But here now are some other sayings:
I do not know whether they are of the same character
as those which I have already given,
or of a different character.

Whether they be of the same character or not
when looked at along with them,
they have a character of their own,
which cannot be distinguished from the others.

But though this be the case, let me try to explain myself.

There was a beginning.
There was a beginning before that beginning.
There was a beginning previous to that beginning
before there was the beginning.

There was existence; there had been no existence.
There was no existence before the beginning of that no existence.
There was no existence previous to the no existence before
there was the beginning of the no existence.

If suddenly
there was nonexistence,
we do not know whether it was really anything existing,
or really not existing.

Now I have said what I have said,
but I do not know whether what I have said
be really anything
to the point or not.

Zhuangzi by Zhuang Zhou, trans. James Legge, The Adjustment of Controversies

Zhuangzi reminds me of my granddaughter. Finlea is five years old, almost six. She’s a joker, always trying a new slight-of-hand, or some clever word play. Here Zhuangzi says I found these old sayings, and I cannot vouch for their quality. I am going to try them out on you. An attitude similar to that of Finlea.

This comes right after a tedious reading about the origin stories speculation. To wit, the clusterfuck of history when such speculations are taken as dogma, how lives are lived out, wasted, dithered away, contesting views that have no real point. Perhaps as did I, you felt mentally exhausted trying to follow all that?

Now, Zhuangzi wants to explain himself.

Does he?