#20 The Spiritual Path
Rediscovering and restructuring the relationship with the inner self through Chuang Tzu’s allegories
“The Great Tao flows everywhere,
(Like a flood) it may go left or right.”
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 34.
Chuang Tzu tells a story between Confucius and his disciple Yan Hui, in which Yan Hui shares his progress with the master.
On their first meeting, Yan Hui said, “I’m improving!”
Confucius asked, “What do you mean by that?”
“I’ve forgotten benevolence and righteousness!”
“That sounds good. But you still haven’t got it.”
A few days later, the two met again, and Yan Hui said, “I’m improving!”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve forgotten rituals and music!”
“That’s good. But you still haven’t got it.”
Another day, the two met again, and Yan Hui said, “I’m improving!”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I can sit down and forget everything!”
Confucius was amazed and said, “What do you mean, sit down and forget everything?”
Yan Hui said, “I do not feel my limbs and my mind is without light. I have ignored my body and cast aside my wisdom. Thus I am united with the Tao. This is what sitting down and forgetting is.”
Confucius said, “If you are one with the great Tao, then you do not have preferences. If you are one with the cosmos, you are transformed.”1
