September 9, 2002

  • The Joy of Fishes

    by Chuang Tzu (250 B.C.)

    Chuang Tzu and Hui Tzu
    Were crossing Hao river
    By the dam.

    Chuang said:
    "See how free
    The fishes leap and dart:
    That is their happiness,"

    Hui replied:
    "Since you are not a fish
    How do you know
    What makes fishes happy?"

    Chuang said:
    "Since you are not I
    How can you possibly know
    That I do not know
    What makes fishes happy?"

    Hui argued:
    "If I, not being you,
    Cannot know what you know
    It follows that you
    Not being a fish
    Cannot know what they know."

    Chuang said:
    "Wait a minute!
    Let us get back
    To the orginal question.
    What you asked me was
    'How do you know
    What makes fishes happy?'
    From the terms of your question
    You evidently know I know
    What makes fishes happy.

    "I know the joy of fishes
    In the river
    Through my own joy, as I go walking
    Along the same river."

    Translation by Thomas Merton The Way of Chuang Tzu, New Directions Books, 1965

Comments (233)

Comments are closed.

Post a Comment

Recent Posts

Categories

The End of Days

September 2002
M T W T F S S
« Aug   Oct »
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30