Kiang had approached Ming before, something of asking of the meaning of life, to which Ming replied, "Pooh!".
Three years later, he found his query again:
"Wandering listlessly about, I know not what I seek; carried on by a wild impulse, I know not where I am going. I wander about in the strange manner in which you have seen, and see that nothing proceeds without method and order, what more should I know?"
Kiang replied:
"I also seem carried about by aimless influence, and yet the people follow me wherever I go. I cannot help their doing so. But now as they imitate me, I wish to hear a word from you."
Ming replied:
"Do you only take the position of doing nothing, and things will of themselves become transformed. Neglect your body; cast out from you your power of hearing and sight; forget what you have in common with things; cultivate a grand similarity with the chaos of the plastic ether; unloose your mind; set your spirit free; be still as if you had no soul.
Of all the multitude of things every one returns to its root. Every one returns to its root, and does not know that it is doing so. They all are as in the state of chaos, and during all their existence they do not leave it. If they knew, the would be consciously leaving it. They do not ask its name; they do not spy out their nature; and thus it is that things come to life themselves."
With this, Kiang felt he had been given the riddle of life.
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