The Empty Boat
El barco vacío--por Chuang Tzu
El que gobierna a los hombres vive en confusión;
El que está gobernado por los hombres vive en el dolor.
Por lo tanto, Tao deseaba Ni influir en l@s demás.
Ni dejarse influenciar por ell@s.
La manera de salir de la confusión
Y libre de pena
Es vivir con Tao
En la tierra del gran Vacío.
Si un hombre va cruzando un río
Y un barco vacío choca con su propio esquife,
Aunque sea un hombre de mal carácter
No se enfadará mucho.
Pero si ve a un hombre en la barca,
Le gritará para que se mantenga alejado.
Si no se oye el grito, volverá a gritar,
Y una vez más, y empezará a maldecir.
Y todo porque hay alguien en el barco.
Sin embargo, si el barco estuviera vacío.
No estaría gritando ni enfadado.
Si puedes vaciar tu propio barco
Cruzando el río del mundo,
Nadie se opondrá a ti
Nadie buscará hacerte daño.
El árbol recto es el primero en ser talado,
El manantial de agua clara es el primero que se seca.
Si deseas mejorar tu sabiduría
Y avergonzar a l@s ignorantes,
Cultivar tu carácter.
Y eclipsar a los demás;
Una luz brillará a tu alrededor
Como si te hubieras tragado el sol y la luna:
No evitarás la calamidad.
Un sabio ha dicho:
"El que está contento consigo mismo
Ha hecho un trabajo inútil.
El logro es el comienzo del fracaso.
La fama es el comienzo de la desgracia."
¿Quién puede liberarse del logro
Y de la fama, descender y perderse
En medio de las masas de hombres?
Fluirá como Tao, invisible,
Andará como la vida misma.
Sin nombre y sin hogar.
Sencillo es él, sin distinción.
Según todas las apariencias, es tonto.
Sus pasos no dejan rastro.
No tiene poder.
No logra nada, no tiene reputación.
Así como él no juzga a nadie.
Nadie lo juzga.
Así es el hombre perfecto:
Su barco está vacío.
Preguntas semilla para la reflexión: ¿Qué significa para ti vaciar tu propio tablero? ¿Puedes compartir una historia personal de alguna vez en la que hayas visto la sabiduría de ser simple, sin distinción? ¿Qué te ayuda a evitar juzgar a los demás?
Excerpted from Thomas Merton's translation, The Way of Chuang Tzu.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: What does emptying your own boat mean to you? Can you share a personal story of a time you saw the wisdom of being simple, without distinction? What helps you avoid judgment of others?
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18 Past Reflections
On Nov 18, 2023 Ubong eyo wrote :
Emptying my own boat to me, mean living a life of non-attachment, it doesn't mean you don't live your best life, you just don't become attached to living your best life, to outcomes, to results, you just LIVE. It's peaceful, no worries, no anxiety, just living in the flow.
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On Nov 13, 2023 suman ghosh wrote :
Very profound write ups.
Actually no one came with nothing on Mother Earth and no one leave with anything once die.
The purpose of living just to flow as per the journey already decided with a passion to serve for humanity for equanimity and oneness.
Actually no one came with nothing on Mother Earth and no one leave with anything once die.
The purpose of living just to flow as per the journey already decided with a passion to serve for humanity for equanimity and oneness.
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On Nov 13, 2023 suman ghosh wrote :
Very profound write ups.
Actually no one came with nothing on Mother Earth and no one leave with anything once die.
The purpose of living just to flow as per the journey already decided with a passion to serve for humanity for equanimity and oneness.
Actually no one came with nothing on Mother Earth and no one leave with anything once die.
The purpose of living just to flow as per the journey already decided with a passion to serve for humanity for equanimity and oneness.
Post Your Reply
On Nov 7, 2023 James wrote :
At the door my son face bloodied. "Its not as bad as it looks, dad."
Separated during the attack I found his friend unhurt.
Enraged I went looking.
A solitary bumble bee jumpered gang member on a street corner stood.
We pretended to each the other a not knowing.
Then I saw him. As my son. Someone's son.
Unable to add to the suffering I walked away.
The police later "caught one" some father's son.
Separated during the attack I found his friend unhurt.
Enraged I went looking.
A solitary bumble bee jumpered gang member on a street corner stood.
We pretended to each the other a not knowing.
Then I saw him. As my son. Someone's son.
Unable to add to the suffering I walked away.
The police later "caught one" some father's son.
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On Nov 7, 2023 Craig wrote :
Beautiful. I think this from Thomas Merton's retelling, which was not translated by Merton, but retold in English from prior English translations.
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On Nov 7, 2023 stream wrote :
Aloha- Emptying my own boat literally keeps my boat floating rather than sinking. Today , I am sharing poetry I wrote at a writers conference for critique and on weekend I have paid for sessions with people in publishing to pitch my book on male sexuality.
My need to share my inner life, wisdom, love is strong. It is important balance for me to accept that others may not appreciate or understand all or maybe any of what I am sharing. It is healthy for me to shine my light yet not be dependent on validation.
This balance comes from the simplicity of being grateful for the cup of tea my partner just brought me, her encouragement, and walking in the garden in this mornings rain. All that is enough. And if my work is loved and of benefit to someone and maybe published it is ok to enjoy my accomplishment. Knowing that I would prefer to not be judged helps me to avoid judging others.
My need to share my inner life, wisdom, love is strong. It is important balance for me to accept that others may not appreciate or understand all or maybe any of what I am sharing. It is healthy for me to shine my light yet not be dependent on validation.
This balance comes from the simplicity of being grateful for the cup of tea my partner just brought me, her encouragement, and walking in the garden in this mornings rain. All that is enough. And if my work is loved and of benefit to someone and maybe published it is ok to enjoy my accomplishment. Knowing that I would prefer to not be judged helps me to avoid judging others.
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On Nov 7, 2023 lavinia wrote :
Thank you for this wonderful reminder - it is so difficult to see the boat as empty.
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On Nov 7, 2023 Jaylei wrote :
This man or woman seems to be a fool, has no power, has no power or reputation and his/her boat is empty.
This person probably has no family, no goals, just wondering in the world?
This person probably has no family, no goals, just wondering in the world?
1 reply: David | Post Your Reply
On Nov 7, 2023 Margarita Chávez wrote :
An empty boat is a helpful metaphor for detaching from possessions and personal fame, to put it simply. Thomas Merton’s thoughts are inspiring. I think of a quote shared with me, “I wear this life like a loose garment.” I enjoy reading others’ comments.
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On Nov 7, 2023 Rachel Hill wrote :
Love this but still have a longing for wanting people to be impressed by me and like me, not to think I am a simple fool, I want people to think positively about me? Yet do I have to achieve something to be liked???
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On Nov 7, 2023 Michael wrote :
"Achievement is the beginning of failure." I love this sentence. Funny to read this story just after completing the book "The 5 am club" this morning.Robin Sharma talks about unlocking your potential and achieving all the time. He cites many quotes, from Da Vinci to Gandhi . And he has a point with it! But I feel that is just one side of the truth. As soon as you try to "be better than others", to outperform them, you enter a subtle competition and the truth is lost. There is wisdom in not trying to attain distinction, David wrote below. I think he is right. Like always: the truth holds both sides. Go for distinction, excellence and mastery, but let go of any expectations that come with that. I think that is what I long for.
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On Nov 6, 2023 Eisha wrote :
As a journalist, I always believed I was making a big impact through my writing, until the deadlines, the upheaval of emotions and the discord between what I was writing and my true self made me quit. After a pause of two years, I have started writing again, but only academically. The idea is to write on only my research, not worrying about whether the masses read it. Sometimes, micro is much better than macro.
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On Nov 2, 2023 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
"Emptiness is Fullness" sounds paradoxical. This is the Tao - the way of living with no burdens of possesions, power, prestige, pride and pejudice. As I was growing I used to get messages from elderly people to work hard to outshine others, to earn name and fame. My boat of life was loaded with aspirations and ambitions without realizing that I was becoming my own enemy. Self-awareness, open-mindedness and and cultivating courage to be my real and authentic self opened the doors to be my self. I felt light as the boat of my self was slowly getting empty of self-created burdens and feeling the fullness of living a simple but fulfilling life. It is indeed paradoxical: By renouncing we rejoice; by emptying we become full.
I know knowing is one side of the door and living is another side of the door. We need to open both sides of the door to walk freely, to live fully.
What helps me walk and stay on this path? Non-judgemental Self-awareness, openness, humility, loving kindness and re... [View Full Comment]
1 reply: Stacey | Post Your Reply
On Nov 2, 2023 David Doane wrote :
Emptying your boat means to me to be independent and focus on my being whole, not make myself like a robot dependent on anyone or anything else for how I am. I think of simple as basic. I'm definitely not always simple though I have. long seen the wisdom of being simple. I don't have a problem with distinction that comes without trying to attain it. If it happens, I like when I let it come and go. There is wisdom in not trying to attain distinction, which trying is manipulative and makes a person dependent on getting it. Trying to attain distinction like any goal-directed trying goes into your boat so that your boat is no longer empty and you are encumbered and less free and independent. What helps me avoid judgment is to let judgment come and go, not hold onto it and nurture it, not put it into my boat, and as I do that I have less judgments.
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On Nov 1, 2023 Prasad wrote :
In BhagavadGita there is a passage in second chapter that describes a man of equanimity called Stitha Prajna. When a person is not attached to an outcome, not affected by what happens outside and not identifying himself or herself as the doer finds peace within and outside. I found many a time when I am at peace with myself, I did not get affected by both praise and insults by others. I was able to experience caring and loving instead of judgment and criticism. Alas, those moments are few and far in between...