not to mention a very practical guide for establishing peace within oneself.



5. This is an exceptional book. It is a must read by all. I liked the way it has been written, simple, great flow. I liked how the booked progresses..
   
   It is a bible for me and i think the best gift you can give some one.

5 comments about The Secrets of Chinese Meditation: Self-Cultivation by Mind Control As Taught in the Ch'An, Mahayana and Taoist Schools in China.

1. An excellent introduction to the various meditation techniques used by Buddhists and Taoist. A very important message regarding meditation is that the quality of one's meditation is directly proportional to one's virtue. Cultivate virtue and your meditation will be successful. The chapters on Zen and Pure Land meditation techniques are highly recommended. Patriarch Hsu Yun's discourse on using the "hua tou", or koan, is extremely valuable.



2. An excellent book on meditation. Very well written and comprehensive. This book should not only be read, it should be studied. I learn something new from it every time. This is a scholarly work, but it is not difficult to understand. The book is scientific in its study of the mind and how to bring about its control. It has none of the fluff that is associated with some new age books. This book has all substance. It has been in print for dozens of years, and little wonder. It is excellent.



3. This is an interesting book. I have long been a fan of this author after reading a wonderful translation of the Diamond Sutra he did years ago. Here he has laid out the basics of several types of "self cultivation" practiced for centuries in China. He has done so using an interesting style, wherein the bulk of the book is devoted to extensive quotes from original source texts of bygone masters. His own commentary is kept to a minimum, and the reader is left to make his/her own comparisons and conclusions. Starting off with an exposition from the Surangama Sutra, he then deals in turn with the techniques of the Ch'an (Zen), Pure Land, T'ien T'ai (Tendai) and Taoist schools. A larger amount of time was spent on the latter than seemed warranted, and the source material quoted seemed less directly related to most people's practices than the others, but it was still interesting. I was particularly pleased to have such a clear explanation of the Ch'an school, something hard to find in the other writings about it that I have read.



4. As a novice, I found this book troublesome. While the information is very interesting for my Buddhist study, it offered me little practical help in my meditation practices. I do enjoy the text for its readings and explanations of the various schools of Buddhist thought. But I have found better texts and more helpful texts when it comes to instruction on personal meditation.



5. This text deserves all the praise heaped on it by one of the reviewers.There is not a wasted word in it. It is thoroughly practical, and rightly so, because (a) based on the teachings of experienced masters and (b) translated by an eminent lay-practicioner. Master Hsu Yun (1840-1959) recommended that Lu KUan Yu (Charles Luk) should present these texts. Be it the Surangama Sutra, Ch'an (Zen,T'ien Tai or Taoism,everything is presented clearly - allowing for the fact that only a practicing reader - will find the meaning between the lines.One reviewer found the 'Taoist' section difficult,but it is based on the teachings of Chao Pi Chen, a famous Taoist, known all over China, before the revolution. The detailed notes on T'ien Tai practice are for the most part drawn from Master Yin Shih Tsu, an eminent practicioner who cured himself of T.B. - using these techniques. This book is a treasury of helpful advice and relevant information.

No comments about Secret of the Golden Flower.

5 comments about Tao Te Ching Low Price CD.

1. I wish I had known that this wasn't a translation before buying. The author basically uses other people's translations and inserts is own perceptions to replace the wording in many of the verses. I was looking to purchase the Tao Te Ching not Mitchell's philosophy based on the Tao Te Ching. I actually bought the audio and stopped on verse 46. It was this verse that really stood out:
   
   Mitchell's version 46:
   
   When a country is in harmony with the Dao
   The factories make trucks and tractors
   
   When a country goes counter to the Dao
   Warheads are stockpiled outside the cities
   
   There is no greater illusion than fear
   No greater wrong than preparing to defend yourself
   No greater misfortune than having an enemy
   
   Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe.
   
   
   It is obvious from the above that the author took license with the original (because Lao Tzu would not have mentioned trucks, tractors, warheads, etc), but what is worse, if you review other translations, he obviously inserted his own pacifistic thinking into the version which changed the whole meaning (no greater wrong than trying to defend yourself for example). To illustrate, see the translation from Jonathan Star's book:
   
   When Tao is present in the empire
   men follow their own nature and riding horses work the fields
   
   When Tao is absent from the empire
   men go astray and war horses breed on sacred ground
   
   There is no greater loss than losing Tao
   No greater curse than desire
   No greater tragedy than discontentment
   No greater fault than selfishness
   
   Contentment alone is enough
   Indeed, the bliss of eternity can be found in your contentment
   
   
   Jonathan Star's translation is more literal (in his book he provides the actual Chinese so you can check his translation). Mitchell's "version" is basically Tao Te Ching with Mitchell's own world view intermixed to the point that it changes the meaning of what is being said. He does this throughout his book.
   
   Like I said in the title, Buyer Beware



2. I bought this book on a whim at a local bookstore. When I started reading it, something seemed a little off with the text. I started checking it against other versions online, and the phrasing and wording is way different from the majority of translations.
   
   As someone who has knowledge of Greek and Hebrew, I know how tall an order it is to translate an ancient language faithfully, especially one where context is so key. I appreciate Mitchell's efforts and feel that this is an interesting book, but I felt a bit deceived by its label. To me, anyway, "A New English Version" suggested it was a translation, but that's not the case. It's _based_ on the Tao Te Ching and has some great insights in the form of his interpretation, but it's not a translation. This would be a great book to get after you already have two other translations of the Tao Te Ching, just to give a different perspective and make you think.
   
   I don't yet have another version of the Tao Te Ching, so I returned this today. I'm checking out translations recommended by some of the other reviewers, and hopefully will find something that's poetic, yet faithful to the original tone and has lots of footnotes to mention alternative translations.



3. This book has true value...unlike most books the Tao Te Ching can help you find meaning and truth in life.



4. The word warhead appears in this text. When I read it, I became suspicious of the entire book and the reading became unpleasant as a result. After reading reviews, my worst fear was affirmed: this is not the Tao Te Ching. This is more of a paraphrase of various translation with the author's own language thrown in.
   
   I know that the Tao cannot be conveyed through words. It is better to say that the Tao Te Ching describes around it, like hands attempting to contain a ball, concealing it so that it cannot be seen while hinting at its shape and size. The ball is there, but the hands conceal it. Lift the hands and the ball shall be seen! It is not there, but it is. This book is like a pair of hands, but they are dirty. They have been sneezed in. It is impolite to offer one's hand to shake when it has been sneezed in!



5. If you buy this book and accept the knowlege bestowed upon you, it will transform you life forever.

1 comments about Hara: The Vital Center of Man.

1. This is a fundamentally important book for anyone seriously interested in any of the Eastern "Ways": sitting meditation, martial arts (external or internal), yoga, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, calligraphy etc. The clarity of the author's explanations is surprisingly crisp and practical.

   This book was written in 1956, originally in German, so the grammar is a bit old-fashioned, and "man" is used exclusively for "person", but on the up-side, a refreshing air of unbridled enthusiasm prevails throughout.

   I VERY highly recommend this gem of a book to serious spiritual seekers, martial artists, fine artists, all healers esp body workers, and those wishing to have deeper insight into Eastern philosophy.

1 comments about The Taoist Classics, Volume 1: The Collected Translations of Thomas Cleary (Taoist Classics (Shambhala)).

1. Many translations of the Tao Te Ching and Chuang Tzu are merely stylized evocations of religious philosophy. However, Cleary's profound understanding of the texts and his translatory genius in itself is an affirmation of the Taoist doctrine: strive for simplicity and you shall reach profundity. This is a translation which can be applied to everyday situations and yet does not shirk from metaphysics.

4 comments about The Book of Leadership and Strategy: Lessons of the Chinese Masters.

1. i read on the subject of eastern philosophy and the book of leadership and strategy is one that encompasses a typical taoist thought. very informative, and makes more sense than most holy books. thomas cleary is on my list of authors



2. This book is more philosophical than some others of similar titles and natures are. It views leadership and strategy through the lens of Taoist thinking, and as such is more concerned with the spiritual and ethical development of a leader. The book is broken into four sections: State and Society; Warfare; Peace; and Wisdom. Each is linked to the other, and follows the previous topic. There is a lot of discussion on the health of a given society, and how both the heads of a society as well as the people within it reflect and affect its overall health. There is a lot of focus on the causes and effects of warfare, as well as the ethics of waging war properly.

   This is a small book, one that you can keep in your pocket or briefcase, perfect in size for reading on the train into work or while sitting in a doctor's office. It's full of essays that will make you think, and perhaps re-evaluate how you deal with certain situations in your life. It is worth buying, no question about that.




3. Cleary brings us another brief, readable translation from the Taoist canon. This time, it's a compilation of extracts from the Huainan Tzu (or Huainanzi). Unlike other books, this has multiple authors, guest philosophers in the court of a king of the small Huainan nation. If there's any choppiness in this list of brief lessons, it's probably due to the book's mixed origin rather than Cleary's editing.
   
   He chose to arrange the aphoristic anecdotes into four chapters, on State, Warfare, Peace, and Wisdom. These readings are much less direct than other authors on statecraft - Han Fei Tzu or Sun Tzu are clearer to a modern reader, and more immediately applicable. Like other Taoist authors, these convey the sense that proper following of The Way is the only goal. Within The Way all other things, including peace, prosperity, and victory, ensue with the inevitability of water flowing down hill.
   
   Some of these teachings are clear enough, though, and applicable immediately in today's world. "In early spring, ... pregnant animals are not to be killed and birds' eggs are not to be taken." Natural and agricultural resources need to be managed properly in order to stay productive for the long term. It's a lesson that is too rarely remembered in modern policy-making, when resources must be stretched to feed so many more people. Elsewhere, the Huainan masters direct their invasion forces not to destroy resources or plunder the populace, in order to keep the majority's good will after a change of regime. They knew this over two thousand years ago, but we're still applying the lesson only poorly today.
   
   This isn't in the first rank of Taoist writings, but it's a readable and worthwhile addition for anyone who wants to dig a bit deeper. It complements Sun Tzu and Mo Tzu as much as it does Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu. It gives a little extra perspective on today's world, too.
   
   //wiredweird
   
   PS: This book's content also appears as one section of a larger collection, Cleary's "The Taoist Classics, Volume I."



4. This book of Huainanz is full of wisdom. It pretty simply to apply in all aspect of life & business world too. I am a student now, studying this chinese masters has help me reach a new level of understanding.