道(dào)

本义指人所行之路，引申而有三重含义：其一，指不同领域的事物所遵循的法则，如日月星辰运行的规律称为天 道，人事活动所遵循的规律称为人道;其二，指万事万物所遵循的普遍法则;其三，指事物的本原或本体，超越于有形的具体事物，是万物生成的基始，又是万物存 在和人类行为的根据。儒家、道家、佛教等都谈论道，其内涵差异甚大。儒家之道以仁义礼乐为基本内容，佛教和道家之道偏重“空”“无”方面的意义。

Dao (Way)

In its original meaning, dao (道) is the way or path taken by people. It has three extended meanings: 1) the general laws followed by things in different spheres, e.g. the natural order by which the sun, moon and stars move is called the way of heaven; the rules that govern human activities are the way of man; 2) the universal patterns followed by all things and beings; and 3) the original source or ontological existence of things, which transcends form and constitutes the basis for the birth and existence of all things, and for the activities of human beings. In their respective discussions of Dao, Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism imbue it with very different connotations. While benevolence, righteousness, social norms, and music education form the basic content of the Confucian Dao, the Buddhist and Daoist Dao tends to emphasize kong (空 emptiness) and wu (无 void).

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【引例】

天道远，人道迩。(《左传·昭公十八年》)

The way of heaven is far away; the way of man is near. (Zuo’s Commentary on The Spring and Autumn Annals)

形而上者谓之道。(《周易·系辞上》)

What transcends form is called Dao. (The Book of Changes)