Chapter 21

The form of great virtue follows solely from the Way. The Way as a thing is dim and indistinct, vague and elusive. Vague and elusive, yet within it there is an image; dim and indistinct, yet within it there is a substance. Deep and obscure, yet within it there is an essence; this essence is utterly real, and within it lies trustworthy evidence. From the present day back to antiquity, its name never fades; by relying on it, we may know the origin of all things. How do I know the original state of all things? Through this.