What is Tao
"The Dao" is the traditional term in China for academic theories.
In Chinese culture, many thinkers and philosophers focus on a central issue to explore its philosophy, and these academic questions are all called "Dao."
As a result, the meaning of "Dao" becomes complex, creating confusion in people's minds, such as the Dao of the university, the Dao of the mean, the Dao of governance, the Dao of warfare, the Way of Tea, the Way of martial arts, and so on.
Due to the focus on different central issues, each has its own characteristics.
The "Dao" of Laozi
The phrase "The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name" means that the "Dao" can indeed be expressed, but not in the usual way of reason that one can comprehend and explain. It is possible to give the "Dao" a name, but the name chosen is also different from usual names, hence the unconventional names like "Dao" and "Great." That is to say, they are different from the usual names. In contrast, "the eternal Dao" should be interpreted as something different from what is commonly understood as the Dao. This aligns with the original intention of Laozi, isn't it?
Therefore, "The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao" should be interpreted as the "Dao" can indeed be expressed clearly. Many people have different understandings of this, believing that the "Dao" is mystical, beyond what can be expressed in language. Thus, they interpret this phrase as: the "Dao" cannot and should not be expressed; if it can be expressed, then it's not the eternal "Dao," but a non-eternal "Dao." Consequently, they separate the "Dao" into the "eternal Dao" and the non-eternal "Dao," forming two different concepts of the "Dao." Those who hold this view seem to have made it a consensus.
If Laozi's "Dao" is unspeakable, why did he painstakingly write these five thousand words? Isn't the essence of these five thousand words to introduce to everyone the "Dao" he argues for and to follow the laws of the "Dao" in order to implement his proposal of governing by the "Dao"?
This already indicates that his "Dao" is not only "very easy to know" but also "very easy to practice." If it cannot be explained clearly, how can it be easily known and practiced by people?!
The original meaning of "Dao" is a pathway, extended to mean a principle. "Dao" is a philosophical concept, so Laozi named the eternal laws of the heavens as "Dao" for this purpose.
Laozi delves deeply into his concept of the "Dao" from various angles in the "Tao Te Ching."
His "Dao" originates from "following the natural course of things," which is precisely the philosophical foundation of his discourse on the "Dao," making it distinct from what is commonly referred to as the "Dao," hence termed the "non-eternal Dao."
The Initial State of the Universe
Laozi points out: "Before heaven and earth existed, there was something nebulous, undifferentiated." He believes that before the emergence of heaven and earth, there existed a kind of "undifferentiated substance" in the universe. This implies that in the initial vast and boundless expanse of space, there already existed a massive, hazy entity. This hazy entity, referred to by ancients as "Hunyuan" or "Chaos," was described as indistinct and murky, serving as the primordial substance from which the universe, heaven, earth, and all things were conceived. However, it existed prior to the formation of heaven and earth.
He describes the existence of this "undifferentiated substance" as follows: "The Dao gives birth to the One; the One gives birth to the Two; the Two gives birth to the Three; and the Three gives birth to all things."
The mention of "the Dao gives birth to all things" refers to the material foundation upon which the Dao manifests. "Hazy" here signifies the elusive nature of this "undifferentiated substance." For the "Dao giving birth to all things," it is as if there is existence within non-existence, a subtle presence amidst obscurity.
Amidst this haze, some phenomena intermittently appear and disappear, observable only in the practitioner's heightened state. Only through practice can one perceive its existence within this haze. It's understood that Laozi's discourse on the Dao stems from glimpses of the mysteries of the natural order through cultivation, rather than mere intellectual speculation.
The term "appearance" implies a trace, while the "undifferentiated substance" refers not to tangible entities but to intangible ones. The term "essence" intermittently flickers, revealing its brilliance, signifying its essence. With its brilliance, its existence becomes more credible, hence "very real." "Contains trust within" instills certainty in its existence, leaving no doubt.
"This is called the shapeless substance, the formless appearance. This is called the hazy." The essence of the Dao perceived in this manner is a substance without a fixed form, an appearance without shape. Such substance and appearance can be considered "hazy." "This is called the hazy" refers to this formless and shapeless appearance.
It's worth noting: although the text clearly states "the Dao gives birth to all things," why is it also referred to as the "undifferentiated substance" preceding the birth of heaven and earth? It's understood that since the Dao arises naturally, it is inherently linked with nature. Nature serves as the material foundation of the Dao, while the Dao is the function of this material's evolution. Without the foundational material, the function of the Dao cannot manifest, and thus, there would be no change in material existence.
To understand the "Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao," one must approach the "Dao" with a Daoist mindset, comprehending Laozi's notion of the "Dao." Only then can one grasp the true essence of the Dao, recognizing it as the law of creation.
The Origin of the Dao
How does the Dao come into being? This is the key to the sprouting of the Dao and is of utmost importance. It forms the basis for understanding the Dao and is crucial for comprehending its fundamental principles. This is also the foundation upon which Laozi expounds his philosophy.
The genesis of the universe (referring to the entire spatial expanse encompassing myriad stars) and all things is firmly rooted in the "undifferentiated substance" preceding the birth of heaven and earth, but its derivative evolutionary function is the Dao.
Laozi says, "Bathing in the spirit without dying, this is called the profound female. The gate of the profound female, this is called the root of heaven and earth."
The "bathing in the spirit" refers to the spirituality in the void, which is the function of creation, constantly active and never ceasing. This is the "profound female," the marvelous interplay of yin and yang. This interplay's evolution is the beginning of all transformations. This initial change is the fundamental origin of the creation of heaven and earth (all things), which is the origin of the Dao.
Continuing, "Soft and gentle, seemingly present, yet its use is inexhaustible, it can be the mother of the world. I do not know its name, so I label it with a name, 'the Way.'"
This passage refers to the spirituality in the void, "soft and gentle, seemingly present," appearing faintly as if existing. "Its use is inexhaustible" doesn't mean it's not fully utilized, but rather its function is endless. Even the profound Laozi doesn't know the origin of the "undifferentiated substance"; he can only marvel and say, "I do not know its name, so I label it with a name, 'the Way.'" This means: I don't know who gave birth to it, I don't know where it came from, and I don't know where it's going. This "undifferentiated substance" is the root nourishing the creation of heaven and earth and all things, just as fruit comes from the flower's bud, with the bud existing before the fruit.
Laozi named the "undifferentiated substance" that could be the mother of the world as "Dao," rather than naming the "bathing in the spirit," which is the origin of all things, as "Dao." What's the reason behind this? His viewpoint is that the Dao lies in "preceding heaven and earth and having all things." The "undifferentiated substance" is the origin of the Dao, while the "bathing in the spirit" is the functional aspect of the Dao. Of course, we can only regard the "undifferentiated substance" as the origin of the Dao, and cannot simply understand it as the Dao itself. If so, the Dao would become a static, lifeless entity.
When Laozi named the Dao, he said, "Strongly name it as Dao." This wasn't just a humble expression but a practical truth and indeed a difficult task. He felt troubled by it deeply!
This is because the Dao is not simply the concept of the "undifferentiated substance" but a comprehensive summary of various principles. That is to say, without a material foundation, the Dao cannot arise. Therefore, the origin of the Dao occurs on this "undifferentiated substance," hence naming the "undifferentiated substance" that could be the mother of the world as the "Dao." It not only has the material basis but also the natural characteristics of being "independent and unchanging, circulating without fail." This summarizes the dual significance of the material foundation and the functional aspect. However, even so, there are still reluctantly difficult aspects.
Why name the "Dao" as "great," and further elaborate "great means distant, distant means passing, passing means returning"? Based on the analysis of natural phenomena, it is expanding from great to distant. As for the invisible, it is passing, passing away, losing its trace. It's great to the extreme, but not disappearing completely. "Returning" means returning to the origin, returning, meaning to return.
This is precisely where Laozi exercises caution in his writing, fearing misunderstanding. The "Dao" is the "undifferentiated substance" that precedes heaven and earth and has the evolutionary function of being great, distant, passing, and returning.
From this explanation, it's clear that it consistently adheres to Laozi's original intention, rather than wild speculation or creating confusion.
Following the way of nature
Aside from reluctantly naming the "Dao," Laozi also calls it "great." The reason for calling it "great" is because the Dao itself possesses profound characteristics and functions.
Therefore, immediately following the previous chapter, he introduces the concept of the four greats within the realm, with humans being one of them, supplementing the notion that "greatness" is not a unique feature of the Dao. Heaven, earth, and humans are all one of the four greats within the realm.
From this, it can be understood that the correction made in the previous chapter, "strongly name it as Dao, and call it great," is reasonable. After all, "greatness" cannot encompass all the connotations of the Dao. Writing it as "strongly name it as great, and call it Dao," with "great" as the primary name, would not be philosophically sound. Therefore, there is doubt about its correctness, hence the correction.
Laozi further discusses the hierarchical relationship among the four greats within the realm and emphasizes the crucial position of "Dao greatness" at the forefront, stating, "The Dao is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, and humans are also great."
As for the relationship among the four greats, it is stated as "Humans follow the ways of the Earth, Earth follows the ways of Heaven, Heaven follows the ways of the Dao, and the Dao follows the way of nature." Many interpret the word "follow" as "emulate" in the phrase "follow the ways of Heaven, Earth follows the ways of Heaven," but this interpretation still requires further examination.
"The 'ways' follow their own rules. 'Humans follow the ways of the Earth, Earth follows the ways of Heaven, Heaven follows the ways of the Dao, and the Dao follows the way of nature' means: humans should adhere to the rules of the Earth while also following the rules of Heaven, the Dao, and nature; Earth should adhere to the rules of Heaven, the Dao, and nature; Heaven should adhere to the rules of the Dao and nature; and the Dao follows the laws of nature.
It should not be understood as humans only following the rules of the Earth, Earth only following the rules of Heaven, and so forth...
'Following' here means adhering to their respective laws, not imitation. Because apart from humans, Earth, Heaven, and the Dao do not have thoughts. How could Earth imitate Heaven, or Heaven imitate the Dao and nature?
This is a natural law, the unified law of nature. This means that humans, Heaven, Earth, and the Dao must all adhere to the unified law of nature, which is the inevitable law of the Dao.
In the Ma Wang Dui text, "humans are also great" is changed to "kings are also great." The reason humans are listed as one of the four greats is not only because of their large number but primarily because humans are the spirits of all things, ruling the world. How can they be compared to humans? Changing "humans" to "kings" is merely an ode to feudal dynasties and should not be taken seriously. It should not be assumed that because it is an earlier archaeological find, it is closer to the original form of the Tao Te Ching."
Being born out of nothing
"In the Tao Te Ching,"All things in heaven and earth are born from existence, and existence is born from nothingness," represents another profound philosophical concept.
First, it's crucial to understand what "have" and "none" mean.
Here, "none" doesn't denote emptiness but rather refers to the "undifferentiated substance" preceding the birth of heaven and earth. In its initial state, it's just a unified "undifferentiated substance," filling the entire universe with nothing else. At that time, it was in a state of silence, coldness, devoid of vitality, and without any movement. This state of lifelessness and motionlessness is what we call "none."
At the beginning of heaven and earth, the universe was still devoid of anything. Chaos was static, without movement, without change, and lacked vitality, hence the naming of the beginning of heaven and earth as "none."
The mother of all things already had the mechanism for generating all things, indicating that there was already movement. With movement came changes and vitality, creating the conditions for generating all things, hence the naming of the mother of all things as "have."
To understand the concept of "Being born out of nothing," we must start with the universe. The universe refers to the vast expanse of space, with numerous celestial bodies suspended within, along with imperceptible "invisible matter" and myriad creatures between heaven and earth.
Before the generation of these celestial bodies and all things, the universe was just a "chaotic mass," referred to as the universe's "initial state," or the "primordial era" by ancients.
Under the influence of severe cold, the "chaotic mass" began to contract, gradually dispersing at the edges. Consequently, substances began to emerge, signifying the universe's initiation of movement, known as the universe's "initial movement state" or the "primeval era" by ancients.
As the floating particles continued to increase, the "chaotic mass" simultaneously compressed inward, forming a condition of internal density and external sparsity. As these floating particles drifted and collided along the edges, collisions were inevitable. Initially, it was chaotic and disorderly, but gradually, these collisions led to the formation of orderly groups. When these groups of floating particles collided with the top and bottom of the chaotic mass, pressure built up in the center, accumulating internal energy. Once this pressure exceeded its limit, the "chaotic mass" inevitably exploded, splitting into innumerable small gas particles, filling the entire universe. Since these gas particles were still indistinct and ethereal, they were termed " (xu zi)". This state, filled with (xu zi), was called the " (tai xu period)" by ancient people.
In the collisions and impacts among (xu zi), the most basic form of energy was stimulated and generated. This energy manifested in the forms of Yin and Yang, accumulating within (xu zi). Thus, they acquired different attributes of Yin and Yang. When (xu zi) collided once again, Yin and Yang were stimulated, resulting in the interplay of Yin and Yang.
When the Yin end of one (xu zi) connected with the Yang end of another (xu zi), or when the Yin ends or Yang ends connected, chains and clusters of (xu zi) were formed, evolving into (tai su substance) or "primeval substance." This stage of the universe was termed the "Taisu period" by ancient people.
The (tai su）substance still remained invisible, not to be confused with what modern science calls "elements." Only when collisions and impacts occurred between (tai su）and (tai su）, followed by nuclear transmutation, did energy emerge, existing in the forms of light, electricity, and heat, constituting the three primary elements for the generation of matter. These three elements further evolved into elements, eventually combining to form various particle-like substances with different forms, structures, and properties.
Therefore, Laozi stated, "mysterious is the beginning of all transformations and the fundamental genesis of heaven and earth." The (tai su） substance forms the basis of matter, hence termed "have" , or existence. "have" arises from "none" , thus Laozi said, "have and none come from the same source but have different names; together, they are called mysterious."
"mysterious" embodies the marvelous transformations, containing the mysterious and unfathomable aspects, as well as the mechanisms of material evolution. Therefore, it should not be merely regarded as mystical and unreal.
The Function of the Dao
The function of the Dao represents the pervasive natural laws present in the creative processes of nature. These natural phenomena are not directed, managed, or implemented by anyone but are inherent in the instinct of creation itself.
So, what is the instinct of creation? It can be summarized in several aspects:
- The instinct to generate energy through stimulation:
The chaotic mass ruptured due to compression, causing a stimulation that imbued each particle with Yin and Yang. This stimulation resulted in the fundamental energy generated after the rupture. Subsequent impacts and collisions further produced energy, all of which demonstrate the function of creation through stimulation to generate energy.
- The instinct of Yin-Yang synthesis:
The Yin and Yang contained within the particles are stimulated during collisions, leading to multi-level transformations of Yin and Yang. Without this function of Yin-Yang synthesis, it would not be possible to form the diverse combinations of Yin and Yang, synthesizing various primeval substances and giving rise to myriad beings.
- The instinct of self-enhancement:
All substances continually absorb surrounding matter to enhance themselves. Any substance progresses from singularity to complexity. This is evident in the process of chemical synthesis.
- The function of seeking equilibrium:
In the process of absorbing matter from the surroundings to strengthen themselves, there exists a phenomenon of gain and loss. In order to achieve stability, it is natural to seek equilibrium to maintain stability for a certain period. This stability is only temporary or lasts for a certain period. As Einstein famously stated, "Matter is a temporary aggregation of energy." Artificially produced gold is unstable and can sometimes only maintain stability for a few minutes or even seconds, while naturally occurring gold can remain stable for a considerable period. This indicates a complex process of seeking stability in naturally occurring gold, which is also an instinct of creation.
- The instinct of continuity:
Matter tends to gradually disappear into the unseen, yet it also perpetually undergoes cycles of birth and destruction, representing a unique mode of continuity. This applies to numerous celestial bodies including the Sun, Earth, and others, which will eventually fade away, only to give rise to new celestial bodies.
In the realm of flora and fauna, continuity is reflected in the succession of offspring, ensuring the perpetuation of species. While there are various methods of continuation, the instinct of continuity remains universal. These functions of creation reflect the role of the Dao and also illustrate the law of conservation of matter, as well as the interplay between existence and non-existence.