2. Structure of Chapter 1 第一章的結構

第一章的結構

《道德經》第一章的結構可用〈圖 二〉來表示，現象界分成兩層：物象層有「名」，而實象層有「恆名」。凡是現象界的東西是有「名」，只有「恆道」是「無名」。

「道可道，非恆道」是指「可道」的都是「有名」的現象界，而不是「無名」的「恆道」。「名可名，非恆名」是指「可名」的都是有「名」的物象，而不是「恆名」的實象。

 

The Structure of the First Chapter

The structure of the first chapter of the Tao Te Ching may be represented in Figure 2. The phenomenal world is divided into two levels: the object level and actuality level. The objects are with names and the actualities with Truthful names. All things in the phenomenal world are denoted with names, but the Truthful Tao is not in the phenomenal world and is nameless.

“Tao may be spoken of” indicates that that Tao can be described with names in the phenomenal world, but it is not the “Truthful Tao.” “Names may be named” indicate that the objects may be named, but they are not the “Truthful Names.”