Tao Te Ching Intro

There is a way in which we may conduct our lives without regrets, and in such a manner as assists in developing and realising our individual potential, without harming others, or inhibiting the realisation of their potential, and which is beneficial to a healthy society.

Such a way of life may of course be conducted without a name, and without description, but in order that others may know of it, and so as to distinguish it from other ways in which life may be conducted, we give it a name, and use words to describe it.

When discussing or describing this way in which life may be conducted, rather than refer to it in full, for convenience, we refer to it as the way, meaning simply that the discussion is concerned with this particular way, not that it is the only way of conducting one's life.

In order that we might distinguish it more easily from other ways, we refer to it also by its original name, which is Tao.

Stan Rosenthal, Introduction to Tao Te Ching translation