UNWORLDLY WISE : VII




THE WAY IT IS


'How could I love you?' said the owl to the rabbit. 'I am what you ARE.'
'Is that so indeed?' the rabbit replied, delicately munching a dandelion.

'How could you hate me?' continued the owl; 'you are what I AM.'
'I never noticed it', observed the rabbit musingly.

'How could it be otherwise?' asked the owl. 'Whatever we are - I AM.'
'Since when?' inquired the rabbit. 'Is it recent?'

'Since always,' answered the owl, 'there is no "Time".'
'Then where does it occur?'

'Everywhere; there is no "Space".'
'So we are really one?' suggested the rabbit cheerfully.

'Certainly not,' snapped the owl. 'there is no "one".'
'Then what is there?' the rabbit inquired dubiously.

'No "thing" whatever!' the owl replied with severity.
'So what?' asked the rabbit, mystified.

'So, life!' said the owl, flapping his great wings and clacking his beak. "As the Masters said so often, "when I'm hungry - I eat, and when I'm weary - I sleep!'


(© HKU Press, 1974)
home/next

* * * * *