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Zhuangzi Quotes

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Famous Zhuangzi Quotes

“Once upon a time, I dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was myself. Soon I awaked, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now 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.”

KnowsMenDreamPurposeConsciousTaoismButterflyOnce Upon A TimeFluttering
Author:Zhuangzi
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“I cannot tell if what the world considers ‘happiness’ is happiness or not. All I know is that when I consider the way they go about attaining it, I see them carried away headlong, grim and obsessed, in the general onrush of the human herd, unable to stop themselves or to change their direction. All the while they claim to be just on the point of attaining happiness.”

IfsKnowsWorldWayHumansClaimsObsessedHerdsGrimCarried AwayAttaining Happiness
Author:Zhuangzi
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“The purpose of a fish trap is to catch fish, and when the fish are caught the trap is forgotten. The purpose of a rabbit snare is to catch rabbits. When the rabbits are caught, the snare is forgotten. The purpose of the word is to convey ideas. When the ideas are grasped, the words are forgotten. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words? He is the one I would like to talk to.”

MenIdeasPurposeForgottenCaughtFishesTrapsRabbitsSnaresZen Like
Author:Zhuangzi
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“Men of the world who value the Way all turn to books. But books are nothing more than words. Words have value; what is of value in words is meaning. Meaning has something it is pursuing, but the thing that it is pursuing cannot be put into words and handed down. The world values words and hands down books but, though the world values them, I do not think them worth valuing. What the world takes to be values is not real value.”

ThinkingMenWorldWayBookRealHandsValuesTurnsReal Value
Book:The Complete Works of Chuang Tzu
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“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?'”

IfsWayLifeShouldMaySaidBodyAgeUniverseDoorsDyingCreationMastersRegardCreatorLegsOld AgeRatsInsectsReposeLiverFurnaces
Author:Zhuangzi
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“The hidden so-called scholars of old did not hide themselves and refuse to be seen. They did not close the door on their words and refuse to let them out. They did not shut away their wisdom and refuse to share it. But those times were all haywire. If it had been possible for them to act, they could have done great things, bringing all to Oneness without any sign of doing so. However, the times were not favorable and it was not possible, so they put down deep roots, remained still and waited. this was the Tao by which they survived.”

IfsStillsDoneWisdomDoorsShareRootsRefuseGreat ThingsOnenessScholarSurvivedTaoDeep Roots
Author:Zhuangzi
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