“The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.”
— LaoziTao Te Ching, Chapter 1 (translation varies)
Commentary
The opening line warns that language cannot capture the ultimate Way. Words name and divide, while the Tao precedes such distinctions. The verse sets the tone for the whole text's suspicion of fixed concepts.
Commentary
The opening line warns that language cannot capture the ultimate Way. Words name and divide, while the Tao precedes such distinctions. The verse sets the tone for the whole text's suspicion of fixed concepts.