The Joy of Fishes

Chuang Tzu and Hui Tzu
Were Crossing the Hao river
By the Dam.

Chuang said:
“See how free
The fishes leap and dart:
That is their happiness.”

Hui replied:
“Since you are not a fish
How do you know
What makes fishes happy?”

Chuang said:
“Since you are not I
How can you possibly know
That I do not know
What makes fishes happy?”

Hui argued:
“If I, not being you,
Cannot know what you know
It follows that you
Not being a fish
Cannot know what they know.”

Chuang said:
“Wait a minute!
Let us get back to the original question.
What you asked me was
‘How do you know
What makes fishes happy?’
From the terms of your question
You evidently know I know
What makes fishes happy.”

“I know the joy of fishes
In the river
Through my own joy, as I go walking
Along the same river.”

from The Way of Chuang Tzu by Thomas Merton (Abbey of Gesthemane, 1965)