Tekst achterflap

The ancient Chinese text, the 'Tao Teh Ching', attributed to the philosopher Lao Tzu, has survived the ravishes of time and is said to be older than the Egyptian culture. Originally written in the Chinese ideograph medium, which uses graphic symbols rather than words, many attempts have been made to translate this work, but very few provide a spiritually enlightening commentary or explanation for the pupil on a Gnostic path. The Tao Teh Ching is a brief text consisting of only 81 short chapters, yet it is so charged with meaning that it contains all knowledge the seeker for liberation needs to know.

In this book, the co-authors, Jan van Rijckenborgh and Catharose de Petri, not only 'unveil' this hidden symbolic language for the reader, bringing its spiritual relevance into the present, but show us how the same fundamental truths that have always remained part of the Universal Wisdom throughout human history. Measuring our current state of being against that which Lao Tzu calls 'the Only Good', the reader is not only brought to the same reality that Jesus portrays in the words, 'there is non good, not one', but also, through these same words of Lao Tzu, is shown the wonder and beauty that awaits all those who begin to understand.

Beschrijving

The Tao Te Ching is explained by the authors as a Gnostic writing. Gnosis is the inner knowledge that leads the seeker on the inner path of redemption. The Tao Te Ching is shown by Catharose de Petri and Jan van Rijckenborgh to contain everything that the searcher for the truth needs. In their words: 'Every pupil on the path must read and reread the Tao Teh Ching. Why? The Other, for whom Tao is destined, is caught in you and you can release him by letting him awaken in you, by self-surrender in wu wei.' In this volume the authors comment on the first 33 of the 81 verses of Tao Te Ching.

Inhoudsopgave

Preface

Introduction

1 Being and not-being

2 Wu Wei

3 Do not attach status to worthiness

4 Tao is empty

5 The All-Manifestation does not love as humans do

6 The spirit of the valley never dies

7 The macrocosm lasts eternally

8 The sage's heart is deep as an abyss

9 Do not touch the filled vase

10— I He who subordinates the ego will rule the kingdom with love

10— II The sage abides in perfect tranquillity

10— III The mysterious virtue

11 There is no empty space

12 Sight, hearing, taste

13 Favour and disfavour are things of fear

14— 1 Look at Tao and you do not see it

14— II The thread of Tao

15— I The five characteristics of good philosophers

15— II The impurities of the heart

16 The utmost emptiness

17 The people and their princes

18 When Tao was neglected, humanism and justice appeared

19— I Abandon knowledge

19— II Renounce these things

20— I Abandon study

20— II The world has become a wilderness

20— III I alone am different from the common people

21— I In its creation, Tao is indefinite and difficult to trace

21— II Tao, the great power at the heart of all things

21—III Rebirth in Tao

22— I The four great possibilities

22— II The sage makes himself into an example for the world

22— III The imperfect will become perfect

23— I He who speaks little is spontaneous and natural

23— II Being one with Tao means to obtain Tao

23— III Not having sufficient faith means to have no faith at all

24— I Selfishness

24— II The walls of Jericho

24— III Devotion to Tao

25— I Religion and theology ........................................................... 277

25— II Before heaven and earth existed, there was an indefinite Being

25— III The fourfold law of Tao

26— I Gravity is the root of what is light

26— II The three crosses

26— III The threefold mastery

27— I The Only Good

27— II He whose movement is good will leave no tracks

27— III He whose speech is good will not give cause for blame

27— IV The sage always excels in caring for people

27— V Being doubly enlightened

27— VI He who attaches no value to power has attained supreme wisdom

28— I The valley of the kingdom

28— II The everlasting virtue

28— III The sage will be the leader of the workers

29— I The holy, sacrificial vessel

29— II The way to victory

29— III No one can serve two masters

30— I Not by force of arms

30— II The person who is truly good strikes only once

30—III When power has reached its peak, people and things become old

31— I The finest weapons are instruments of disaster

31— II The poisoning of the human life-field

31— III Love your enemies

31— IV The love of the gnostic magic person

31— V You are the salt of the earth

31— VI The purifying salt

32— I Heaven and earth will unite

32— II The people will enter harmony

33— I He who knows himself is illumined

33— II He who overcomes himself is omnipotent

33— III He who dies, yet is not lost, will enjoy everlasting life

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