Chapter 1
Original Text
道可道。非常道。名可名。非常名。無名天地之始。道可道，非恆道；名可名，非恆名。
無名天地之始；有名萬物之母。故常無欲以觀其妙。常有欲以觀其徼。此兩者同出而異名。
故常無欲，以觀其妙；常有欲，以觀其徼。
此兩者同出而異名，同謂之玄。玄之又玄。玄之又玄，眾妙之門。
Word Notes
- 道: principle; the Way.
- 可道: can be spoken/expressed.
- 常: constant; enduring; unperishing.
- 名: name; designation; signifier.
- 可名: can be named/labelled.
- 妙: marvelous; numinous.
- 徼: the “knack,” “keyhole,” pivot, or threshold.
- 玄: deep, recondite, unfathomable.
Chapter Explanation
Any “way” that can be put into words is not the constant, unperishing Way. Any name that can be affixed is not the constant, unperishing name.
“Nameless” names the beginning from which Heaven and Earth arise; “having a name” names the mother from whom the myriad beings flock forth. Therefore, taking the Way as a single whole, constantly empty of desire, one beholds its marvel; constantly existent with directed intention, one beholds its threshold/knack. These two—“empty” and “existent”—issue from the same source yet bear different names; both may be called “mysterious.” “Mysterious and yet more mysterious”—this is the gateway of all marvels.
Translation
This chapter says that Dao is the source of Heaven, Earth, and the myriad beings, and that De (Virtue) is the turning or movement of Dao. When Laozi speaks of Dao and De, he begins from a pre-celestial, formless ground—numinous, beyond reckoning, soundless and scentless, beyond grasp. Confucius called it “like a dragon,” praising a Way and Virtue that, like a dragon, sometimes submerges, sometimes soars, now seen, now hidden—its changes incalculable, its being or non-being unknown. His language is of this sort: if one clings to post-celestial principles that have shape and substance, how could one even glimpse a single scale or claw of the dragon?
Yet though Laozi speaks from pre-celestial emptiness, what he says is emptiness that is supremely substantial, non-being that is supremely being—having both body and function, root and branch. It is not empty in the sense of useless. For example: he says the true and constant Dao cannot be spoken; “Dao” is a provisional label forced into service. If Dao cannot be spoken, it shouldn’t be forcibly named either—this is emptiness. Yet only because there is an unspeakable Dao can there arise all the speakable “ways.” Only because there is an unnameable “name” can there arise all nameable names. It is the beginning of Heaven and Earth, the mother of the myriad beings. So although “emptiness,” it is not vacuity; and although “not vacuity,” the Dao that engenders Heaven and Earth and the myriad beings remains beyond seeing and hearing—present yet not present, and what is present returns to non-being. Thus, “non-being” and “being” arise from the same source yet bear different names; both are mysterious and unfathomable.
Human beings receive the whole of Dao; therefore we should embody Dao’s spontaneity: in true emptiness we contemplate Dao’s marvel; in wondrous existence we contemplate Dao’s threshold. Later alchemists took “threshold and marvel” as the “single gate of the Mysterious Pass,” claiming that by cultivating this gate one becomes an undying immortal. But this sort of reading sees only a scale or a claw, not the dragon’s whole virtue. Bai Juyi once wrote that Laozi does not talk about elixirs or cinnabar, nor of “ascending to the blue heavens in broad daylight.” “Threshold and marvel” are indeed Dao’s body and function—but in fact every realm, whether under Heaven, in the state, or in one’s person—matters of body, mind, nature, and life—all have their own threshold/knack and marvel. A lock’s spring is its “threshold”; when the key meets the threshold, the lock opens—that opening is the “marvel.” If one does not grasp this threshold/knack, one may break the lock and still fail to open it; if one does grasp it, opening is very easy. So, in the world, in dealing with people and affairs, the first necessity is to know the threshold/knack. In self-cultivation, if we ignore it we injure our nature and life; in governance, if we ignore it we throw the state into disorder. Scientists who build airships and steamers that can traverse sky and sea do so by knowing the thresholds of matter. Emperor Shun’s “non-action” by which all under Heaven was ordered, and how Confucius put Lu in order in three months—both were by grasping governance’s thresholds.
But each thing has its own threshold—some are known without laboring to know. What, then, is the threshold/knack of this Dao? The world today is riven by war and slaughter, decaying beyond endurance, power-grabs and profit-seizure brutalize human relations. Where, then, lies the threshold for saving the world? I will cry it aloud: I respectfully reveal Laozi’s secret for ending warfare to the people of all nations. What is the “marvel”?—it is the empty Dao. What is the “threshold”?—it is the virtue of cherishing life. Otherwise, when private desire fills one’s chest and cruelty has hardened into habit, how could one not wage war and kill?
Alas—these years of war and slaughter—countless lives have been lost, wealth consumed beyond reckoning. Fellow humans, fellow humans, awaken! Let us all put Laozi’s Dao and De into practice; together we can turn back the tide of killing so that all nations may share the blessing of kinship in peace and wellbeing.
Discourse
This chapter teaches that “Dao” is the source of all things, and “De” is the turning/function of Dao. Laozi’s Dao-De begins from pre-celestial Non-Being—mysterious, measureless, soundless, scentless, untouchable. Confucius likened it to a dragon—praising a Dao-De that is like a dragon: diving or leaping, appearing or hiding, its changes incalculable and its being or non-being unknown. His words are like this: if one clings to post-celestial principles that have form and substance, how could one even glimpse a single scale or claw?
Yet though Laozi speaks from pre-celestial Non-Being, this is an emptiness that is supremely real; a Non-Being that is supremely being; it has both substance and function, root and branch—not a vacuity without use. Take this chapter as an example: it says the true and constant Dao cannot be spoken; “Dao” is a forced, provisional name. If Dao cannot be spoken, one should not force a name upon it either—this is emptiness. Yet only because there is an unspeakable Dao do the speakable “ways” arise; only because there is an unnameable “name” do all nameable names arise. It is the beginning of Heaven and Earth, the mother of the myriad beings. So it is “empty” yet not vacuous. And although not vacuous, the Dao that gives birth to Heaven, Earth, and the myriad beings cannot be seen or heard; it is presence that is non-presence; what is present returns to Non-Being. Hence, “being” and “non-being” arise from the same source yet bear different names; both are mysterious and unfathomable.
Humans receive Dao in its entirety; thus one should conform to Dao’s spontaneity: in true emptiness contemplate the marvel of Dao; in wondrous existence contemplate its threshold/knack. “Threshold and marvel”—later adepts of inner alchemy interpreted this as “the single gate of the Mysterious Pass,” and claimed that if one cultivates and passes through this “gate,” one becomes an undying immortal of gold. They do not realize such readings glimpse only a scale or claw—without grasping the dragon’s whole virtue. Bai Juyi once said: Laozi does not speak of drugs and cinnabar, nor of “ascending to the blue heavens in daylight.” “Threshold” and “marvel” surely are Dao’s body and function; but under Heaven, in states and nations, in one’s body, mind, nature, and life, in every affair and thing—each has its threshold/knack. A lock’s spring is its threshold; when the key fits the threshold, the lock opens—that opening is the marvel. If one does not understand threshold and marvel, one may ruin the lock and still fail to open it; if one does, it is easy. In this world, then, when dealing with people and affairs, the first necessity is to grasp the threshold/knack. If in self-cultivation we do not grasp it, we harm our nature and life; if in administration we do not grasp it, we disorder the state. Scientists who have built airships and steamers that traverse sky and sea have done so by discerning the thresholds of matter. Emperor Shun’s “non-action” by which the realm was ordered, and how Confucius brought Lu to order within three months—both sprang from knowing governance’s thresholds.
But every matter has its threshold; some are known without seeking. What is Dao’s own threshold? Now the whole globe is at war and slaughters without end; morals rot; human bonds are trampled. Where is the threshold that saves all? I dare cry it out: the secret lies here— the marvel is the empty Dao; the threshold is the life-cherishing De. Otherwise, when private desires saturate the breast and cruelty hardens into habit, how could killing not follow?
Ah! In these years of war, life after life has been cut down; wealth has been consumed beyond reckoning. Fellow humans everywhere, awaken! Let us together put Laozi’s Dao and De into action; turn back the current of killing so that all nations may share the blessings of kinship, peace, and wellbeing.