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Taoism
Lesson 319

Real friendship is unison without the aid of smiles.

Excerpt

"Our original purity," replied the fisherman, "is the perfection of truth unalloyed. Without this, we cannot influence others. Hence, those who weep to order, though they mourn, do not grieve. Those who assume anger, though violent, do not inspire awe. Those who affect friendship, though they smile, are not in unison." "Real mourning grieves in silence. Real anger awes without expression. Real friendship is unison without the aid of smiles. Our emotions are dependent upon the original purity within; and accordingly we hold the latter in esteem. "If applied to human affairs, then in serving our parents we are filial, in serving our prince we are loyal, in the banquet hour we are merry, in the hour of mourning we are sad.

Source Chuang Tzu, chapter 31, ยง6 ยท ๐Ÿ“– Read the full passage

โœจ To meditate on today

According to Chuang Tzu, the old fisherman teaches Confucius that only sincere simplicity, received at birth, truly touches others: true feelings are passed on without speeches or staging. Today, in a conversation, give up set phrases and effects: simply say what you feel, in ordinary words.

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