Tao Te Ching, 35

Hold fast to the great form (Tao),

And all the world will come.

They come and will encounter no harm;

But enjoy comfort, peace, and health.

When there are music and dainties,

Passing strangers will stay.

But the words uttered by Tao,

How insipid and tasteless!

We look at Tao; it is imperceptible.

We listen to it; it is inaudible.

We use it; it is inexhaustible. (Tao Te Ching, 35)

Today, I would try to interpret the above text from the topic "The Reality of the Tao".

In the text, as with in the other texts, it is constantly repeated that the Tao is something that is imperceptible. Meaning it is not perceived by the human senses. It is something deeper and I believe that the human senses will not be able to reach and understand that. It is also stated in the text that the Tao is the origin of things. All of what us in the world originates from the Tao. The Tao is all good. It wishes to not harm the ones who seeks and finds it.

One possible characteristic of the Tao is also revealed in the text. It may be that the words of the Tao is something we hear most of the times. It might be the same phrases uttered by most of us that is why it is insipid, because we got tired of hearing it everyday. Despite the tastelessness of the Tao, its unappealing characteristic, it is something that is never worn out. Its words and values cannot be exhausted. It lives forever. The only problem we find in there is to when to know that those words are of the words of the Tao. We cannot identify the Tao as it is imperceptible and inaudible. Since it cannot be perceived by the senses, it would be hard to identify it.

Despite the unknown-ness of the Tao, Lao Tzu believes that it is that thing that is the origin of things to which all them comes. It is the most powerful thing in the world.