ChiDragon

The One-foot 'one-leg' does not symbolize anything. FYI The no response was my answer. Just to make it more clear, it was only used in comparison with the 'two-leg' person by ZZ in his illustration to point out that there is no difference. The significance in reading ZZ lays on the overall concept of his parables rather than looking at it piece by piece to exam the irrelevant characteristics of each individual minor item. PS... Sorry, I have to tell it like it's..... ****** Personal feeling filter ON *********

Even "this and that" construct, ZZ had emphasized that there is no difference. A two legged person is a person; and an one legged person is still a person. Please don't get excited about that based on this statement: "Now from the composed gesture of 右師, one will know that he knows it was due to nature, not man." 右師 was just figured out that Nature is always right....!!!

Yes, you are right. ZZ introduced the Yao-Xun story in Chapter One is for the purpose so he can referred back to later. In this chapter, ZZ was using the story to emphasize that Xun was strongly believes in the principles of no-self, no-merit, no-fame. That was the main reason why Xun was refused to accept Yao's throne. Indeed, there was no guess work about that...

When 公文軒 saw 右師, he was startled and said, "What kind of person is this? How come he only has one leg? Is this endowed? Or it was after birth due to the act of human?" Translation: 公文軒 said, "Nature made him this way, not man. Nature's engenderment causes him to have one leg. Humans are born with two legs was by inherence. Now from the composed gesture of 右師, one will know that he knows it was due to nature, not man. Metaphoric Interpretation: This parable was suggesting us don't be surprised about things that we didn't know. There are things in Nature which are out of the ordinary that we may not even aware of. Translation: In the marsh, a pheasant has to take ten steps to find something to eat and has to take a hundred steps to fine water to drink; but the pheasant does not wish to live in a cage. It was because, that even, it was very comfortable and relaxed, but lack of freedom was not so good. When LaoTze died, 秦失 came to express his condolence and only wailed three times then left. A disciple asked: "Are you a friend of our teacher?" 秦失 said: "Yes." Disciple: "Then was it proper just for you to wail three times for your condolence?" 秦失 said: "Yes, at first I thought I came as one individual but not now anymore. At the instance as soon I stepped in, there were some people crying for him; it seems like they were crying for their own children. There were some young people crying seems like they were mourning for their own mothers. They came by to pay their last respect to the deceased and revealed many mixed emotions. Of course, there are things that they do not wish to speak of but said it anyway; things do not wish to cry about but cried. Thus this was evading the natural principles, infringing the truth, forgotten the acceptance of the innate essence. The death of LoaTze was incidental by following the sequence in time because he lived in peace and died in peace. Therefore, the mourn and joy cannot invade the internal heart. In the ancient, this was called the natural extrication, the release of all the suffering. There is time for faggots to be burnt out. The usage of fire may be passed down from generation to generation but no one knows when it will be extinguished! Notes: These are proper nouns 1. 公文軒 and 右師 2. 秦失

Spirit is a very powerful invisible force may be known as a "spiritual force". Its effect is invincible when it was enforced. Whether one believes it or not, it doesn't even have to make any sense.... My 2 cents worth.

Right.....??? What did you say about adding more or less to the story...???

I just wanted to get the fact straight. Yao wanted to pass his throne to Xun was because he was getting old. He wanted to pass the throne to a highly qualified person. Normally, it was customary in China, a throne was always passed down to the first born son as the crowned prince. However, Yao did not want his throne to be ruined by his unqualified son. Therefore, he thought of passing his throne outside of the family. The Yao-Xun story was a very famous story in the Chinese history. There was a term given for this action called 禪讓(shan4 rang4): to abdicate the throne to a qualified person instead of the next of kin. Yao was famous and given credit, in the Chinese history, because of this noble act.

Really......???? People still believing in this kind of stuff...???

Sometimes you are logical and practical but not hopeless.......... hehehehe.....I think I will....

The metaphor about the skilled cook was a ridicule about a cook that he is a better butcher than an actual one. ZhuangTze described that the cook was learned to butcher an ox from the basic technique. From the empirical experience, after nineteen years, the basic technique becomes an art how to butcher an ox. Hence, the cook was butchering an ox with the state of the art from his heart. He doesn't have to replace as many knives as other butchers because of his own cutting skill. He does not use his knife for chopping nor cut the bone with it. He knew exactly where to start cutting. He can visualize where every bone and joint are in the ox. He can have a smooth cut at the joint to separate the bones and the meat from the bones. When he was done with the butchering, there was nothing wasted. This metaphor can be apply to one's life. If one has the heart into something, one can be as smooth as the skillful cook to handle any convoluted situation without any doubt.

People do get wiser as they have grown older because they had gained more knowledge and empirical experiences. Obtaining knowledge shouldn't be considered as dangerous. The way the classic text was phrased is very misleading; but, hey, that is one of those classic paradoxes again. It was up to the interpreter to make some sense out of it. The people do not have a problem forgetting how the live. In fact, it was the problem with their knowledge of how to live with endless craves. IMO The metaphor here was that life is too short. It's better to learn as much as one can in life but do not take advantage of what one has learned for egocentricity...

What is this deeper level that you are thinking of...???

What kind of explanation is this....???

Is ZZ saying not to go to school to earn a degree to make a living...?? Is that dangerous...???

I wasn't going to tell you what "spirit" is. I was waiting for you to define what "spirit" is in your initial thinking. I think you have just told me....

ZhuangTze Chapter 2, Section C lienshan... I know you have quite an imagination to create and reinventing the wheel as I had told you before. You have your own stories based on your own scrambled logic. It was utterly impossible for me to follow your sense of logic. I don't think even God can neither....

Yes...A reasonable point indeed. There was this scholar spent two years and tried to come up with an interpretation which will make sense to him. The lives of the people are limited; but the knowledge of desire is endless. Using a limited life to pursue the endless desire, thus how can one not to be exhausted. If one has already being sensing it was troublesome and still continue to be intrigued, then it would be very dangerous. It was because of the driven factor of desire, the action of the people will be out of control. Desire engenders the root of resentment. If one doesn't restrain one's crave and expect something in return from a good deed, then he should expect a punishment for committing a crime. People should stay at a distance from the crave and be very careful not to make any mistake as a matter of principle. Hence, it may protect oneself; it may be kept it natural; it may support their parents and it may enjoy one's life until death.

By our natural breathing process, even thought we were fully exhale or inhale, there were still some residues of Oxygen and Carbon dioxide inside the body to keep the balance of the gaseous mixture in a proper proportion.

One of the Chinese interpretations: This seems like what it says by a direct interpretation: The lives of the people are very limited; but the knowledge is endless. Using a limited life to pursue the endless knowledge, thus that would make one to become extremely fatigued. If that was so, then those who are still going to pursue knowledge will tire themselves out. Those ones who cultivate theirs lives to do good deeds not to be famous; and do not commit crimes to go against the law. They do things according to natural principles. Thus that can sustain life, keep everything to its natural characteristics; nourish the soul and spirit and lived for rest of the life. Let's ask ourselves, is this what ZZ want to say and meant not to pursue knowledge due to one's short lifespan...??? I don't think that is what he was saying. It doesn't make any sense at all....

1. Water current: 水流 2. Electrical current: 電(电)流 3. Elemental water: 水 Note: Simplified Chinese character was given in ().

I didn't say what was in bold. What I was saying is either all parts of the body are still or all moving.

You had changed ZZ's philosophy 180 degrees out of phase. You are doing exactly the opposite as ZZ asked people not to do.

I see you had been taught properly. I don't know why this thread was initiated to ask this kind of question. Why should there be any doubt if one was taught the right way...??? Learn the basic concept and stick to it then there should be no doubt.

至人無己: An ultimate person has no self which made him selfless. 神人無功" A divine person does not go after merit for his own glory. 聖人無名: A well educated person does not go after fame for an empty title.

Yes.....