143 I can well imagine a man without hands, feet, or head, since only experience teaches us the head is more necessary than the feet. But I cannot imagine a man without the capacity for thought. He would be a stone, or a beast.

168B Human beings are so unhappy that they would be bored even if they had no reason for boredom, simply because of their nature. They are so vain that with thousands of legitimate reasons for boredome the slightest thing like tapping a billiard ball with a cue is enough to distract them.

146 Man's greatness lies in his capacity to recognise his wrechedness. A tree does not recognise its wrechedness.

225 Knowing God without knowing our wretchedness leads to pride. Knowing our wretchedness without knowing God leads to despair. Knowing Jesus Christ is the middle course, because in him we find both God and our wretchedness.

しかし、ジーザスは誰を識ったというのか。彼は悲惨さの象徴か。それならば、形而上でない（ヽヽ）象徴[sic.]が、如何にして人間――すなわち形而下の不完全な存在――の不幸を救い得るのか。無理があるよ、パスカルさん。"Knowing Jesus Christ"ではなく"Being Jesus Christ"こそが"the middle course"だ。天地両者あいだに挟まれる（中庸の）「人」の立場、これを見極めることが生きる「道」だ。