Sunday, July 10, 2011

Tao Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:15

That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
~ King James version ~

Chuang Tzu Was walking in the mountains when he saw a huge tree, its branches and leaves thick and lush. A woodcutter paused by its side but made no move to cut it down. When Chuang Tzu asked the reason, he replied, "There's nothing it could be used for!" Chuang Tzu said, "Because of its worthlessness, this tree is able to live out the years Heaven gave it."
~ from Chapter 20 of the Book of Chuang Tzu ~
These two passages illustrate differing perspectives on the notions of crooked and gnarled. For the writer of Ecclesiastes, to be crooked is to be lost and unable to find the way back.

For Chuang Tzu, the crooked and gnarled is to be appreciated. It is the straight tree that is cut down. The crooked tree is left to live out its life in simplicity.

If you're interested in reading more from this experimental series, go to the Tao Bible Index page.

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