Tao Te Ching (Summary) — Lessons From 2,000-Year-Old Chinese Wisdom That Are Still Valuable Today

The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu Summary from 4-Minute Books Written by Prakha Verma and read to you by Ian Pringle One sentence summary The Tao Te Ching helps us understand the principles of Taoism, which is an ancient school of philosophy that is still applicable today. Favorite quote from the author If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. Lao Tzu The great master Lao Tzu's teachings have stood the test of time. He invented Taoism in the 6th century BCE, which has been passed on to generations. The Tao Te Ching contains his core lessons, and it has been translated into many languages across the globe. Taoism philosophy is based on three pillars, simplicity, patience, and compassion. Lao Tzu said that these three principles are our greatest treasures. He further explained that by being simple in actions and in thoughts, you return to the source of being. Through patience with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. And by being compassionate towards yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world. Here are three lessons from Taoism that will help you live a better life. 1. Give yourself up to whatever the moment brings and accept it fully. 2. Admit your own faults and mistakes because they can be your greatest strength. 3. Embody the virtue of competing with the spirit of play to be in harmony with the Tao. Let's dig into these lessons and learn from the master philosopher Lao Tzu. Lesson 1. Hold nothing back and surrender yourself to what is. The master surrenders himself to the moment. He knows the difference between what's in his control and what's not in his control. He knows that death is the final outcome, so he does not fear it. Instead, he surrenders to it and prepares himself for it because he knows it may arrive at any time. He doesn't hold on to anything because he knows nothing will last forever. The master does what he can do best today and goes to sleep holding nothing back. He knows that he may not wake up tomorrow, and if he does, he rejoices and owns the only thing he can truly own, the present moment. As the moment passes by, he lets it go and comes back to the new moment life has offered him. What matters most to him is how easily he can give himself up to whatever the moment brings while letting go of whatever he's too tight to. The old wisdom applies today as much as it was true in the past or will be in the future. The more you resist to what is, the more you suffer. The illusions in your mind make it hard for you to surrender. True wisdom is being ready to give up anything you may be holding on and accepting the present as it is. Lesson 2. Seek to know your faults through self-observation and your judgment of others. When the master makes a mistake, he realizes it. Having realized it, he admits it. Having admitted it, he corrects it. He doesn't get offended by the ones who point out his faults. Instead, he treats them as his generous teachers. He catches himself when he's not giving his best and then he fixes it. He treats every faulty realization as an opportunity to increase self-awareness and become better, not an excuse to feel down. The master thinks of his enemies as shadows he himself cast. He observes how he judges others. If he gets triggered by someone's behavior, he recognizes it as a trait he hasn't embodied fully himself. If he had embodied it, he may observe it, but he won't get annoyed by it. So, he reminds himself of his own faults and corrects them when he sees it in others. Accepting your own faults is one of the toughest things to do because it hurts your ego. But remember, what hurts your ego may be good for your soul. Whether it's through self-observation or through observing others' faults, find your own shortcomings to raise your consciousness and improve yourself. Now, before we get into Lesson 3, I'd like to give a quick nod to Reading.fm, the amazing people behind the audio for this and all the other videos on our channel. Reading.fm is your personal blog radio where you can listen to your favorite articles and essays from around the web, narrated by real, human, professional voiceover artists. Use the link below to sign up for free and start listening to more summaries from 4-Minute Books, as well as your favorite blogs, right away. Okay, let's dive into Lesson 3. Lesson 3. The purpose of a competition is to playfully create and improve. The master doesn't wish his opponents to have a bad day on the day of a competition. He wants everyone to bring their best to the table so that they can raise the level of the game, have a good match, and bring out the spirit of the day. He sees competition not as an ego-driven event, but as an opportunity to play and improve his skills. At the end of the competition, he wants everyone to leave better than before, regardless of the outcome. The master does what is best for the communal good and listens to the will of his community. He considers his self-interest as one vote, not as the only vote to drive his actions. He doesn't want to be at the top for power, fame, or wealth. He uses power, fame, or wealth, when he has them, to be the creator of a better world, which has been his primary goal all along. As a sportsperson, leader, or entrepreneur, your mission is to thrive as a human and to bring out the best in the world. You can do it by performing better, leading others towards a cause, providing inspiration, creating a product, or serving your society. Wealth, fame, and power are your tools to do so, not the end goals to aim for.