Guan Yinzi said: "People of the world, through the Dao, distinguish between self and others by thinking that my thoughts differ from theirs, and their thoughts differ from mine. They do not realize that people in a dream also have my thoughts differing from theirs, and theirs differing from mine." Who is the self? Who is another person? People of the world distinguish between self and others by thinking that my pain differs from theirs, and their pain differs from mine. They do not know that people in a dream also experience my pain differing from theirs, and their pain differing from mine. Who is the self? Who is another person? Nails and hair do not feel pain, hands and feet do not think; yet they are still part of me. How can one distinguish them based on thinking or feeling pain? People of the world consider what one sees alone as a dream, and what many see together as waking. They do not realize that when essence coalesces, there may be someone who sees something alone during the day; and when spirits unite, there may also be two people sharing the same dream at night; Both are manifestations of my spirit and energy. Who is dreaming? Who is awake?—a question explored in The Adjustment of Controversies People of the world regard what appears briefly as a dream and what lasts long as waking. They do not know that what is seen briefly is the qi of yin and yang; what is seen for a long time is also the qi of yin and yang. Both are my yin and yang. Who is dreaming? Who is awake?"

Guan Yinzi said: "Those who love benevolence often dream of pine, cypress, peach, and plum trees; those who cultivate merit and virtue (gong de) often dream of weapons, swords, gold, and iron; those who love propriety often dream of ritual vessels such as fu, gui, bian, and dou; those who love wisdom often dream of rivers, lakes, streams, and marshes; those who love faithfulness often dream of mountains, peaks, plains, and fields. Being bound by the Five Elements, there has never been anyone different from this." Yet in dreams one may hear of a certain matter or think about a certain matter, and the dream changes accordingly—a theme explored in King Mu of Zhou; thus, it cannot be confined by the Five Elements. Sages raise their minds through things and regulate their minds with nature; thus, their minds become one with the workings of heaven and earth. The Five Elements cannot confine them,".

Guan Yinuser said: "If you see a creature with a snake's head and a human body, or one with an ox's arm and fish scales, or another with the form of a ghost and bird wings, do not be surprised. These are not as strange as dreams; dreams are not as strange as waking awareness. Having ears and eyes, hands and arms, is even more strange. Great words cannot be spoken; great wisdom cannot think."

Guan Yinzi said: "Someone asked me, 'What is your family name?' "What is your name?" "What is your courtesy name?" "What do you eat and wear?" "Who are your friends and servants?" "What instruments and books do you have?" "What is ancient and what is modern?' " At that time, I remained silent and did not answer a single word. Someone kept pressing me for an answer, so I reluctantly replied: "You have not even seen me yet; how could you know what I am!" "

Guan Yinzi said: "Form can be divided and united, extended or hidden. One man and one woman can give birth to two children. Form can divide a single man and woman, yet two people become one child; thus form can unite. Eating jusheng prolongs life; therefore, form can be extended. At night without moonlight or fire, people cannot see me; thus, form can be hidden. From one vital energy arise myriad things; discarding a strand of hair is as simple as exchanging it—thus form divides. Uniting all things through one vital energy, just as a split lip can be mended—is how forms unite. By preserving the spirit to sustain qi, and by sustaining qi to preserve form—thus form is extended. Unite form with the spirit, unite the spirit with nothingness—thus form becomes invisible. Do you wish to know it? Do you wish to do it?"

Guan Yinzi said: "There is no single thing that cannot be seen; therefore, there is no single thing that is not my perception; there is no one object that cannot be heard; thus, there is nothing that is not what I hear. Five things can nourish the body; therefore, none of them are separate from my form; five flavors can nourish qi; thus, nothing is outside of my qi. Therefore, my form and qi are the same as heaven, earth, and all things—just as the scripture says, "Dao produces one, one produces two, two produces three"."

Guan Yinzi said: "A farmer accustomed to oxen becomes rough; a hunter accustomed to tigers becomes brave; a fisherman accustomed to water becomes adept at diving; a warrior accustomed to horses becomes strong. All things in the world can become part of me. My single body, internally transformed by roundworms and ascarids, externally affected by lice and fleas; when afflicted with a tumor, it becomes like a turtle or fish; when suffering from sores, it resembles a mouse or ant. Thus, I can become all things."

Guan Yinzi said: "My being as myself is like gold in ashes; yet not like the gold found in ore sands. Break open the ore to obtain gold, sift through sand to find gold. But sifting ashes will yield no gold for a lifetime."

Guan Yinzi said: "Even the tiniest bee can still travel and observe heaven and earth; an extremely small shrimp can also freely roam in the vast ocean."

Guan Yinzi said: "When clay figurines are made, some are noble and others humble; there are male figures and female figures; their substance is earth, their thoughts are of earth—how human they seem!"

Guan Yinzi said: "The eye observes itself; the eye has no color; the ear listens to itself; the ear has no sound; the tongue tastes itself; the tongue has no flavor; the mind measures itself; the mind holds nothing. Common people chase things externally, virtuous people cling to internal matters, but sages regard both as false."

Guan Yinzi said: "My body is the qi of the Five Elements, and the qi of the Five Elements has a single nature. For example, from one place, water can be drawn, fire can be obtained, wood can grow, metal can solidify, and earth can transform. Its nature encompasses all; originally there is no difference or distinction. Therefore, when winged insects flourish, hairy insects do not reproduce; when hairy insects flourish, scaled creatures do not reproduce. He who understands the mutual use of the Five Elements can forget self."

Guan Yinzi said: "A dried-up turtle has no sense of self; it can reveal great wisdom; a lodestone, without a sense of self, reveals great power; bells and drums, without a sense of self, reveal great sounds; boats and carts, without a sense of self, enable long journeys. Therefore, my body, though it may have wisdom, strength, movement, and sound, has never truly possessed a self."

Guan Yinzi said: "A yu shooting at a shadow can kill me. If one knows that the unknowing is also self, then throughout all under heaven, I am everywhere."

Guan Yinzi said: "When the mind recalls, it forgets hunger; when the mind is angry, it forgets cold; when the mind nurtures itself, it forgets illness; when the mind stirs, it forgets pain. If one draws breath to nourish harmony, who can make them hungry? By preserving the spirit and cultivating warmth, who can make them cold? Nourishing the five viscera with the Five Elements brings no harm—who could then make one ill? Returning the five viscera to the Five Elements means there is no awareness—then who could cause pain?"

Guan Yinzi said: "Do not consider those who are without knowledge or action as lacking self. Even if one has knowledge and engages in action, through wu wei (non-action) it does not harm their state of being without self. For example, fire is restless and never still, yet it never possesses a self."