Think of being curled up and floating in a darkness. Even if you could think, even if you had an imagination, would you ever imagine its opposite, this miraculous world the Asian Taoists call the Ten Thousand Things? And if the darkness just got darker? And then you were dead? What would you care? How would you eve know the difference?
The quote reflects on a profound sense of being lost in darkness, suggesting a state of isolation where one cannot fathom the beauty of existence. It questions whether, in such a void, thoughts or imagination could ever conceive the vibrancy of life that surrounds us, often referred to as the Ten Thousand Things in Asian Taoism. The contrast drawn emphasizes the miraculous nature of life against the bleakness of oblivion.
Furthermore, the contemplation of death raises existential questions about awareness and perception. If the darkness only deepens with the absence of life, the individual may struggle to recognize any difference between existence and non-existence. This illustrates a deep introspection regarding the value of life and the understanding of one's place in the universe.