Now it came about, as Chen Jen so often found was the case, that the daughters excelled the sons in the question of studies, for the former felt privileged and the latter entitled. And of the daughters it was the youngest that was the most precocious by far.
And it was she who now said, “Respected Teacher, there are so many ideas and systems among men about how best to live and how best to govern that I am becoming so confused that with each new lesson I seem to learn less. I have become so confused that I know not which one is true and which one to choose.”
“Your confusion is just,” replied Chen Jen, “and the best news I could hear, for only a fool would think the ideas and systems of men to be true. For not the smallest thing, whether a grain of sand or an insect is within the grasp of our minds no matter how much knowledge we have.
But let me ask you this, and we will see if it helps: When you hear the honking of geese and see them going south, what does this tell you though you understand not what they say?”
“I know that winter is near, Respected Sir, for in the winter the geese prefer the South and in the summer the North.”
“Just so,” replied Chen Jen. “For were all the learning of the ages no more than the cacophonic honking of geese, still we would learn much about humanity by observing their flight. And what, do you think that we might learn?”
“Well, Respected Sir, I think first we would see the direction they travel and then we would ask why that is so.”
“And what do you think, having studied their flight?”
“That all the world seeks peace within and without, though they do not know what it is or how best to find it. And that the cause is that they do not have it either within or without.”
Speaking to them all, Chen Jen said, “Your sister has spoken wisely, so let us together pursue these thoughts. So I will begin by making enquiry of you. Observe this fly here upon the table: Now it sits calmly, now it grooms its wings, oops! And now it takes flight. Have you ever watched a fly and wondered why it does what it does? Why and how did it one moment decide to calmly sit, the next to groom and the next to take flight?”
“We cannot know, Respected Teacher,” they said with one voice.
“Indeed we cannot,” agreed Chen Jen. “Yet though we cannot understand the ways of a fly, any more than it understands its own self, we can see that it functions well and is perfectly what it is, a fly. Likewise, Reality need not be understood to find its perfect expression in you. And peace will be yours when you are most simply you. Do we understand the Source and principles of Life?”
“No, Respected Teacher!”
“Yet we live!” said Chen Jen. “Now, we have learned that when the Yellow Emperor built his great palace, that the work did not go easily and many thousands died in the effort. And the palace itself, though carefully planned, turned out not as envisioned, but was still a great wonder, and perhaps more wonderful still for not being as planned. So, in men in their blunders we see the working of wonders."
"Could it be, also, that in all these schools of philosophy, though none have found Truth, that men in their need have been moved by the Tao? Could it be that man cannot find Truth or the correct path to the Tao, but that the Tao itself finds its expression in man? So let us not study the philosophies of men in order to find Truth, but rather to find in ourselves what led them to seek. And finding both the lack and the promise of peace, let us simply surrender to the Tao which is just simply us.”
This post is part of a series. To view the index, go here.
And it was she who now said, “Respected Teacher, there are so many ideas and systems among men about how best to live and how best to govern that I am becoming so confused that with each new lesson I seem to learn less. I have become so confused that I know not which one is true and which one to choose.”
“Your confusion is just,” replied Chen Jen, “and the best news I could hear, for only a fool would think the ideas and systems of men to be true. For not the smallest thing, whether a grain of sand or an insect is within the grasp of our minds no matter how much knowledge we have.
But let me ask you this, and we will see if it helps: When you hear the honking of geese and see them going south, what does this tell you though you understand not what they say?”
“I know that winter is near, Respected Sir, for in the winter the geese prefer the South and in the summer the North.”
“Just so,” replied Chen Jen. “For were all the learning of the ages no more than the cacophonic honking of geese, still we would learn much about humanity by observing their flight. And what, do you think that we might learn?”
“Well, Respected Sir, I think first we would see the direction they travel and then we would ask why that is so.”
“And what do you think, having studied their flight?”
“That all the world seeks peace within and without, though they do not know what it is or how best to find it. And that the cause is that they do not have it either within or without.”
Speaking to them all, Chen Jen said, “Your sister has spoken wisely, so let us together pursue these thoughts. So I will begin by making enquiry of you. Observe this fly here upon the table: Now it sits calmly, now it grooms its wings, oops! And now it takes flight. Have you ever watched a fly and wondered why it does what it does? Why and how did it one moment decide to calmly sit, the next to groom and the next to take flight?”
“We cannot know, Respected Teacher,” they said with one voice.
“Indeed we cannot,” agreed Chen Jen. “Yet though we cannot understand the ways of a fly, any more than it understands its own self, we can see that it functions well and is perfectly what it is, a fly. Likewise, Reality need not be understood to find its perfect expression in you. And peace will be yours when you are most simply you. Do we understand the Source and principles of Life?”
“No, Respected Teacher!”
“Yet we live!” said Chen Jen. “Now, we have learned that when the Yellow Emperor built his great palace, that the work did not go easily and many thousands died in the effort. And the palace itself, though carefully planned, turned out not as envisioned, but was still a great wonder, and perhaps more wonderful still for not being as planned. So, in men in their blunders we see the working of wonders."
"Could it be, also, that in all these schools of philosophy, though none have found Truth, that men in their need have been moved by the Tao? Could it be that man cannot find Truth or the correct path to the Tao, but that the Tao itself finds its expression in man? So let us not study the philosophies of men in order to find Truth, but rather to find in ourselves what led them to seek. And finding both the lack and the promise of peace, let us simply surrender to the Tao which is just simply us.”
This post is part of a series. To view the index, go here.
Great reminder of those wonderful principles. Thank you for posting that.
ReplyDeleteIn 12-step programs they say, "Let go and let God."
I say, "Let go and let life."
Whatever will be, will be.