Chapter 24

Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing)
Classic of the Way and Virtue
道德經

By Lao Tzu (Laozi)


Tao, Dao

 

 

Chapter 24

Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) by Lao Tzu

Non-Assertiveness, Modesty, Reclusiveness, Trouble from Indulgence, Gluttony, Indulgence, Painful Graciousness,  苦恩   

 

 

"He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches his legs does not walk.
He who displays himself does not shine.
He who asserts his own views is not distinguished.
He who vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowledged.
He who is self-conceited has no superiority allowed to him.
Such conditions, viewed from the standpoint of the Tao, are like remnants of food, or a tumor on the body, which all dislike.
Hence, those who pursue the course of the Tao do not adopt and allow them."
-   Translated by James Legge, 1891, Chapter 24   

 

 

 

Revealing the Tao Te Ching: In-Depth Commentaries on an Ancient Classic  By Hu Xuzehi
Tao Te Ching  Annotated translation by Victor Mair  
Reading Lao Tzu: A Companion to the Tao Te Ching with a New Translation  By Ha Poong Kim
The Philosophy of the Daodejing  By Hans-Georg Moeller  
Dao De Jing: A Philosophical Translation  By Roger T. Ames and David T. Hall
Be Enlightened! A Guidebook to the Tao Te Ching and Taoist Meditation: Your Six-Month Journey to Spiritual Enlightenment   By Wes Burgess
The Way and Its Power: Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching and Its Place in Chinese Thought   By Arthur Waley

 

                             

 

 

 

"A man who raises himself on tiptoe cannot remain firm.
A man with crooked legs cannot walk far. 
He who says himself that he can see is not enlightened.
He who says himself that he is right is not manifested to others.
He who praises himself has no merit.
He who is self-conceited will not increase in knowledge.
Such men may be said to search after Tao that they may gorge themselves in feeding, and act the parasite; moreover, they are universally detested.
Therefore those who are possessed of Tao do not act thus." 
-   Translated by Frederic H. Balfour, 1884, Chapter 24    

 

 

 

The Complete Works of Lao Tzu: Tao Teh Ching & Hua Hu Ching   Translation and elucidation by Hua Ching Ni
The Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu   Translated by Brian Walker
Tao Te Ching  Translated by Arthur Waley
Tao - The Way   Translated by Lionel and and Herbert Giles
Taoism: An Essential Guide   By Eva Wong

 

                             

 

 

 

"One on tiptoe is not steady;
One astride makes no advance.
Self-displayers are not enlightened,
Self-asserters lack distinction,  
Self-approvers have no merit, 
And self-seekers stunt their lives. 
Before Reason this is like surfeit of food; it is like a wen on the body with which people are apt to be disgusted. 
Therefore the man of reason will not indulge in it."
-   Translated by Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 24   

 

 

 

Simple Taoism: A Guide to Living in Balance   By Alexander Simkins
The Tao of Daily Life: The Mysteries of the Orient Revealed   By Derek Lin
Everyday Tao: Living with Balance and Harmony    By Ming-Dao Deng. 
Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices
The Tao of Pooh   By Benjamin Hoff. 
Scholar Warrior: An Introduction to the Tao in Everyday Life   By Ming-Dao Deng
Vitality, Energy, Spirit: A Taoist Sourcebook   Translated by Thomas Cleary

 

                             


 

 

"Those who tiptoe do not stand.
Those who stride do not walk.
Those who see for themselves are not discerning.
Those who affirm for themselves are not insightful.
Those who attack it themselves do not achieve.
Those who esteem themselves do not become elders.
When these are in guides, we say:
'Excess provision; redundant action.'
Some natural kinds avoid them.
Hence those who have guides don't place them."
-   Translated by Chad Hansen, Chapter 24

 

 

 

Lieh-Tzu: A Taoist Guide to Practical Living  Translated by Eva Wong
The Daodejing of Laozi   Translated by Philip Ivahoe 
Daoism: A Beginner's Guide   By James Miller
Early Daoist Scriptures  Translated by Stephen Bokencamp
Lifestyle Advice for Wise Persons
Simple Taoism: A Guide to Living in Balance  By Alexander and Annellen Simpkins
Practical Taoism  Translated by Thomas Cleary
Daoism and Chinese Culture  By Livia Kohn

 

                    

 

 

 

"One who boasts is not established.
One who shows himself off does not become prominent.
One who makes a show is not enlightened.
One who brags about himself gets no credit;
One who praises himself does not long endure.

In the Way such things are called:
"Extra food and redundant action."
And with things - there are those who hate them
therefore followers of the Tao does not dwell in them."
-  Translated by Bram den Hond, Chapter 24 

 

 

"It is not natural to stand on tiptoe, or being astride one does not walk.
One who displays himself is not bright, or one who asserts himself cannot shine.
A self-approving man has no merit, nor does one who praises himself grow.

The relation of these things (self-display, self-assertion, self-approval) to Tao is the same as offal is to food.
They are excrescences from the system; they are detestable; Tao does not dwell in them."
-     Translated by Dwight Goddard, 1919, Chapter 24   

 

 

 

Tao Te Ching  Translated by Stephen Addiss and Stanley Lombardo  

Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching  Translated by John C. Wu

Lao-Tzu and the Tao-Te-Ching  Translated by Livia Kohn

Dao De Jing: The Book of the Way Translated by Moss Roberts

 

                             

 

 

 

"Standing on tiptoe, you are unsteady.
Straddle-legged, you cannot go.
If you show yourself, you will not be seen.
If you affirm yourself, you will not shine.
If you boast, you will have no merit.
If you promote yourself, you will have no success.

Those who abide in the Tao call these

Leftover food and wasted action
And all things dislike them.

Therefore the person of the Tao does not act like this."
-  Translated by Charles Muller, 1997, Chapter 24

 

 

 

Walking the Way: 81 Zen Encounters with the Tao Te Ching by Robert Meikyo Rosenbaum

The Tao of Zen by Ray Grigg

Tao Te Ching: Zen Teachings on the Taoist Classic by Takuan Soho 

Buddhism and Taoism Face to Face: Scripture, Ritual, and Iconographic Exchange in Medieval China by Christine Mollier  

 

                                     

 

 

 

"By standing on tiptoe one cannot keep still.
Astride of one's fellow one cannot progress.
By displaying oneself one does not shine.
By self-approbation one is not esteemed.
In self-praise there is no merit.
He who exalts himself does not stand high.
Such things are to Tao what refuse and excreta are to the body.
They are everywhere detested.
Therefore the man of Tao will not abide with them."
-  Translated by Walter Gorn-Old, 1904, Chapter 24

 

 

 

Lao Tzu, Laozi

 

 

Next Chapter of the Tao Te Ching #25

Previous Chapter of the Tao Te Ching #23

Chapter and Thematic Index to the Tao Te Ching 

 

 

 

 

Tao Te Ching
Commentary, Interpretations, Research Tools, Resources
Chapter 24

 

Tao Te Ching: The Definitive Edition  By Jonathan Star.  Translation, commentary and research tools.  New York, Jeremy P. Tarcher, Penguin, 2001.  Concordance, tables, appendices, 349 pages.  A new rendition of the Tao Te Ching is provided, then a verbatim translation with extensive notes.  Detailed tables for each verse provide line number, all the Chinese characters, Wade-Giles romanization, and a list of meanings for each character.  An excellent reference tool! 


Yellow Bridge Dao De Jing Comparison Table, Chapter 24   Provides side by side comparisons of translations of the Tao Te Ching by James Legge, D. T. Suzuki, and Dwight Goddard.  Chinese characters for each paragraph in the Chapter are on the left; place your cursor over the Chinese characters to see the Pinyin romanization of the Chinese character and a list of meanings. 


Center Tao.  Includes a commentary on each Chapter. 


The Complete Works of Lao Tzu: Tao Teh Ching & Hua Hu Ching  Translation and elucidation by Hua Ching Ni.


Tao Te Ching Commentaries - Google Search 


Translators' Index, Tao Te Ching Translators Sorted Alphabetically by Translator, Links to Books and Online Versions


Tao Te Ching: A Bibliography and Index of Translations on the Web


Chapter 24 in the Rambling Taoist Commentaries by Trey Smith.  The Rambling Taoists are Trey Smith and Scott Bradley. 


The Philosophy of the Daodejing  By Hans-Georg Moeller.  Columbia University Press, 2006, 176 pages.  


Valley Spirit, Gu Shen, Concept, Chapter 6 


Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse  The largest collection of very nicely formatted complete versions of the Tao Te Ching.  The collection includes 209 complete versions in 27 languages, plus 28 Chinese versions.  There are 112 English language versions of the Tao Te Ching available at this website.  A variety of search methods and comparison methods are provided, as well a a detailed index.  Offline on 4/25/2012. 


Tao Te Ching English Translations from Terebess Asia Online.  Over 30 translations. 


Lao-tzu's Taoteching
 Translated by Red Pine (Bill Porter).  Includes many brief selected commentaries for each Chapter draw from commentaries in the past 2,000 years.  Provides a verbatim translation and shows the text in Chinese characters.  San Francisco, Mercury House, 1996, Second Edition, 184 pages.  An invaluable resource for commentaries.   


Reading Lao Tzu: A Companion to the Tao Te Ching with a New Translation  By Ha Poong Kim.  Xlibris, 2003, 198 pages. 


Chapter 24, Line by Line Comparisons of 27 Translations of the Tao Te Ching Compiled by the St. Xenophon Wayist Seminary 


Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices


Dao De Jing: A Philosophical Translation  By Roger T. Ames and David T. Hall.  Ballantine, 2003, 256 pages. 


Thematic Index to the 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching


Lao Tzu: Te-Tao Ching - A New Translation Based on the Recently Discovered Ma-wang-tui Texts (Classics of Ancient China) Translated with and introduction and detailed exposition and commentary by Professor Robert G. Henricks.  New York, Ballantine Books, 1992.  Includes Chinese characters for each chapter.  Bibliography, detailed notes, 282 pages. 


Revealing the Tao Te Ching: In Depth Commentaries on an Ancient Classic.  By Hu Huezhi.  Edited by Jesse Lee Parker.  Seven Star Communications, 2006.  240 pages. 


Cloud Hands Blog   Mike Garofalo writes about Taoism, Gardening, Taijiquan, Walking, Mysticism, Qigong, and the Eight Ways.


Tao Te Ching: A New Translation and Commentary.  By Ellen Chen.  Paragon House, 1998.  274 pages. 


The Tao and Method: A Reasoned Approach to the Tao Te Ching.  By Michael Lafargue.  New York, SUNY Press, 1994.  660 pages. 


The Whole Heart of Tao: The Complete Teachings from the Oral Tradition of Lao-Tzu.  By John Bright-Fey.  Crane Hill Publishers, 2006.  376 pages.

 

 

                                       

 

 

 

 


 

 

Laozi, Dao De Jing

 

Gushen Grove Notebooks for the Tao Te Ching

Research by
Michael P. Garofalo

 

Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Grove, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Red Bluff, California
 

This webpage was first distributed online on May 13, 2013. 
This webpage was last modified or updated on May 3, 2013. 
 

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One Old Druid's Final Journey: Notebooks of the Librarian of Gushen Grove

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Gushen Grove Notebooks for the Tao Te Ching 

Introduction

Bibliography  

Index to Translators of the Tao Te Ching

Thematic Index 1-81  

Chapter Index 1-81    

The Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) by Lao Tzu (Laozi) circa 500 BCE

 

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