[.ca] Tao Te Ching: A New English Version, with Forword and Notes (ISBN 0060955430)

I am very confused as to how exactly this book got Published:
My copy of the Daodejing is a wood-block print edition from China in traditional characters, thus, I don't really bother with buying new English Translations, especialy ones prepared for hippy wannabees by scholars with no credentials playing off of New Age fantasies and pop-culture. Still, a freind of mine was given this book and brought it to me for evaluation, and honestly, I am very confused. I am confused as to why someone who does not speak Chinese would translate a book that is, even to Chinese speakers, elusive and dificult. I am confused as to why a person would seek to rephrase a work that has already been translated inumerable times when they have nothing new to offer in it's study. Rephrasing other English language works is not typicaly something people pay for... other wise I will get right to work on rephrasing the works of Ernest Hemingway, and we'll see if the same publisher would pay me to do it. I am confused as to why it is so hard for someone to get published if they have degrees and years of study in Chinese philosophy when apparently this novice can waltz in and publish something that isn't even good. I swear, I want his agent. He could probably sell snow to an eskimo. I am confused as to why so many people would seem to get their study of philosophy from sources no more sophisticated than a shopping mall or a quote of the day calendar. New Age spirituality in America is very confusing to me, because it is taken so serriously, but it is so superficial. Anyone who had their 'mind totaly blown' by this book, or who gained a deep reverence for the ways of the east after reading it should realy realize they know nothing about what they are talking about, even if it does impress their friends at the coffeeshop. Finaly, I am confused and so is Mr. Mitchell. He explains that he is qualified to make his marginal contribution because he spent a lot of time in Zen training. I'm a scholar of religions, so I don't want to make this too technical, but Zen is a form of Japanese Buddhism (it's Chinese counterpart is Chan) and the Daodejing is a work of Chinese Taoism. If he came face to face with Lao Zi during his Zen training, then I would hope his Roshi hit him really really hard with his Zen Stick. Zen is Buddhist, the Daodejing is Daoist. Buddhist pracitioners venerate the Buddha, Daoist venerate the Dao, hence the names. Although there is some question of the integration of early Taoist principles into Chinese Chan Buddhism, the overlap is a concern for accademic scholars at best, and certainly, no Zen monastery keeps a copy of the Daodejing or a picture of Lao Zi around. Can we presume that Mr. Harrison was not paying enough attention during his Zen training to realize that modern Japanese Zen Buddhism and Chinese Taoism have nothing to do with eachother? What kind of training did he have? In the end, I am just confused as to why someone would pay money for this book when there are others much better out there, others that are, for instance, actual translations.

Liberal translation of an ancient classic:
Stephen Mitchell's translation of the Tao te Ching is a refreshing departure from most literal translations of such works. The fact that he attempts to translate the meaning as opposed to the language of the text is what makes it refreshing as well as suspect. The reader must rely upon Mitchell's spirtual background to have faith that they are reading a book by Lao Tzu as opposed to Stephen Mitchell. This is a good book for a reader seeking an easy to read Tao. More serious readers should consider reading a more standard translation prior to reading this book. Despite this caveat, I found this to be an excellent second book and read it more often that the more literal translation that I also own.

Modern Version of an Ancient Classic:
Tao Te Ching is ancient, now a couple of millenia in print. Stephen Mitchell has not translated this classic, but rather has paraphrased it -- as he admits in the Foreward. But he is a Zen student of a couple of decades and has good insight into the Zen of the Tao (Zen Buddhism is Buddhism heavily dosed with Taoism). Mitchell's version of the Tao Te Ching is very, even extremely, modern. Perhaps to the point of being "politically correct." However, he does have a way with words and this is a very readable version of the Tao. To show how modern it is, let's take an example and compare his version of the beginning of chapter 46 with two other versions: - Mitchell "When a country is in harmony with the Tao, the factories make trucks and tractors. When a country goes counter to the Tao, warheads are stockpiled outside the cities." - Victor Mair "When the Way prevails under heaven, swift horses are relegated to fertilizing fields. When the Way does not prevail under heaven, war-horses breed in the suburbs." - Addiss & Lombardo "With TAO under heaven Stray horses fertilze the fields. Without TAO under heaven, Warhorses are bred at the frontier." Obviously, there were no factories, trucks, tractors, or warheads in ancient China. So, Mitchell is providing a modern interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, while Mair as well as Addiss & Lombardo are closer to a literal translation (which is not possible however, because the Chinese language and the English language are so completely different from one another.) None of this is to find fault with Stephen Mitchell. This is just to say that his book cannot be definitive, because it is less literal and not really a translation. However it is good, compelling reading, and honestly makes no pretense of being a literal translation. If you like Mitchell's approach, get one of the more literal translations too. I bet Stephen Mitchell himself would like you to have both.

GREAT INTERPRETATION:
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT INTERPRETATION OF "THE WAY" AND "TAO." IT'S SIMPLE...DIRECT....AND NOT "I'M GOING TO USE BIG WORDS TO MAKE YOU THINK I'M SMART". JUST PLAIN, SIMPLE, DIRECT ENGLISH TRANSLATION. THIS BOOK WILL TEACH YOU A LOT ABOUT WISDOM, PSYCHOLOGY, AND OBSERVANCES IN EVERYTHING FROM WORK, TO RELIGION, AND ESPECIALLY EVERYDAY LIFE! IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT CONNECTS YOU WITH YOUR FIRST INSTINCTS ON THINGS. I RECCOMMEND THAT YOU BUY THIS.

Absolutely excellent!:
This book was a gift from a great friend of mine about fifteen years ago. I still read it from time to time because it gives me a different message each time I read it. These passages touch our hearts in different ways depending on where we are in my life. I cherish this book just like I cherish the friendship I have with the great person who gave this to me. This same friend also gave me a different book a while ago called "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" by Toru Sato. I really really love it too! This book is more concrete in its explanations but the central message is the same. Appreciate the life you are given. Love, care for, and respect everyone and everything around you. The most respectful person is the person who can keep his or her heart open no matter what happens. Enjoy the wonders of life!