Three in the Morning

A monkey keeper went to his monkeys and told them:
"As regards your chestnuts: you are going to have three measures in the morning and four in the afternoon."

At this, the monkeys became angry. So he said: "Alright, in that case I will give you four in the morning and three in the afternoon." This time they were satisfied.

The two arrangements were the same in that the number of chestnuts did not change. But in one case the animals were displeased, and in the other they were satisfied. The keeper had been willing to change his personal arrangement in order to meet objective conditions. He lost nothing from this.

The truly wise man, considering both sides of the question without partiality, sees them both in the light of Tao.

This is called following two courses at once.