Tao Stories by Ta Wan

The person of Tao

The 'real' person, the person of Tao - truly a Tao master - Is someone

you have met and had no idea of their views, wants, needs, likes or

dislikes.

Religion never came up in conversation, they were good to you but

never made out they were being good. They were calm and collected

but never felt the need to tell you how easy going they were. They

fitted in and blended with the crowd without any loss of

individuality. They were good at all things that came their way, did

there best and had no bashfulness over their poor performance or ego

over their greater achievements. They shone with an inner brightness

and radiated a deep seated warmth but wore no label, no jewels, no

robe, no dog collar, no stripes on their arms, no marks of distinction.

Fitting in and getting along they were solid and dependable - you

could miss them for a day or a year and be greeted the same on

meeting again. Always fit for a good laugh and a joke, they could be

told your inner woes and neither give you advice or break your trust.

If you asked for advice on life they'd tell you something about death,

if you asked for advice on colours they'd play you a song, if you

wanted fine food they'd make you some tea. On every occasion

meeting your needs in the most simplistic, unassuming yet well

chosen responses.

They appeared in your life without you noticing them, and

disappeared softly without a trace. They were your greatest masters

and never asked for thanks. You probably owe them your heartfelt

gratitude but their reward is that you treated them like a completely

normal person.

The wave who wanted to be the ocean

The big wave who wanted to be as vast as the ocean - eventually

gave up trying to get bigger and bigger - it dropped down, forgot

itself and became.

Only an ego searches for enlightenment as an ego is the only thing

that is not enlightened. The only fake in reality is this idea of self.

When ego finds what it selfishly seeks it finds the absence of ego.

Realizing itself as nothing but an idea, it renders itself Extinguished.

What reality finds when it is rid of ego is that ..

You can not become what you already are.

My dogs best jacket

I asked my dog what she'd like to do for her birthday and she said

she had nothing to wear and no money but wanted to have a nice run

by the river and chew a stick or two.

I thought this was a great idea.

I asked my friend and she said her boyfriend had exams, they had

just moved house, work was stressful and she may not get home in

time to even have a rest before her birthday was out.

I thought "and you, human, are the smart one?"


Stories by Ta Wan


"Where Zen and Buddhism will say the truth, enlightenment,
and so on can be reached through dedicated meditation and
practice, a Tao master may sip some wine, fart, and go to sleep."