When the master died, Chin Shih came to the funeral, looked around and shouted three times. One of the other disciples said, “I thought you were a friend of the master.”
“Yes, of course I am,” replied Chin Shih.
“Well, do you think it proper to behave this way?” asked the disciple.
“Yes,” said Chin Shih. “When I first walked into the room I thought that the master’s spirit was still here. Now I see that it is not. I came prepared to mourn but, upon seeing everyone here wailing at the top of their lungs, I realized that this was all wrong. This is ignoring the natural course of things.
“The master came because it was his time. When it was time for him to leave, he left. If we ourselves are also content to follow the natural flow there would be no room for grief. This is truly freedom from bondage. When the wood burns the wood itself is consumed, to where it goes we cannot say.”
CHUANG TZU
Those who know that
they have enough
are wealthy.
Those who hold their
place have great power.
Those who do not lose
their place will endure.
To die but not to perish is
to be eternally present.
LAO TZU