Apprentice: “Master, why the sad look?”
Master replied: “People are always forgetting the dangers involved in ambitious endeavors.”
Master continued: “Yesterday while I was strolling through a chestnut orchard, a bird landed its droppings on my head and I swore to get it. Just then, I saw a cicada chirping away in a tree, thinking it was perfectly safe…not knowing that right behind it was a mantis about to pounce. And while the mantis was concentrating on getting the cicada, the mantis didnt notice that there was a bird ready to gobble it up….”
Master sighed: “While I was trying to get the bird, I forgot the danger I myself was in and was accused of stealing chestnuts. How embarrassing.”
When pursuing an ambition, it is easy to set our sights forward, forgetting the danger lurking behind.
《莊子·山木·第二十》: 莊周游於雕陵之樊，睹一異鵲自南方來者。翼廣七尺，目大運寸，感周之顙，而集於栗林。莊周曰：「此何鳥哉！翼殷不逝，目大不睹。」蹇裳躩步，執彈而留之。睹一蟬，方得美蔭而忘其身。螳螂執翳而搏之，見得而忘形；異鵲從而利之，見利而忘其真。莊周怵然曰：「噫！物固相累，二類相召也。」捐彈而反走，虞人逐而誶之。莊周反入，三日不庭。藺且從而問之，「夫子何為頃間甚不庭乎？」莊周曰：「吾守形而忘身，觀於濁水而迷於清淵。且吾聞諸夫子曰：『入其俗，從其俗。』今吾游於雕陵而忘吾身，異鵲感吾顙，游於栗林而忘真。栗林虞人以吾為戮，吾所以不庭也。」
