Suzuki tells a story: Chi Hsing Tzu was raising a fighting cock for his prince.
Ten days passed and the lord asked: Is he ready?
Chi answered: No sir, he is not ready. He is still vain and flushed with rage.
Another ten days passed and the prince asked about the cock.
Chi said: Not yet, sir. He is on the alert whenever he sees the shadow of another cock or hears its crowing.
Still another ten days passed and when the inquiry came from the prince, Chi replied: Not quite yet, sir. His sense of fighting is still smoldering within him ready to be awakened.
When another ten days elapsed, Chi replied in response to the inquiry: He is almost ready. Even when he hears another crowing he shows no excitement. He has now become positive. He has grown in subtle inner awareness. Now he resembles one made of wood, he is so quiet and silent.
His qualities are integrated. No cock is his match and to win he will not have to fight because other cocks will at once run away from him. They cannot face him now.
And really it proved so. He won fights without fighting at all.
And I say that you can do likewise with yourself: learn the secret from Chi Hsing Tzu's cock!
Ten days passed and the lord asked: Is he ready?
Chi answered: No sir, he is not ready. He is still vain and flushed with rage.
Another ten days passed and the prince asked about the cock.
Chi said: Not yet, sir. He is on the alert whenever he sees the shadow of another cock or hears its crowing.
Still another ten days passed and when the inquiry came from the prince, Chi replied: Not quite yet, sir. His sense of fighting is still smoldering within him ready to be awakened.
When another ten days elapsed, Chi replied in response to the inquiry: He is almost ready. Even when he hears another crowing he shows no excitement. He has now become positive. He has grown in subtle inner awareness. Now he resembles one made of wood, he is so quiet and silent.
His qualities are integrated. No cock is his match and to win he will not have to fight because other cocks will at once run away from him. They cannot face him now.
And really it proved so. He won fights without fighting at all.
And I say that you can do likewise with yourself: learn the secret from Chi Hsing Tzu's cock!
The real thing is not to fight with your thoughts or desires or instincts because that is negative and the negative cannot help. The real thing is to grow in awareness in meditation because then one wins without any fight whatsoever - and to win through conflict is not a real victory because that which has been suppressed will have to be suppressed again and again. Through conflict there is no end to conflict and through fight only more fight is born. But there is a victory without any conflict, fight or suppression. That victory comes through positive growth in awareness. Do not fight with yourself but grow in awareness and understanding and silence, and all that is negative and diseased will have withered away by itself.
