Monday, August 16, 2010

Line by Line - Verse 1, Lines 7 - 9

Under these two aspects, it is really the same; but as development takes place, it receives the different names. Together we call them the Mystery. Where the Mystery is the deepest is the gate of all that is subtle and wonderful.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

These two spring from the same source but differ in name; this appears as darkness. Darkness within darkness. The gate to all mystery.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

These two emerge together but differ in name The unity is said to be the mystery Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

These two statements have the same meaning. Figure them out, and you've got it made.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~
Everything that we know is born of the same source. Every thought, deed and action -- whether we deem it good or bad, loving or hateful, beautiful or ugly -- is but one manifestation of the Way.

Why we are here and what undergirds life is a supreme mystery. In fact, if the existence of this world was from a detective novel, we would never be able to answer the seminal question of who done it!

This first verse sets the stage for the next eighty. It is the foundation that the entire structure is built upon.

In Lao-tzu's Taoteching: with Selected Commentaries of the Past 2000 Years, Red Pine quotes Te-Ch'ing (a 16th century Buddhist monk) who, I think, puts the first verse of the Tao Te Ching in its best perspective, "Lao-tzu's philosophy is all here. The remaining five thousand words only expand on this first verse."

[Note: For another perspective on lines 7 - 9, check out this post from the folks at Nothing Just Is.]

To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.

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