Comic notes

莊子之楚，見空髑髏，髐然有形。撽以馬捶，因而問之，曰：「夫子貪生失理而為此乎？將子有亡國之事、斧鋮之誅而為此乎？將子有不善之行，愧遺父母妻子之丑而為此乎？將子有凍餒之患而為此乎？將子之春秋故及此乎？」於是語卒，援髑髏，枕而臥。夜半，髑髏見夢曰：「向子之談者似辯士，視子所言，皆生人之累也，死則無此矣。子欲聞死之說乎？」莊子曰：「然。」髑髏曰：「死，無君於上，無臣於下，亦無四時之事，從然以天地為春秋，雖南面王樂，不能過也。」莊子不信，曰：「吾使司命復生子形，為子骨肉肌膚，反子父母、妻子、閭里、知識，子欲之乎？」髑髏深顰蹙額曰：「吾安能棄南面王樂而復為人間之勞乎！」

Chuang Tzu one day saw an empty skull, bleached, but still preserving its shape. Striking it with his riding whip, he said, 'Wert thou once some ambitious citizen whose inordinate yearnings brought him to this pass? some statesman who plunged his country in ruin and perished in the fray? some wretch who left behind him a legacy of shame? some beggar who died in the pangs of hunger and cold? Or didst thou reach this state by the natural course of old age?'

When he had finished speaking, he took the skull, and placing it under his head as a pillow, went to sleep. In the night, he dreamt that the skull appeared to him and said, 'You speak well, Sir; but all you say has reference to the life of mortals, and to mortal troubles. In death there are none of these. Would you like to hear about death?'

Chuang Tzu having replied in the affirmation, the skull began: 'In death, there is no sovereign above, and no subject below. The workings of the four seasons are unknown. Our existences are bounded only by eternity. The happiness of a king among men cannot exceed that which we enjoy.'

Chuang Tzu, however, was not convinced, and said, 'Were I to prevail upon God to allow your body to be born again, and your bones and flesh to be renewed, so that you could return to your parents, to your wife, and to the friends of your youth, would you be willing?'

At this, the skull opened its eyes wide and knitted its brows and said, 'How should I cast aside happiness greater than that of a king, and mingle once again in the toils and troubles of mortality?'

I actually do that kind of thing...