What is the Dao?

Weaving the Virtuous Way: Chapter 1

Hi All: This is the first paid post I’m doing as part of the transition to using this space to work on future books. I’m starting off with the Dao De Jing translation and commentary. Thank you for your support and comments on this material; it will really influence the future finished project. I’m excited to begin seriously working on this!

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The Dao De Jing is a primary classical text of Daoism. Its name is challenging to translate, so it is often left untranslated. However valuable that approach is, there is also value in expressing its meaning in ways we can understand. Please consider this offering.

Dao is a term that translates as The Way and refers to cosmic principles and natural laws.

De connects to the actualized characteristics humans express when aligned with Dao. Those virtues include wisdom, courage, loyalty, trustworthiness, benevolence, morality, respect, and non-violence.

Jing is a term applied to the “classics” of any religious or philosophical perspective and derives from the meaning of a weave, or thread, in a larger tapestry.

Since this text intends to be a pragmatic primer for a way of life, giving the title a sense of activity makes sense. And so, I offer the title:

Weaving the Virtuous Way

The text opens with a description of The Dao, titled “The Body of The Way.” Here is my translation:

Spoken words about the Dao do not say it all.
Nor does any word written convey its essence.

The unnameable is the embryo of existence.
The act of naming gives birth to all things.

Become desireless and discover the mystery of life.
Through desire, behold its frontiers.

Both in combination, this is the mystery.
The most profound of mysteries.
All that is precious is found through this gate.

Commentary