Bit by Bit - Chapter 20, Part 4

Trey Smith

I-liao from south of the Market called upon the marquis of Lu. The marquis had a very worried look on his face. "Why such a worried look?" asked the Master from south of the Market.

The marquis of Lu said, "I study the way of the former kings, I do my best to carry on the achievements of the former rulers, I respect the spirits, honor worthy men, draw close to them, follow their advice, and never for an instant leave their side. And yet I can't seem to avoid disaster. That's why I'm so worried."

The Master from south of the Market said, "Your technique for avoiding disaster is a very superficial one. The sleek-furred fox and the elegantly spotted leopard dwell in the mountain forest and crouch in the cliffside caves - such is their quietude. They go abroad by night but lurk at home by day - such is their caution. Though hunger, thirst, and hardship press them, they steal forth only one by one to seek food by the rivers and lakes - such is their forethought . And yet they can't seem to escape the disaster of nets and traps. Where is the blame? Their fur is their undoing. And this state of Lu-is it not your coat of fur? So I would ask you to strip away your form, rid yourself of this fur, wash clean your mind, be done with desire, and wander in the peopleless fields.
~ Burton Watson translation ~

Imagine copying down an award-winning cake recipe and following it to a T regardless of where you live. If you happen to live in a town at high altitude or a community in the Amazon rainforest and you don't make the necessary modifications based on the climatic conditions, the cake won't turn out as well as you anticipated.

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