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The living all find death unpleasant; men mourn over it. And yet, what is death, but the unbending of the bow and its return to its case?

Zhuangzi

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

Essence Lost Lying Precious Yourself
If you have grasped the purpose of life there is no point in trying to make life into something it is not or cannot be.
ZHUANGZI

Life Point Purpose
Silence, and non action are the root of all things.
ZHUANGZI

Action Root Silence
During our dreams we do not know we are dreaming. We may even dream of interpreting a dream. Only on waking do we know it was a dream. Only after the great awakening will we realize that this is the great dream.
ZHUANGZI

Awakening Dreams Greatness Realize Wake Up
Human life is limited, but knowledge is limitless. To drive the limited in pursuit of the limitless is fatal; and to presume that one really knows is fatal indeed!
ZHUANGZI

Death Drive Human Knowledge Life Limitation Oneself Pursuit
If water derives lucidity from stillness, how much more the faculties of the mind! The mind of the sage, being in repose, becomes the mirror of the universe, the speculum of all creation.
ZHUANGZI

Calm Creation Mindset Mirror Universe Water
The enlightened attention rejects nothing nor welcomes anything-like a mirror it responds equally to all.
ZHUANGZI

Attention Enlightenment Equality Mirror Respond Welcome
The sage embraces things. Ordinary men discriminate amongst them and parade their discriminations before others. So I say; those who discriminate, fail to see.
ZHUANGZI

Discrimination Embrace Failure Man Myself Ordinary See
If water derives lucidity from stillness, how much more the faculties of the mind.
ZHUANGZI

Calm Mindset Water
Rewards and punishments are the lowest form of education.
ZHUANGZI

Education Form Low Punishment Reward
True depth of understanding is wide and steady, Shallow understanding is lazy and wandering, Words of wisdom are precise and clear.
ZHUANGZI

Clear Precise Shallow True Understand Wisdom Word
There is a beginning. There is no beginning of that beginning. There is something. There is nothing.
ZHUANGZI

Beginning Philosophy
Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free.
ZHUANGZI

Flow Freedom Mindset Yourself
Are you and I perchance caught up in a dream from which we have not yet awakened?
ZHUANGZI

Awake Dreams Myself Yourself
Listening stops with the ears, the mind stops with recognition, but spirit is empty and waits on all things.
ZHUANGZI

Empty Listening Mindset Recognition Spirit Wait
But you now, you wear your soul on your sleeve, exhausting your energy, propping yourself up on a tree, mumbling, or bent over your desk, asleep. Heaven gives you a form and you wear it out by pointless argument.
ZHUANGZI

Argument Energy Exhaust Form Heaven Point Soul Tree

The living all find death unpleasant; men mourn over it. And yet, what is death, but the unbending of the bow and its return to its case?

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The living all find death unpleasant; men mourn over it. And yet, what is death, but the unbending of the bow and its return to its case?

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Popular Authors

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