Why I think about useless things

This is a great little story/parable that kind of goes a long with the last post. It gives me some comfort from time to time.

The Useless

"Hui Tzu said to Chuang Tzu: 'All your teaching is centered on what has no use.'

Chuang replied:

'If you have no appreciation for what has no use / You cannot begin to talk about what can be used. / The earth, for example, is broad and vast / But of all this expanse a man uses only a few inches / Upon which he happens to be standing. / Now suppose you suddenly take away / All that he is not actually using / So that, all around his feet a gulf / Yawns, and he stands in the Void, / With nowhere solid except right under each foot: / How long will he be able to use what he is using?

Hui Tzu said: 'It would cease to serve any purpose.'

Chuang Tzu concluded:

'This allows / The absolute necessity / Of what has no use.'"

Posted by Grayson at November 11, 2003 04:48 PM