Lü Dongbin was a legendary scholar and poet of the Tang dynasty (ca. 7th – 10th c. CE) in China. In Taoism he is one of the best known of the Eight Immortals. There is little reliable information about his life; it is said that an intense fragrance filled the room when he was born, and that he lived more than two hundred years. He is generally credited with great kindness and compassion, striving to teach others the truth of the Tao.
People may sit till the cushion is worn through,
But never quite know the real Truth:
Let me tell about the ultimate Tao:
It is here, enshrined within us.
Translation T.C. Lai
What a beautifully expressive phrase ‘people may sit till the cushion is worn through’ as a leadin to his ineffable message.
Yes, in just four lines he leads us from the worn out cushion to the ultimate.