Goods and possessions are no gain in his eyes. He stays far from wealth and honor. Long life is no ground for joy, nor early death for sorrow. Success is not for him to be pround of, failure is no shame. Had he all the world's power he would not hold it as his own. If he conquered everything he would not take it to himself. His glory is in knowing that all things come together in One and life and death are equal.
More Quotes from Chuang Tzu:
... You never find happiness until you stop looking for it. My greatest happiness consists precisely in doing nothing whatever that is calculated to obtain happiness and this, in the minds of most people, is the worst possible course... If you ask 'what ought to be done' and 'what ought not to be done' on earth in order to produce happiness, I answer that these questions do not have an answer. There is no way of determining such things. Yet at the same time, if I cease striving for happiness, the 'right' and the 'wrong' at once become apparent all by themselves. Contentment and well-being at once become possible the moment you cease to act with them in view, and if you practice non-doing (wu wei), you will have both happiness and well-being.Chuang Tzu
When an archer is shooting for nothing, he has all his skill. If he shoots for a brass buckle, he is already nervous. If he shoots for a prize of gold, he goes blind or sees two targets He is out of his mind His skill has not changed. But the prize divides him. He cares. He thinks more of winning than of shooting And the need to win drains him of power.
Chuang Tzu
Yen Hui What is fasting of the heart Confucius The goal of fasting is inner unity. This means hearing, but not with the ear hearing, but not with the understanding hearing with the spirit, with your whole being... The hearing of the spirit is not limited to any one faculty, to the ear, or to the mind. Hence it demands the emptiness of all the faculties. And when the faculties are empty, then the whole being listens. There is then a direct grasp of what is right there before you that can never be heard with the ear or understood with the mind. Fasting of the heart empties the faculties, frees you from limitation and from preoccupation. Fasting of the heart begets unity and freedom. Yen Hui I see. What was standing in my way was my own self-awareness. If I can begin this fasting of the heart, self awareness will vanish.
Chuang Tzu
Tzu Li went to see Tzu Lai who was dying. Leaning against the door, he said, Great is the Creator What will he make of you now Will he make you into a rat's liver Will he make you into an insect's leg Tzu-Lai replied, The universe gave me my body so I may be carried, my life so I may work, my old age so I may repose, and my death so I may rest. To regard life as good is the way to regard death as good.... If I regard the universe as a great furnace and creation as a master foundryman, why should anywhere I go not be all right.
Chuang Tzu
Paraphrased When Chuang Tzu was about to die, his disciples began planning a splendid funeral. However some disciples expressed concern that given a particular arrangement, birds and kites would eat his remains. Chuang Tzu replied, 'Well, above ground I shall be eaten by crows and kites, below it by ants and worms. What do you have against birds'
Chuang Tzu
If a man is crossing a river and an empty boat collides with his own skiff, even though he be a bad-tempered man he will not become very angry. But if he sees a man in the boat, he will shout at him to steer clear. If the shout is not heard, he will shout.
Chuang Tzu
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