Confucius and Parapsychology

A low ranking court official from Sate Chen visited State Lu, and talked to Lord C-Sun privately. C-Sun told this official, “Our state has a sage.”

The official asked, “Is that Confucius?” 

“Yes,” C-Sun answered.

The official asked, “How do you know he is a sage?”

C-Sun said, “I often heard his disciple say that Confucius uses his form, the body, without using his wisdom.” In his later years, Confucius had reached a state of perfection: He followed the dictates of his heart, and whatever he desired was within the boundaries of righteousness.

Then the official said, “My state has a sage too. Don’t you know?”

“What is this sage’s name?” C-Sun asked.

“He is Lao Tzu’s disciple Master G-Mulberry, and he has obtained the Tao. He can see with his ears and hear with his eyes.”

The king of State Lu was very surprised to learn this, and invited Master G-Mulberry to visit with the ritual formality reserved for top court officials. When the Master came, the king humbly asked him about this miracle.

The Master replied, “The spreading legend has mixed it up. I cannot exchange the functions of eyes and ears but I can see and hear without the use of ears and eyes.”

The king said, “That is even more miraculous. How can you do so? I would really like to know it from you.”

The Master answered, “My body unites with the heart, my heart unites with energy, my energy unites with the spirit, and my spirit unites with the Non-Being. Even a tiny existence or the softest whisper as far away as beyond the boundaries of the universe and as close as between my eye lashes, I will know immediately if they are coming to interfere with my existence. I do not know if it is my five faculties of sense or my internal organs that have this ability to sense but I can know it anyway.”

The king was very happy and told Confucius a few days later. Confucius smiled but said nothing. Confucius had the rule of four no-comments in his teaching and counselling practice: He never talked about parapsychology, psychic power, mental disturbance, and ghosts.                    (Lieh Tzu   Chapter 4)