Friday, September 29, 2006
Ultimate Joy
Hello,
Are people who lived in the long past really past ?
In the comic book ZhuangZi Speaks II by the famous comic book writer, Tsai Chih Chung, ZhuangZi asks, "Is there such a thing as ultimate joy ? Or a way to preserve life ? There is an answer," he says.
" But people don't know what to grab a hold of and what to give up ! They don't know what to do or rely on, what to avoid or what to abide in, what to accommodate or what to eliminate, what to like or what to dislike."
" What most people respect are wealth, prestige, longevity, and goodness. What they like are physical security, rich flavours, beautiful clothing, fine colours and good music. What they debase are poverty, lowliness, illness and death. What they fear suffering are physical insecurity, flavours that aren't rich, clothing that isn't beautiful, colours that aren't fine, and music that isn't good."
" If they can't get these material pleasures, they worry and fret. Isn't living for one's body like that pretty foolish ? What common people pursue are physical pleasures. What students of the Dao (Taoism) pursue is spiritual joy."
"Physical pleasures harm the body and destroy one's nature. Spiritual joy is the Ultimate Joy."
Have a nice day,
Ronald
NB. ZhuangZi was a famous philosopher who lived in ancient China about 370 to 301 BC,
whereas Confucius lived circa 551 to 479 BC.
Are people who lived in the long past really past ?
In the comic book ZhuangZi Speaks II by the famous comic book writer, Tsai Chih Chung, ZhuangZi asks, "Is there such a thing as ultimate joy ? Or a way to preserve life ? There is an answer," he says.
" But people don't know what to grab a hold of and what to give up ! They don't know what to do or rely on, what to avoid or what to abide in, what to accommodate or what to eliminate, what to like or what to dislike."
" What most people respect are wealth, prestige, longevity, and goodness. What they like are physical security, rich flavours, beautiful clothing, fine colours and good music. What they debase are poverty, lowliness, illness and death. What they fear suffering are physical insecurity, flavours that aren't rich, clothing that isn't beautiful, colours that aren't fine, and music that isn't good."
" If they can't get these material pleasures, they worry and fret. Isn't living for one's body like that pretty foolish ? What common people pursue are physical pleasures. What students of the Dao (Taoism) pursue is spiritual joy."
"Physical pleasures harm the body and destroy one's nature. Spiritual joy is the Ultimate Joy."
Have a nice day,
Ronald
NB. ZhuangZi was a famous philosopher who lived in ancient China about 370 to 301 BC,
whereas Confucius lived circa 551 to 479 BC.
# posted by chunmu @ 7:23 PM 
