I continue to enjoy reading the writings of Chuang Tzu, the 4th Century BCE Taoist philosopher. In this passage Tzu offers a fascinating insight on how to understand emotions of people we might be fortunate enough to lead.
“The Sage does not struggle, judging the this or the that, but accepts the entirety and does not struggle against it and thus accomplishes every goal leaving nothing undone. This is indeed the Way… [for example]…
The keeper of the monkeys told them that they were to get three acorns in the morning and four acorns in the evening.
The monkeys were outraged!
The clever keeper thought about this and declared the monkeys would get four acorns in the morning and three in the evening.
Ecstasy! The monkeys were satisfied.
What was the real difference? Not much, but the response of the monkeys was radically different— Outrage at the one, ecstasy at the other.
The Sage sees the two options as one, judging neither to be right nor wrong, harmonizing all with Heaven.
The Sage travels the two paths at the same time.”
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