Be Natural The Tao Way-A Short Story

Anecdotes

oi-Priya Devi

By Priya Devi

Monday, July 25, 2011, 14:12

To be natural the Tao way is laid down in this short story about Lao Tzu the 'old guy' and Confucius. Read about the man who did not leave any trace about the way he lived. He just lived!

The Tao way of treading the path to be natural. A short story, involving Lao Tzu and Confucius reveals the truth.

Confucius was a man of wisdom and was sought after by all, even by emperors for a dose of wisdom. However he was not brimming with bliss. Sensing his lacking he decided to seek the help of a person immersed in bliss. He could not find any because he was looked up by scholars and other great men for advice. He thus sent out his disciples to find somebody truly wise who, could introduce him to bliss.

Confucius' disciples returned back with the news that there was a man who, was called Lao Tzu or 'old guy,' since no one knew his name and was truly wise. Confucius then set off with his disciples to meet the man of wisdom. On reaching the place, he asked his disciples to wait under a tree and proceeded to meet Confucius.

In the first instance itself, Confucius could make out that Lao Tzu was no ordinary man. He put forward his question, about morality since he was a moralist and considered that attaining morality was the ultimate end.

Confucius asked, “What do you say about morality?"

Lao Tzu laughed out loudly and said, “If you are immoral, only then the question of morality arises. A man of character is oblivious of the existence of the aspect called 'character,' for it is natural to him. Do not cultivate, just be natural!"

Such was the greatness of Lao Tzu. He did not leave any trace about the way he lived. He just lived! This short story opens up the 'Tao Way'