The Simple Way, Part 10

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

A would-be monk stood before Zhouzi and asked to join the community saying, “The world of men is full of rancor and strife; please, I would join you, and find peace and repose.”

“You bring in your heart what you seek to escape. If you cannot be at peace with the world as it is, you will find no peace with yourself as you are.”

“I understand what you say and know it is true, but how can I be at peace with what is no peace at all?”

“The peace that you seek cares nothing for peace, for it is a peace that upon nothing depends. Go lay beneath the courtyard tree and let the birds teach you, if you will, and come see me again after the evening meal.”

In the evening the man came to Zhouzi and said, “Though it seemed to me folly, I did as you said, and watched the birds throughout the long day. And I saw that they are little different from the world of men. For they labored all day to fill their bellies, all the while bickering and bullying, caring nothing for the right or the wrong. Would you have me be as they?”

“Would you have the birds be other than they are?” replied Zhouzi.

“The birds are as they are by Nature’s way, and I feel no need to change them. But men have the power to change, should I not wish them to do so?”

“Whether possessed of this power or of free will, men are as they are—is this other than Nature’s way? Or is humanity alone something other than Tao? The birds are as they are and humanity is how it is. What does right and wrong have to do with it? As you affirm Nature, to likewise affirm the world of men, and indeed your own heart, is the beginning of peace.”

“You have led me to a cliff,” replied the man, “from which I fear to leap. For right and wrong define my world and without them I see only chaos and the loss of my humanity.”

“You are most fortunate, for it is precisely in that upon which we stumble that our gate will be found.” replied Zhouzi. “And should you take your leap, wings of trust will deliver you to a fulfillment to which right and wrong cannot begin to aspire. Until that day, you are welcome among us, though I assure you, we cannot withstand your judgment.”

When the man had departed, a disciple who had been sitting nearby, spoke to Zhouzi saying, “Master, not once did this man call you by your honorific! I was greatly ashamed and dread that he will join us!”

At this Zhouzi laughed and said, “But this is the very reason I consented to his joining us! If he does not see me as better than he, then there is hope he will see the universal Equality! But you, go lay under the courtyard tree!”

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.