"When standing still... the water is in the most perfect state of repose. Let that be your model. It remains quietly within, and is not agitated without."
- Tao, Chuang-Tzu
Maybe in China, but going through my photos I found not one where the water was "in the most perfect state of repose." The water's stillness was disrupted by wind ripples or circles from bug steps. Even though I can't see below the surface, I imagine there is a world of activity there with bugs being eaten by fish, which are being eaten by bigger fish and the microscopic things that the human eye cannot see. Which begs the question: is there such a thing as a perfect state of repose?
These are musings induced by an "East Meets West" course I'm currently taking through Athabasca University. The course involves reading novels written by Huxley, Hesse, Pirsig, and Le Guin and translations of Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist texts, then looking for the eastern influences in the western writings. It's probably a good thing that a comparison is all that is required. As you can tell, inner calm remains illusive. [sigh]
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