Ancient Wisdom Atlas

Motif

freedom preferred to secure captivity

freedom_preferred_to_secure_captivity

A motif of the Mystical Quest and Interior Journey family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.

2 occurrences

2 traditions

daoist (1) · taoist (1)


daoist

  • Chuang Tzu: Mystic, Moralist, and Social Reformer CHAPTER II. / THE IDENTITY OF CONTRARIES. / CHAPTER III. / NOURISHMENT OF THE SOUL.; lines 2016-2134 confidence: high

    Wild fowl get a peck once in ten steps and a drink once in a hundred, yet do not want to be fed in a cage because they would not be free.

    The wild fowl could command food in a cage but would not be free, and therefore do not want that condition.

    read in the book

taoist

  • Chuang Tzŭ: Mystic, Moralist, and Social Reformer B.C. 1766. / B 2 / CHAPTER II. / CHAPTER III.; lines 2491-2651 confidence: high

    Wild fowl get food and drink only after many steps, yet they do not want to be fed in a cage because, although food would be available, they would not be free; a note contrasts this with an official cage.

    Wild fowl accept sparse food and drink rather than being fed in a cage without freedom.

    read in the book