Commentary on the Tao Te Ching (Part 1): The Tao That Can Be Told Is Not the Eternal Tao

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　　The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth; the named is the mother of all things. Therefore, always desireless, one observes its mysteries; always desiring, one observes its boundaries. These two arise from the same source but have different names. Both are called profound. Profound and again profound, the gateway to all mysteries.

　　Whether it is scriptures, literary works, or other written articles in the world, they can generally be divided into two categories: one called "readable" and the other called "writable."
　　What is meant by "readable"? It refers to attempting to describe everything clearly and vividly, creating a realistic illusion, allowing readers to deeply experience this illusion. However, such readable text deprives readers of their creativity and stifles their power to participate in creation.
　　So what is meant by "writable"? Writable text is "intransitive." The purpose of this type of text is to allow readers to participate as active participants in the process of reading and creation, emphasizing the reader's thinking and comprehension, and further creation based on that understanding.

　　The Tao Te Ching is such a "writable" scripture. Anyone, through continuous reading, comprehension, and reflection on the Tao Te Ching, will generate new insights.
　　It explains principles or presents scenes from beginning to end, leaving behind space for thought. It is neither a moral exhortation nor chicken soup for the soul, nor does it rigidly dictate what you must do. You must understand it based on your own comprehension rather than blindly following rigid rules. This understanding must first be correct to truly comprehend the Tao Te Ching.

　　The opening states, "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao, the name that can be named is not the eternal name." This means that while the Tao can be expressed, it cannot be expressed in ordinary ways (in ancient texts, "Heng" was used, with the same meaning). Naming the Tao cannot be done in ordinary ways. Later in the text, it is mentioned that the word "Tao" itself is a forced name.
　 Although people often speak of "cultivating the Tao," and cultivators are called those who cultivate the Tao, are they really cultivating the Tao? Of course not; it is merely a forced name.

　　However, the profoundness of the Tao Te Ching is not limited to simple "writability." It lies in the fact that after you generate new insights, when you read it again based on these updated insights, you will discover and extend to even higher levels of understanding. Such profundity upon profundity is the gateway to all mysteries.
　　Just as in human activities, social activities represent the yang aspect of humans, while behind them, human activities follow certain laws and are governed by specific rules. This underlying aspect can be called the "Yin Fu" aspect. People often call this aspect "fate," but fate is not constant; it evolves from a source, yet this evolutionary process can be changed by human effort.

　　However, how did heaven and earth come to be? Where is the source of all things, and where does everything in the world come from?
　　If we trace this question, we will find that at the end of the search, we cannot explain where it comes from. The initial state should be "non-being," meaning nothing existed.
　　Therefore, "non-being" is named the beginning of heaven and earth.
　　So what is "being"? "Being" is named the mother of all things, meaning that because of "being," all things were produced.

　　Ordinary people, when understanding the word "being," often miss its subtlety because they confuse "being" with the already existing heaven, earth, and all things.
　　The "being" at the beginning of the Tao Te Ching refers to the transition from non-being to being. This instantaneous concept of "being" appearing is what is called "being."
　　If we define "non-being" as non-existence, then "being" is existence. What does not exist will not remain non-existent forever; it can change from non-existence to existence, and from existence to non-existence.

　　How can this be proven? By using desire and non-desire to demonstrate it.

　In modern times, the word "yu" (desire) has been interpreted as "desire" (greed/craving), which is inaccurate.
　　The correct understanding should be as stated in the "Analects · Zi Lu": Do not desire haste, do not seek small gains. If you desire haste, you will not reach your goal.
　　The word "yu" here stands for "expectation," "need," "seeking," or "thought/intention."
　　And "yu" can arise from something that originally did not exist but generated a need, thus creating "yu."

Just as originally there were no thoughts or ideas, when they arise, this is the emergence of existence from non-existence, i.e., "being" arising from "non-being."

　　However, most "beings" arise from "non-beings" because before the "non-being," there was already a "being."

　For example, humans need energy, so they need to eat; if they don't eat, they get hungry, and hunger creates the appetite. This is "being" arising from "non-being." But before this "non-being," it was because humans needed energy that there was a "being," and because of the "being," there was the "non-being," and because of the "non-being," there was the "being."

Similarly, with human thoughts.

　Therefore, within "non-desire," one can see its subtlety; it arises relatively from "being." Within "desire," one can discover its characteristic; it arises relatively from "non-being."

　　Nothing is easier to comprehend than this.

　　Therefore, in Taoist cultivation, although sitting in meditation is usually required, it is also required that one not cling to empty stillness. Because if there is only "non-being" and no "being," it is incomplete.
　　Similarly, according to Buddhist teachings, the ultimate pursuit is寂静涅槃 (Nirvana). This Nirvana is also incomplete because it is still entering a state; it ultimately has a relative opposite. Since it has a relative opposite, it is within a system, and within a system, one cannot escape. This is why Buddhism, ultimately, cannot摆脱因果 (escape karma); it can only not be bound by or ignorant of karma, but cannot completely eliminate the concept of karma, because it is not complete.
　　Of course, Buddhist thought contains much valuable content that can be借鉴 (referenced), but one must have a clear understanding: it can only help you at the beginning, but cannot allow you to reach higher realms. In Buddhist thought, the state of Buddha has been defined as the ultimate extreme, thereby losing infinite possibilities.

　　Since "being" and "non-being" are mutual, obviously they coexist. Their coexistence constitutes a system, which is called "Xuan" (Profound/Mystery).
　　Therefore, "These two arise from the same source but have different names. Both are called profound."
　　But this system itself exists and can be viewed as "being." The relative opposite is "non-being." The "being" and "non-being" in a higher system can again be called "Xuan."
　　Similarly, this higher system will again have a relative opposite, thus becoming "Xuan" again.
　　Thus, continuously repeating, "Profound and again profound" is the gateway to all mysteries.

　　However, note that "Xuan" is not the Tao, "Profound and again profound" is not the Tao, and the gateway to all mysteries is not the Tao, because they already have names, so they must not be confused.

　　This is the outline of the opening of the Tao Te Ching. This outline runs through the entire text. Wherever there is confusion, resolve it using this outline.