Excerpt from book Discourse On Chuang Tzu / Chapter 21 Sentience Awareness Journeys in the North
Turning to Sun-shu Ao, Chien Wu said, “Three times you were appointed prime minister, yet it seemed you sought no glory in it. Three times you were dismissed from the post, yet you never seemed downcast. At first I doubted your reaction was genuine, but now I see how calmly and easily your breath passes through your nostrils. How do you manage to so wholly, apply your mind? ”
“In what manner do I surpass other men?” replied Shun-shu Ao. “When this great honor arrived, Ii concluded it could it could not be warded off, and when it departed, nothing could avert its loss. This being so, I deemed that any control of gain or loss is not mine to wield, therefore I had no reason to pull a long face – it’s as simple as that. How then can it be that I surpass other men? What’s more, I’m undecided whether the glory resides in the position of prime minister or in me. If it resides in the position, it is irrelevant to me. If it resides in myself, it is irrelevant to the position. Now I am ready to wander at great ease, and meander to the infinity of the four directions. What leisure time do I have to acquaint myself to the eminence and humbleness of man?”
肩吾问于孙叔敖曰：“子三为令尹而不荣华，三去之而无忧色。吾始也疑子，今视子之鼻间栩栩然，子之用心独奈何？”
孙叔敖曰：“吾何以过人哉！吾以其来不可却也，其去不可止也，吾以为得失之非我也，而无忧色而已矣。我何以过人哉！且不知其在彼乎，其在我乎？其在彼邪？亡乎我；在我邪？亡乎彼。方将踌躇，方将四顾，何暇至乎人贵人贱哉！”
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