A THREAD THROUGH THE TEXT
The Way
The source that cannot be fully named. Explore the language of emptiness, return, and the patterns through which things arise.
The way and its name
道可道，非常道，名可名，非常名。
The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name. (Conceived of as)…
Read chapterThe empty vessel
道冲而用之或不盈，渊兮似万物之宗。
The Tao is (like) the emptiness of a vessel; and in our employment of it we must be on our guard against all fulness. How deep and unfathomable it is, as…
Read chapterBetween heaven and earth
天地不仁，以万物为刍狗。
Heaven and earth do not act from (the impulse of) any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with. The sages do…
Read chapterThe valley spirit
谷神不死，是谓玄牝。
The valley spirit dies not, aye the same; The female mystery thus do we name. Its gate, from which at first they issued forth, Is called the root from…
Read chapterThe invisible way
视之不见名曰夷，听之不闻名曰希，搏之不得名曰微。
We look at it, and we do not see it, and we name it 'the Equable.' We listen to it, and we do not hear it, and we name it 'the Inaudible.' We try to grasp…
Read chapterFollowing the way
孔德之容，惟道是从。
21. The grandest forms of active force From Tao come, their only source. Who can of Tao the nature tell? Our sight it flies, our touch as well. Eluding…
Read chapterFollowing what is natural
有物混成，先天地生。
There was something undefined and complete, coming into existence before Heaven and Earth. How still it was and formless, standing alone, and undergoing…
Read chapterThe unnamed way
道常无名，朴虽小，天下莫能臣也。
The Tao, considered as unchanging, has no name. Though in its primordial simplicity it may be small, the whole world dares not deal with (one embodying)…
Read chapterThe great way flows
大道泛兮，其可左右。
All-pervading is the Great Tao! It may be found on the left hand and on the right. All things depend on it for their production, which it gives to them,…
Read chapterThe image of the way
执大象，天下往。
To him who holds in his hands the Great Image (of the invisible Tao), the whole world repairs. Men resort to him, and receive no hurt, but (find) rest,…
Read chapterReturn and reversal
反者道之动，弱者道之用。
40. The movement of the Tao By contraries proceeds; And weakness marks the course Of Tao's mighty deeds. All things under heaven sprang from It as…
Read chapterHearing the way
上士闻道，勤而行之。
Scholars of the highest class, when they hear about the Tao, earnestly carry it into practice. Scholars of the middle class, when they have heard about…
Read chapterOne, two, three
道生一，一生二，二生三，三生万物。
The Tao produced One; One produced Two; Two produced Three; Three produced All things. All things leave behind them the Obscurity (out of which they have…
Read chapterNourishing without possessing
道生之，德畜之，物形之，势成之。
All things are produced by the Tao, and nourished by its outflowing operation. They receive their forms according to the nature of each, and are completed…
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