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Dào Dé Jīng

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    The Dào Dé Jīng (道德经) is a Chinese text believed to have been written by philosopher Lǎozǐ, who is also considered the founder of Daoism. The earliest specimen found is on the Guōdiàn bamboo slips discovered in 1993 and dated to the fourth century BCE.

    Since the Dào Dé Jīng admonishes rulers to "do nothing" and counsels against war, it has been viewed as one of the earliest exponents of libertarian thought.

    Table of Contents

    PREFACE xi
    INTRODUCTION
    I. Was Tâoism older than Lâo-𝔷ze? 1
    II. The Texts of the Tâo Teh King and Kwang-𝔷ze Shû, as regards their authenticity and genuineness, and the arrangement of them 4
    III. What is the meaning of the name Tâo? and the chief points of belief in Tâoism 12
    IV. Accounts of Lâo-𝔷ze and Kwang-𝔷ze given by Sze-mâ Khien 33
    V. On the Tractate of Actions and their Retributions 38
    The Tâo Teh King
    Part I 45
    1 Embodying the Tâo 47
    2 The Nourishment of the Person 47
    3 Keeping the People at Rest 49
    4 The Fountainless 49
    5 The Use of Emptiness 50
    6 The Completion of Material Forms 51
    7 Sheathing the Light 52
    8 The Placid and Contented Nature 52
    9 Fulness and Complacency contrary to the Tâo 53
    10 Possibilities through the Tâo 53
    11 The Use of what has no Substantive Existence 54
    12 The Repression of the Desires 55
    13 Loathing Shame 56
    14 The Manifestation of the Mystery 57
    15 The Exhibition of the Qualities of the Tâo 58
    16 Returning to the Root 59
    17 The Unadulterated Influence 60
    18 The Decay of Manners 61
    19 Returning to the Unadulterated Influence 62
    20 Being Different from Ordinary Men 62
    21 The Empty Heart, or the Tâo in its Operation 64
    22 The Increase granted to Humility 65
    23 Absolute Vacancy 65
    24 Painful Graciousness 67
    25 Representations of the Mystery 67
    26 The Quality of Gravity 69
    27 Dexterity in Using the Tâo 70
    28 Returning to Simplicity 71
    29 Taking no Action 71
    30 A Caveat against War 72
    31 Stilling War 73
    32 The Tâo with no Name 74
    33 Discriminating between Attributes 75
    34 The Task of Achievement 76
    35 The Attribute of Benevolence 77
    36 Minimising the Light 78
    37 The Exercise of Government 79
    Part II 80
    38 About the Attributes of the Tâo 80
    39 The Origin of the Law 82
    40 Dispensing with the Use (of Means) 83
    41 Sameness and Difference 84
    42 The Transformations of the Tâo 85
    43 The Universal Use (of the Action in Weakness of the Tâo) 87
    44 Cautions 87
    45 Great or Overflowing Virtue 88
    46 The Moderating of Desire or Ambition 88
    47 Surveying what is Far-off 89
    48 Forgetting Knowledge 90
    49 The Quality of Indulgence 91
    50 The Value set on Life 92
    51 The Operation (of the Tâo) in Nourishing Things 93
    52 Returning to the Source 94
    53 Increase of Evidence 96
    54 The Cultivation (of the Tâo), and the Observation (of its Effects) 97
    55 The Mysterious Charm 99
    56 The Mysterious Excellence 100
    57 The Genuine Influence 100
    58 Transformation according to Circumstances 101
    59 Guarding the Tâo 102
    60 Occupying the Throne 103
    61 The Attribute of Humility 104
    62 Practising the Tâo 105
    63 Thinking in the Beginning 106
    64 Guarding the Minute 107
    65 Pure, unmixed Excellence 108
    66 Putting One's Self Last 109
    67 Three Precious Things 110
    68 Matching Heaven 111
    69 The Use of the Mysterious (Tâo) 112
    70 The Difficulty of being (rightly) Known 112
    71 The Disease of Knowing 113
    72 Loving One's Self 114
    73 Allowing Men to take their Course 116
    74 Restraining Delusion 117
    75 How Greediness Injures 117
    76 A Warning against (Trusting in) Strength 118
    77 The Way of Heaven 119
    78 Things to be Believed 120
    79 Adherence to Bond or Covenant 121
    80 Standing Alone 122
    81 The Manifestation of Simplicity 123

    Articles

    China's Legacy: The Thoughts of Lao Tzu, by James A. Dorn, South China Morning Post, 4 Sep 2007
    Contrasts the teachings of Laozi with respect to government intervention with the lingering effects of Mao Zedong's legacy
    In writing the Dao De Jing [Lao Tzu] argued that if governments followed the principle of wu‐​wei (non‐​action), social and economic harmony would naturally emerge and people would prosper. The essence of this liberal vision is concisely stated in Chapter 57: "The more restrictions and limitations there are, the more impoverished men will be ... The more rules and precepts are enforced, the more bandits and crooks will be produced. Hence, we have the words of the wise [ruler]: Through my non‐​action, men are spontaneously transformed. Through my quiescence, men spontaneously become tranquil ..."
    Related Topics: China, Government, Lǎozǐ

    Books

    Te-Tao Ching (Modern Library)
        by Lǎozǐ, 1993
    Translated and with and introduction by Robert G. Henricks; partial contents: The Ma-wang-tui Manuscripts of the Lao-tzu and Other Versions of the Text - The Philosophy of Lao-tzu - Translator's Note - Te (Virtue) - Tao (The Way)