Tao Te Ching

From RationalWiki

The Tao Te Ching is a Chinese philosophical work, compiled between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE. The author is unknown, but it is popularly ascribed to 老子 Lao Tzu.

Its 81 chapters are short, and are written in an aphoristic style (eg: "those who think they know never learn"), and attempt to describe the 道 Tao ("the Way") and the virtues of wisdom.

As a religious work, it has three advantages:

It doesn't mention God.
It's short.
You don't get Taoists ringing your doorbell while you're still in bed to lecture you about it.
Taoists don't insist that schools should incorporate Taoist rituals in the classroom.

[edit] Themes

Many esoteric themes pervade the Tao Te Ching. One of these themes is the benefit of nothingness, stillness, or emptiness. An example of this is that the true usefulness of a jar is the empty area inside the jar. Another is that everything depends on its opposite to exist as a concept. For example, the term "light" has no meaning without the existence of the term "dark".

[edit] Philosophical or Religious?

Purely philosophical taoism is called 道家 daojia and treats the Tao Te Ching as a guide to help one's actions conform with the way of nature. Religious taoism is called 道教 daojiao and is focused on extending human life and avoiding evil spirits.