And if there was a time when nothing existed, then there must have been a time before that, when even nothing did not exist.

Then when nothing came into existence, could one really say whether it belonged to existence or non-existence ?" "Nothing" was rather a favourite term with Chuang Tzu for the exercise of his wit.

Light asked Nothing, saying: "Do you, sir, exist, or do you not exist ?" But getting no answer to his question, Light set to work to watch for the appearance of Nothing.

Hidden, vacuous--all day long he looked but could not see it, listened but could not hear it, grasped at but could not seize it.

"Bravo!" cried Light; "who can equal this?
I can get to be nothing [meaning darkness], but I can't get to be not nothing." Confucius would have nothing to say on the subject of death and a future state; his theme was consistently this life and its obligations, and he regarded speculation on the unknown as sheer waste of time.