This is my translation of the first verse.
Translation:
The Tao, that can be spoken, is not the true unchanging Tao.
Comments:
Tao is the Dharma, the truth, and the way of all things, of Taoism.
This first sentence of the first verse immediately alerts the reader that
the Truth cannot be described by words. Using language to describe the
truth, is like describing a four dimensional object with two dimensional
descriptions. No matter how many words or metaphors are used, they can
only bring the reader to a closer realization, but never the actual Enlightenment
of the Truth. We could contemplate on the words, practice it and reach
higher attainments of experiencing the Truth. However this would still
be like using three dimensional descriptions for a fourth dimensional entity.
Our experience is largely bounded by our limited bodies, primitively restricted
to six senses. The real Enlightenment of the Truth could only be done in
the fourth dimension itself. That means the attainment of the Truth, can
only be through realization beyond words and experience.
Translation:
The names, that can be named, are not the true unchanging names.
Comments:
Human are emotional beings, so much so that we usually attach emotions
to names of objects. When we hear a name, emotions such as like and dislike,
love and hatred, happiness and sadness, compassion and anger, etc are aroused
within us. Therefore we tend to judge things and attach our judgement to
names.
This sentence says that all the names (and judgements) we made on others
and objects, are from our narrow and impermanent perspectives, therefore
they are not the true unchanging nature of the others and objects. "Name"
in this passage, synonymously means "perspective". All perspectives are
not the true unchanging perspectives.
Translation:
Without names, those was how the world originated.
Comments:
In the beginning before any sentient beings nor any interactions were present, the world existed without names (perspectives). Nothing is judged, no opinions were present, all things exists as is, independent of each other.
Translation:
With names, that was how the world evolved.
Comments:
Then things start to interact, and sentient beings evolved. Names and perspectives start to emerge, opinions are formed, relationships are established. All things and beings become inter-dependent.
Translation:
Hence without names, we realize the true independent nature of things.
Comments:
If we forgo all our personal perspectives, opinions and judgements, then we can realize the true independent nature of things.
Take for example the sun. Sometimes we are angry with it, and sometimes we love it; sometimes we think it is not hot enough, while sometimes we think it is too hot; sometimes we miss its absence and sometimes we want to escape from it! So much suffering from this object!
To understand the true independent nature of the sun, we stop judging the sun and just be mindful of its existence. We neither think of its purpose, nor why it exists. We don't think about what it is made up of. With mindfulness, we simply share the existence of the sun and us. We observe mindfully how the sun induced various emotions in us and let these emotions come and go by itself without attachment.
By observing the independent nature of things, we become at peace within us. This is the practice of non-attachment.
Translation:
With names, we realize the true inter-dependent nature.
Comments:
Being at peace within us is not sufficient. We also want to attain peace with others.
If we generate mindfulness of all our personal perspectives, opinions and judgements, as well as all others perspective, opinions and judgements, then we can realize the true dependent nature of things.
Take for example the sun again. We meditate into the world of interdependence and realize how the sun inter-relates to others, how the sun fits into this world. What does others see the sun as, and how much do others need the sun? Is the sun in their minds, the same as the sun in mine? What makes it a sun? In this process, we throw in all the possible perspectives, opinions and judgements we can think of, while maintaining non-attachment. We then realize the emptiness, or the inter-dependent nature of the sun.
This is an inter-dependent world. Thus realizing the independence nature of things, could only bring peace within ourselves. We need to understand the needs of others, to put ourselves in their shoes, then we can be at peace with the others.
Translation:
These two natures, are the same despite having different names, together they give a glimpse of the true nature of things.
Comments:
The independence nature of a thing, gives us the foundation of realizing the true nature of that thing. However since this is an inter-dependence world, its nature has inter-dependence aspects as well.
Translation:
The true nature of true nature, this is the gate to divine wisdom of the Truth.
Comments:
We look into the independence and inter-dependence nature of things, then look into the independence and inter-dependence nature of the nature again. Iterating this many times, we finally remove attachment, non-attachment, non-non-attachment, etc, and we see the true nature of true nature. This is the path to attaining perfect wisdom.
Conclusion:
This first verse is like the preface of a book. The author Lau Tze had written this Book of Truth and felt apologetic that he still could not describe the Truth entirely, due to the constrain of language. Hence in his first sentence he advised the readers to read beyond words, and in his second sentence he advised the readers to read beyond names. He summarized that this book would examine two nature of things: the independent nature, which he would illustrate by refering to the origin of things, and the inter-dependent nature, which he would illustrate by contrasting pairs (paradox). He encouraged the reader to contemplate back and forth between these two natures in order to realize the real unchanging true nature of all these. By realizing this truth, wisdom would be attained.
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