《太上洞玄靈寶天尊說大通經》

Interpretation of the "Great Penetration Scripture Spoken by the Most High Lingbao Heavenly Worthy" in Vernacular Chinese

[Chapter on True Emptiness]

Before the formation of the cosmos, the Dao already existed—it gives birth to all things yet remains formless. After the heavens and earth took shape, the Dao still endures, yet it has no concrete form. Precisely because it is formless, it cannot be said to truly "exist"—this is what is meant by the "inconceivable" state.

[Chapter on Mysterious Principle]

In stillness, one manifests the original nature (innate essence), wherein the mind is contained. In movement, one reveals the conscious mind, wherein nature is embedded. When deluded thoughts arise, the true nature is obscured; when delusions cease, the nature becomes manifest. Like empty space, it has no form, yet it is luminous, perfect, and all-encompassing.

[Chapter on Profound Wonder]

The supreme Dao has no fixed form, thus it can embrace all things within. The true nature is non-acting (Wuwei), thus externally it remains unattached. Maintain a mind unmoved like a mountain, and it will naturally expand boundlessly. Facing external phenomena without being bound by them, one avoids ensnarement by the "six thieves" (the senses and intellect). Dwell in the mundane world yet transcend it, and one will not be fettered by shifting conditions. Ultimate stillness brings unshakability; perfect harmony ensures non-attachment. The light of wisdom illuminates all directions, and all transformations return to non-action.

[Concluding Verse]

Through method, one awakens to the methodless; through non-cultivation, one realizes true cultivation. The great Dao embraces all phenomena, yet its essence remains utterly untainted.

Notes:

1. The "six thieves" refer to the attachments produced by the six senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) when encountering objects.

2. The term "unmoved like a mountain" (如如, rúrú) originates from Buddhist terminology, here denoting a mind undisturbed by external conditions.

3. The scripture emphasizes the dialectical relationship between "true emptiness and wondrous existence," reflecting the Daoist core principle of "being and non-being giving rise to each other."