TRUTH
TRUTH is often insignificant, like a feather on a
pigeon's back and sometimes solemn, important, heavy like a cloud-scorning
mountain of the North (North whence cold winter of wisdom comes); but truth is
truth, not less, not more, under, any circumstances. It is like a moon under a
veil of mist, when you see it rather obscure and less impressive; it always exists
full and round; it has no ebb nor flow.
It became more a habit of human nature, I dare say, than
necessity, to seek truth; in fact, we need so often no-truth to get fire and
power and adjust ourselves, just as we go straight to hatred for love. I even
think it was started from human weakness; but it has grown a strength in general
consent because it protects you. Therefore it was regarded as the most worthy
object of life and the world from time immemorial; and I find already in the
very old age quite a number of people who left their own record of sad failure
in truth-seeking. It is strange enough we mistook it for success; the writing is
at best merely an apology. I [<178] have ample proof, however, to believe
that the ancient people got more truth than we, because they were more quiet,
not talking so much about this truth as we do. And it is our saddest hearts of
modern age to discuss all days and nights on it and rarely agree with the
others; we have found it so difficult to seek it. There will be no more talking
about it when we have it right before us; indeed, what necessity have we then to
talk about it, when we see it clear like the big sun of summer day?
We see many a one hurrying the East. to look after truth;
another to the West for the same purpose. One stops in one place; the other
journeys far and distant. It is a pity to laugh over their restlessness with
good intention; but restlessness is always a tax that fools have to pay. I will
say to them: "Be composed and cool, my friends, and learn that descending is
only the way of ascension. Not to seek truth is the shortest cut to get it. And
if you want it you can find it anywhere in the world, even in the dusts of a
street. You may ask me, then, how and where to find it. [<179]
But to tell it to you does no good at all; it is you are
the person that wants it, not I; and I am not you. You must find your own
salvation. It is not necessary to drink all the water; just a drop of it tells
you the taste and mystery of the whole ocean. Let the infinite song of the
forests and hills wander through the four seasons; you will find that song in
the shiver of a leaf, in the beckoning of a grass, that lies before you at your
feet. And when you forget the question of truth is when you perfectly understand
it; as the real mountaineer does not see the mountain, the true seeker of truth
never sees truth, because he is truth itself." [<180]
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