The man in whom Tao acts without impediment harms no other being by his actions yet he does not know himself to be 'kind', to be 'gentle'.... (He) does not bother with his own interests and does not despise others who do. He does not struggle to make money and does not make a virtue of poverty. He goes his way without relying on others and does not pride himself on walking alone. While he does not follow the crowd he won't complain of those who do. Rank and reward make no appeal to him disgrace and shame do not deter him. He is not always looking for right and wrong, always deciding 'Yes' or 'No.' The ancients said, therefore The man of Tao remains unknown. Perfect virtue produces nothing. 'No-Self' is 'True-Self'. And the greatest man is Nobody.
More Quotes from Chuang Tzu:
Great knowledge sees all in one. Small knowledge breaks down into the many.Chuang Tzu
The man who has some respect for his person keeps his carcass out of sight, hides himself as perfectly as he can.
Chuang Tzu
Three Friends There were three friends Discussing life. One said 'Can we live together and know nothing of it Work together and produce nothing Can people fly around in space and still forget to exist World without end' The three friends looked at each other and burst out laughing. They had no explanation. Thus they were better friends than before. Then one friend died. Confucius sent a disciple to help the other two Chant the traditional funeral ritual. His disciple found that one of them had composed a song. While the other played the lute, They sang 'Hey, Sung Hu Where'd you go You have gone Where you were before. And we are here Damn it We are here' Then the disciple of Confucius burst in on them and exclaimed 'May I inquire where in the funeral ritual it allows you to sing so irreverently in the presence of the departed' The two friends looked at each other, smiled, and said 'Well trained in liturgy, but the poor fellow doesn't understand life and death'
Chuang Tzu
There is nothing under the canopy of heaven greater than the tip of a bird's down in autumn, while the T'ai Mountain is small. Neither is there any longer life than that of a child cut off in infancy, while P'eng Tsu himself died young. The universe and I came into being together I and everything therein are One.
Chuang Tzu
When he tries to extend his power over objects, those objects gain control of him. He who is controlled by objects loses possession of his inner self... Prisoners in the world of object, they have no choice but to submit to the demands of matter They are pressed down and crushed by external forces fashion, the market, events, public opinion. Never in a whole lifetime do they recover their right mind... What a pity.
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
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