Master Chuang was running in the mountains when they saw a large tree, its branches & leaves thick & lush. A woodcutter paused by its side but made no move to cut it down. When Master Chuang asked the reason, they answered, " There is nothing it could be used for!"
Master Chuang said, "Because it is valueless to men like us, this tree can live out the years Heaven gave it."
Down from the mountain, the Master stopped for a night at the house of an elderly mate. Delighted at that, the mate ordered his son to kill a goose & prepare it. "One of the geese can cackle & the other cannot," said the son. "So which ought to I kill, dad?"
Master Chuang said, "Because it is valueless to men like us, this tree can live out the years Heaven gave it."
Down from the mountain, the Master stopped for a night at the house of an elderly mate. Delighted at that, the mate ordered his son to kill a goose & prepare it. "One of the geese can cackle & the other cannot," said the son. "So which ought to I kill, dad?"
"The that cannot cackle," said his dad, the host.
Next day Master Chuang's disciples questioned him. "The tree you know, got to live to a full, reap age because it seems valueless. The goose gets killed for a similar thing. What position ought to you take in that case, Master?"
Master Chuang laughed, saying, "I would say about halfway between those poles apart - between worth and worthlessness, in all likelihood. But even if "halfway" might appear a lovely position, you do not get away from trouble there.
Another thing would be to climb up on the Way (Tao) - that is different! There go drifting and wandering, neither praised nor damned, shifting a bit with the times, taking grand harmony (Tao) for your measure. Then, could you get in to any trouble?" .
Next day Master Chuang's disciples questioned him. "The tree you know, got to live to a full, reap age because it seems valueless. The goose gets killed for a similar thing. What position ought to you take in that case, Master?"
Master Chuang laughed, saying, "I would say about halfway between those poles apart - between worth and worthlessness, in all likelihood. But even if "halfway" might appear a lovely position, you do not get away from trouble there.
Another thing would be to climb up on the Way (Tao) - that is different! There go drifting and wandering, neither praised nor damned, shifting a bit with the times, taking grand harmony (Tao) for your measure. Then, could you get in to any trouble?" .
Comment
The ancient Chinese fable master Chuang Tzu [roughly 300 BC] mentions there may lie benefits in making oneself utterly useless, not useful, & yet, in other circumstances, lots of danger, even death.
There is more to life than lessons had from crooked, useless trees. A human cannot always reach up that high -
Now, it usually pays well to go about your business at hand meticulously, carefully, guardedly, & . . . [fill in].
THE LOST MARE
One day, an elderly man living on the frontier lost of his mares. All his neighbors felt sorry for him & came to console him. But the elderly man was not in the least disheartened. "Well," he said lightly. "I don't care much about it. Who can say that it is not for nice also?"
A few days later, the mare came back itself, accompanied by a fine wild horse. The neighbours were surprised and came to congratulate, filled with praise of the horse. But the elderly man showed no sign of happiness. "Joy often begets sorrow," they said, "So who cannot tell if this won't turn out to be a bad thing."
Now the elderly man's son was raring to go on riding, and the new horse, vigorous and wild, was a great temptation to him. Every day they took particular interest in fighting with it on its back, risking his neck. At length they was thrown off the horse and got of his legs broken.
Not long after the country was attacked by invaders, and to resist the violent assault, all the young people on the frontier were summoned up to join the army. The fight was fierce, and most of the young men laid down their lives on the battle fields. But because of his injured leg, the elderly man's son was allowed to stay at home, and thus saved his life.
The neighbours again came to lament the young man's misfortunes. But the elderly man shook his head and said philosophically "Well, don't mind it much. They know lovely and bad fortune often lurk within each other. So are you able to select if it is not a blessing in disguise?"
The neighbours again came to lament the young man's misfortunes. But the elderly man shook his head and said philosophically "Well, don't mind it much. They know lovely and bad fortune often lurk within each other. So are you able to select if it is not a blessing in disguise?"
THE SUSPECTED THIEF
A man lost his axe & suspected that it had been stolen by his neighbor's son. They watched the youth closely & his suspicion brewed increasingly. "Doesn't they walk the way a thief does? & his appearance, manner, the language they makes use of, all are a robber's."
But a few days later the axe was present in the valley where they had worked with it. Obviously it was his carelessness that had made him lose the axe. "So I have blamed the young man wrongly, " they thought.
Now when they met his neighbor's son, things looked different. The youth by no means looked like a thief: his walk, his looks, his behavior & talk were all innocent.
But a few days later the axe was present in the valley where they had worked with it. Obviously it was his carelessness that had made him lose the axe. "So I have blamed the young man wrongly, " they thought.
Now when they met his neighbor's son, things looked different. The youth by no means looked like a thief: his walk, his looks, his behavior & talk were all innocent.
0 comments:
Post a Comment