Essay On Dao Way

In Chinese philosophy, the concept of the Dao or The Way appears frequently. Even within a specific text, such as the Laozi, the idea of The Way wavers from chapter to chapter. Nevertheless, out of all the seemingly contradictory explanations, the meaning of the Dao arises. While Chapter 1 expresses the most accurate understanding of The Way through its’ description and syntax, other passages such as Chapter 4 and Chapter 25 support and expand the interpretation, respectively. For the Laozi to begin it’s first sentence with an expression describing The Way is both meaningful and ironic. On a general level, the Dao can be understood as the proper path that one must follow. In Chapter 1 it is presented as a constant, moving process. It is not static. Rather, it adapts to the times and must be interpreted in context. Analyzing the first sentence, “a Way that can be followed is not a constant way” (Ivanhoe and Van Norden 159), the Dao’s inexpressible nature is uncovered. Unlike human nature’s desire to explain all things, The Way can not be categorized. It is not stagnant. Expanding on the verb ‘followed,’ imagine The Way as a fast moving object that races past in front of your eyes. It may seem fuzzy and indiscernible, but one knows that something is there. In the same way, …show more content…
Through commentary that “their unity is known as an enigma” and that “within this enigma is yet a deeper enigma. The gate of all mysteries” (Ivanhoe and Van Norden 159) the verses conclude that the lessons of The Way are adaptable. For instance, mysteries are all around, but one will not sense them with a limited perspective. If one goes on a walk and only pays attention to their destination, they may miss all that which is around them. Essentially, one must live by The Way and no longer see processes such as feeling, sensing, and experiencing as independent events. They are all in