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The
Aphorisms
by Hui Shih
Hui Shih explored the significance of
things...and said:
1. That beyond which there is nothing greater
should be called the great unit. That beyond which
there is nothing smaller should be called the small
unit.
2. That which has no thickness cannot be
increased in thickness, (but) its size can be a
thousand miles (long).
3. The heavens are as low as the earth,
mountains on the same level as marches.
4. The sun exactly at noon is exactly (beginning
to) go down. And a creature exactly when he is born
is exactly (beginning to) die.
5. A great similarity compared with a small
similarity is very different. This state of affairs
should be described as a small
similarity-in-dissimilarity. The myriad things in
Nature are both completely similar and completely
dissimilar. This state of affairs should be
described as a great
similarity-in-dissimilarity.
6. The Southern region (beyond the borders of
China and not fully explored) has no limit and yet
has a limit.
7. To-day I go to Yueh State and I arrive there
in the past.
8. Linked rings can be sundered.
9. I know that the hub of the world is north of
Yen State and south of Yueh State.
10. Love all things equally; the heavens and the
earth are one composite body.
Excerpted from Chinese
Philosophy in Classical Times.
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