Description
Book SynopsisA new translation of the 6th-century Taoist text Bai Yao Lu (Statutes of the Hundred Remedies), with practical commentary. In modern Taoist practice, the emphasis is often on “going with the flow” (
wu-wei) and not following any fixed rules of any kind. This may work well for an already enlightened Taoist Sage, but for the rest of us, following a spiritual path involves ethical, moral, and practical guidelines. As author and translator Gregory Ripley (Li Guan, 理觀) explains, the little-known 6th-century Taoist text called the
Bai Yao Lu (
Statutes of the Hundred Remedies) was created as a practical guide to what enlightened or sagely behaviour looks like—and each of the 100 spiritual remedies are just as relevant today as they were when written over 1500 years ago.
Presenting a new translation of the
Bai Yao Lu for the contemporary world, Ripley provides insightful commentary for each of the Hundred Remedies, showing how they relate to Taoist meditation practice and how they can help us navigate the emotional and social challenges we all experience. He explains how each short verse of the Hundred Remedies presents a spiritual precept in a positive way, not as a restriction or commandment that must not be broken but as a solution to the problems encountered in daily life as well as on the spiritual path. He shows how these deceptively simple statutes, known as abstentions in Taoism, teach us how to emulate the behaviour of the Sages until the behaviour becomes our own.
Both scholarly and inspirational, this guidebook to Taoist spiritual living will help you learn to effortlessly go with the flow, deepen your meditation practice, and find the natural balance in all things.
Trade Review“Taoist thought refers to the three treasures: compassion, humility, and frugality. Gregory Ripley expands on these, and other critical Taoist ideas, with his unique combination of scholarship, healer’s authority, and the accessible language of a gifted writer. His is a synthesis of sophisticated wisdom and practical advice. In the most literal possible terms, he truly brings Tao to life.” * Taoist Monk Yun Rou, author of Mad Monk Manifesto *
“Our lived lives and our ‘awakening’ are not different.
The Hundred Remedies of the Tao points us to what that means by offering words from the ancestors, with comments from a contemporary Taoist priest. Gregory Ripley brings wisdom and insight to this amazing Taoist guidebook for an embodied spiritual life. A wonderful book.” * James Ishmael Ford, author of If You’re Lucky, Your Heart Will Break *
“The tradition of Tao is thousands of years old. Engaging with it in contemporary times matters deeply. For that, we need sincere and deep thinkers who can show us Tao in their own lives—expressed in direct and accessible writing. That’s what Gregory Ripley has done with the profound and succinct
The Hundred Remedies of the Tao. Our times are challenging and stressful. These remedies return us to the natural life that the sages promised.” * Deng Ming-Dao, author of 365 Tao, The Lunar Tao, Chronicles of Tao, and Scholar Warrior *
Table of ContentsForeword
by Josh Paynter
Acknowledgments
Introduction
The Hundred Remedies of the Tao
Appendix: The Thirteen Principles
Notes
Bibliography
Index
