The Tao Story Of The Ordinary

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Chuang Tzu was once imparting some teachings of profundity to his disciples. The disciples found the teachings go over their heads and hence dozed off to sleep. Chuang Tzu on realising the fact that some of his disciples were snoring over his talk began to tell a parable.

Once a poor man who went on a pilgrimage on his donkey, ran out of money even to buy a little food. He hence sold his donkey to a fellow traveller to meet his expenses on the way. The next afternoon , in the course of their journey both grew tired. The ex-owner of the donkey lay down on the shadow of the donkey to escape the heat owing to the hot sun.

The new owner of the donkey objected, “This is not right. You have sold the donkey to me"

The ex-owner said, “But I have not sold its shadow to you!"

At this juncture, the disciples alerted out of their nap. They urged Chuang Tzu carry on with the parable.

Chuang Tzu said, “This is just a parable and not a story. You seem to be more interested in donkeys than in me!"

The truth is in the ordinary. It is self evident and bare in the ordinary.