Donivan Bessinger

Tao Te Ching Donivan Bessinger

Tao Te Ching fascinates both as a collection of ancient poems which is an exquisite expression of spirit, and as wisdom literature whose levels of meaning continue to unfold. Yet it has become even more compelling because of the idea of Tao as Logos and because features it ascribes to Tao include features ascribed by quantum physics to the deep reality. This new version in English preserves, insofar as possible, the direct, pithy and often whimsical style of the original text. Here, that text can be followed at one's own pace, without the intrusion of distracting notes. However, at the end there is a Study Guide with a "translator's markup" defining frequently recurring terms, and "Verse-notes" which bring out additional subtleties of interpretation. A section "On method" describes how to look up key terms using online dictionaries, using the character-numbers provided. Thus one may personally continue to explore this enduring classic of Way and Virtue: "The Way of wonder, the Mystery of deep-Unity / Hiding in the hidden is where to find and open up / The gate to everything."