169. Love.

      Things go on changing without.

      You must mirror them,

      you must reflect them,

      but remember always that the mirror remains the same.

      Mirroring does not change the mirror.

      Do not be identified with mirroring.

      Remember yourself as the mirror –

      that is what is meant by witnessing.

      And witnessing is meditation.

      Lieh-Tzu exhibited his skill in archery to Po-Hun Wu-Jen.

      When the bow was drawn to its full length

      a cup of water was placed on his elbow

      and he began to shoot.

      As soon as the first arrow was let fly

      a second one was already on the string

      and a third followed.

      In the meantime he stood unmoved like a statue.

      Po-Hun Wu-Jen said: The technique of your shooting is fine,

      but it is still a technique.

      You look just like a statue from without.

      Now let us go up to a high mountain

      and stand on a rock projecting over a precipice

      and then you try to shoot.

      They climbed up a mountain.

      Standing on a rock projecting over a precipice

      ten thousand feet high

      Po-Hun Wu-Jen stepped backward

      until one third of his feet was hanging over the rock.

      He then motioned to Lieh-Tzu to come forward.

      Lieh-Tzu fell to the ground

      with perspiration running down to his heels.

      Po-Hun Wu-Jen said:

      The perfect man soars up above the blue sky

      or dives down to the yellow springs,

      or wanders about all over the eight limits of the world,

      yet shows no signs of change in his spirit.

      But you betray a sign of trepidation

      and your eyes are dazed.

      How can you expect to hit the target?