Tao Te Ching means the book of the way and its power. It is written by Lao Tsu as a guide for rulers. Lao Tsu was a great philosopher and a poet of ancient China. He is the founder of Taoism.
Tao Te Ching
The essence of Taoism is contained in the eighty-one chapters of the book.
Some of the inspiring ideas are given below.
Silence is a source of great strength
- When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you.
- Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way social things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking. The whole world belongs to you.
- Treat those who are good with goodness, and also treat those who are not good with goodness. Thus goodness is attained.
- Be honest to those who are honest, and be also honest to those who are not honest. Thus honesty is attained.
- To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.
A couple of wonderful social passages from the book are given below:
“Simplicity, patience, compassion.
Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all social beings in the world.”
“A social leader is best when people barely know he exists. Of a good leader, who talks little, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say, “We did these ourselves.”
Taoism is concerned with a more spiritual and social philosophy level of being, where as Confucianism is concerned with day to day rules of conduct.
