This collection of translated texts includes: • Understanding Reality: A Taoist Alchemical Classic: A tenth-century text on the principles of inner alchemy. • The Inner Teachings of Taoism: The essentials of self-transformation according to the Complete Reality School of Taoism, with commentary by Liu I-ming. • The Book of Balance and Harmony: These essays, conversations, poetry, and songs about the secrets of Taoism teach how to live a centered and orderly life. • Practical Taoism: A collection of the most accessible of the texts on inner alchemy.
The I Ching , or "Book of Change," is considered the oldest of the Chinese classics and has throughout history commanded unsurpassed prestige and popularity. Containing several layers of text and given numerous levels of interpretation, it has captured continuous attention for well over two thousand years. It has been considered a book of fundamental principles by philosophers, politicians, mystics, alchemists, yogins, diviners, sorcerers, and more recently by scientists and mathematicians. This first part of the present volume is the text of the I Ching proper—the sixty-four hexagrams plus sayings on the hexagrams and their lines—with the commentary composed by Liu I-ming, a Taoist adept, in 1796. The second part is Liu I-ming's commentary on the two sections added to the I Ching by earlier commentators, believed to be members of the original Confucian school; these two sections are known as the Overall Images and the Mixed Hexagrams. In total, the book illuminates the Taoist inner teachings as practiced in the School of Complete Reality. Well versed in Buddhism and Confucianism as well as Taoism, Liu I-ming intended his work to be read as a guide to comprehensive self-realization while living an ordinary life in the world. In his attempt to lift the veil of mystery from the esoteric language of the I Ching , he employs the terminology of psychology, sociology, history, myth, and religion. This commentary on the I Ching stands as a major contribution to the elucidation of Chinese spiritual genius.
This extraordinary collection of teachings and commentaries illuminates the many profound mysteries of inner alchemy, one of the most important dimensions of the Taoist tradition. The science of inner alchemy consists of meditation practices that enable the individual to have a more intimate, energizing, and inspiring relationship with life. Although these techniques are described in the sourcebooks of ancient Taoism, they are often couched in cryptic symbolic language, making it difficult for today's seekers t put these teachings into practice. Some classical Taoist writers, however, did adopt a more explicit manner of expression. Practical Taoism is a collection of writings from these more accessible commentators on the traditional alchemical texts, compiled by a seventh-generation master of the Northern Branch of the Complete Reality School of Taoism known as the Preserver of Truth.
This compact collection of Taoism's greatest masterpieces introduces its most fundamental teachings and reveals the essential spirit of Tao. From the time of its earliest sages in prehistoric China, Taoists have looked to the underlying Way of all things (the Tao) as the essential guide to life. For them, the patterns of nature revealed the answers to their deepest spiritual questions and provided the inspiration for their unique teachings. Over the centuries, Taoism has blossomed into a profound tradition with a variety of forms—all united by a single, core philosophy of radical simplicity and natural living. Today, Taoism is most widely known through the Tao-te Ching, yet its corpus of literature is vast—ranging from philosophical dialogues and essays to astonishing fables, legends, proverbs, and more. This compact collection of Taoism’s greatest masterpieces introduces its most fundamental teachings and reveals the essential spirit of Tao. This book was previously published under the title The Taoism Reader. This volume includes: Tao-te Ching: The foundational source of Taoist thought by the legendary Lao Tzu Chuang-tzu: Philosophical dialogues from one of Taoism's most famous sages Huai-nan-tzu: Teachings from the time of the Han dynasty on affairs of state, natural science, and Taoist psychology Wen-tzu: Records of further sayings by Lao Tzu on the art of living Tales of Inner Meaning: Fables, stories, and jokes from the Lieh-tzu and others on the subtleties of Taoist philosophy Sayings of Ancestor Lu: Teachings from Lu Yen, a seminal figure in the founding of the Complete Reality school of Taoism and master synthesizer of China's classic spiritual traditions This book is part of the Shambhala Pocket Library series. The Shambhala Pocket Library is a collection of short, portable teachings from notable figures across religious traditions and classic texts. The covers in this series are rendered by Colorado artist Robert Spellman. The books in this collection distill the wisdom and heart of the work Shambhala Publications has published over 50 years into a compact format that is collectible, reader-friendly, and applicable to everyday life.
Taoist inner alchemy is a collection of theories and practices for transforming the mind and refining the self. The Inner Teachings of Taoism includes a classic of Chinese alchemy known as Four Hundred Words on the Gold Elixir. Written in the eleventh century by a founder of the Complete Reality School, this text is accompanied by the lucid commentary of the nineteenth-century adept Lui I-ming.
This collection of brief meditative essays illustrates the ancient philosophy that holds the key to success in all aspects of life The Tao is the ancient Chinese "Way" that has inspired numerous books, from The Tao of Physics to The Tao of Sex. This book, written by an 18th-century Taoist adept, might be called ”The Tao of Tao.” In 142 brief meditative essays, author Liu I-ming uses simple language and natural imagery to express the essence of the wisdom that holds the key to success in every human endeavor.
The most famous and influential Taoist text, the Tao-te Ching is traditionally attributed to Lao Tzu, supposedly a contemporary of Confucius (551-471 B.C).
"Ursula K. Le Guin, a student of the Tao Te Ching for more than fifty years, offers her own thoughtful rendering of the Taoist scripture. She has consulted the literal translations and worked with the scholar J. P. Seaton to develop a version that lets the ancient text speak in a fresh way to modern people, while remaining faithful to the original Chinese. This rendition reveals the Tao Te Ching's immediate relevance and power, its depth and refreshing humor, illustrating better than ever before why it has been so loved for more than 2,500 years. Included are Le Guin's own personal commentary and notes along with two audio CDs of the text read by the author, with original music composed and performed by Todd Barton."--Publisher's website.
