The Simple Way of Lao Tzu

The Tao-Teh Canon. (Part 1) Edited by Steven Ericsson Zenith This is part one of a three part rendition of the Tao Te Ching. TAO-TEH CHING (TAO) "The Mystery of Tao" The TAO that can be expressed in words is not the all-embracing and immutable TAO: the Name that can be spoken is not the eternal Name. Without a name, It is the Beginning of The Universe and Our World: conceived as having a name, It is the Progenitrix of all things. Those alone who are free from earthly passions can perceive the deep mystery of the Unmanifested One: those who are possessed by desires can only behold the Manifest's outward form. These two, the Manifest and the Unmanifest, although differing in name, in essence are identical. This sameness is the mystery, the deep within the deep, the door of many mysteries. "The Unfathomable." How unfathomable is TAO! An infinite depth, the Source of all that is, the Ancient Progenitor, before all things. Yet, how pure and still is TAO! It smoothes the rough, unravels the entangled, tempers excessive lights, clarifies the obscure. It is everlasting. I do not know what gave it birth; TAO is before the Manifested. "The Showing Forth of the Mystery." Looking at It, It eludes the eyes; therefore It is called Invisible. Listening to It, It eludes the ears; therefore It is called Inaudible. Touching It, It eludes the grasp; therefore it is called Intangible. These three cannot be described, but they blend in unity, the TAO! Above, It is not bright: below, It is not dim. It is Ineffable. Unceasing in Its action, It appears to do all things: returning to Itself, It appears to do nothing. It may be called the Form of the Formless, the Image of the Imageless, the Fleeting, the Indeterminate. Advancing towards It, we cannot see Its beginning: following after it, we cannot see its end. To find the Ancient TAO is to control the affairs of the present day; to know the Ancient Beginning is to have found the Path of TAO. "The Eluding Source." The mightiest manifestations of Providence flow solely from TAO, the Inscrutable , the Impalpable. Eluding sight, eluding touch, yet within it there is Form. Eluding sight, eluding touch, yet within it there is Substance. How profound, and how obscure! Within it is the Vital Essence whereby all things forever endure. These essences of the truth enfold, immutably the same as of old. From the Old until Now, its name remains unchanged. Through its portals emerges the stream of manifested things. How do I know the origin of things that pass to consummation? Through TAO! The "Forms" of TAO are Eternal and Archetypal Ideas. The Substance of TAO is the Divine Ground or Root of all Creation. "The Mysterious Virtue." They who know the TAO, tell it not: they who tell it, know it not. They who know, close their lips, shut the doors of their senses, subdue the impulses, and checks irregularities. They who diffuse the Light, gather people into unity, and descend to the level of dust. This is the Mysterious Virtue. Such people are beyond familiarity and reserve: gain and loss do not affect them: praise and blame are regarded by them alike. Therefore they are honored above all. "The Emanations of TAO." TAO produces Unity; Unity produces Duality; Duality produces Triplicity; In Triplicity all things have life, and from it they proceed. The darkness of the Unmanifested is behind all things: the light of the Manifest is before them; and they are brought into harmony by the Breath of the Great Deep. "Apprehending the Mystery." Before The Universe and Our World existed there was something undefined but already perfect. How calm it was and formless! Self-sufficient and unchanging: all-pervasive without effort. I do not know its name, but for a title call it TAO. If forced to describe it. Call it Great. Being Great, it is ever-flowing; flowing on, It becomes remote; becoming remote, it returns again. Therefore, TAO is Great: The Universe is Great: Our World is Great: The Source is Great. Four are the kinds of universal greatness of which being The Source is one. The individual finds his or her law on Our World: Our World finds its law as a part of the Universe: the Universe finds its law in TAO; but the law of TAO consists in being what it is. "The TAO of The Universe" Universal TAO is like the bending of a bow: that which is too high is lowered; that which is too low is raised up. Where there is an excess, it is lessened; where there is too little, it is increased. The Providence of The Universe gives to all things that which is their due. But the providence of people is not like that of TAO, for people take from those in need of more, to increase their own excess. Who are they who, possessing most, can supply the wants of all? Only they who have the TAO! That is why Enlightened People act without looking for reward, accomplishing their task without claiming any merit. By this means they hide their mastery. "The Exercise of Enlightenment." TAO appears quiescent: its activity is all within yet there is nothing that it does not do. If people and their government were able to maintain it, all would be transformed from within themselves. If this transformation became an object of desire, it would still that desire by the ineffable Simplicity. The nameless Simplicity brings absence of desire; absence of desire brings stillness; so the world would become perfect from within itself. "Supernal Simplicity." Immutable TAO has no name. Small though it appears in its original simplicity, the servant of TAO may stand against the world. If a leader could hold and keep it, the world of itself would submit at once to that leader and spontaneously pay homage. The Universe and Our World would unite to nourish that leader, and all people without pressure would harmonize in peace. When TAO proceeds to action, it has a name. Having a name people may learn how to rest in it; knowing how to rest in it, they are free from error and decay. TAO is to world like the great River and Sea are to the streams from the valleys. "The Perfect Achievement." All-pervading is the Great TAO. It extends simultaneously to the right and to the left. All beings live by receiving it, and all are in its care. It accomplishes its works, but claims no title of merit. It cherishes and nurtures all, but does not assume their mastery. It ever seeks the innermost, and its name is the smallest. All things at last return to it. TAO is their final root. But TAO is not increased thereby, nor claims to be their ruler; and its name is the greatest. That is why the highest people never magnify themselves; thus they become perfect in their greatness. "Returning Home." The path of TAO is a return to The Source. Gentleness is its characteristic. All things under heaven derive their being from the manifestation of TAO; and TAO the Manifest is born in TAO the Unmanifest.