Introduction
This verse is a classic example: "I know what it says, but what does it mean?! How can this possibly be good advice for my life?!”
The structure creates a strong contrast between two different approaches to life: on the one hand, what is “typical” and on the other, Weaving the Way. The counter-cultural component of practical meditative living is usually either downplayed or ignored. What happens when we live this way is pretty wild. Today’s Mindfulness-based world, where everyone is “finding their Zen” and meditation is mainstream, has normalized the concept but only scratched the surface of what Weaving the Way entails.
Here are some of the more challenging aspects laid bare.
Translation
“Yeah” and “YES!”
how far apart are they?
Delightful and repulsive,
what really makes them different?
That which people fear,
can’t help but scare them.
Look! This is endless!
Everyone is so excited,
as if they’re feasting
or sightseeing on a Spring day.
I am tranquil and bland,
like an infant yet to smile.
My simpleton's heart; it’s ignorant.
Ordinary people seek bright clarity,
I alone am in confused darkness.
Ordinary people are so curious,
I alone am bored to death.
Ordinary people are useful,
I alone am stupid and uncivilized.
Momentary, it is like the sea.
Indistinct, it has no center.
My needs differ from those of others;
the Mother’s nourishment is all I need.
Commentary
“Yeah” and “YES!”
how far apart are they?
Delightful and repulsive,
what really makes them different?
The opening stanzas invite us to consider that we project distinctions onto information based on personal experience and social conditioning. “Yeah” and “YES!” are entirely different! Aren’t they? One is reluctant, while the other is enthusiastic. But aren’t they both just affirmations of something? Couldn’t it be that the “Yeah” was said with complete sincerity but less energy, and the “YES!” was that person fooling themselves or us? The meanings of the words themselves are identical. The context clues help us make decisions about what they mean. Yet, we make the mistake of assuming the meaning we attribute to things is always accurate. Dangerous.