We have often enough read or heard this verse; “The Tao which can be told is not the eternal Tao” in Daoist texts and forums and yet the verse conveys different meanings to everyone. Indeed over the past few millenniums Tao has never been easy to understand and to follow. Yet Daoists still try to fathom the profound Tao. Similar to learning the Yi, philosophical or religious Daoist students need to be earnest and sincere in learning Tao, lest they drop it halfway through.
The Tao is considered so vast it contains Heaven and Earth, the Sun and Moon, the stars, the ten thousand things and the entire universe. Conversely, Tao is considered so minuscule and obscure that scientists have yet to find it. Daoists at times like to think that Tao is Air or Qi; Matter or Energy; Water or Fire; Dark or Light; but that is not it.
The closest reference probably comes from Daoist immortal Lu Dongbin who says: “That which exists through itself is called Tao. Tao has neither name nor shape. It is the one essence, the one primal spirit. Essence and life cannot be seen. It is contained in the light of heaven. The light of heaven cannot be seen. It is contained in the two eyes.” [The Secret of the Golden Flower- W/B]
That is why when religious Daoists cultivate to return to Tao; they cultivate both essence and bodily life. Cultivating essence and bodily life is easier to understand as it involves neidan meditation and cultivating virtues although the cultivation itself is not easy and takes a long time to bring to flower. Once someone has attained Tao, he or she could have reached a state of purposelessness. For what else would heavenly immortals want to do on Earth? Unless they still want to rescue people and teach Daoist disciples the way to return to Tao.
Just reading translations or original Daoist texts is never enough, practice does matter. If Daoists for various reasons do not practise meditation they can cultivate virtues (De). That could be a good start if they remember they need to meditate to complete the entire practice. By cultivating virtues Daoists can become better people and citizens of the world. One is sure all great religions or doctrines teach the same, since ancients often quote the virtuous as examples.
In cultivation of virtues, Daoists can perhaps read the Confucian books and Buddhist scriptures since they are more structured, simple to understand and to follow than the Writings of Zhuangzi. Renowned Neo Daoists have always read the Confucian books and Chinese Classics before learning and cultivating Tao. Some of these Neo Daoists went on to become heavenly immortals. Therefore it is nothing wrong or shameful for Daoists to learn something from such books and scriptures.
However if readers were looking for an explanation of Tao, it was not told here; otherwise it cannot be the eternal Tao. And all one knows is perhaps a touch.
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