black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man.

Zhuangzi

The man who has some respect for his person keeps his carcass out of sight, hides himself as perfectly as he can.
ZHUANGZI

Hide Himself Man Perfection Person Respect Sight
Only fools imagine they are already awake. How clearly they understand everything! How easily they distinguish this deception from that reality!
ZHUANGZI

Awake Easy Fools Imagination Reality Understand
A petty thief is put in jail. A great brigand becomes a ruler of a Nation.
ZHUANGZI

Greatness Nation Prison Rule
Those who realise their folly are not true fools.
ZHUANGZI

Enemy Fools Mistake Realize
Sound intelligence promises victory in every battle.
ZHUANGZI

Battle Intelligence Promise Sound Victory
Horses have hoofs to carry them over frost and snow; hair, to protect them from wind and cold. They eat grass and drink water, and fling up their heels. Such is the real nature of horses.
ZHUANGZI

Animal Drink Hairs Horse Nature Protection Reality Skin
Men do not mirror themselves in running water – they mirror themselves in still water. Only what is still can still the stillness of other things.
ZHUANGZI

Deep Man Mirror Run Water
Great wisdom is generous; petty wisdom is contentious. Great speech is impassioned, small speech cantankerous.
ZHUANGZI

Generous Greatness Passion Small Speech Wisdom
The perfect man uses his mind as a mirror. It grasps nothing. It regrets nothing. It receives but does not keep.
ZHUANGZI

Himself Mindset Mirror Perfection Regret
Luck implies an absolute absence of any principle.
ZHUANGZI

Absence Luck Principle
Your preciousness lies in your essence; it cannot be lost by anything that happens.
ZHUANGZI

Essence Lost Lying Precious Yourself
If water derives lucidity from stillness, how much more the faculties of the mind.
ZHUANGZI

Calm Mindset Water
To exercise no-thought and rest in nothing is the first step toward resting in Tao. To start from nowhere and follow no road is the first step toward attaining Tao.
ZHUANGZI

Beginning End Exercise Flow Religious Road Spirituality Thinking
Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.
ZHUANGZI

Acceptance Flow Mindset Stay Ultimate
Rewards and punishments are the lowest form of education.
ZHUANGZI

Education Form Low Punishment Reward
Study is to study what cannot be studied. Undertaking means undertaking what cannot be undertaken. Philosophizing is to philosophize about what cannot be philosophized about. Knowing that knowing is unknowable is true perfection.
ZHUANGZI

Knowledge Known Perfection Philosophy Religious Spirituality Study True Unknown

I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man.

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I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man.

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