"道"是道教哲学的最高范畴和核心概念,代表宇宙万物的本源、终极真理和运行法则。老子在《道德经》开篇即言:"道可道,非常道;名可名,非常名",指出真正的道超越语言文字,无法用概念完全表达。道无形无象却无处不在,至大无外又至小无内,先天地而生,独立而不改,周行而不殆。道生一,一生二,二生三,三生万物,万物负阴而抱阳,冲气以为和。道创生万物却不主宰万物,养育万物而不居功,体现了"生而不有,为而不恃,长而不宰"的德性。修道者追求与道合一,达到"天人合一"的至高境界,在日常生活中顺应道的规律即是顺应自然。
The Dao is the highest concept in Taoist philosophy, representing the cosmic source, ultimate truth, and governing principle of all existence. Laozi's Tao Te Ching begins: "The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao," indicating the Dao transcends language and conceptual understanding. Formless yet omnipresent, infinitely vast yet infinitesimally small, the Dao existed before heaven and earth, independent and unchanging. It generates all things through progressive emanation yet does not possess, nurture yet does not dominate. Practitioners seek unity with the Dao to achieve supreme harmony between heaven and humanity.