Huangbo Xiyun Quotes

Logic works, metaphysics contemplates.

Making itself intelligible is suicide for philosophy.

Philosophy begins in wonder. And, at the end, when philosophic thought has done its best, the wonder remains.

The statements of atheists ought to be perfectly clear of doubt. Now it is not perfectly clear that the soul is material.

Whence came I, whither go I? Science cannot tell us a word about why music delights us, of why and how an old song can move us to tears. Science is reticent too when it is a question of the great Unity – the One of Parmenides – of which we all somehow form part, to which we belong. The most popular name for it in our time is God – with a capital ‘G’. Whence come I and whither go I? That is the great unfathomable question, the same for every one of us. Science has no answer to it.

Possibly the words materialism and spirituality express two sides of one and the same fact.

What I am trying to do is to unmuddle the metaphysical.

I think, therefore I am confused.

Philosophy is by its nature something esoteric, neither made for the mob nor capable of being prepared for the mob.

Philosophers are often like little children, who first scribble random lines on a piece of paper with their pencils, and now ask an adult 'What is that?

Philosophy may be defined as the art of asking the right question...awareness of the problem outlives all solutions. The answers are questions in disguise, every new answer giving rise to new questions.

All parts of knowledge have their origin in metaphysics, and finally, perhaps, revolve into it.

I can believe things that are true and things that aren't true and I can believe things where nobody knows if they're true or not.

Philosophy's work is finding the shortest path between two points.

I have teken refuge in the doctrine that advises one not to seek tranquility in certainty but in permanently suspended judgement.

Philosophy is man’s expression of curiosity about everything and his attempt to make sense of the world primarily through his intellect.

If the fall of man consists in the separation of god and the devil the serpent must have appeared out of the middle of the apple when Eve bit like the original worm in it, splitting it in half and sundering everything which was once one into a pair of opposites, so the world is Noah's ark on the sea of eternity containing all the endless pairs of things, irreconcilable and inseparable, and heat will always long for cold and the back for the front and smiles for tears and mutt for jeff and no for yes with the most unutterable nostalgia there is.

Philosophy can't build bridges, but can encourage people to cross them.

Philosophy means the complete liberty of the mind, and therefore independence of all social, political or religious prejudice... It loves one thing only... truth.

Every time I see the bumper sticker that says “We think we’re humans having spiritual experiences, but we’re really spirits having human experiences,” I (a) think it’s true and (b) want to ram the car.

He who thinks half-heartedly will not believe in God; but he who really thinks has to believe in God.

The instruments for the quest for Truth are as simple as they are difficult.

It is too late in the day for men of sincerity to pretend they believe in the Platonic mysticisms that three are one, and one is three; and yet that the one is not three, and the three are not one.

Eternity is the place where questions and answers become one.

Which are you drinking? The water or the wave?