moon

“When the yin and the yang go awry, then heaven and earth see astounding sights. Then we hear the crash and roll of thunder, and fire comes in the midst of rain and burns up the great pagoda tree. Delight and sorrow are there to trap man on either side so that he has no escape. Fearful and trembling, he can reach no completion.  His mind is as though trussed and suspended between heaven and earth, bewildered and lost in delusion. Profit and loss rub against each other and light the countless fires that burn up the inner harmony of the mass of men. The moon cannot put out the fire, so that in time all is consumed and the Way comes to an end.”

Way

“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 exists 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?“

Heaven

    Yen Hui said, "I'm improving."  

    Confucius said, "What do you mean by that?"

    "I've forgotten benevolence and righteousness!"

    "That's good. But you still haven't got it."

    Another day, the two met again and Yen Hui said, "I'm improving." 

    "What do you mean by that?"

    "I can sit down and forget everything!"

    Confucius looked very startled and said, "What do you mean, sit down and forget everything?"

    Yen Hui said, "I smash up my limbs and body, drive out perception and intellect, cast off form, do away with understanding, and make myself identical with the Great Thorough-fare. This is what I mean by sitting down and forgetting everything."

    Confucius said, "If you're identical with it, you must have no more likes! If you've been transformed, you must have no more constancy! So you really are a worthy man after all! With your permission, I'd like to become your follower."