Who can free himself from achievement
And from fame, descend and be lost
Amid the masses of men?
He will flow like Tao, unseen,
He will go about like Life itself
With no name and no home.
Simple is he, without distinction.
To all appearances he is a fool.
His steps leave no trace. He has no power.
He achieves nothing, has no reputation.
Since he judges no one
No one judges him.
Such is the perfect man:
His boat is empty.
~ Chuang Tzu
translation by Thomas Merton
from The Collected Poems of Thomas Merton
from The Collected Poems of Thomas Merton
2 comments:
I keep returning here to float. The boat, like candle flame, draws me. Thank you.
Become one with the dust; this is the origin. In this state one is untroubled by friend or foe, by fortune or misfortune, by honour or neglect. Thus it is the highest state. TTC 56
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