The Way of Dealing with the World

Everyone's eyes are like this: just a cat's eye set in a white ping-pong ball, nothing more than a mechanical device—don't take it seriously. If someone gazes at you tenderly, that is just the ping-pong ball producing water, flowing out from the cat's eye. It doesn't matter; it cannot form a great river and drown you, nor will it topple hills and mountains to sweep you away—just ignore it. If someone casts flirtatious glances at you, that is just the ping-pong ball emitting light, projected out from the cat's eye. No need to pay attention either; the light of nature is warmer than that. If someone glares at you angrily, that is just the ping-pong ball catching fire, spewing out from the cat's eye. Don't be afraid—it cannot burn you, nor will it become a raging wildfire. Ignore it, and it will naturally extinguish itself.

Whether others love me or hate me is none of my business; I remain at ease and carefree. Take everything lightly, keep the mind as calm as still water. If I do not attach to signs, there is nothing amiss in the world, and heaven and earth are naturally vast. If one reaches the point of not even seeing heaven and earth, then one is truly liberated—how wonderful that would be!