A Chapter for You · Chapter 1

道可道,非常道;名可名,非常名。
无名天地之始,有名万物之母。
故常无欲,以观其妙;常有欲,以观其徼。
此两者同出而异名,同谓之玄。玄之又玄,众妙之门。
The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. Nameless is the origin of heaven and earth. Named is the mother of ten thousand things. Ever desireless, one can see the mystery. Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations. These two spring from the same source but differ in name; this appears as darkness. Darkness within darkness. The gate to all mystery.

—— 老子《道德经》The Tao That Can Be Told

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