Quotes

Charles Frizzell

莊子

荃者所以在魚，得魚而忘荃

蹄者所以在兔，得兔而忘蹄

言者所以在意，得意而忘言

吾安得忘言之人而與之言哉？*

“The fish trap exists because of the fish. Once you’ve gotten the fish you can forget the trap. The rabbit snare exists because of the rabbit. Once you’ve gotten the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words exist because of meaning. Once you’ve gotten the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can talk with him?”

“Flow with whatever may happen, and let your mind be free: Stay centred by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.”

“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 awoke, 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.”

“A path is made by walking on it.”

“Let your heart be at peace.

Watch the turmoil of beings

but contemplate their return.

If you don’t realize the source,

you stumble in confusion and sorrow.

When you realize where you come from,

you naturally become tolerant,

disinterested, amused,

kindhearted as a grandmother,

dignified as a king.

Immersed in the wonder of the Tao,

you can deal with whatever life brings you,

And when death comes, you are ready.”

“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.”

“To a mind that is still, the entire universe surrenders.”

“If a man crosses a river

and an empty boat collides with his own skiff,

Even though he is a bad-tempered man

He will not become very angry.

But if he sees a man in the boat,

He will shout at him to steer clear.

If the shout is not heard, he will shout again, and yet again, and begin cursing.

And all because someone is in the boat.

Yet if the boat were empty,

He would not be shouting, and not angry.

If you can empty your own boat

Crossing the river of the world,

No one will oppose you,

No one will seek to harm you”

一 莊子 Zhuangzi

Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing, in the end, can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can’t go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does.

一 Margaret Atwood

I am losing precious days. I am degenerating into a machine for making money. I am learning nothing in this trivial world of men. I must break away and get out into the mountains to learn the news.

一 John Muir

But we lack the intellectual vision, and the ability to change our minds. We must decondition ourselves from 10,000 (12,500) years of bad behaviour. And, it's not easy.

一 Terence McKenna

The Cosmic Spirit seeks not to restrain us

But lifts us stage by stage to wider spaces.

If we accept a home of our own making,

Familiar habit makes for indolence.

We must prepare for parting and leave-taking

Or else remain the slave of permanence...

一 Hermann Hesse

Always we are chasing words, and always words recede. But the greatest experiences are those for which we have no expression. To live only on that which we can say is to wallow in he dust, instead of digging up the soil. How shall we ignore the mystery, in which we are involved, to which we are attached by our very existence? How shall we remain deaf to the throb of the cosmic that is subtly echoed in our own souls?

一 Abraham Joshua Heschel

* 

荃者所以在魚，得魚而忘荃           A fish net, is for catching/capturing/holding fish; get the fish, forget the net

蹄者所以在兔，得兔而忘蹄           A rabbit net is for catching/capturing/holding rabbits; get the rabbit, forget the net

言者所以在意，得意而忘言           Language is for catching/capturing/holding ideas; get the idea, forget the language

吾安得忘言之人而與之言哉？      How/where can I get a person who can forget language to share some language with?

中文註釋

筌、蹄、言皆為工具，目標還是魚、免、意，只要得到和領會了精神實質，那麼這些工具都可以忘掉了。忘言之人就是指已得到和領會精神實質的人，因而與與忘言之人言，是不言之言。 《莊子》中談到兩位聖人相見而不言，因為“目擊而道存矣”(《田子方》)。照道家說，道不可道，只可暗示。言透露道，是靠言的暗示，不是靠言的固定的外延和內涵。言一旦達到了目的，就該忘掉。既然再不需要了，何必用言來自尋煩惱呢？詩的文字和音韻是如此，畫的線條和顏色也是如此。故此語也有用來表示互相默契，心照不宣的意思。

James Legge

Fishing stakes are employed to catch fish; but when the fish are got, the men forget the stakes.

Snares are employed to catch hares, but when the hares are got, men forget the snares.

Words are employed to convey ideas; but when the ideas are apprehended, men forget the words.

Fain would I talk with such a man who has forgotten the words!

Watson

The fish trap exists because of the fish; once you've gotten the fish, you can forget the trap.

The rabbit snare exists because of the rabbit; once you've gotten the rabbit, you can forget the snare.

Words exist because of meaning; once you've gotten the meaning, you can forget the words.

Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can have a word with him?

Moeller

A fish trap is a means to get hold of fish

    You can only forget about the fish trap once you've had your fish

A rabbit snare is a means to get hold of rabbits

   You can only forget about the rabbit snare once you've had your rabbit

Words are a means to get hold of ideas

   You can only forget about words once you've had your ideas

How could I talk to someone who has forgotten words?

or,

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 words 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 with.

Vague and elusive!

Within it, there is an image.

Vague and illusive!

Within it, there is a thing.

Withdrawn and dark!

Within it, there is an essence.

The essence is genuine and authentic.

Within there is trust.

孔德之容, 唯道是從.

道之為物, 唯恍唯惚.

惚兮恍兮, 其中有象.

恍兮忽兮, 其中有物.

窈兮冥兮, 其中有精.

其精甚,  其中有信.

自古及今其名不去.

以閱衆甫.

吾何以知衆甫之狀哉.

以此.

-  道德經, 第二十一章

"One of deep virtue cherishes the subtle essence of the universe.

The subtle essence of the universe is elusive and evasive.

Though it is elusive and evasive,

it unveils itself as images and forms.

Evasive and elusive,

it discloses itself as an indefinable substance.

Shadowy and indistinct,

it reveals itself as impalpable subtle essence.

This essence is so subtle, and yet so real.

It is the subtle origin of the whole of creation and non-creation.

It existed prior to the beginning of time as the single deep and subtle reality of the universe.

It brings all into being."

-  Translated by Ni Hua Ching, 1995, Chapter 21