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  • Tao Te Ching

  • The Essential Translation of the Ancient Chinese Book of the Tao
  • Written by: John Minford, Lao Tzu
  • Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
  • Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (37 ratings)

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Tao Te Ching

Written by: John Minford, Lao Tzu
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
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Publisher's Summary

The original mindfulness book, in a landmark new translation by the award-winning translator of the I Ching and The Art of War

The most translated book in the world after the Bible, the Tao Te Ching, or “Book of the Tao,” is a guide to cultivating a life of peace, serenity, and compassion. Through aphorisms and parable, it leads readers toward the Tao, or the “Way”: harmony with the life force of the universe. Traditionally attributed to Lao-tzu, a Chinese philosopher thought to have been a contemporary of Confucius, it is the essential text of Taoism, one of the three major religions of ancient China. As one of the world’s great works of wisdom literature, it still has much to teach us today, offering a practical model based on modesty and self-restraint for living a balanced existence and for opening your mind, freeing your thoughts, and attaining greater self-awareness. With its emphasis on calm, simplicity, purity, and non-action, it provides a time-tested refuge from the busyness of modern life.

This new translation seeks to understand the Tao Te Ching as a guide to everyday living and encourages a slow, meditative reading experience. The Tao Te Ching’s eighty-one brief chapters are accompanied by illuminating commentary, interpretation, poems, and testimonials by the likes of Margaret Mead, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Dr. Wayne W. Dyer.

©2018 John Minford (P)2018 Penguin Audio
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What the critics say

“The power of the ­Lao-­tzu’s imagery and, ultimately, the simplicity of its message seem to be able to overcome the problems of language and of distance in time and place, so that at the end of the twentieth century, this has become one of the most influential of texts, cherished by people in all walks of life throughout the world.” (From the introduction by Sarah Allan)

What listeners say about Tao Te Ching

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Wisdom of the Tao

This Wayne Dyer fan finally listens to the wisdom of the Tao. There are a lot of opposite statements that are confusing. The main repeating word is "non-action'. Then I listen to Tony Robbins who says "you need to take massive action". LOL Seriously though, the main message is "go with the flow" of life and don't let things bother you too much.

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Calming and inner-reflective resource

Really like the calming voice and a resource to go back to and continue to reflect and meditate on.

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Exactly what you came here for.

You're looking to read about Confucius. This is the one for you! Read and performed very well.

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Comprehensive and meditative

I really value this version of the Tao Te Ching. Minford’s translations, along with alternate translations, poems and historical context for each of the chapters provided a deeper and broader appreciation for this classic. The narrator suited the material well and his tone and pacing turned my listening into a meditation experience.

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