Below is a brief summary on philosophy and the sayings of an ancient Chinese philosopher. If you would like a further discussion on them, please do not hesitate to e-mail me...:)
I have always been fascinated by the so-called
philosophy. It has been a subject of deep understanding but, ironically, it is
also a field of plain simplicity. Some people think philosophy is totally
irrelevant, subversive or even dangerous. Some spend years searching for
the 'truth'. Hmm…what is philosophy anyway…? Some said it is the 'love for
wisdom' but then what is wisdom itself…?
To make it simple for us, I perceive that philosophy is just thinking about
thinking. And I totally agree with an Italian philosopher called Gramsci, who
believed that 'everyone was a philosopher of sorts'.
I've learned about history of western ideas from my foundation study in
Melbourne and enjoyed it tremendously. It had exposed me to a wide range
of western ideas that mainly originated from the ancient Greek thoughts.
Among the three famous Greek philosophers, I admire Socrates the most…not
because of his works but his sapient thoughts. I must admit that I do
thought of him as a man of great wisdom (even though I don't really know
what is wisdom itself…). He had said that 'the unexamined life is a life
not worth living' in which I find very true…
Zhuang Zi is another ancient philosopher that wins my admiration. In one way or
another I find similar qualities and traits in both Zhuang Zi and Socrates
that I really look up to. Since I know more about Zhuang zi in term of ideas,
I will dedicate this page entirely on his ideas and thoughts…
As a teenager approaching adulthood, some of Zhuang Zi's ways of viewing the human society have a profound effect on me. They provide me with a refreshing way of accepting life disappointments without being cynical about them. I really hope you will like these ideas and thoughts as much as I enjoy presenting it…
In Zhuang Zi's view, man must be aware of his own existence. he must not derive himself from others. He must not derive the present from the past, or worthiness from worthlessness, or boundary and boundlessness. Only then can he/she gain freedom from restraints. The philosophy of Zhuang Zi is a philosophy of freedom. It is a philosophy by which life is experience in endless time and space. To him, secular life is an 'order without life' whereas what he set out to pursue is a 'life without order'.
"Usefulness and uselessness are relative qualities. When an idea does not work, you've got to change your way of thinking and it will work wonders!"
"There is no common standard that can be applied to the knowledge of the world, and the standard made by man is not the only or absolute standard. If you mistake the relative for the absolute, then you can't be further away from the truth."
"Everyone is afraid to die but who knows if we are going to regret why we were ever born at all?"
"Only those who are doubtful can be enlightened, the fools always think they are enlightened, which makes them fools in the final analysis."
"Do you really win by beating your opponents with eloquence? The very thought that you have succeeded makes you a failure."
"A man who knows the way of conserving life will not trade freedom for materialistic pleasures. But in real life, how many of us enjoy the view of a clear blue sky above our heads?"
"Trying to overpower others by showing one's strength is indeed a dangerous act."
"You may like someone but that person may not understand your love for him/her."
"A wise man is not bothered by physical handicap and ugliness. Handicap and ugliness may spare one from disasters." (Hmm…I am certainly not a wise man then…hehe…)
"Physical handicap alone does not incapacitate a man."
"Most people in this world know the advantage of being useful: few know about the advantage of being useless. Historical figures such as Shang Yang, Wu Chi, Su Qin and Chang Yi were intelligent men, but they all died a terrible death. 'Intelligence' can sometimes be the weapon that kills oneself."
"A man is not in his element when his heart is filled with all kinds of knowledge that are in compartments. It is important to penetrate knowledge and go beyond it."
"Selflessness is in harmony with nature. Man's body is only one of the many changes of nature. If you try to possess it, then your interest is purely selfish and personal."
"There are ups and downs in one's life. When one's in low ebb, one must observe with wisdom and wait quietly for changes to come."
"Knowledge restricts man. Knowledge makes you great, but it also makes you small. Hence you must surpass knowledge."
"Imposing our favourite on others' often does not work."
"Do not let your wisdom be shown or else people may either be afraid or jealous of you."
"In pursuing material gains, man often sees the benefit ahead of him but not the danger that lurks behind."
"A rival is there to oppose and compete with me. But without a rival, life can be lonely and sad."
"To be reasonable is to be appropriate to the occasion. To exaggerate without reason does not help at all."
"A man who wants to cultivate wisdom must get rid of his arrogance first. How can one accommodate wisdom when one's heart is filled with complacence?"
"It is better for one to remain poor than to get rich by wicked deeds."
"Confucius' benevolent and righteous deeds are of course no acts of deceit. But then one wonders how many crimes have been committed in the name of benevolence and righteousness?"
"The skilled labours. The intelligent worries. The incompetent seeks nothing and wanders around when his stomach is filled…Intelligence and skills often bring endless burden, which man of this world are often unaware of."
Adapted from: "The Sayings of Zhuang Zi" by Tsai Chih Chung. Translated by Goh Beng Choo.
Below is a brief summary on philosophy and the sayings of an ancient Chinese philosopher. If you would like a further discussion on them, please do not hesitate to e-mail me...:)
The Sayings of Zhuang Zi...
