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All men know the use of the useful, but nobody knows the use of the useless. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so that I can have a word with him?

Zhuangzi

When the shoe fits, the foot is forgotten. When the belt fits, the belly is forgotten. When the heart is right, “for” and “against” are forgotten. No drives, no compulsions, no needs, no attractions: Then your affairs are under control. You are a free man.
ZHUANGZI

Affair Attraction Control Drive Forget Freedom Heart Man Philosophy Shoe Spirituality Yourself
He who regards all things as one is a companion of Nature.
ZHUANGZI

Himself Infinite Nature Oneself Regard Whole
Right is not right; so is not so. If right were really right it would differ so clearly from not right that there would be no need for argument. If so were really so, it would differ so clearly from not so that there would be no need for argument.
ZHUANGZI

Argument Clear Difference Need Right
Let your mind wander in simplicity, blend your spirit with the vastness, follow along with things the way they are, and make no room for personal views-then the world will be governed.
ZHUANGZI

Government Mindset Personal Room Simplicity Spirit View Wander Way World
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
He who knows he is a fool is not the biggest fool; He who knows he is confused is not in the worst confusion.
ZHUANGZI

Aware Confusion Fools Worst
All the fish needs is to get lost in the water. All man needs is to get lost in Tao.
ZHUANGZI

Lost Man Need Religion Water
Great knowledge sees all in one. Small knowledge breaks down into the many.
ZHUANGZI

Break Greatness Knowledge Oneself Small
The men of old breathed clear down to their heels.
ZHUANGZI

Breathe Clear Man Old
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
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
Transmit the established facts; do not transmit words of exaggeration. If you do that, you will probably come out all right.
ZHUANGZI

Establishment Fact Right Word Yourself
The Way is to man as rivers and lakes are to fish, the natural condition of life.
ZHUANGZI

Condition Life Man Natural River Way
Breathing control gives man strength, vitality, inspiration, and magic powers.
ZHUANGZI

Breathe Control Inspirational Magic Meditation Power Strength
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
The Tao is in all things, in their divisions and their fullness. What I dislike about divisions is that they multiply, and what i dislike about multiplication is that it makes people want to hold fast to it. So people go out and forget to return, seeing little more than ghosts.
ZHUANGZI

Division Fast Forget Hold People Return See
The greatest tragedy that can befall a person is the atrophy of his mind.
ZHUANGZI

Greatness Mindset Person Tragedy
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
A sage steers by the bright light of confusion and doubt.
ZHUANGZI

Bright Confusion Doubt Light Sage
Cherish that which is in you and shut out that which is without, for much knowledge is a curse.
ZHUANGZI

Cherish Curse Knowledge Yourself
The sage has the sun and moon by his side and the universe under his arm. He blends everything into a harmonious whole. . . . He blends the disparities of ten thousand years into one complete purity. All things are blended like this and mutually involve each other.
ZHUANGZI

Complete Each Other Harmony Involve Moon Purity Sage Sun Universe
Great wisdom is generous; petty wisdom is contentious. Great speech is impassioned, small speech cantankerous.
ZHUANGZI

Generous Greatness Passion Small Speech Wisdom
Each one’s destiny cannot be altered.
ZHUANGZI

Change Destiny One Liner Oneself
The right way to go easy is to forget the right way.
ZHUANGZI

Easy Forget Journey Right Way
Standards are different for all things, so the standard set by man is by no means the only ‘certain’ standard. If you mistake what is relative for something certain, you have strayed far from the ultimate truth.
ZHUANGZI

Different Man Mistake Standard Truth Ultimate Yourself
Once Zhuangzi dreamt he was a butterfly.
ZHUANGZI

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

Essence Lost Lying Precious Yourself

All men know the use of the useful, but nobody knows the use of the useless. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so that I can have a word with him?

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All men know the use of the useful, but nobody knows the use of the useless. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so that I can have a word with him?

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