Ask Lewis: What Is Good And What Is Bad?

A classic story of wisdom and spirituality

There is an old saying in many spiritual traditions. “Man proposes, and God disposes.”

This message is offered to the student through many different stories. In Taoist thought a common version is called ‘The Old Man Lost His Horse (But It All Turned Out For The Best) (Chinese: 塞翁失馬，焉知非福; lit.

In life we soon learn that often bad luck leads to good luck

This is one of the most famous parables from the Huainanzi (淮南子; 'Master of Huainan'), chapter 18 (人間訓; Rénjiānxùn; 'In the World of Man'). This story dates to the 2nd century B.C. The story exemplifies the view of Taoism regarding "fortune" ("good luck") and "misfortune" ("bad luck").

The story is well-known throughout the East Asian cultural sphere and is often presented to express the idea of "blessing in disguise" or "silver lining" in Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese culture.

In Western literature and applied game theory, the parable has been modified and is frequently used in religious, philosophical, or literary texts. It is often used in books dealing with strategic thinking, tactic development, management, and psychological strategies.

The Essence Of The Parable

The parable tells the story of a farmer-rancher who lives with his parents close to the border with the barbarian territories. Without his fault and without being able to influence them, the farmer-rancher goes through various situations which in his youth seem to be extremely positive or negative, and which ultimately all have important consequences for him:

• In the beginning, his horse, a valuable and important part of his property and livelihood, runs away. This has negative consequences.

• After a month, his horse finds its way back and brings along other horses from the barbarian territories, thus increasing the value of his families property, a good thing.

• Trying to ride and train one of the wild horses, the farmer-rancher falls and breaks his leg. This reduces his physical capacities.

• When the barbarians invaded, the injured farmer-rancher was not drafted and did not have to join the battle to help with the defense. Because of this, both he and his father survived, escaping death.

These events are spontaneously observed, assessed, and judged by the neighbors. Still, the farmer–rancher’s old father relativizes these judgments of the situations with his knowledge of Dào (i.e., The Right Way) and Zen, “Doing what needs to be done!”:

For him, everything is an interplay of Yin and Yang, expansion and contraction, of light and shadow, of happiness and unhappiness. This is so whether in the smallest details or the greatest events of life.

For the common person (in the framework of human perception), it is impossible to recognize the future consequences of an event (and thus to know what is really 'good or 'bad).

Thus, the old man's reaction to these events is a stoic clarity. He responds with wu wei (Chinese: 'not intervening', 'not acting'). This term should not be confused with apathy. In this knowledge, he finds his calm and lasting, true happiness: he accepts life as it is without regret or expectation.

The wisdom in the parable does not come from a teacher, a monk, or a king. This indicates that the knowledge is accessible to everyone.

Through the introductory and concluding sentences, it is made clear that the parable shows only a small part of an infinite sequence: before the loss of the horse, there were other lucky/unlucky situations, and after fending off the barbarians, there will be others. E.g., the rancher-farmer can't use his injured leg properly and will depend on his old father to help and support him – and so on.

A similar sentiment to the parable is expressed in chapter 58 of the Tao Te Ching by Laozi from the 6th to 4th century BC, namely, Misery is what happiness rests upon. Happiness is what misery lurks beneath. Who knows where it ends?

Western parallels – not referring to the parable – can be found in the following proverbs

• A blessing in disguise

• Every medal has its dark side.

• No great loss without some small gain

• Bad luck often brings good luck.

• Every ill-luck is good for something in a wise man's hand.

• Every cloud has a silver lining.

• Every tide has its ebb.

• Nothing is so bad in there is not something good.

• It is an ill wind that blows no one good.

In most of these proverbs, the hopeful perspective points in the direction of a positive outcome.

• Alan Watts told this story during talks about Eastern Wisdom and modern life (1960–1969)

• Fritz B. Simon tells this story in his book Meine Psychose, mein Fahrrad und ich - Zur Selbstorganisation der Verrücktheit (1990),[8] a basic introductory and instructional text on modern systems theory and radical constructionism.

• Richard Wiseman used a variation of the story in his book The Luck Factor (2003), to describe the difference in the processing of misfortune and strokes of fate in 'lucky devils' and 'unlucky fellows'.

• Coral Chen wrote and illustrated the children's book The Old Man Who Lost His Horse (2011) in English and Chinese

• Mascha Kaléko used this subject in the poem Chinesische Legende (1983).

In popular culture

In 14th episode of the fifth season of Northern Exposure, which aired on January 24, 1994, Marilyn Whirlwind shared a variant of this story with Ed Chigliak.

Charlie Wilson's War features the story during the celebration of news of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. Near the end of the film, CIA agent Gust Avrakotos shares the story as a cautionary tale while ascribing it to a "Zen master".

About the creator of this series: Lewis Harrison, is a public intellectual and has been mentoring and coaching visionaries, spiritual seekers, world-class athletes, thought leaders, billionaires, and individuals seeking to become more effective, efficient, productive, and self-aware for over half a century. He has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic cancer. He is healing and presently intends to survive and prosper.

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About the creator of this series: Lewis Harrison, is a public intellectual and has been mentoring and coaching visionaries, spiritual seekers, world-class athletes, thought leaders, billionaires, and individuals seeking to become more effective, efficient, productive, and self-aware for over half a century. He has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic cancer. He is healing and presently intends to survive and prosper.

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