Emotions

The Student and the Old Master Discuss Emotions

The young student practitioner approached the Master with reverence. "I have heard Master that to be without emotions is the highest state. Is this true?"

The gentle master looked at the young student and smiled. "Yes, my young friend, this is true."

"But," the young student replied, "are there really people without emotions?"

"You must penetrate deeper than common thought." the old master said.

The young student thought. "If a person has no emotions," he said, "how can they be called human?"

"The great Way gives a person appearance and form," the master replied, "how can such a person be called otherwise?"

"Since such a person is human," returned the young student, "how can it be they have no emotions?"

"You must understand what is meant by emotions." replied the old master. "What is meant by having no emotions is that a person should not inwardly harm themself with 'good' and 'bad', 'beautiful' and 'ugly', 'love' and 'hate', and the like. It means that they should be in accord with the spontaneous and the appropriate. It means to see something beyond the realm of emotions -- that one is not obstructed by emotions, and can see clearly past and beyond the surface to the fundamental essence which supports even emotions. To be without emotions means to cease clinging to emotions....it does not mean to be devoid of feeling, empathy, and compassion. There is a state of being, to which the great immortals and sages have attained, which includes emotions yet which is impeded by emotions and not influenced by emotions. Seek such a state beyond emotions; don't become encumbered by emotions. Don't think of emotions as the final end or highest state. Think of emotions as the scenery that passes by as you move down the river on the way to the great sea ."