1st Verse – Tao Te Ching Quotes

1st Verse of the Tao Te Ching

The Tao Te Ching, written by Lao Tzu, is a short book of 81 verses that explain the Tao, or the way of nature. Verse 18 is one of the most well-known and quoted verses in the Tao Te Ching. It speaks about the Tao being both named and nameless, and how it is the origin of all things.

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.

The name that can be named is not the eternal name.

The Tao is both named and nameless.

As nameless, it is the origin of all things; as named, it is the Mother of 10,000 things.

Ever desireless, one can see the mystery; ever desiring, one sees only the manifestations.

And the mystery itself is the doorway to all understanding.

The Tao Te Ching

This is one of the most famous and frequently quoted passages from the Tao Te Ching. It speaks to the nature of Tao, and how it is both beyond our understanding and yet the very source of all things.

Tao is both named and nameless. It is the origin of all things and the mother of 10,000 things. But at the same time, it is ever desireless and therefore able to see the mystery of things. When we are caught up in desire, we see only the manifestations of things, not the underlying reality. But the mystery itself is the doorway to all understanding.

This verse speaks to the paradoxical nature of Tao. It is something that we can never completely understand, but at the same time, it is the very foundation of everything. It is both the beginning and the end, the source and the destination. This is the mystery of Tao.

Tao is the source of all things, and yet it is ever desireless. When we are caught up in desire, we can never see the true reality behind things. But when we are free from desire, we can see the mystery of things. The mystery of Tao is the doorway to all understanding.

This verse speaks to the importance of detachment in understanding Tao. We can never completely understand Tao, but we can come closer to it through detachment. When we are free from desire, we can see things as they truly are. This is the doorway to all understanding.

How do you think this verse can be applied to our lives?

This verse can be applied to our lives in many ways. One of the most important is that it teaches us the importance of detachment. When we are caught up in desire, we can never see things as they truly are. But when we are free from desire, we can see the mystery of things.

Tao teaches us to let go of our desires and attachments, and to live in harmony with the way things are. When we are in harmony with Tao, we are in harmony with the flow of life. We can then see the mystery of things and understand the true nature of reality.

This verse can also teach us the importance of moderation. When we are caught up in desire, we can be blinded to the reality of things. But when we are moderate in our desires, we can see things as they truly are.

Finally, this verse can teach us the importance of simplicity. When we are caught up in desire, we can be overwhelmed by the complexity of things. But when we are simple in our approach, we can see the mystery of things.

All of these teachings can help us to live a more harmonious and understanding life.