Saturday, December 7, 2013

Bit by Bit - Chapter 24, Part 26

Trey Smith

Kou-chien, with his three thousand men in armor and shield, took up his position at K'uai-chi; at that time Chung alone was able to understand how a perishing state can be saved, but he alone did not understand how the body may be brought to grief. Therefore it is said, The owl's eyes have their special aptness, the stork's legs have their proper proportions; to try to cut away anything would make the creatures sad.
~ Burton Watson translation ~
It is not uncommon for us to think that might makes right or that more means success (or victory). It's the age-old problem of believing that, if you can force others to satisfy your egoic desires, then virtue doesn't really matter.

To view the Index page for this series, go here.

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