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"To look but not see is called yi, the extremely dim, To listen but not hear is called hsi, the extremely faint, To grasp after but not catch is called wei, the extremely small. These three qualities cannot be entirely understood, thus they blend into one, a unity. Its upper surface is not bright, its underside is not dark. In endless procession the unnameable moves on, until it returns to nothingness. It is the formless form, the image of nothingness, It may be called huang-hu, the illusive and evasive. Confront it , and you cannot see it's face; Follow it and you cannot see its back. Hold to the ancient Tao to regulate present realities. One who is able to comprehend the ancient beginnings may be termed a part of the system of Tao."

Author

Lao Tzu

All Translations

English

"To look but not see is called yi, the extremely dim, To listen but not hear is called hsi, the extremely faint, To grasp after but not catch is called wei, the extremely small. These three qualities cannot be entirely understood, thus they blend into one, a unity. Its upper surface is not bright, its underside is not dark. In endless procession the unnameable moves on, until it returns to nothingness. It is the formless form, the image of nothingness, It may be called huang-hu, the illusive and evasive. Confront it , and you cannot see it's face; Follow it and you cannot see its back. Hold to the ancient Tao to regulate present realities. One who is able to comprehend the ancient beginnings may be termed a part of the system of Tao."

Hungarian

"Nézem, mégsem látom, mert az észlelhetetlen nem látható... Hallgatom mégsem hallom, mert a hallhatatlan oly illanó… Megragadnám, de nem tudom, mert a megfoghatatlan oly parány… Tovább nem elemezhető e három, összeolvadva, egységük talány. Felkelvén, nincs fénye, de lenyugodván sem fénytelenség. Visszatér a dolgok nem-létébe, a Megnevezhetetlen Végtelenség… A homályos és ködös mindenségbe vész, az alaktalan forma, s a test nélküli kép. Az elejét nem látod, ha vele szembe mész, s hiába követed elmosódott a vég… Aki megragadja a múlt fonalát, és azzal irányítja a jelenkori létet, aki felismeri a múlt korszak vonalát, az kezében tartja az Égi Bölcsességet."

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