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The
Vinegar Tasters
....an ancient painting, well known in Asia.
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'We see
three men standing around a vat of vinegar. Each has dipped his
finger into the vinegar and has tasted it. The expression on each
man's face shows his individual reaction. Since the painting is
allegorical, we are to understand that these are no ordinary vinegar
tasters, but are instead representatives of the "Three Teachings"
of China, and that the vinegar they are sampling represents the
Essence of Life.
The three masters are K'ung Fu-tse
(Confucius), Buddha, and Lao-tse, author of the oldest existing
book of Taoism. The first has a sour look on his face, the second
wears a bitter expression, but the third man is smiling.'
- An excerpt from Chapter One of The Tao Of Pooh, a book
written by Benjamin Hoff |
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1) K'ung Fu-tse
(mispronounced "Confucius") - considered life to
be sour. He felt that the world was a disorderly
place, which had to be controlled.
2) Buddha - considered life to be bitter.
He saw the world as full of pain and illusion, full of attachments
and traps. He felt that we must work spiritually to rise above
these things.
3) Lao-tse - considered life to be perfect & wonderful
as is. He saw a natural harmony that could be experienced by anyone
at anytime. He believed the world to be a teacher of valuable
lessons, and that we should embrace the wonder of every moment.
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