To the worldly, the sage is a mystery. Now he seems predictable, now he surprises, now he has character, now he has none, now he is shallow, now deep, now mad, now he disappears altogether! He defies categories. He is always intensively concentrated on what is real. His eyes fall on infinite vistas. He reads others as he would a page.
He doesn't hesitate to reject disciples if they are not true warriors of the spirit. If they cannot learn to judge a man truly in an instant, and if they cannot say "no" to the world and really mean it, they are his enemies.
What is his greatness? Is the sun great? Is a clod of earth great? Is the sage great? They are all great because they do not think they are great.
Those of the world frantically wave their arms about trying to stay afloat on the surface of the ocean. At length they see an island and seek refuge on its shores. Then the island rears itself out of the sea and devours them - a resting monster. The way of the wise is to plunge into the deep, learning to live in the powerful and roaring currents. One cannot sink who has already sunk.