The Chinese philosopher Huan Zhi (400 B.C.) is known to have told this story once when one of his followers claimed he was unable to advance any further on his way to enlightenment:
Once upon a time there was a caterpillar who in due time changed himself into a pupa. Having spent some time inside the cocoon he gradually grew wings and inside the pupa changed himself into a butterfly.
The wise gardener, having noticed how reluctant the animal seemed to be to go on with his transformation, one morning halted there, curious to know what kept the butterfly from emerging into the sun .
“Your time has come to fly, you know” the old man spoke in a friendly voice. “You make me laugh” the animal retorted. “How could I ever fly, having no wings at my disposal?”
“But
my dear friend, you do have wings now”.
“Are you by any chance referring to those ridiculous outgrowths which have made my back itch lately?” said the animal.
“Those, my friend, are wings, waiting to carry you forward in life. You may take your time, but sooner or later, fly you must.” Having said this, the old gardener thought it wise to leave the reluctant animal to his own reflections.
Some days later the following conversation took place:
“Well, my friend, have you come to a decision?”
“I have indeed,
those cannot be wings, and even if they were, they will never carry my weight”, said the stubborn butterfly,” I came in here a caterpillar, I know how to be a caterpillar, and a caterpillar I will leave, or not at all”.
Version 1)Here Huan Zhi stopped and asked the disciple:” What, according to you, would be the old man’s answer?” The young man is said to have left the room laughing, whereupon he returned to his studies.
2) I denne version er det kejseren selv ( Zhending 468-442 f.Kr.) der er gartneren og rammefortællingen med belæringen af den frustrerede discipel mangler derfor.,
Smiling, the Emperor shook his head as he answered:”The waters of the river never stop , nor do they run back to their offspring.” He then passed on leaving the butterfly to his own thoughts.
Early
next morning he found on his way a startingly beautiful butterfly drying his purple wings on a branch in the sun. After a while he gently held out his hand easing the bewildered animal on to his finger. With a few comforting words he then suddenly lowered
his hand and thereby sent the fluttering butterfly upwards in the sunbeams.
He smiled as a tiny song of joy reached his ears from up above the treetops.