Book Discourse on Chuang Tzu:

Rid off the Encumbrance to Wander Farther Away into the Land of Great Vacuity

Excerpt from book Discourse On Chuang Tzu / Chapter 20 The Mountain Trees

”The way there must be distant and difficult,” said the lord. “Moreover, there are rivers and mountains between, and as I have neither boat nor carriage, what shall I do?”

Shih Nan-tzu rejoined, “Your lordship needn’t rely upon a physical form and can make do without any abode to take residence. That suffices to serve you for a carriage.”

“The road there must be remote and distant and there are no people there,” said the lord. “Whom shall I have as my companions? I have no provisions prepared, and how, without food, shall I be able to get there?”

Shih Nan-tzu said, “Minimize your lordship’s expenditure, make your wants few, and though you have no provisions prepared, you will find you have enough. Wade through the rivers and float along on the sea. Wherever you look, you will not see the shore. The father you venture, you will not see your journey’s end. Those who escort you to the shore will all turn back from the shore, and afterwards you will wander farther away into the distance.”

“Thus it is he who entertains the sense of his being who is involved in encumbrance, and he whose being is contingent upon others suffers from worry. Yao did without entertaining the sense of his being, nor was his being contingent upon by others. I wish you to rid yourself of encumbrance, cast off your worriment, and wander alone with Tao to the land of Great Vacuity.”

君曰：“彼其道远而险，又有江山，我无舟车，奈何？”市南子曰：“君无形倨，无留居，以为君车。”君曰：“彼其道幽远而无人，吾谁与为邻？吾无粮，我无食，安得而至焉？”

市南子曰：“少君之费，寡君之欲，虽无粮而乃足。君其涉于江而浮于海，望之而不见其崖，愈往而不知其所穷。送君者皆自崖而反，君自此远矣！故有人者累，见有于人者忧。故尧非有人，非见有于人也。吾愿去君之累，除君之忧，而独与道游于大莫之国。

For more information please visit the Amazon Bookstore