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Before his death, Zhuangzi’s disciples convened to deliberate on how to honor their teacher with a grand burial. Zhuangzi responded, “Simply leave me in an uninhabited and desolate place. Why must I be interred in the ground?” The disciples countered, “If we leave you in the wilderness, crows and eagles will consume your body. We must provide you with a proper burial.” Zhuangzi smiled and replied, “If I am buried in the ground, I will become nourishment for worms and ants. If I am left in the wilderness, I will become sustenance for crows and eagles. To me, what is the difference? Why do you wish to deprive the crows and eagles of their sustenance and give it to the worms and ants? Why do you favor the worms and ants over the crows and eagles?”
Zhuangzi continued, “If I am left in the wilderness, the heavens and earth will serve as my coffin, the sun and moon will act as my jade, the stars will function as my pearls, and all things will form my funeral procession. Is not my burial grand and the offerings abundant? Why do you still insist on providing me with a formal burial?” Zhuangzi was neither elated by life nor saddened by death. He transcended the concept of mortality and coexisted with the universe, becoming one with all things. He viewed life and death as akin to day and night, interacting solely with the spirit of the cosmos. This philosophy, which aligns with the eternal way of nature, is what humanity should emulate.
Prior to Zhuangzi’s death, his wife passed away first. When his wife died, Zhuangzi faced her remains without loud lamentation but instead beat a clay pot and sang for her. Upon witnessing this, his friend Hui Shi was deeply perplexed and rebuked Zhuangzi, saying, “Your wife has been by your side day and night, sharing life and death with you, bearing children for you, and experiencing joys and sorrows together. Now that she has departed, it is acceptable if you do not cry, but how can you beat the pot and sing? Your behavior is excessive.”
Zhuangzi gently explained, “When my wife first passed away, I too was deeply grieved and wept incessantly. However, upon reflection, I realized the truth and ceased mourning. Consider this: my wife originally had no life; not only no life but also no form; not only no form but also no breath. Gradually, she acquired breath, then form, and eventually life, becoming my wife. Now, her life has ended, her form has vanished, her breath has dissipated, and she has returned to the original state of nothingness.
In this manner, is not life and death akin to the alternation of the four seasons, day and night, the rising and setting of the sun and moon, the coming and going of cold and heat, endlessly repeating without beginning or end, infinite and ceaseless? She continues on the path of perpetual circulation and transformation. Why should I mourn and weep for her? Do I not understand the way of nature? Do I not desire her to continue circulating and transforming? Were she to halt this cycle of circulation and transformation, then I would genuinely have cause to wail and cry. Now, she remains on this circular journey. I should rejoice and sing for her, so I ceased being sad and crying.”
Death is the cessation of life, and life is the commencement of death. There is no life without death, and no death without life. Beyond life and death, there is no end, and thus, eternity.
庄子临死之前，弟子们一起商议如何厚葬恩师。庄子就说，“把我弃置到荒山野岭即可，何必一定要埋进土里呢？”弟子们就说，“弃之荒山野岭，怕乌鸦鹰隼来啄食老师的身体，我们一定要把老师厚葬了。”庄子就笑着说，“葬入土中，成为蝼蚁的食物，与弃之荒山野岭，成为乌鸦老鹰的食物，对于我来说，又有什么分别？你们为什么一定要夺去老鹰的食物，偏要给蝼蚁来食？你们为什么这样偏爱蝼蚁，而厌恶老鹰呢？”庄子接着说到，“把我弃之荒山野岭，我以天地为棺椁，以日月为美玉，以星辰为珍珠，万物为我送葬，我的葬礼还不盛大隆重而祭品丰厚吗？又何必再人为地厚葬呢？”庄子不以生喜，不以死悲，超越死亡，与天地共生，与万物为一；死生为昼夜，独与宇宙精神相往来的精神，是人们效法的天长地久之道。
庄子在自己死之前，妻子先他而去。妻子去世了，庄子面对妻子的遗体，没有痛哭失声，而是敲着瓦盆，在为妻子唱歌。庄子的朋友惠施看到之后，大为不解，继而大声斥责庄子，“你的妻子与你日夜相伴，相依为命，为你生儿育女，同甘共苦，现在她去世了。你不痛哭也就罢了，怎么还鼓盆而歌？你太过分了。”庄子委婉地解释说，“妻子刚死之时，我也非常悲伤。也痛哭不止。后来我觉悟了，也就不再悲伤了。你想想，我妻子当初根本没有生命；不但生命没有，甚至连形体也没有；不但没有形体，甚至连气息也没有。后来，恍恍惚惚有了气息，继而气息化为形体，形体有了生命，然后成了我妻子。现在，她生命消逝，形体化为乌有，气息消散，重新恢复到原来一无所有的状态。这样看来，生死不就是如同四季交替，昼夜交替，日来月往，寒来暑往，周而复始，无始无终，无穷无尽，生生不息吗？她仍旧在生生不息之道上，循环往复，我为什么要为她悲伤，为她哭泣呢？莫非我不懂得自然之道？莫非我不想让她循环往复，生生不息吗？她停下了循环往复，生生不息的旅程，我才真正应该嚎啕大哭呢。如今，她行走在这个循环的旅途之上，我应该为她高兴，为她歌唱才行，所以我就停止了悲伤，不再哭泣了。”
死为生之死，生为死之生。无生亦无死，无死亦无生。无生无死，超越生死，则天长地久。
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_6a80502b0100p19r.html
