Tao Te Ching line by line comparison

This project was made possible by students of Wayism in preparation for ordination as Counsellors.

 

We do not guarantee 100% accuracy. It is always better to buy a translator's book, read the insight and background. Learn and appreciate why a work is translated in its particular manner.

Some translators of Tao Te Ching work from Chinese, others from Japanese originals; cultures and ancient traditions have a particular influence on how ancient metaphysical texts are differently understood.

As with several great works in this class, more often than not, the text has more than one layer of meaning. The purpose for this is to make the text useful for people of various levels of spiritual development.

Someone may read the text with moral spectacles, another will see advice on how to run government, another will see military strategy and alas, a few will see the spiritual.

It is for this reason that books like Dao De Jing become lifelong companions on one's journey in the Way.