Sunday, January 23, 2011

The Simple Way, Part 46

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


A disciple came before Zhouzi and said, “Master, I have heard and understood your teaching, but I cannot find the faith to believe it.”

Zhouzi reacted as if slapped, recovered, and said, “If ever I have taught you something to believe, I have deceived both you and myself! What is it in which you think you must believe?”

“Master, that there is Tao and that I am its expression.”

“Forget Tao! There is no Tao! It stands for a Source beyond all knowing. Forget Source! How can we conceive it! No word can touch it. No mind can imagine it! Empty of all content, there is nothing in which to believe! Utter Mystery! All is Mystery! The Source is Mystery! I am Mystery! You are Mystery! All one can do is surrender in Trust!”

Clearly disturbed, Zhouzi caught his breath and said, “Tomorrow I will address this issue before the full hall. Now I thank you for unsettling my heart, for you have discovered a watershed at the core of this way. But before you leave I will tell you this: that you cannot believe is a wide open gate. Never would I tell you not to believe, yet clearly the need to do so stands in your way.”

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.

1 comment:

  1. Isn't "surrender in Trust" a way of "having faith?"
    Which is not the same as "believe."

    I think that's what you're saying?

    Words, words, words....

    ReplyDelete

Comments are unmoderated, so you can write whatever you want.