The way and its name

“A Way that can be spoken is not an ordinary Way; a name that can be named is not an ordinary name.” [This commentator reads chang here as “ordinary.”]

The Way governs the self inwardly and the world outwardly: it is the Way of everyday, constant practice. In its all-pervading hiddenness it cannot be spoken, but in its manifestation it can. Encompassing manifestation within hidden pervasiveness, supremely broad and supremely subtle, it is an extraordinary Way. At the limitless, a name cannot be named; at the Supreme Ultimate, it can. The Supreme Ultimate is born within the limitless, able to be still and move; thus the name is extraordinary.

Collected supplement: What people commonly follow is called the Way. “Can be spoken” means can be described. An extraordinary Way is the great Way. What makes its condition manifest is called a name. “Can be named” means can be represented. An extraordinary name is a name without fixed definition.

“The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth; the named is the Mother of the myriad things.”

The nameless is the limitless; the named is the Supreme Ultimate. Nonbeing changes into being: truly there is no fixed name. At the undifferentiated beginning of the limitless, there is neither sign nor form, no sound or scent to represent. Thus the Way is at the beginning of Heaven and Earth. After the Supreme Ultimate differentiates, there are birth and nourishment, and creation and transformation can be witnessed. Thus the Way is the Mother of the myriad things. “The myriad things” includes Heaven and Earth. This Way exists before them and generates Heaven, Earth, people, and things, amounting to a great parent. Naming the Mother includes the Father within it.

“Therefore, constantly without desire, observe its subtlety; constantly with desire, observe its aperture.” [Jiao is read as qiao, “aperture.” The Yongle Encyclopedia omits “therefore”; another edition omits “constantly.”]

Subtlety is the nameless reality, so concentrate and remain constantly still to observe it. The aperture is the named reality, so circulate and remain constantly responsive to observe it. Being without desire and with desire means constant stillness and constant responsiveness. Observe the nameless through absence of desire and the named through desire. Alchemists' description of the mysterious pass as the subtle aperture of being and nonbeing is based on this.

“These two emerge together but differ in name; both are called mysterious. Mystery upon mystery: the gate of all subtleties.”

The two are subtlety and aperture. Being is born from nonbeing, hence they emerge together; nonbeing turns into being, hence their names differ. Yet despite difference, they remain the same. The subtle aperture of being and nonbeing is one mystery. Observing subtlety without desire already attains one mystery; observing the aperture with desire attains another. The two mysteries return to one. Mystery encompasses all subtleties; their gate is gathered here.