By Steven Ericsson Zenith
I am often asked, "What should I do to learn about the TAO?"
and I am always reminded of the reply given to that
same question by a priest in Peter Goullart's book "The Monastery
on Jade Mountain." (London, 1961).
This book was written as an account of Peter Goullart's journey
as a refugee of the Russian revolution which led him to Shanghai
and a discovery of TAOISM. In this wonderful account of a first
modern European encounter with Chinese TAOISM he speaks briefly
with an old Taoist priest and asks the question "What should
I do to learn about the TAO?".
"'Take time, observe and learn,' he said simply. 'Words spoken
in haste will not stick; a cup of water splashed into a parched
field will do it no good. It is only a slow and gentle rain that
will saturate the soil and produce life.' ...
'If you want to learn about the Eternal Tao, do not be casual
and in a hurry. Don't glean too much from too many books, for
each book is full of opinions, prejudices and corruption's. Read
only one book and only one - our Old Master's Tao Te Ching, and
then try to understand it, not by juggling the words and meanings,
but intuitively, through your heart and spirit.
Don't ask too many questions, but patiently watch what we Taoists
do, and perceive the hidden motives of our actions, and not that
which is only for display. Do not be guided so much by your intellect
as by faith, love and your heart, which is another name for understanding
and compassion.
What you need is wisdom, and not knowledge; for if one has wisdom,
knowledge will come naturally. Always remember that Eternal Tao
is Infinite Wisdom, Infinite Love and Infinite Simplicity.'"
To the introduction.
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