Dao De Jing: the enigmas within The Enigma

The first stanza

1. The dao we talk about is not The Dao,
   the name we talk about is not The Name.
2. The Name birthed the depths,
   the name birthed the surface.
3. Yearn not and glimpse the depths,
   yearn and look upon the surface.
4. Yet depths and surface are the same!
   This is The Enigma,
   The enigmas* within The Enigma are The Dao to peace.

*The enigmas

1. If we cannot talk about The Dao, why do we talk about it?
2. Did The Name birth the name, or did the name birth The Name?
3. Isn't "yearning not" something we have to desire?
4. Are all the different things all the same?

Commentary

This understanding of the first stanza will color one's reading of the 81 stanzas. The second stanza says good begat evil. Then does not evil begat good? Then is not evil also good? The second stanza says the Sage teaches without words. But the Dao De Jing is only words. More enigmas within The Enigma. It is the acceptance of these enigmas that lead to peace.