The officer of Prayer
in his dark and square-cut robes
goes to the pig-pen, and thus counsels the pigs,

‘Why should you shrink from dying?
I will for three months feed you on grain.
Then for ten days I will fast, and keep vigil for three days,
after which I will put down the mats of white grass,
and lay your shoulders and rumps on the carved stand;
– will not this suit you?’

If he had spoken from the standpoint of the pigs,
he would have said,
‘The better plan
will be to feed us with our bran and chaff,
and leave us in our pen.’

When consulting for himself,
he preferred to enjoy, while he lived,
   his carriage and cap of office,
      and after death to be borne to the grave on the ornamented carriage,
         with the canopy over his coffin.

Consulting for the pigs, he did not think of these things,
but for himself he would have chosen them.

Why did he think so differently (for himself and) for the pigs?

–Zhuangzi, The Full Understanding of Life, by Zhuang Zhou, trans. James Legge

This superlative tale is not as incongruous as it seems.  The times and the culture radically differ.  Still the pieces on the game board of life remain unchanged.  Naturally in the 21st century, at least here in Illinois we no longer have an officer of Prayer.  What has not changed human beings remain omnivores, pigs and other domesticated mammals are raised to be sources of protein.  At some point in their care, these animals are killed, their flesh butchered before transport to market.  This has not changed.

This parable offers the scene of a official-of-ceremony, (prayer is a ritual if its anything) attempting to rationalize to the pigs what is to be their final demise.  Visualize the articulate official describing for the pigs all that he intends to include for their benefit.  How much ego is apparent in his words of intention?

How many times have I entered a showroom of a car dealership, looked around the showroom, surrounded by gleaming objects-of-desire?  From television commercial, to show room presentation a late model automobile is first and foremost and object of desire! A salesperson approaches, a more detailed conversation is completed in his/her sales office.  Then after being led into the office of the sales manager, a array of add-on features is described, attractive accessories that I could hardly pass up.

Why should I shrink back from a deal, a long term purchase contract which, upon reflection is more than I can afford?

Counseling for pigs happens every day.  Mats of white grass are laid down.  Shoulders and rumps laid on a carving stand.