I think one of our greatest difficulties is living up to the expectations of both of our friends and us. Some people are meant to bring out the best of us, Chuang Tzu does this as we have much to learn and he is a great teacher. Chuang Tzu has always appeared as an enigma. Something or someone I would write a year later in “My travels with Lieh Tzu”, as an entry describing my own journey as “Remaining as an enigma“. As someone beyond description within the confines of the here and now. But for Chuang Tzu, both he and his writing has always been above reproach. Even beyond what might be seen as approachable. As though not quite ready to fully appreciate his writing and his contribution to world history, not only China. I will be writing about Chuang Tzu as long as I have pen, paper, and a computer to write. His talents were immeasurable, and his influence made him a dragon, a sage, and immortal. We think as the Tao as being indefinable, I think Chuang Tzu is to be considered as pretty indefinable too. I think he would like it that way.
When I talk about traveling on the wind with Lieh Tzu, we are often accompanied by our friend Chuang Tzu.
We don’t appreciate history enough that carries our planet and our people to greater universal understanding. What early Taoists did, both Lao and Chuang Tzu, was to give credence to man’s intimate role as the caretaker of nature and the environment. For now, this is simply an introduction, likened to a compilation of thoughts and stories that show the way of virtue and beyond. To a sage who was to become a lasting presence in Chinese thought and world philosophy. What he did for the development of “Taoism”, is better exemplified by the following passage in his own words from The Book of Chuang Tzu, Chapter 6:
“The Tao has reality and evidence, but no action and no form. It may be transmitted but cannot be received. It may be attained but cannot be seen. It exists in and through itself. It existed before Heaven and Earth, and indeed for all eternity. It caused the gods to be divine and the world to be produced.”
As though reaching out for the unattainable, the Tao is the eternal ultimate, beyond language, unity and oneness. To the way the Tao expressed the inexpressible and the unity and interrelatedness of all life by which Tao moves and creates both the material and spiritual worlds. What Tao does is discount the concept of a creator god. My earlier reference to Job and the Bible, was to show how ultimately there is a universal connection to a higher universal power. For the Taoist, that is nature itself. Christianity equates this as God the Creator, verses in the Tao there is no Creator God as it remains unexplainable and ties to all things found in nature as simply “one of the ten thousand things”. All originating as one coming from the same source as universal spirit. This ever-expanding cosmos is universal just as our own presence in it is always expanding as well.
Voices of the Dragon Part 2 Number 4
As Chuang Tzu’s Perfected Man
As Chuang Tzu’s Perfected Man begins by abandoning the ways of the world, you begin by simply letting go of that which is not significant to the Tao. As you are now seen traveling with old friends who guide you along an unknowable path or way.
Just as the dragons would have it, they are pleased.
Eternal sacrifice made to capture the moment knowing everything rests on your finding and staying on the road yet to be traveled. Searching for immortality and freedom to go where few have gone before. Just as a sage would find the true reality of all things. Always leading the way. Knowing that the Tao is everywhere to be found by simply looking and understanding what is and finding one’s own standard within the oneness of virtue.
Eternity existing forever both before, now and yet to come. As you continually search for your place in the overall scheme of things. With a comfort known as something done repetitively over and over again. A great sense of satisfaction that all becomes and is second nature.
Remain simply within the oneness of everything and pursue nothing ethereal as the reclusive sage. Complete with the knowledge of the Tao and understanding what it means. Remember from where you have come. As we are here to remind you of where you will return with us. Everything is here within yourself to rediscover and relearn. Keep to the open road as the Perfected Man and know immortality can only follow. 4/12/94
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