The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

The Tao Te Ching

The Tao Te Ching (Chinese: 道德經 is the Chinese name of a book by a man named Laozi (or Lao Tzu, which literally means "old master"). ... It is the main book for Taoism, which is both a philosophy and part of Chinese folk religion.

It is the simplest and most direct exposition of the "Perennial Philosophy" that lies at the core of all mystical traditions.

Chapter One

Tao, the subtle reality of the universe cannot be described.
That which can be described in words is merely a conception of the mind.
Although names and descriptions have been applied to it, the subtle reality is beyond the description.
One may use the word "Nothingness" to describe the Origin of the universe, and "Beingness" to describe the Mother of the myriad things,
but Nothingness and Beingness are merely conceptions.
From the perspective of Nothingness,
one may perceive the expansion of the universe.
From the perspective of Beingness,
one may distinguish individual things.
Both are for the conceptual convenience of the mind.
Although different concepts can be applied,
Nothingness and Beingness and other conceptual activity of the mind all come from the same indescribable subtle Originalness.
The Way is the unfoldment of such subtle reality.
Having reached the subtlety of the universe,
one may see the ultimate subtlety,
the Gate of All Wonders.