Been re-reading Chuang Tzu and was struck by the following quote:
"So we look at things and see things, but it is only an outward form and colour, and what can be heard is just the name and sound. How sad that this generation imagines that the form, colour, name and sound are enough to capture the essence of something!" (Ch.13 'Heaven's Tao', The Book of Chuang Tzu, trans. by Martin Palmer with Elizabeth Breuilly)
This reminded me of some of the thoughts I'd had about all these 'reality' TV shows where all the contestants are taking part because they want to be famous and earn lots of money. They also want their lives to 'mean something' and believe that fame and fortune (even if shortlived) will make them important. They imagine that form, colour, name and sound are enough to capture the essence of something - in this case fame, happiness, self-worth, importance.
All the participants in this type of TV show have completely failed to understand that those who are content with themselves, who are truly happy like the sages are "not greedy for food or power and so they are full of well-being" (Tao Te Ching, Timothy Freke). They require things from outside them to complete them, to make them happy, fulfilled, important, famous, admired. They believe that money can make you happy or, even if they realise that money doesn't make you happy, they pursue it anyway - subscribing to the belief that "money might not make you happy, but it does at least allow you to be miserable in comfort".
Even when following Tao, it is difficult not to succumb to this lure of money and fame and fortune; we can all be seduced away from the path when we allow our focus to slip. Constant attention and focus is the price we followers of the Tao must pay for living in our western materialistic society.
"Fulfillment comes from selflessness". (Tao Te Ching, Timothy Freke)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Another prime example of people looking outside of themselves for happiness is all those popular songs on the radio that state something like, "If you were to leave me, I couldn't go on..." or "Without you in my life, my life would be over..."
While it's certainly true that relationships can and do enhance our life experience (i.e., I love my wife dearly), true happiness can only be found inside ourselves.
If my wife died suddenly, I would certainly be upset and distraught. However, I'm not defined by her and she is not defined by me. My life would go on and the question of my own happiness and contentment would be up to me, not anyone else.
Post a Comment