The Simple Way, Introduction

The Simple Way
The Life & Teachings of Zhouzi
by Scott Bradley

I would like to introduce my new guru, Zhouzi. But before I speak of him, I’d like to say something about the process of ‘writing my guru’ in which he takes shape.

This activity has become a most enjoyable part of my ‘practice’, a means by which to cultivate my own philosophy of life and to pursue its realization in practical terms. This is how I teach myself. Thus, if Zhouzi has anything of value to teach, then I am only his aspiring disciple, not his advocate, for I lay claim to none of the authority with which he speaks.

Zhouzi flourished in China contemporaneous with the rise of Ch’an (Zen), but seems to have remained rooted in the traditions of the philosophical Taoists, Zhuangzi and Chen Jen, both of whom he quotes. Thus, though the literary form is very reminiscent of that which conveys the teachings of the early Ch’an masters, it differs significantly in substance.

What it shares with these works is a belief in the value of sayings and stories whose meanings are not always easily grasped. Like koans, they are nuts best left for the seeker to crack. Still, many of the episodes began much starker than they now appear, for I could not resist putting some explanatory meat on their bones. But now, at least, I will just leave them to speak for themselves.

If you're interested in reading more from this series by Scott Bradley, go here. To check out more of Scott's writings, please visit TRT's shadow blog and look in the Table of Contents in the left sidebar.