《莊子．大宗師》的「攖寧」包括拂亂（攖）與安定（寧）兩層含義：攖是消除外在干擾，以至「朝徹」；寧是天機的內在顯現，源於「見獨」；攖與寧轉化的關鍵點在於「獨」。以攖寧七層貫通《莊子》內七篇，可推至《逍遙遊》「堯讓天下」、《齊物論》「吾喪我」、《養生主》薪盡火傳、《人間世》無用為用、《應帝王》「虛而委蛇」，以及集成前四篇的《德充符》。攖寧與《莊子》的孔顏「心齋」、「虛室生白」、「坐忘」相通；與《論語》的孔顏「克己復禮」、《周易》的「剝爛復反」具有一致的結構。

“Tranquility in disturbance” in The Great Teacher of Zhuangzi means to seek peace in chaos, including disregarding disturbance (Ying, 攖) and pursuing tranquility (Ning, 寧). Ying is to eliminate external disturbance, and finally “to be enlighten” (Zhaoche, 朝徹); Ning is to manifest the spring of nature, which originates from “having gained the vision of the One” (Jiandu, 見獨). The key to transform Ying and Ning lies in “the One” (Du, 獨). The seven levels of “Tranquility in disturbance” can be regarded as the essence of the seven inner chapters of Zhuangzi, including the contents of “Yao wished to resign as the ruler of the empire” from The Happy Excursion, “I lost myself” from On the Equality of Things, “the fire is transmitted while the firewood is exhausted” from The Fundamentals for the Cultivation of Life, Making use of the uselessness from The Human World, “flexibly flow with emptiness” from The Philosopher-King, as well as the integration of the first four chapters of The Evidence of Virtue Complete. It is analyzed that “tranquility in disturbance” expresses the same thing with “the fast of mind” (Xinzhai,心齋), “white light arising in the empty room” (Xushishengbai, 虛室生白) and “sitting in forgetfulness” (Zuowang, 坐忘). Furthermore, the process to realize “tranquility in disturbance” has the same structure with “to master self and to return to propriety” (Kejifuli, 克己復禮) of Analects and “to peel off and return” (Bolanfufan, 剝爛復反) of the Book of Change.