The Lathe of Heaven

 

"Those whom heaven helps we call the sons of heaven. They do not learn this by learning. They do not work it by working. They do not reason it by using reason. To let understanding stop at what cannot be understood is a high attainment. Those who cannot do it will be destroyed on the lathe of heaven."          Chuang Tse: XXIII (3.0) 

 

I first read this in Ursula K Le Guin's 1971 novel The Lathe of Heaven.    She later admitted that this was a poor translation since the lathe didn't exist in 5th century BCE China.  I don't care.  I like the imagery and this quote has really inspired me.   

 

In particular the line "To let understanding stop at what cannot be understood is a high attainment."   Sometimes when I meditate I feel myself approaching an unseen cliff edge.  I feel giddy and worry that I might fall and be overwhelmed.   Mentally I back away.   I know I am not ready.  When I am ready, I will know.

 

This is where so many religions go wrong.  Humanity has a habit of over-thinking when dealing with the unknown.   It isn't enough that we create some fanciful myth to explain what we do not yet understand (natural disasters, for instance), but then we have to create a system to attempt to control the forces that we absolutely can NOT control.  

 

Instead of seeking the unity of all things, we childishly divide everything into a binary world of good vs bad, black vs white, female vs male and then wonder how a loving just deity could allow all the evil done it its name.  We add layers upon layers of mythical beings, both good and evil.  We create rituals to appease or to ward off those beings.  We demand special clothes and special buildings in order to worship an unseen deity and carry out its unspoken will.   We create officials upon whom we invest power who then tell us if we are doing it right, accepting their condemnation when they tell us that we are going to Hell.  

 

If we could just accept that we do not know what lies beyond and still be compassionate people we would move quickly to the center of the maze.  The point of life is not to be perfect, but to make the best choices given the circumstances.