The Tao

There was an Ever-Flowing Something
that existed prior to Heaven and Earth.
Silent and shapeless,
It stands by itself and does not change.
So may It Be
The Mother of Heaven and Earth.

The Tao that can be told
is not the Eternal Tao.
The Name that can be named
is not the Eternal Name.

The Nameless
is the beginning of Heaven and Earth.
The Named
is the Mother of the ten thousand things.

Ever desireless,
one can see the Mystery.
Ever desiring,
one sees the Manifestations.

These two spring from the same Source
but differ in name;
this appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The Gate to All a Mystery.

There was something
undifferentiated
and yet complete,
Which existed
before Heaven and Earth.

Soundless and formless,
It depends on nothing
and does not change.
It operates everywhere
and is free from danger.

There was Something
Formless and Perfect
before the Universe was born.
It is Serene.
Empty.
Solitary.
Unchanging.
Infinite.
Eternally present.
It is the Mother of the Universe.
For lack of a better name,
I call it the Tao.

It flows through all things,
inside and outside,
and returns
to the origin of all things.

The Tao is great.
The Universe is great.
Earth is great.
Man is great.
These are the Four Great Powers.

Man follows the Earth.
Earth follows the Universe.
The Universe follows the Tao.
The Tao follows only Itself.

The best (man) is like water.
Water is good; it benefits all things
and does not compete with them.
It dwells in (lowly) places that all disdain.
This is why it is so near to Tao.

The Way of Heaven
is to benefit others and not to injure.

Matthew 22:36 .... Jesus said ... "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”