Audio log: Chuang tzu boat

A short text about how we react differently to a situation based on if there is another person present.

## Location

As you take the boat from the swamp heading south towards the jungle, you'll notice on the west side as you approach the bunker a crashed boat near a rock. Stop the boat and examine the rock to see the tape.

## Transcript

Suppose a boat is crossing a river, and another empty boat is about to collide with it. Even an irritable man would not lose his temper.

But supposing there was some one in the second boat. Then the occupant of the first would shout to him to keep clear.
And if the other did not hear the first time, nor even when called three times, bad language would inevitably follow.

In the first case there was no anger, in the second there was; because in the first case the boat was empty, and in the second it was occupied.

And so it is with man. If he could only roam empty through life, who would be able to injure him?

Zhuangzi, 4th century B.C.

## Literal interpretation

This audio log is in a boat that has crashed onto a rock.

## Literary context

Chuang tzu (Zhuangzi/Zhuang Zhou) was a Chinese philosopher. He has a body of work spanning multiple subjects.

This piece is taken from a longer piece which goes as follows:

He who rules men lives in confusion;
He who is ruled by men lives in sorrow.
Yao therefore desired
Neither to influence others
Nor to be influenced by them.
The way to get clear of confusion
And free of sorrow
Is to live with Tao
In the land of the great Void.

If a man is crossing a river
And an empty boat collides with his own skiff,
Even though he be a bad-tempered man
He will not become very angry.
But if he sees a man in the boat,
He will shout at him to steer clear.
If the shout is not heard, he will shout again,
And yet again, and begin cursing.
And all because there is somebody in the boat.
Yet if the boat were empty.
He would not be shouting, and not angry.

If you can empty your own boat
Crossing the river of the world,
No one will oppose you,
No one will seek to harm you

The straight tree is the first to be cut down,
The spring of clear water is the first to be drained dry.
If you wish to improve your wisdom
And shame the ignorant,
To cultivate your character
And outshine others;
A light will shine around you
As if you had swallowed the sun and the moon:
You will not avoid calamity.

A wise man has said:
“He who is content with himself
Has done a worthless work.
Achievement is the beginning of failure.
Fame is beginning of disgrace.”

Who can free himself from achievement
And from fame, descend and be lost
Amid the masses of men?
He will flow like Tao, unseen,
He will go about like Life itself
With no name and no home.
Simple is he, without distinction.
To all appearances he is a fool.
His steps leave no trace. He has no power.
He achieves nothing, has no reputation.
Since he judges no one
No one judges him.
Such is the perfect man:
His boat is empty.

## Relation to the six themes of the Witness

This seems to coincide with Theme 6: Acceptance

The idea here is that letting go of anger and such emotions will leave you free to see the world in a new light. In a way, we become untouchable.