World Sacred Scriptures

The wisdom of The Liezi

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T hose of utmost faithfulness can transform their surroundings and touch heaven, earth and spirits. With utmost sincerity, they can overcome any obstacle throughout the universe . . .

The Liezi quote, Daoism

T he stories are also used as testing devices, to gauge mental state by reaction, as well as blueprints for further development.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

W hen we are rich and famous and powerful, we do not want to die. On the other hand, if we are miserable and suffering, we want to die and leave it all. But can joy or misery last forever? There is a saying, “All celebrations must end sometime.” Any wish to live forever or die immediately is often a whim of the moment. How do we know that, although we are happy now, we may not be sad the next day, or sad now but may be happy soon? Given that good and ill, fortune and misfortune come in their own way, we should not cling to life or embrace death. Life and death will come of their own. Why be greedy about life and afraid of death?

The Liezi quote, Daoism

S trength should always be complimented by softness. If you resist too much, you will break. Thus, the strong person knows when to use strength and when to yield, and good fortune and disaster depend on whether you know how and when to yield.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

P eople use the words “beginning” and “end” to describe the start and end of things. However, “beginning” is really the event of coming together when energy gathers, and “end” is simply the dissolution of that energy. That which came together can easily dissolve if conditions become unfavourable. That which has dissolved may come together again if circumstances are appropriate. Therefore, who is to say that there is a beginning and an end?

The Liezi quote, Daoism

T he ancient saying that force outdoes inferiors while gentility outdoes superiors.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

T here was a man whose only son died of a sudden illness. He did not mourn for his son, nor was he sad about it. His friends were curious about his behaviour, so they asked him, “Your only son is dead. You should be heartbroken. Why do you act as if nothing had happened?” The man replied, “Before my son came, I had no son. I was certainly not heartbroken back then. Now I have no son. Why should I be heartbroken now?”

The Liezi quote, Daoism

P eople all know the pleasure of life but not the pain of life; they know the fatigue of old age, but not the freedom of old age; they know the horror of death but not the peace of death.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

I f you play a game where scrap pieces of glass are at stake, you will play skillfully. If your expensive belt buckle is at stake, you’ll start to get clumsy. If it’s your money that’s at stake, you’ll fumble. It’s not that you’ve lost your skill. It’s because you are so flustered by things happening outside that you’ve lost your calmness inside. Lose your stillness and you will fail in everything you do.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

T he contented person finds rest in death, and for the greedy person, death puts an end to his long list of desires.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

T o solve a problem, you need to remove the cause, not the symptom.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

D ivision and differentiation are the processes by which things are created. Since things are emerging and dissolving all the time, you cannot specify the point when this division will stop.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

H e likes to use his wit and verbal finesse to confuse others and win arguments. Although he can argue successfully that white is black and straight is crooked, you walk away with the feeling that he’s won the argument not because he is correct but because you can’t outwit him.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

T ravel is such a wonderful experience! Especially when you forget you are traveling. Then you will enjoy whatever you see and do. Those who look into themselves when they travel will not think about what they see. In fact, there is no distinction between the viewer and the seen. You experience everything with the totality of yourself, so that every blade of grass, every mountain, every lake is alive and is a part of you. When there is no division between you and what other is, this is the ultimate experience of traveling.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

O nce you transcend the external differences, anything can be merged with anything.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

T he ancients said that for persons who cultivated body and mind, and who are virtuous and honourable, death is an experience of liberation, a long-awaited rest from a lifetime of labour. Death helps the unscrupulous person to put an end to the misery of desire. Death, then, for everyone is a kind of homecoming. That is why the ancient sages speak of a dying person as a person who is ‘going home’.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

I f you can dispense with reputation, then you are free from care. Reputation is only a visitor, but reality is here to stay.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

I n infancy, our blood is strong and our energy is plentiful. Mind and body, thought and action are one. Everything we do is in harmony with the natural order. The infant is not affected by things that happen around him. Virtue and ethics cannot restrain his will. Naked and free of social conventions, he follows the natural path of the heart.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

T o be truly happy and contented, you must let go of the idea of what it means to be truly happy or content.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

L et your eyes see what they see, not what others want you to see. Let your ears hear what they naturally hear, not what others want you to hear. Let your mouth speak your mind freely and not be constrained by other people’s approval or disapproval. Let your mind think what it wants to think and not let other people’s demands dictate your thoughts. If your senses and your mind are not allowed to do what they want to do naturally, you are denying them their rights. When you cannot think, sense, feel, or act freely, then your body and mind are injured. Break these oppressions, and you will cultivate life.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

A person with a mind is bound to be filled with conceptions. These conceptions prevent him from knowing things directly, so a person with a mind shall never really know.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

I f a branch is too rigid, it will break. Resist, and you will perish. Know how to yield, and you will survive.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

I n youth, our blood rises and becomes volatile. Desire, worry, and anxiety increase. External circumstances now direct the rise and fall of emotions. Will and intention become constrained by social conventions. Competition, conflict, and scheming are the norm in interactions with people. The approval and disapproval of others become important, and the honest and sincere expression of thoughts and feelings is lost.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

Z huangzi once told a story about two persons who both lost a sheep. One person got very depressed and lost himself in drinking, sex, and gambling to try to forget this misfortune. The other person decided that this would be an excellent chance for him to study the classics and quietly observe the subtleties of nature. Both men experience the same misfortune, but one man lost himself because he was too attached to the experience of loss, while the other found himself because he was able to let go of gain and loss.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

… do things merely co-occur and we give meaning to these co-occurrences based on our belief system? Lieh-tzu’s answer: It’s all in how you think.

The Liezi quote, Daoism

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