Once upon a time, I, Chuang Tzu,
dreamt I was a butterfly,
fluttering hither and thither,
to all intents and purposes a butterfly.
I was conscious only of following my fancies
as a butterfly,
and was unconscious of my individuality
as a man.
Suddenly I awoke,
and there I lay, myself again.
Now I do not know whether I was then
a man dreaming I was a butterfly,
or whether I am now
a butterfly dreaming I am a man.
Chuang Tzu
Lu Zhi – Zhuangzi Dreaming of a Butterfly (c 1550) (Photo credit: Cea.)
Being Rufina 
That is the search… what is real, which is the dream. Zen thinkers, Sufi teachers, scientists, all are tangled up in this question. And the butterfly has the last laugh. Maybe only the wind and the flowers are real. This has given me food for thought for all of today. And those pics… amazing! So pristine, like the butterfly will fly right out at me.
Have a great Sunday out there!
Thank you, mj! We went on vacation and my husband asked me what I wanted. I said, “A perfect butterfly picture, please!” He obliged. I was happy to then find this piece of writing, which is so beautiful, to showcase them. Hope your Sunday was also great, and thanks for stopping by!
That is so sweet. A butterfly picture…. now how many people want that on a vacation…?!!
Well, compliments to your husband too – I really admired the clarity of the picture, the composition…. all of it,
Which is the dream? which is reality? I love this Rufina…Thank you for the beautiful captures of this butterfly and for the food for thoughts…Enjoy your sunday 🙂
Thank you Anyes! The great thinkers from the past certainly did provide us with much food for thought, as both you and mj above point out. I am always so pleased when I stumble upon some passages that seem to speak to me…Happy Sunday!
Now you have me wondering if the butterfly ever dreams it’s still a caterpillar.
Yes! I wonder if metamorphosis should actually be considered evidence of reincarnation…good one, Charles! Thanks for the comment. 🙂
Whoever translated this from Chinese did a fabulous job. I studied the original in college and boy, was it difficult to figure out and translate on our own (classical Chinese is like the equivalent of Old English). I’ve always really enjoyed reading Chuang Tzu though and I’m really glad you decided to share this. 🙂
Thank you Lillian! Wow, I can’t imagine trying to translate Chinese, so impressive! How many languages do you speak?? Do you have another favorite from Chuang Tzu that you could point me to?
I speak Mandarin Chinese and English fluently, along with a smattering of Japanese and basic Taiwanese. Classical Chinese really is another beast though, so I’d be reading all the words but having no idea what they meant when strung together. There’s another well-known Chuang Tzu story called “The Happiness of Fish” that you can check out…. epitome of his philosophy and humor. 🙂
I found it! And I really liked it the banter between these two wise men. I read that he was humorous with his “illumination of the obvious”, what a mind in Chuang Tzu. Thanks Lillian. I wish I could speak more than one language! Good for you, that you learned so many!
One of the great puzzles of life :-).
Yes! And so beautifully worded. I found it as one of many references in a second-hand book I picked up, called “The Heart Has Its Seasons – Reflections on the Human Condition.” Thanks winsomebella!
Oh how I love this post Rufina! The wisdom of Chuang Tzu paired with these brilliant images! Perfection 🙂
That means a lot to me! I consider you not only an expert photographer, but also an interpreter of beauty and translator of brilliance in the world around us. Thanks so much for this comment.
This is a beautiful parable. One of his students remarked, not to worry Master, it’s just a dream, now awake from this reality! The underlying question being, what is our true nature? It’s a mystery of form and fancy. Everything outside is a reflection of the world within. Thanks for the gorgeous pictures Rufina, they’re mesmerizing! ♥
Thanks for the glimpse into the story behind the story, Maddy!
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