Taking about the transition from naive ignorance to profound ignorance in the pub last night, this quote came up :
Before I had studied Zen for thirty years, I saw mountains as mountains, and waters as waters. When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point where I saw that mountains are not mountains, and waters are not waters. But now that I have got its very substance I am at rest. For it’s just that I see mountains once again as mountains, and waters once again as waters.
– Ch’ing-y?an
The quote reminded me of a Chinese poem which touches upon the same distinction
Mount Lu in misty rain; the River Che at high tide.
When I had not been there, no rest from the pain of longing!
I went there and returned…. It was nothing special:
Mount Lu in misty rain; the River Che at high tide.
Both are in Alan Watts’ book The Way of Zen