commentary added into text in italic
5
nature is impartial
it has no feelings
and makes no judgements
so can have no preferences
nor any sense of fairness
these are human characteristics
the sage is impartial
and not swayed by sentiment
so treats everyone with the same benevolence
regardless of class, creed, gender, race, status
or any other determining feature
to the sage everyone is equally worthy of care and concern
nature is like a bellows
which from its very emptiness
pumps out energy
nature is like the hollow core of a flute
which from its very emptiness
resonates with music
nature seems to continue endlessly
yet the more it exerts itself
the stronger it becomes
too many words lead only to exhaustion
distracting the listener from stillness
and disrupting his equanimity
july 2006
