The
Useless
Hui Tzu said to Chuang Tzu:
“All your teaching is centred
on what has no use.”
Chuang Tzu 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 shows
The absolute
necessity
Of what has 'no
use.' ”
translation by Thomas Merton
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