Ran Qiu asked Confucius:
- Is it possible to find out what was before heaven and earth?
“It’s possible,” Confucius answered. - In ancient times it was the same as now.
Having lost the thread of the conversation, Zhan Qiu left.
The next day he again appeared to the teacher and said:
- Yesterday I asked: “Is it possible to find out what was before heaven and earth?” The teacher replied: “It’s possible. In ancient times it was the same as now.” Dare I ask why this was clear to me yesterday, but not today?
“Yesterday it was clear,” answered Confucius, “for you were spiritually prepared in advance to perceive the answer.” Today it is unclear, because you are not looking for a spiritual answer. There is neither ancient nor modern, there is neither beginning nor end. Could there have been sons and grandsons before there were sons and grandsons?
Before Ran Qiu could answer, Confucius continued:
- Wait! Don't answer! They do not die because they are born alive; they do not live because the dead die. Both death and life depend on something; they both have one thing in common. Was it a thing that was born before heaven and earth? The substance in things is not a thing. Things could not come before things. Things were exactly the same, things appeared exactly the same - without end. Imitating this, the sage is also always endless in his love for people.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru