Finally, he remarked, “I am told that the Prince has a sacred tortoise, over two thousand years old, which is kept in a box and wrapped in silk and brocade.” “That is true” the officials replied. Chuang-tse watched the water, flowing by as if he had not heard. While sitting on the banks of the P’u River, Chuang-tse was approached by two representatives of the Prince of Ch’u, who offered him a position at court. An incident in the life of Chuang-tse can serve as an example: One man’s food is often another man’s poison, and what is glamorous and exciting to some can be a dangerous trap to others. When you know and respect your own Inner Nature, you know where you belong. That applies to people, although many don’t seem to realize it, stuck as they are in the wrong job, the wrong marriage, or the wrong house. In other words, everything has its own place and function. Since it would not be endangered by an axe, what could threaten its existence? It is useless to you because you want to make it into something else and do not use it in its proper way.”
But you could make use of the shade it provides, rest under its sheltering branches, and stroll beneath it, admiring its character and appearance. You complain that your tree is not valuable as lumber. But for all its strength, it cannot catch a mouse. It stands like a stone, or a cloud in a sky. On the other hand, a huge yak is not easily caught or overcome. But when it’s attention is focused on such things, it can be easily caught with a net. Crouching low, it can leap in any direction, pursuing whatever it is after. Therefore, no one pays attention to them.” “As you know,” Chuang-tse replied “a cat is very skilled at capturing its prey. Your teachings are the same- useless, without value. No builder would turn his head to look at it. It’s branches and trunk are crooked and tough, covered with bumps and depressions. Hui-tse said to Chuang-tse, “I have a large tree which no carpenter can cut into lumber. We will let a selection from the writing of Chuang-tse illustrate: It’s obvious isn’t it? And yet, you’d be suprised how many people violate this simple principle every day of their lives and try to fit square pegs into round holes, ignoring the clear reality that Things Are As They Are. Let’s start with the first part A fly can’t bird, but a bird can fly.
Ask me a riddle and I’ll reply: Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie Ask me a riddle and I’ll reply: Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston PieĬottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie, why does a chicken, I don’t know why. Ask me a riddle and I’ll reply: Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston PieĬottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie, a fish can’t whistle and neither can I. Since it’s pretty much beyond the intellect to measure or understand, we will have Pooh explain it to us, which he will do by way of the Cottleston Pie Principle.Ĭottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie, a fly can’t bird, but a bird can fly.
We will refer to that special Something here as Inner Nature. The thing that makes someone truly different- unique, in fact- is something that Cleverness cannot understand. As in Rabbit’s case, it has to change opinions later on because of what it didn’t see when it was forming them. It’s mechanical judgements and clever remarks tend to prove inaccurate with passing time, because it doesn’t look very deeply into things to begin with. Fortunately for everyone, the plan failed, as Clever plans do, sooner or later.Ĭleverness, after all, has its limitations. Then he began thinking of a way to make them leave. “Remember when Kanga and Roo came to the forest? Immediately Rabbit decided he didn’t like them, because they were Different.
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