The Ten Thousand Things

Tao Te Ching - Verse 1


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Sam and Joe discuss Verse One of the Tao Te Ching and how it relates to their own experience of reality. 


TAO called TAO is not TAO.

Names can name no lasting name.

Nameless: the origin of heaven and earth.

Naming: the mother of ten thousand things.

Empty of desire, perceive mystery.

Filled with desire, perceive manifestations.

These have the same source, but different names.

Call them both deep-

Deep and deep again deep:

The gateway to all mystery.

76 translations of Chapter 1 - https://www.taoistic.com/taoteching/taoteching-chapter1-versions.htm
Thank you to Kate for asking about a refeeence, which reminded me to add this! You are an inspiration as a listener and correspondent.

Characters: https://www.taoistic.com/images/taoteching-verse1.png

Creators & Guests

  • Joe Loh - Host
  • Sam Ellis - Host

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    The Ten Thousand ThingsBy Sam Ellis, Joe Loh and Ali Catramados