Wen Tzu - Verse 60

Verse Sixty

Sages have no strange clothes or weird behavioral patterns. Their clothes are not incongruous, their behavior is unnoticeable. They are not ostentatious when successful and not fearful when destitute. They do not show off when famous, and they are not ashamed to be unknown. They are different but not strange. All of them use what cannot be named; this is called great mastery.

~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~

Reading this verse, I was struck by how this description is so different from religious gurus and the like. Whether we speak of contemporary "prophets" or those from antiquity, most of them seem to go out of their way to distinguish themselves from the common person.

Some wear brightly colored robes and fancy headgear. Some make an effort to behave overly pious in public. Others are name droppers and spend much of their time hobnobbing with the rich and famous. Many own or run spectacular churches, temples, mosques and palatial residences. Many adorn themselves with all sorts of insignias and jewelry. And, in this modern age, far too many of them spend their days hocking their wares on TV, radio and the internet, promising answered prayers and salvation for x amount of dollars.

Not the sage. He or she blends in with the crowd. About the only way one might be able to tell the sage from anyone else is via the sage's peaceful demeanor and, maybe, not even then.

What differentiates the sage from anyone else is inward, not outward.

This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.