Perhaps  this is Lao Tzu's subtle recommendation

　　   for reading his text, for comprehending Tao.  If you

　　   pick up this book intending to force the meaning out

　　   of it you  will  never  be successful.  Instead, you

　　   have  to wait  for the meaning  to come to you.  The

　　   more  you  try to grasp  it and the more  you try to

　　   analyze  it, the deeper  you sink into the obscuring

　　   mire  of language.  Taoism  is, in that  sense, very

　　   demanding, it  requires  considerable  patience  and

　　   receptivity.  Receptivity  is the  key  point, being

　　   ready and able to resonate  with what reveals itself

　　   to you.  The same  can  be said  for the cultivation

　　   that precedes enlightenmental break-through in Ch'an

　　   practice.

　　　　  The  closing  lines  of the  first  chapter  are

　　   equally　　 important　　 in　　 emphasizing　　 the

　　   interrelatedness　　 of　　 the　　 two　　 perspectives

　　   (paralleling  the  Samsaara/Nirvaa.na   mergence  in

　　   Ch'an):

　　　　  These two [the  manifest  forms  and the hidden

　　　　  wonders]   spring   forth   from   the  same

　　　　  [source].

　　　　  And yet they differ in name.

　　　　  Both are called "profoundly dark,"

　　   ────────────

　　   (20) An alternative  etymology  interprets  kuan  in

　　　　   terms of a "bird's-eye  view" from the heights,

　　　　   and by extension meaning a look-out point, high

　　　　   tower, or Taoist monastery.

　　　　　　　　　　　　  P.354

　　　　  Profoundly dark and ever profoundly dark,

　　　　  The Gateway to infinite wonders.

　　   Notice what Lao Tzu is describing here;  he does not

　　   offer  us  the  clear, glaring  truth, but  a  murky

　　   profundity.  He does not promise  infinite  wonders,

　　   only the Gateway, the point  of entry  is indicated.

　　   The rest of the way remains  for us to travel alone,

　　   again,  a  prefiguring  of  the  Ch'an  emphasis  on

　　   self-reliance.

　　　　  The character  rendered  here  as "profoundly

　　   dark" (hsuuan) depicts  a piece of silk thread which

　　   has been dipped in dye.  Hence, it bears the literal

　　   meaning  of  dark, darkened, and  by  extrapolation,