Hui Tzu was prime minister of Liang.
He had what he believed to be inside information
that Chuang Tzu coveted his post,
and was plotting to supplant him.
When Chuang Tzu came to visit Liang
the prime minister sent out police to arrest him,
but although they searched for three days and nights
they could not find him.
Meanwhile, Chuang Tzu presented himself to Hui Tzu
of his own accord, and said:
"Have you heard about the bird
that lives in the south –
the phoenix that never grows old?
"This undying phoenix rises out of the south sea
and flies to the seas of the north,
never alighting except on certain sacred trees.
He will touch no food
but the most exquisite rare fruit,
and he drinks only from the clearest springs.
"Once an owl
chewing an already half-decayed dead rat
saw the phoenix fly over.
"Looking up he screeched with alarm
and clutched the dead rat to himself
in fear and dismay.
"Prime minister,
why are you so frantic,
clinging to your ministry
and screeching at me in dismay?"
He had what he believed to be inside information
that Chuang Tzu coveted his post,
and was plotting to supplant him.
When Chuang Tzu came to visit Liang
the prime minister sent out police to arrest him,
but although they searched for three days and nights
they could not find him.
Meanwhile, Chuang Tzu presented himself to Hui Tzu
of his own accord, and said:
"Have you heard about the bird
that lives in the south –
the phoenix that never grows old?
"This undying phoenix rises out of the south sea
and flies to the seas of the north,
never alighting except on certain sacred trees.
He will touch no food
but the most exquisite rare fruit,
and he drinks only from the clearest springs.
"Once an owl
chewing an already half-decayed dead rat
saw the phoenix fly over.
"Looking up he screeched with alarm
and clutched the dead rat to himself
in fear and dismay.
"Prime minister,
why are you so frantic,
clinging to your ministry
and screeching at me in dismay?"
| oshobob The Living Workshop |
| The Empty Boat--Chinese |
| Modern psychology also agrees with Chuang Tzu, with Lao Tzu, with Buddha, with all those who have known, that inferiority creates ambition. Hence politicians come from the worst stuff in humanity. All politicians are sudras, untouchables. It cannot be otherwise, because whenever the mind feels the inferiority complex it tries to become superior – the opposite is born. When you feel ugly, you try to be beautiful. If you are beautiful, then it is no effort... --Osho The Empty Boat, ch. 3 |
| talks on Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi) 庄子的故事 by Osho (Aoxiu) 作者: 奥修 |
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| The Empty Boat |
mp3 audio clip in standard Chinese, by a native speaker
from the People's Republic of China.
text in simplified Chinese, the form used throughout
mainland China.
from the People's Republic of China.
text in simplified Chinese, the form used throughout
mainland China.
| Chapter 3 The Owl and the Phoenix |
| 猫头鹰和凤凰 惠子是梁国的宰相， 他听到了一个秘密的消息，信以为真， 据说庄子觊觎他的职位， 正密谋取而代之。 庄子来梁国的时候， 惠子下令逮捕他， 但虽然他们搜查了三天三夜， 也没能找到他。 这时，庄子却自己上门见惠子 他说： 你听说过南方的那种鸟， 永生不老的凤凰吗？ 永生的凤凰 从南海飞向北海， 除非是特定的圣树它才栖息。 它只吃最精美的珍稀的果实， 他只喝最清澈的泉水。 有一次一只猫头鹰 正嚼着一只腐烂的老鼠， 这时它看见凤凰飞过。 它惊慌地仰着头尖叫， 紧紧抓住死树不放， 惊恐万状。 宰相， 为什么你这样发狂地 紧紧抓住你的职位 对着我惊恐地尖叫？ |