Chinese proverbs.../ Riddles...

[tmonis]

In regards to freedom - Which is truly the prisoner? The fly, which moving freely has entered unknown danger? Or the spider, which having spun its web, remains, never knowing the pleasure or the danger of the fly?......

Good luck on solving this one...

Prof. Todd:asian:

 

[TigerWoman]

the fly represents freedom...too much freedom/life/curiosity brings the end
the spider represent security...too much stagnation/security/no choice brings the end, no life

must be a balance... the spider....?? TW

 

[tmonis]

That's a hard one right? It is like who came first the chicken or the egg?

That phrase is from a martial arts show? Do you know which one? What Chinese riddles do you know?:idunno:

 

[The Kai]

"If you tie two birds together, all though they have 8 wings they still cannot fly"

 

[TigerWoman]

The spider is trapped by his own decision to stay by the web because once the web is spun, he is committed. His own mind is making him the prisoner.
The fly could be trapped by his decision to fly into the web but at least he has a choice and is still free.

Answering your question, no, I don't watch alot of martial art shows and I don't know any chinese riddles. TW

 

[tmonis]

The spider is trapped by his own decision to stay by the web because once the web is spun, he is committed. His own mind is making him the prisoner.
The fly is could be trapped by his decision to fly into the web but at least he has a choice still and is still free.

Answering your question, no, I don't watch alot of martial art shows and I don't know any chinese riddles. TW

That is really good the way you broke that down. I will come up with a few more. Good Job.

 

[tmonis]

"If you tie two birds together, all though they have 8 wings they still cannot fly"

Hello Kai,

If you tied two birds together, would they not only have 4 wings? But more importantly, They cannot fly because they would both be trying to fly in different flights away from each other. Not as a team. There is an important lesson to be learned with that one.

Take Care

Prof. Todd

 

[The Kai]

I know it is from the cheesy "Circle of Iron" allong with "You can'not step on the same piece of water twice"

Todd

 

[tmonis]

I know it is from the cheesy "Circle of Iron" allong with "You can'not step on the same piece of water twice"

Todd

I understand now. lol

 

[tmonis]

OK round two:

What is the meaning of this one?

We all encounter a demon when our conscience is not at rest. To run from your demon is to have him pursue you.


Good LucK!!

Todd

 

[TigerWoman]

We all encounter a demon when our conscience is not at rest. To run from your demon is to have him pursue you.

To face the conflict imposed by our conscience and deal with it honorably is to be free from it. The alternative being that, that same conflict will follow you into another and another situation further in your life.

Like money/greed. If the value of money is not realized early in life, later you assume to pick money over children, wife again, until you realize/face conflict, that it is not all that there is to life.
TW

 

[shesulsa]

On round two: What you resist persists - one must face one's own demons to no longer be pursued by them. One cannot rid oneself of demons for they live within a person. When you run, your demons run with you.

On round one: The observer is the prisoner, for s/he will miss much spending too much time gazing at the scene of the spider and the fly. (wink)

 

[TigerWoman]

More ancient chinese proverbs--comment if you want...


After three days without reading, talk becomes flavourless.
%
An ant may well destroy a whole dam.
%
Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.
%
Behind an able man there are always other able men.
%
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without one.
%
Better do a good deed near at home than go far away to burn incense.
%
Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness
%
A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.
%
Clear conscience never fears midnight knocking.
%
A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood

TW

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

We all encounter a demon when our conscience is not at rest. To run from your demon is to have him pursue you.

When we are not at peace with creation, our will interferes; yet, to evade our will is to have it continue to interfere. We must bring our will into harmony with creation.

Or something like that.

jim

 

[tmonis]

You guys are really doing a great job on these. I thought I could stump you. NOT....TW, I really liked your proverbs. They makes sense when you really think about them. Shesula, I really liked the way you broke everything down.

The first one deals with freedom and the second deals with acceptance.

Egg, Slightly different view, but there again right on target. Good job.

Stand by for round three.

Prof. Todd

 

[tmonis]

Round 3: What does this pretain to?

The river seeks its own level. It does not fight the rock. It flows around it...The rock becomes a refuge for the river.

Good Luck.

Prof. Todd

 

[shesulsa]

picking one's battles - acceptance of one's own limititations

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

The river seeks its own level. It does not fight the rock. It flows around it...The rock becomes a refuge for the river.

The force of life (the Ki of the universe, perhaps?) will always find a way to burst through; neither being contained nor rebuffed. That which would divert it will, in turn, provide a definition for it.

A question arises from this: is the river defined by it's water or it's banks?

jim

 

[Kenpomachine]

A question arises from this: is the river defined by it's water or it's banks?

To answer the above, it is both. The water will adapt to the circumstances (the rocks in the way), even though it may cut through it with enough time (not the same water, though).

The banks can, and do, change shape with the water. They ain't inmovable or permanent, but depending on the amount and speed of the water, they can look like it.

And being enough water, the banks matter no more. A river that has flooded the flats along its bank is still a river, isn't it?

What I can't understand is how the rock is a refuge...

 

[TigerWoman]

The river seeks its own level. It does not fight the rock. It flows around it...The rock becomes a refuge for the river.

The river may be up, full of energy, over its banks at times, or it can be starved and low, or just right and within its banks but it still flows on according to its capability and energy.

The rock symbolizes the conflict, barrier in the way. When it is full of energy, it can flow over the rock, when it is just right, the energy can go around the rock, even if it low it can go under the rock. But if it is low it can also pool by the rock saving its waters, its energy and rest until its stores are replenished again. It still does not give up, relinquish its right of path. I relate to that river. I'm pooling. TW