Taoism help

Threefold Misery · 10-24-2011, 03:15 AM

Hello, I'm new here (obviously). I was hoping everyone would be able to help me out. I've read a little on Taoism and I've had the privilege of spending some time talking with a "teacher" of the beliefs and from what Ive learned it had a certain draw to it that I can't really explain; and I was hoping people here would be able to help me learn more. I'd like to learn anything and everything I possibly can about it. If you can tell me more or recommend books or places I could learn more.
Also I live in Boston, Massachusetts; if anyone knows of any places to go to learn more it would be greatly appreciated; I've been looking but so far to no avail. Thank you.

Nick the Pilot · 10-24-2011, 06:58 AM

Hi, TM, and welcome to the forum.

I would start with Taoism on Wikipedia.

Taoism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are several links at the bottom of the page to Taoist webpages. They may be helpful.

sunwukong · 12-19-2011, 03:35 AM

I have to say that if you want to know and practise Tao very well, you must learn Chinese first.

wil · 12-19-2011, 03:57 AM

simplified? traditional? Mandarin? Cantonese? Another dialect?

sunwukong · 12-19-2011, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wil

simplified? traditional? Mandarin? Cantonese? Another dialect?

simplified and Mandarin

wil · 12-19-2011, 04:19 AM

what is so wrong with the translations that wouldn't allow an understanding?

sunwukong · 12-19-2011, 04:20 AM

Because I think it is easier to learn simplified and Mandarin than tranditional and Cantonese.

wil · 12-19-2011, 04:23 AM

My question is what is incomplete about the English translations?

sunwukong · 12-19-2011, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wil

what is so wrong with the translations that wouldn't allow an understanding?

Taoism is born and developed and delivered in China. So you can only find tons of references in Chinese. In order to understand Tao well, you have to read lots of books about it. Forthermore, some chinese words are very difficult to find a corresponding english words. So translations of them are always accomplied by deviation.

sunwukong · 12-19-2011, 04:34 AM

there is another reason:

The authors, who wrote the English version of the Taoism books, are not as good at Tao as Chinese sages who wrote the ancient Taoism books. So to read the books written by the Chinese sages is much better than to read the books written by the translators.

Good translations always come from good understanding. The majority of modern translators can not understand Taoism very well, so the books in English can hardly reflect the true spirit of Taoism.

seattlegal · 12-19-2011, 04:35 AM

"The Tao that can be spoken is not the true Tao."--Tao Te Ching 1:1

sunwukong · 12-19-2011, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seattlegal

"The Tao that can be spoken is not the true Tao."--Tao Te Ching 1:1

right, I agree with this