A Tao Riddle
A RIDDLE
There is an old riddle that goes like this: “Two people were walking outside when it was raining. One of them did not get wet. What is the simplest explanation for this?”
You may be thinking that perhaps one of them walked under trees or awnings, and the other one did not. Or, you may guess that one of them was using an umbrella and the other one was not. These are all plausible answers, but notice that they require additional elements (trees, awnings and rain gear) that were not in the original riddle. These elements make it more complex, and therefore cannot be the simplest explanation.
Is it possible to solve the riddle without adding anything to it? Yes. If we take a closer and more careful look at the words “one of them did not get wet,” we may realize it can mean both of them got wet. That is the simplest explanation of all.
The Tao Today
This riddle demonstrates how easy it is for all of us to be trapped by words. This is why we need to use them with care to transmit meaning and ideas. Seek to understand the proper use them with care to transmit meaning and ideas. Seek to understand the proper use of words, but do not stop there. Always look beyond them to see the truths they point to. Beware of the trap of words!
