The Tao is Now

"Truth cannot be conveyed in words.
Words disguise the subtle essence.

We give names to truth,
but these names are unreliable
as a finger pointing at the moon.

As soon as the moon rises,
the finger points to empty skies.

Let's face it.
Truth is naked, unadorned.
It has no name. It has no form.

Nameless and formless,
the subtle essence gives birth
to all the forms that walk the earth.

Words and concepts come later,
giving rise to all kinds of theories,
explanations and beliefs.

Complexities abound.
Misunderstandings proliferate.

The more words people use,
the harder it is to understand them.

Truth is not to be found in thinking
or conversing.

It is not found in preferences
or opinions.

If you want to find the subtle essence,
get quiet and accept what is.

Wise beings do not engage
in selective seeing.

They see what is in front of them,
whether it pleases them or not.

To see what is, is to rest in the Tao.
Tao is neither for nor against.

It has no expectations.
It makes no judgments.

It is transparent like a window.
It lets in both sunlight and shadow."


The Great Way of All Beings ~
renderings of Lao Tzu ~
Translation by Paul Ferrini