1 Tao Te Ching by Laotse mentions that “Fish should be left in the deep pool, and sharp weapons of the state should be left where none can see them”. We should make clear that the so-called sages in our society just are the sharp weapons of the state so we must ban their indulgence in the loud and empty talk in public all days.
2 On the basis of this recognition, the sages and the confusing knowledge should be deserted, only by this way the bandits would be vanished; when we thrown away those valuable and luring jewels, then the thief would disappear; ID card should be burned and the jade seal of kings and dukes should be crushed, which may enable people return to the life of simplicity and purity.
3 The measure tools should be destroyed to make people generous and tolerant; all constitutions and systems should be abolished to make people know the truth of Tao.
4 Six pitches should be annulled, all instruments should be burn off and musician’s ears should be plugged to stop their playing, by which people can restore his original listening ability.
5 Enjoyment of colorful and luxuriant decoration should be abandoned, regulation of color match should be forgotten and the eyes of color carper, such as Li Zhu, should be covered, by which people’s sight recovers.
6 The measure tools, such as ruler, compasses and plumb, should be deserted and the fingers of skillful craftsmen, such as Gong Chui should be cut off, by which people possibly exert their own inherent craft.
7 It is said that the greatest exquisiteness looks clumsiness. Let’s confine actions of the people such as Shi You and Zeng Can and shut the continuously debating mouths of the people such as Yangzhu and Mozi, which make people’s virtue recover, melt into and return to the Nature.
8 If everyone doesn’t show off his talent, people would not be perplexed.
9 If everyone doesn’t boast of his intelligent, our environment will be in peace.
10 If everyone could conserve his original wisdom, he would not live in confusion and at a loss.
11 If everyone could highlight his original virtue, the operation of Nature would be set on right and smooth path. Those people such as Zeng Can, Shi You, Yang Zhu, Mo Qu, Jie Kuang, Gong Chui, Li Zhu, threw away their original virtues to develop acquired craft and technique so they made this world messy. Their petty craft and technique, constitutions and laws, and the codes of conduct are nothing but harm to all of us.
12 The most ideal society is this: people live simple and plain lives and they knot ropes to record something without written language to accumulate knowledge. Therefore, people of pure and simple thinking live with other creatures under the condition of relatively balance field.
13 They don’t need to take their ingenuity for food because any food that can quench hunger is delicious. They don’t require the best food and don’t waste any food, for which lives are respected to some extent. People don’t kill shark just for its fins. Thus shark is protected from extinction.
14 Clothes that can keep body warm are good and beautiful. A deer hide that is cast on body in winter can keep people warm; where a small piece of it to cover some part of body in summer. It is unnecessary to dress much clothes, waste, heavy and clumsy.
15 In their wardrobe, modern people have a lot of clothes, some of which they don’t wear a time in years. Use of clothes had been more than its function of warmness.
16 The custom is formed by the habits; all people living in the certain area will accept and do it accordingly. For example, people celebrate the new year of lunar calendar in China, how they pass the last evening; how to prepare the dishes for it and how to display the sacrifice on the first day etc. All of those are serious and strictly written in terms of a certain style and in a certain time. Custom becomes the power to unify people and enforce them to live together tightly.
17 The society where the custom dismisses and even vanishes will collapse. People live peacefully and enjoy their works in villages. If nobody had induced them to immigrate to other place, the big cities would not have come into being, there would not have vagrants who gather in the corner of cities to be the source of crime, and the kids and the old would have not been left in the lonely villages.
18 Members of family stay together. The proportion of the old, the young and the kids is rational. Thus life of village becomes vigorous and active.
19 The sound of poultry and livestock in nearby tribes are heard each other. People live happily in their own field. Nobody has the concept of emigration. Thus the distribution of population all around the country becomes even and the ecological environment is conserved.
20 This ideal society prevailed in the ancient time, such as the ages of Rongcheng Shi, Dating Shi, Bohuang Shi, Zhongyang Shi, Lilu Shi, Lichu Shi, Xuanyuan Shi, Hexu Shi, Zunlu Shi, Zhurong Shi, Fuxi Shi, and Shengnong Shi. However now nobody knows it.
21 In Chuang Tzu’s utopia, the most important principle is that people are fixed to the earth and are prudent in migration, with an easy and simple life indifferent to fame or benefit. It should be condemned and avoided to encourage people migration.
22 When the leaders of a country employed new ways and concept of governance to improve people’s life and strengthen the economic power, the people around the country leave their houses and scramble to immigrate into it in various ways. On the road of immigration, their morale fluctuates. The old immigrants repel and bully the new one, for which the new ones have much difficulty in making living. They have to think out various and odd ways to make living. The society disorders under the condition of messy morale.
23 The reason that people can’t keep a clam, peaceful and auspicious mood, originates from those new tools or knowledge employed by some politician in position.
24 From the eighteenth century, civilization of human being made a big leap, which caused the development of the civilization to exceed the progress of total knowledge in past thousands of years. Propelled by the new knowledge, the miserable earth suffered enormously.
25 For example, when the slinger was improved, birds became unsafe.
26 When the equipment of fishery was updated as well as GPS was used, fishes in sea were exposed.
27 When the tools of preying were ameliorated, fox and deer in suburban vanished.
28 When the tricks were innovated, people’s discretion of goodness and evilness, the true and the false were weakened.
29 Knowledge was mixed with tactics, tricks and intrigue. The interaction disordered our society.
30 We may see that unfairness and sadness in the slums all around the world’s big cities, turned into the source of crime. The cause is that the prosperity of knowledge lures people all around the country to throng into the cities. They become vagrants who produce disorder.
31 The planting and breeding proficiency of people in villages can support themselves to live an easy and simple life indifferent to fame or benefit. However after TV sets come into villages and knowledge comes into their minds by books and newspapers, their children become unsettled. Giving up the agricultural technique that is inherited from their parents, they throng into cities to learn unfamiliar knowledge to become craftsman, servant, technician, teacher and politician.
32 They give up their proficient technique of living to seek unfamiliar ones. They finally bring disturbance and disorder to the society. The society is filled with enormous complaints, anger, and hatred, which disturbs the operations of Nature.
33 From the beginning of civilization of human, the disorder caused by employing new knowledge and tools have lasted to today. People sniff at the easy and simple life indifferent to fame or benefit, considering it as the life of a stale and pedantic scholar. They scrabble for tactics, powers and intrigues. The peaceful and tranquil life is replaced with that of a concept of sophism and rivalry, which people should know it is the main cause of today’s social disorder.
2008年12月31日 星期三
Opening Casket (1)
1 In common people’s opinion, to prevent from the thief ransacking our houses and stealing our wealth, we used to bind the casket tightly, install iron bar before the windows and fasten our doors.
2 However, to a real grand larcenist, all those measures are useless. He carries the bag and casket on his shoulder, in which he instead is afraid if the casket is firmed or not; the binding is tight or not; the lock is steady or not.
3 In this viewpoint, our measures of prevention are done in fact for grand larcenist’s stealing. We may be bold to say that all the intelligence and knowledge we learned which are supposed designing to protect us, are ready for the grand larcenist’s stealing.
4 The so-called sage’s instruction and knowledge are not exception.
5 Let’s take some instances which happened in history to prove the rightness of the viewpoint.
6 Once upon a time, the State of Qi, covering two hundreds square li, was possessed of abundant resource, for example, the large population, dense cities and towns, many straight and tidy roads. The structure of a regular country should have according to the rule of the sage, such as state-temples, government and school, the sate of Qi equipped them all completely.
7 However, Tian Chengzi someday killed the King of Qi and then usurped his throne. On ascending the throne, he succeeded to the policies, laws and regulations from the King of Qi. Though people knew that Tian Chengzi was a bandit and murder who had killed the King of Qi, nobody stood out against him because he succeeded to the old governmental systems that were said to be built by the sage. He virtually became the King of Qi. Therefore, his throne was steady as the Yao’s and Shun’s. Small states dared not condemn him and the big states also did not promote the righteousness to penalize him.
8 Hence, Tian Chengzi’s descendants had rule the State of Qi for twelve generations with nobody doubting their validity. As we say, isn’t it the same that it is safe for the larcenist to steal the wealth and with holding the casket together?
9 In stealing the State of Qi, they can keep their lives without being convicted as a murder and enjoy high position and great wealth if they steal the constitutions and systems at the same time.
10 We may think it over carefully and then know that: Was there anything of the so-called great wisdom, knowledge and law that were not ready for the grand larcenists and didn’t hoard up for their wealth? Was there any sage whose instructions were not ready for the larcenists and their grand cases?
11 Let’s take some instances about failure. Once upon a time Longfeng was beheaded, Bigan was disemboweled, Changhong was sliced to death and Zixu was drowned. The four all were kind men, sages and gentlemen but they were too veracious and couldn’t escape of being killed.
12 Someday one of the big Robber Zhi’s disciples asked him if there was Tao that we as robber should abide by?
13 Robber Zhi replied seriously, “What the Tao you mentioned must be the codes of conduct and the moral rule. The codes of conduct exist in all fields, no exception to our job. ”
14 The sage of robber is the one who is fair to divide the robbed things and treat his mates by no tricks.
15 In robbing bank, he takes the lead to rush in and come out in the last turn to protect all mates, which is the righteousness.
16 He can analyze the situations in advance and makes out a considerate plan, which is the wisdom.
17 He is fair in rewarding mates in the terms of everyone’s contribution and his mates have no complaint, which is the benevolence.
18 You can’t be a real grand larcenist without the five characteristics.”
19 From the words of Robber Zhi, we understand that good men certainly need the Tao of sages to regulate them while such people as Robber Zhi also need the Tao of sages to be their codes of conduct.
20 In this world, kind men are few while the greedy men as Robber Zhi are found everywhere. So we may say so: the Tao of sages benefits this world less but spoils it more.
21 The saying goes like this: the teeth without lips suffer from direct cold wind. The King of Chu thought that the wine that the State of Lu sent to him was too mild, by which he consider the state of Lu less sincere and courtesy. So the State of Lu sent army to attack Handan, the capital of Chu. The conflict almost for nothing resulted from the meaningless 'courtesy'.
22 We must beware of the bane that the Tao of sage caused.
23 Based on such recognition, we could say aloud that the sage is the source of our robber resorting.
24 So we should desert the sages and release the larcenists in jails, only by which the world would become peaceful virtually.
25 You may see that when the rivers get dry, the valleys follow dry; when the hills are spaded flat, the abysses are stuffed flat; when the sage is cleaned, the bandit and gangster disappear.
26 If we expect to have more sages to govern our country, we would have more larcenists like Robber Zhi who prevail to bully people in our society.
27 People invented Dou measure for fairness in weighing of rice grain but the bandit robbed of it as well as the rice. Officials used the seal, the symbol and the small flag as the pass to distinguish enemy but do they really work? Weren’t they being stolen and used by the enemy?
28 People in the society mostly take the benevolence and righteousness as the standard of behaviors, but some malicious people make use of the benevolence and righteousness to feather their nest. In fact, the benevolence and righteousness are being embezzled.
29 It is so, isn’t it? Let us watch something happening around us. A person would be sentenced to death if he robbed a bank. However, if he stole a state where people advocated the benevolence and righteousness and abided by the constitutions and the laws of government, he would be the steady ruler of the state. Do we deem that all makes this happened, is because the new king steal the benevolence and righteousness, as well as the wisdom of sage and the constitutions system at the same time?
30 Making it clear, we may declare that those who abide by the codes of conduct of bandit would become the king and dukes someday. If we deprived them of the high position and wealth, those who bend their mind on the stealing benevolence, measure tool and high position could not procure the loot and receive severe punishment on the contrary, so their ideas of stealing possibly are given up before they take any actions.
31 It is essentially sages’ fault that we can’t stop those larcenists overrunning around us.
2 However, to a real grand larcenist, all those measures are useless. He carries the bag and casket on his shoulder, in which he instead is afraid if the casket is firmed or not; the binding is tight or not; the lock is steady or not.
3 In this viewpoint, our measures of prevention are done in fact for grand larcenist’s stealing. We may be bold to say that all the intelligence and knowledge we learned which are supposed designing to protect us, are ready for the grand larcenist’s stealing.
4 The so-called sage’s instruction and knowledge are not exception.
5 Let’s take some instances which happened in history to prove the rightness of the viewpoint.
6 Once upon a time, the State of Qi, covering two hundreds square li, was possessed of abundant resource, for example, the large population, dense cities and towns, many straight and tidy roads. The structure of a regular country should have according to the rule of the sage, such as state-temples, government and school, the sate of Qi equipped them all completely.
7 However, Tian Chengzi someday killed the King of Qi and then usurped his throne. On ascending the throne, he succeeded to the policies, laws and regulations from the King of Qi. Though people knew that Tian Chengzi was a bandit and murder who had killed the King of Qi, nobody stood out against him because he succeeded to the old governmental systems that were said to be built by the sage. He virtually became the King of Qi. Therefore, his throne was steady as the Yao’s and Shun’s. Small states dared not condemn him and the big states also did not promote the righteousness to penalize him.
8 Hence, Tian Chengzi’s descendants had rule the State of Qi for twelve generations with nobody doubting their validity. As we say, isn’t it the same that it is safe for the larcenist to steal the wealth and with holding the casket together?
9 In stealing the State of Qi, they can keep their lives without being convicted as a murder and enjoy high position and great wealth if they steal the constitutions and systems at the same time.
10 We may think it over carefully and then know that: Was there anything of the so-called great wisdom, knowledge and law that were not ready for the grand larcenists and didn’t hoard up for their wealth? Was there any sage whose instructions were not ready for the larcenists and their grand cases?
11 Let’s take some instances about failure. Once upon a time Longfeng was beheaded, Bigan was disemboweled, Changhong was sliced to death and Zixu was drowned. The four all were kind men, sages and gentlemen but they were too veracious and couldn’t escape of being killed.
12 Someday one of the big Robber Zhi’s disciples asked him if there was Tao that we as robber should abide by?
13 Robber Zhi replied seriously, “What the Tao you mentioned must be the codes of conduct and the moral rule. The codes of conduct exist in all fields, no exception to our job. ”
14 The sage of robber is the one who is fair to divide the robbed things and treat his mates by no tricks.
15 In robbing bank, he takes the lead to rush in and come out in the last turn to protect all mates, which is the righteousness.
16 He can analyze the situations in advance and makes out a considerate plan, which is the wisdom.
17 He is fair in rewarding mates in the terms of everyone’s contribution and his mates have no complaint, which is the benevolence.
18 You can’t be a real grand larcenist without the five characteristics.”
19 From the words of Robber Zhi, we understand that good men certainly need the Tao of sages to regulate them while such people as Robber Zhi also need the Tao of sages to be their codes of conduct.
20 In this world, kind men are few while the greedy men as Robber Zhi are found everywhere. So we may say so: the Tao of sages benefits this world less but spoils it more.
21 The saying goes like this: the teeth without lips suffer from direct cold wind. The King of Chu thought that the wine that the State of Lu sent to him was too mild, by which he consider the state of Lu less sincere and courtesy. So the State of Lu sent army to attack Handan, the capital of Chu. The conflict almost for nothing resulted from the meaningless 'courtesy'.
22 We must beware of the bane that the Tao of sage caused.
23 Based on such recognition, we could say aloud that the sage is the source of our robber resorting.
24 So we should desert the sages and release the larcenists in jails, only by which the world would become peaceful virtually.
25 You may see that when the rivers get dry, the valleys follow dry; when the hills are spaded flat, the abysses are stuffed flat; when the sage is cleaned, the bandit and gangster disappear.
26 If we expect to have more sages to govern our country, we would have more larcenists like Robber Zhi who prevail to bully people in our society.
27 People invented Dou measure for fairness in weighing of rice grain but the bandit robbed of it as well as the rice. Officials used the seal, the symbol and the small flag as the pass to distinguish enemy but do they really work? Weren’t they being stolen and used by the enemy?
28 People in the society mostly take the benevolence and righteousness as the standard of behaviors, but some malicious people make use of the benevolence and righteousness to feather their nest. In fact, the benevolence and righteousness are being embezzled.
29 It is so, isn’t it? Let us watch something happening around us. A person would be sentenced to death if he robbed a bank. However, if he stole a state where people advocated the benevolence and righteousness and abided by the constitutions and the laws of government, he would be the steady ruler of the state. Do we deem that all makes this happened, is because the new king steal the benevolence and righteousness, as well as the wisdom of sage and the constitutions system at the same time?
30 Making it clear, we may declare that those who abide by the codes of conduct of bandit would become the king and dukes someday. If we deprived them of the high position and wealth, those who bend their mind on the stealing benevolence, measure tool and high position could not procure the loot and receive severe punishment on the contrary, so their ideas of stealing possibly are given up before they take any actions.
31 It is essentially sages’ fault that we can’t stop those larcenists overrunning around us.
Horses' Hooves (2)
1 Horses nomadize themselves on the wild field. When they are delighted, they play by crossing necks; when they get angry, they kick the buttocks of each other. All actions are the horses’ intuitive reaction and their hearts are simple and pure.
2 However, when horses are saddled and reined; their conducts are controlled, they will expose atrocious manner to express their discontent. When they know how to turn heads to bite people or to sneakingly bite off the rein, they look like a group of thieves somewhat.
3 A simple-minded horse becomes a sly one like a thief, which the grooms, such as Bo Le should be responsible for.
4 In the ancient Hexu age, people lived in simple lives without Kala OK, movie, playing mahjong, or drinking for entertainment. They just wandered when they went out. They were not like the modern people who drive to the wilderness to see the meteor, to Sydney to see the firework on New Year’s Eve, to Washington D.C. to enjoy cherry blossoms, or fly to Iceland to see the northern light.
5 After eating, they stroke their full belly contently. They walked around just for digestion. Their life was that simple and easy to reach because it was the natural reaction of humanity.
6 When human civilization developed, people were asked to abide by the etiquette and to carry out benevolence and righteousness. The music was strictly regulated with the five tones and six pitches. The rules that all people abide by in society became the restricted criteria in the communication and association.
7 After the rules appeared, people created a good knowledge of tools in struggling for the fame and wealth by any means possible. There is a saying, “Evils always beyond rules”. Affected by interaction of evils and rules, people’ lives were drifting far away from the simplicity and tranquilness.
8 In carefully analyzing the above phenomenon, we found that those who set the social rules should be responsible for it, just like the said grooms.
2 However, when horses are saddled and reined; their conducts are controlled, they will expose atrocious manner to express their discontent. When they know how to turn heads to bite people or to sneakingly bite off the rein, they look like a group of thieves somewhat.
3 A simple-minded horse becomes a sly one like a thief, which the grooms, such as Bo Le should be responsible for.
4 In the ancient Hexu age, people lived in simple lives without Kala OK, movie, playing mahjong, or drinking for entertainment. They just wandered when they went out. They were not like the modern people who drive to the wilderness to see the meteor, to Sydney to see the firework on New Year’s Eve, to Washington D.C. to enjoy cherry blossoms, or fly to Iceland to see the northern light.
5 After eating, they stroke their full belly contently. They walked around just for digestion. Their life was that simple and easy to reach because it was the natural reaction of humanity.
6 When human civilization developed, people were asked to abide by the etiquette and to carry out benevolence and righteousness. The music was strictly regulated with the five tones and six pitches. The rules that all people abide by in society became the restricted criteria in the communication and association.
7 After the rules appeared, people created a good knowledge of tools in struggling for the fame and wealth by any means possible. There is a saying, “Evils always beyond rules”. Affected by interaction of evils and rules, people’ lives were drifting far away from the simplicity and tranquilness.
8 In carefully analyzing the above phenomenon, we found that those who set the social rules should be responsible for it, just like the said grooms.
Horses' Hooves (1)
1 The horse has hooves to protect its feet so as able to gallop steadily on the snow-covered ground. It has thick mane to keep from wind and cold. There is flourishing pasture on the grassland and clear water in the river, by which horse can gallop freely on the vast field. This life style is very normal to the horse. The luxury stall is unnecessary to him.
2 The wild horses on the grassland someday met Bo Le who was said to have particular understanding of the nature of horses.
3 Bo Le tamed the horses by trimming their mane, paring their hooves thin, branding their bodies, tying rein to their heads, shackling their feet. Under those conditions he observed their steadiness and to rank them.
4 Owing to those taming, two or three out of ten horses were tortured to death.
5 Not only that, in the following steps, Bo Le starved the horses making them hungry and thirsty so as to observe their endurance. Under the condition of hunger and thirst, the horses were force to gallop or trot.
6 Bo Le fixed bridle to horses’ mouths and urged on them with knotted whip to strictly train them run in tidy team. In such training, five out of ten horses died from the tiredness.
7 Ceramist bragged that he was veteran of ceramic making. If he wanted to make a round ceramic vessel, he used the compasses; if he wanted to make the square ceramic vessel, he used the square rule. Carpenters were the same in bragging about his craft. If they wanted to make a curve parts, they used the hook ruler; if they wanted to saw a straight line, they used the line marker.
8 However, in the viewpoint of ceramic soil and wood, they dislike the tool such as compasses, square rule, hook ruler and line marker.
9 Traditionally, we all praised Bo Le’s awareness of the nature of horses and respected the professional knowledge of ceramist and carpenter generation after generation.
10 Such mistakes in recognition also happened to the politicians. They thought that they had good policy to govern the country. But in the viewpoint of people, nobody would like the exorbitant taxes and levies; not to mention the endless services and penal sheets.
11 I think that statesmen who really know how to govern the country are different from the politicians, because people are inherent the necessary skills to live by themselves. They can weave and plant to make them live, which are their common nature and self-possessed. So we can say that the common nature is inherent.
12 People in the primitive society appeared to be tranquil and composed. At that time there was no path crossing the mountains and no boat crossing the rivers, but creature lived in their own realm prosperously generation after generation.
13 Birds and animal flocked and tree flourished. Human, bird and animal coexisted peacefully. They wholly were not afraid of human. You might touch them and they were not frightened. People might climb up to see magpie’s nest; however, the magpie still stayed there. Every creature was one of the members of the family of Nature. All were on very intimate terms. In the society of human, there was no difference between the gentleman and the common people and all were equal without the discrimination of knowledge, skill, senior and junior.
14 Their virtues were fine, not to mention going astray. Their live were simple that their desires were low. So people in such group were uniform and integral, among which each one conserved his endowed nature.
15 Gradually people’s civilization came into being. When the so-called sages appeared, they all-out advocated such moral rules as benevolence and righteousness. Since then people’s hearts have been teemed with doubt, confuse, jealousness and distrust.
16 They have to be delighted with music and discriminate people’s rank in rite and by clothes, for which the discrimination appeared in the society.
17 To make a vase for sacrifice, they have to split away a wood to carve it into vase. It is the same with the nature of humanity spoiled for surrendering those artificial moral rules.
18 If the nature of humanity were intact, people would not need such things as music and etiquette. If the five notes of the ancient Chinese five-tone scale were in ordered, people would not use six pitches to regulate them.
19 It is craftsman’s fault to forcefully distort natural resource into various vessels. It is sage’s fault to spoil the nature of humanity to bridle those artificial codes of conduct on people.
2 The wild horses on the grassland someday met Bo Le who was said to have particular understanding of the nature of horses.
3 Bo Le tamed the horses by trimming their mane, paring their hooves thin, branding their bodies, tying rein to their heads, shackling their feet. Under those conditions he observed their steadiness and to rank them.
4 Owing to those taming, two or three out of ten horses were tortured to death.
5 Not only that, in the following steps, Bo Le starved the horses making them hungry and thirsty so as to observe their endurance. Under the condition of hunger and thirst, the horses were force to gallop or trot.
6 Bo Le fixed bridle to horses’ mouths and urged on them with knotted whip to strictly train them run in tidy team. In such training, five out of ten horses died from the tiredness.
7 Ceramist bragged that he was veteran of ceramic making. If he wanted to make a round ceramic vessel, he used the compasses; if he wanted to make the square ceramic vessel, he used the square rule. Carpenters were the same in bragging about his craft. If they wanted to make a curve parts, they used the hook ruler; if they wanted to saw a straight line, they used the line marker.
8 However, in the viewpoint of ceramic soil and wood, they dislike the tool such as compasses, square rule, hook ruler and line marker.
9 Traditionally, we all praised Bo Le’s awareness of the nature of horses and respected the professional knowledge of ceramist and carpenter generation after generation.
10 Such mistakes in recognition also happened to the politicians. They thought that they had good policy to govern the country. But in the viewpoint of people, nobody would like the exorbitant taxes and levies; not to mention the endless services and penal sheets.
11 I think that statesmen who really know how to govern the country are different from the politicians, because people are inherent the necessary skills to live by themselves. They can weave and plant to make them live, which are their common nature and self-possessed. So we can say that the common nature is inherent.
12 People in the primitive society appeared to be tranquil and composed. At that time there was no path crossing the mountains and no boat crossing the rivers, but creature lived in their own realm prosperously generation after generation.
13 Birds and animal flocked and tree flourished. Human, bird and animal coexisted peacefully. They wholly were not afraid of human. You might touch them and they were not frightened. People might climb up to see magpie’s nest; however, the magpie still stayed there. Every creature was one of the members of the family of Nature. All were on very intimate terms. In the society of human, there was no difference between the gentleman and the common people and all were equal without the discrimination of knowledge, skill, senior and junior.
14 Their virtues were fine, not to mention going astray. Their live were simple that their desires were low. So people in such group were uniform and integral, among which each one conserved his endowed nature.
15 Gradually people’s civilization came into being. When the so-called sages appeared, they all-out advocated such moral rules as benevolence and righteousness. Since then people’s hearts have been teemed with doubt, confuse, jealousness and distrust.
16 They have to be delighted with music and discriminate people’s rank in rite and by clothes, for which the discrimination appeared in the society.
17 To make a vase for sacrifice, they have to split away a wood to carve it into vase. It is the same with the nature of humanity spoiled for surrendering those artificial moral rules.
18 If the nature of humanity were intact, people would not need such things as music and etiquette. If the five notes of the ancient Chinese five-tone scale were in ordered, people would not use six pitches to regulate them.
19 It is craftsman’s fault to forcefully distort natural resource into various vessels. It is sage’s fault to spoil the nature of humanity to bridle those artificial codes of conduct on people.
Webbed Toes (2)
1 Picture drawn with compasses and rulers will lose the things’ beauty of natural structure. Things, if bound with ropes and glue, it will spoil the things’ material nature.
2 We try to use music and rite to content our soul and to use benevolence and righteousness to regulate our behaviors. The regulations of behavior will affect our nature of human.
3 Everything has its own natural attribute – self-nature. The function of self-nature does not need any artificial standard to regulate or assist it.
4 Self-nature needs neither binding nor gauge. It promotes the abundant lives perfectly under the condition of unconsciousness. Though it is unknown how the self-nature to delicately arrange itself among the chains of food, every creature has had its own space for living since the beginning of the world.
5 However, the civilization of human being has been developing to such a level of today; such artificial codes of conduct as benevolence and righteousness have deeply permeated into the realm of self-nature of human. Personality is pieced together and humanity is distorted so that a lot of confuse comes out.
6 Since the beginning of the civilization of humanity, everyone changed much or less his inherent nature because of all kinds of desires.
7 Common people spoil their inherent nature for the wealth, scholars for the fame, aristocrats for their clan’s right and interest, sages for saving the world. All people, though they are different in career and rank, are the same in spoiling their inherent nature.
8 As sheepherders, Zang and Gu lost some sheep due to their neglect. Zang said that he did breach of duty because of reading books; Gu lost sheep due to gamble with others. Despite of their different causes, they were the same in guilt of losing sheep.
9 Boyi died from conserving his reputation on Mount Shouyang; Robber Zhi died from robbing wealth at Mount Dongling. Though their causes were different, both ceased their lives in their prime time and the results of destroying life were the same.
10 Was Boyi certainly sage and aloof because of dying from conserving his honor and reputation?
11 Was it wrong and blamed that robber Zhi was killed for robbing wealth?
12 In the concept of common people, it is worth praising to sacrifice his life for the benevolence and righteousness and should be the action of a gentleman, while the man robbing of wealth, is sin, condemned, suffer-deserved and is called a cad.
13 Though the two are all human being, they are differentiated from gentleman and cad. However, Robber Zhi and Boyi are the same in the viewpoint of spoiling life. Why do people classify them into gentleman and cad?
14 Shi You and Zeng Can are well known for their devoting benevolence and righteousness but even if your obedience to benevolence and righteousness are the same as theirs, I don’t think yet that you are a man of perfect virtue.
15 Yu Er is contemporarily famous master of cuisine but even if your skill of cuisine is the same as his, I don’t think yet that you are a man of perfect virtue.
16 Even if your talent of music is the same as Shi Kuang’s, I don’t think yet that you are a true great musician.
17 Even if your application of color in fine art is the same as Lizhu’s, I don’t think yet that you are an artist.
18 The man of perfection who I think is the one who sincerely takes elaborate care of his practice of virtue. The man of perfection focuses his attention on the requirements to content the life instinct. He does not listen to the sound of objective condition but that of heart in subjective condition. He does not observe the various change of objective condition but that of subjective condition—inner change.
19 He is not the one who always watches others all days instead of himself. He is not the one who always concerns possessing the thing of objective condition and spending no time in elaborating his own treasure.
20 He is not the one who always holds a load of other’s thing of objective condition but few things really belong to him.
21 He is not the one who bustles in catering for others instead of consoling his own soul.
22 Those who only cater for others and don’t know how to amuse themselves are reputed to be celebrity as robber Zhi and Boyi, but I deem that they are fool who go in wrong way of life.
23 I really dare not to waste my precious life in other irrelevant things because in managing Tao, I am too busy to handle the others.
2 We try to use music and rite to content our soul and to use benevolence and righteousness to regulate our behaviors. The regulations of behavior will affect our nature of human.
3 Everything has its own natural attribute – self-nature. The function of self-nature does not need any artificial standard to regulate or assist it.
4 Self-nature needs neither binding nor gauge. It promotes the abundant lives perfectly under the condition of unconsciousness. Though it is unknown how the self-nature to delicately arrange itself among the chains of food, every creature has had its own space for living since the beginning of the world.
5 However, the civilization of human being has been developing to such a level of today; such artificial codes of conduct as benevolence and righteousness have deeply permeated into the realm of self-nature of human. Personality is pieced together and humanity is distorted so that a lot of confuse comes out.
6 Since the beginning of the civilization of humanity, everyone changed much or less his inherent nature because of all kinds of desires.
7 Common people spoil their inherent nature for the wealth, scholars for the fame, aristocrats for their clan’s right and interest, sages for saving the world. All people, though they are different in career and rank, are the same in spoiling their inherent nature.
8 As sheepherders, Zang and Gu lost some sheep due to their neglect. Zang said that he did breach of duty because of reading books; Gu lost sheep due to gamble with others. Despite of their different causes, they were the same in guilt of losing sheep.
9 Boyi died from conserving his reputation on Mount Shouyang; Robber Zhi died from robbing wealth at Mount Dongling. Though their causes were different, both ceased their lives in their prime time and the results of destroying life were the same.
10 Was Boyi certainly sage and aloof because of dying from conserving his honor and reputation?
11 Was it wrong and blamed that robber Zhi was killed for robbing wealth?
12 In the concept of common people, it is worth praising to sacrifice his life for the benevolence and righteousness and should be the action of a gentleman, while the man robbing of wealth, is sin, condemned, suffer-deserved and is called a cad.
13 Though the two are all human being, they are differentiated from gentleman and cad. However, Robber Zhi and Boyi are the same in the viewpoint of spoiling life. Why do people classify them into gentleman and cad?
14 Shi You and Zeng Can are well known for their devoting benevolence and righteousness but even if your obedience to benevolence and righteousness are the same as theirs, I don’t think yet that you are a man of perfect virtue.
15 Yu Er is contemporarily famous master of cuisine but even if your skill of cuisine is the same as his, I don’t think yet that you are a man of perfect virtue.
16 Even if your talent of music is the same as Shi Kuang’s, I don’t think yet that you are a true great musician.
17 Even if your application of color in fine art is the same as Lizhu’s, I don’t think yet that you are an artist.
18 The man of perfection who I think is the one who sincerely takes elaborate care of his practice of virtue. The man of perfection focuses his attention on the requirements to content the life instinct. He does not listen to the sound of objective condition but that of heart in subjective condition. He does not observe the various change of objective condition but that of subjective condition—inner change.
19 He is not the one who always watches others all days instead of himself. He is not the one who always concerns possessing the thing of objective condition and spending no time in elaborating his own treasure.
20 He is not the one who always holds a load of other’s thing of objective condition but few things really belong to him.
21 He is not the one who bustles in catering for others instead of consoling his own soul.
22 Those who only cater for others and don’t know how to amuse themselves are reputed to be celebrity as robber Zhi and Boyi, but I deem that they are fool who go in wrong way of life.
23 I really dare not to waste my precious life in other irrelevant things because in managing Tao, I am too busy to handle the others.
Webbed Toes (1)
1 A man his thumb and forefinger are joined together or an extra finger grows beside his normal five; although the webbed toes are born to be there, they are superfluous as far as the normal nature of human is concerned.
2 Goiter and tumor grow from human’s body. As far as the human’s nature is concerned, they are redundant and unnecessary.
3 The Ju (Confucianist) always advocates such practices as benevolence, righteousness, loyalty and credit. If we force them to be the born virtues, they don’t gear with us, or even obsess us because these artificial codes of conduct are not the essence of moral rules.
4 So the goiter and tumor are useless, as is the extra finger out of the five. The moral rules that our knowledge and intelligence impose on ourselves, such as benevolence, righteousness, loyalty and credit, are superfluous and unnecessary too.
5 With super eyesight, Li Zhu was acute to various colors whereas he indulged himself in designing shape and spent his energy in matching color and making the sacrifice clothes. With super audition, Shi Kuang was a famous musician. He was excellent in distinguishing various sounds, so he was overly fastidious at matching harmony and the playing instruments that were made of metal, stone, silk, bamboo, yellow bell and great tube.
6 Shi You and Zeng Can were Confucius’s disciples. To fish for fame, they set some standard of the benevolence and righteousness unconventionally or unorthodoxly, which made people confused with their disputes and made them do thing at a loss. Yang zhu and Mo Qu were busy in debate, analysis and search on far-off-the-substance problems, such as: the feeling of a stone is white by eye and the feeling of a stone is hard by hand and whether the two different feelings are describing the same stone or actually they are two different stones. So we should beware of their keen observation and redundant useless knowledge used by them as the tool to misguide people.
7 The right knowledge is sure to keep human original self-nature from being distorted. The webbed toes form the sole but there are still gaps between those toes that they are always separate. Each finger has its own shape and function, none is superfluous, the long one to the point in length, the short one not defective.
8 The duck’s legs are short but you should not prolong them self-assertively. The crane’s legs are long; however, if you think they are too long and cut them short, you are killing him.
9 Alas! Never self-assertively cut off the long one and prolong the short one, which infringes self-nature.
10 Additionally, we should accept the change. The Tao of Nature is varying. As long as it is the change of Nature, we should delightedly accept it.
11 However, we recognize that the so called benevolence and righteousness definitely are not a part of self-nature because they are artificial.
12 Possessing of the benevolence and righteousness in mind, those who think themselves beneficent sign the inconstancy of human relationships. Boring.
13 The careerist greedily loot fame and wealth in the name of loving something. Damn it.
14 Therefore, the benevolence and righteousness are sure not a part of the self-nature. For a long time in the human history, they have made people’s mind stray and upset, which is miserable. We just don’t help it to do evil anymore.
2 Goiter and tumor grow from human’s body. As far as the human’s nature is concerned, they are redundant and unnecessary.
3 The Ju (Confucianist) always advocates such practices as benevolence, righteousness, loyalty and credit. If we force them to be the born virtues, they don’t gear with us, or even obsess us because these artificial codes of conduct are not the essence of moral rules.
4 So the goiter and tumor are useless, as is the extra finger out of the five. The moral rules that our knowledge and intelligence impose on ourselves, such as benevolence, righteousness, loyalty and credit, are superfluous and unnecessary too.
5 With super eyesight, Li Zhu was acute to various colors whereas he indulged himself in designing shape and spent his energy in matching color and making the sacrifice clothes. With super audition, Shi Kuang was a famous musician. He was excellent in distinguishing various sounds, so he was overly fastidious at matching harmony and the playing instruments that were made of metal, stone, silk, bamboo, yellow bell and great tube.
6 Shi You and Zeng Can were Confucius’s disciples. To fish for fame, they set some standard of the benevolence and righteousness unconventionally or unorthodoxly, which made people confused with their disputes and made them do thing at a loss. Yang zhu and Mo Qu were busy in debate, analysis and search on far-off-the-substance problems, such as: the feeling of a stone is white by eye and the feeling of a stone is hard by hand and whether the two different feelings are describing the same stone or actually they are two different stones. So we should beware of their keen observation and redundant useless knowledge used by them as the tool to misguide people.
7 The right knowledge is sure to keep human original self-nature from being distorted. The webbed toes form the sole but there are still gaps between those toes that they are always separate. Each finger has its own shape and function, none is superfluous, the long one to the point in length, the short one not defective.
8 The duck’s legs are short but you should not prolong them self-assertively. The crane’s legs are long; however, if you think they are too long and cut them short, you are killing him.
9 Alas! Never self-assertively cut off the long one and prolong the short one, which infringes self-nature.
10 Additionally, we should accept the change. The Tao of Nature is varying. As long as it is the change of Nature, we should delightedly accept it.
11 However, we recognize that the so called benevolence and righteousness definitely are not a part of self-nature because they are artificial.
12 Possessing of the benevolence and righteousness in mind, those who think themselves beneficent sign the inconstancy of human relationships. Boring.
13 The careerist greedily loot fame and wealth in the name of loving something. Damn it.
14 Therefore, the benevolence and righteousness are sure not a part of the self-nature. For a long time in the human history, they have made people’s mind stray and upset, which is miserable. We just don’t help it to do evil anymore.
Response to Emperors (7)
1 The ruler of South Sea called Tiao, the ruler of North Sea called Hu and the ruler of Central Land called Hundun. They were close friends. Tiao and Hu were often entertained by Hundun in his home, drinking and singing happily. Tiao and Hu were very appreciated to Hundun’s warm-hearted and hospitality, so they often expected to do something for him within their reach in return.
2 Tiao and Hu noticed that all people have seven apertures in their heads but only Hundun has no. Hence, they thought self-assertively that it must be wonderful for Hundun to see, to hear, to smell, to taste the varicolored world if he had apertures such as eyes, ears, nose and mouth. So they decided to offer apertures as a gift for him.
3 Since then, they dug one aperture per day for Hundun. However, on the seventh day Hundun died unconsciously for the goofily digging by his close friends.
4Tiao and Hu did not know the reason of their friend’s death. In fact, Hundun was known as Hundun because he had no aperture; once he had apertures, he was no longer the Hundun. That’s why he died in the halfway of his life.
2 Tiao and Hu noticed that all people have seven apertures in their heads but only Hundun has no. Hence, they thought self-assertively that it must be wonderful for Hundun to see, to hear, to smell, to taste the varicolored world if he had apertures such as eyes, ears, nose and mouth. So they decided to offer apertures as a gift for him.
3 Since then, they dug one aperture per day for Hundun. However, on the seventh day Hundun died unconsciously for the goofily digging by his close friends.
4Tiao and Hu did not know the reason of their friend’s death. In fact, Hundun was known as Hundun because he had no aperture; once he had apertures, he was no longer the Hundun. That’s why he died in the halfway of his life.
Response to Emperors (6)
1 People’s conducts mostly result from the factors of temptation.
2 We should beware of selecting and identifying factors. A wise man of practice should not act for the fame and seek for a certain goal by intrigue or other means.
3 Let things develop in its natural way without intervention. To the things happen around us, we should examine overall and completely in every details, but don’t think we are clever enough to surmise and explain them by our own ways.
4 We just accept the befalling on us and try our best to do it well. That is all. We don’t need to tie ourselves tightly to it as if it were our pocket money.
5 In other words, in facing the outward affairs we are like a mirror. Things reach the field of mirror, it reflects those things totally; but what the things reflected in the mirror do not belong to the mirror.
6 Image can go in and out of the mirror freely. We don’t care about those that don’t come into the mirror and we don’t intend to find ways to catch it.
7 The heart of a successful practice man is like a mirror. He is passive himself. He is passive in searching to bring vexation on himself; but he is active, quickly reactive in handling the things that come up to him.
8 Because of such attitude, his life runs smoothly, without obstruct and trouble.
The poem by Su Dongpo goes like this:
Leaf-eating, creeping and silly worm, Look up on sky and admire free soaring.
Once it is endowed with two wings, It knows misfortune of cobweb’s sticking.
Disliking chirp like sparrow in nest, Moisture swamp seems its dependence.
Heading into water but two shells grow, Becoming clam it doesn’t return back.
Who is right between worm and clam? A laugh at and off all of them,
Not to change into them I am lucky. Enjoy together the wine and do not refuse it.
2 We should beware of selecting and identifying factors. A wise man of practice should not act for the fame and seek for a certain goal by intrigue or other means.
3 Let things develop in its natural way without intervention. To the things happen around us, we should examine overall and completely in every details, but don’t think we are clever enough to surmise and explain them by our own ways.
4 We just accept the befalling on us and try our best to do it well. That is all. We don’t need to tie ourselves tightly to it as if it were our pocket money.
5 In other words, in facing the outward affairs we are like a mirror. Things reach the field of mirror, it reflects those things totally; but what the things reflected in the mirror do not belong to the mirror.
6 Image can go in and out of the mirror freely. We don’t care about those that don’t come into the mirror and we don’t intend to find ways to catch it.
7 The heart of a successful practice man is like a mirror. He is passive himself. He is passive in searching to bring vexation on himself; but he is active, quickly reactive in handling the things that come up to him.
8 Because of such attitude, his life runs smoothly, without obstruct and trouble.
The poem by Su Dongpo goes like this:
Leaf-eating, creeping and silly worm, Look up on sky and admire free soaring.
Once it is endowed with two wings, It knows misfortune of cobweb’s sticking.
Disliking chirp like sparrow in nest, Moisture swamp seems its dependence.
Heading into water but two shells grow, Becoming clam it doesn’t return back.
Who is right between worm and clam? A laugh at and off all of them,
Not to change into them I am lucky. Enjoy together the wine and do not refuse it.
2008年12月30日 星期二
Response to Emperors (5)
1 In the State of Zheng there was a future teller called Ji Xian who could tell anyone’s past as well as the coming fortune and misfortune. People who asked him to tell said that his tell is exact as a god's saying.
2 People in the State of Zheng awed the future teller because it was embarrassed or even bad to be known of their coming fortune and misfortune at a sight.
3 People always lived in dimness to some extent. If a man knew that he would hit the grand prize of a hundred millions in a lottery after half year, how would he live through the six months before it?
4 If a man knew that he would kick the bucket after half year, what mood would he live with in the following six months.
5 So people in the state met him in the street, they would ward off him by making a detour.
6 Lietse didn’t think so. He thought that Ji Xian’s power was fairly strong. Those who left home to learn Tao should possess this power. The so-called non-learning skill is so, isn’t it?
7 Someday Lietse learned about Ji Xian’s power of foretelling. He went back to school and said to his teacher Hutse, “Once I think that you are the greatest in practice, but now I think that Ji Xian’s power seems is far and away yours.”
8 Hutse didn’t blame on the beginner for his reaction. He said to Lietse, “You are an entrant. What I teach you until now are some shallow knowledge, not the essence of Tao you are going to learn. What you know now is far from the real Tao.
9 If there were no cock in the group of hens, the egg laid by hen must not be hatched to chicken. Now that you don’t obtain the essence, you certainly have no the function of Tao. Comparing to the real Tao, Ji Xian’s worldly tricks is unworthy to believe.
10 Ji Xian could fear you time after time because your practice is not enough. Tomorrow you ask him to come here and foretell for me. You may know how his trick is.”
11 The next day, Lietse asked Ji Xian to see his teacher Hutse. After meeting, Ji Xian looked nervous and said to Lietse, “Wow. Your teacher’s death is approaching. I forecast that he just can live for ten more days. It is curious that I just have seen much moisture ashes on his body as if it were burned bone ash.”
12 Hearing what Ji Xian said, Lietse scared almost to death. He ran back to Hutse, embraced him and forwarded sadly Ji Xian’s words to his teacher.
13 With a smile, Hutse consoled him, “Don’t worry. I am far from death. Just now I showed him only the element of earth which is one of the four elements. Its feature is hard and steady like a mountain. Seeing my appearance of life like that Ji Xian thus thought that my death is coming. Tomorrow you ask him to come here again. I will show him another appearance. Let’s see what he would assert.”
14 The next day, Lietse took Ji Xian to Hutse again. After meeting, Ji Xian was confident to tell Lietse, “There is a hope to save your teacher. He is lucky to meet me and I have found the way to turn the adversity. Yesterday his life was blocked; however, today I see it loose possibly.”
15 Lietse was calm this time. He went back to retell Ji Xian’s words. Hutse said, “Right now I showed him the element of wind but concealed that of fire, water and earth. Due to the wind is usually rising from heal that he saw the appearance of life and thought that I might be saved. Tomorrow you bring him here again. I will show him others. Let’s listen to his new opinion.”
16 The next day, Lietse took Ji Xian to Hutse the third time. After meeting, Ji Xian said depressively, “This time I can’t foretell for your teacher because his appearance is unfixed and capriccioso. Let’s wait when his appearance is fixed some other days, I will see him again.”
17 Lietse’s curiosity arose again. He immediately went back to ask, “Sir! Sir! What do you play today? How do you make Ji Xian confused?”
18 Hutse replied, “I showed him non self and being flexibility this time. Surly he could see nothing. Tomorrow you bring him here and tell him that I’ve settled down.”
19 The next day Ji Xian felt somewhat timid but he couldn’t refuse Lietse’s insistence, so he went with Lietse constrainedly. However, when he entering the room and seeing Hutse, he quickly turned and ran away. Hutse asked Lietse to call him back. After a while, Lietse came back and told him, “I can’t catch him. He runs fast and disappears in a blink. What has happened on earth?”
20 Hutse said, “I concealed all elements just now so he couldn’t see my fresh body and couldn’t tell who is sitting opposite to him. When he saw my soul, self-nature, Buddha-nature, calmness and refinement, he was stunned. He was frightened to run away because he couldn't understand what it was on earth.”
21 After the event, Lietse realized the profound and great Tao. Therefore, he made up his mind to practice hard. In the following three years, he stayed at home – to focus on each thing in front of him; to cook for his wife; to feed pig devotedly; and to desert the concept that self was exalted and others were humble, by this way he reached the level of integration with the nature. He respected the original aspects of all things that he didn’t change it at random. He packed away his desires and feelings, like a cold stone. Assorted objective environments had no effect of temptation on him. Lietse persisted on those principles in his whole life, without any change.
2 People in the State of Zheng awed the future teller because it was embarrassed or even bad to be known of their coming fortune and misfortune at a sight.
3 People always lived in dimness to some extent. If a man knew that he would hit the grand prize of a hundred millions in a lottery after half year, how would he live through the six months before it?
4 If a man knew that he would kick the bucket after half year, what mood would he live with in the following six months.
5 So people in the state met him in the street, they would ward off him by making a detour.
6 Lietse didn’t think so. He thought that Ji Xian’s power was fairly strong. Those who left home to learn Tao should possess this power. The so-called non-learning skill is so, isn’t it?
7 Someday Lietse learned about Ji Xian’s power of foretelling. He went back to school and said to his teacher Hutse, “Once I think that you are the greatest in practice, but now I think that Ji Xian’s power seems is far and away yours.”
8 Hutse didn’t blame on the beginner for his reaction. He said to Lietse, “You are an entrant. What I teach you until now are some shallow knowledge, not the essence of Tao you are going to learn. What you know now is far from the real Tao.
9 If there were no cock in the group of hens, the egg laid by hen must not be hatched to chicken. Now that you don’t obtain the essence, you certainly have no the function of Tao. Comparing to the real Tao, Ji Xian’s worldly tricks is unworthy to believe.
10 Ji Xian could fear you time after time because your practice is not enough. Tomorrow you ask him to come here and foretell for me. You may know how his trick is.”
11 The next day, Lietse asked Ji Xian to see his teacher Hutse. After meeting, Ji Xian looked nervous and said to Lietse, “Wow. Your teacher’s death is approaching. I forecast that he just can live for ten more days. It is curious that I just have seen much moisture ashes on his body as if it were burned bone ash.”
12 Hearing what Ji Xian said, Lietse scared almost to death. He ran back to Hutse, embraced him and forwarded sadly Ji Xian’s words to his teacher.
13 With a smile, Hutse consoled him, “Don’t worry. I am far from death. Just now I showed him only the element of earth which is one of the four elements. Its feature is hard and steady like a mountain. Seeing my appearance of life like that Ji Xian thus thought that my death is coming. Tomorrow you ask him to come here again. I will show him another appearance. Let’s see what he would assert.”
14 The next day, Lietse took Ji Xian to Hutse again. After meeting, Ji Xian was confident to tell Lietse, “There is a hope to save your teacher. He is lucky to meet me and I have found the way to turn the adversity. Yesterday his life was blocked; however, today I see it loose possibly.”
15 Lietse was calm this time. He went back to retell Ji Xian’s words. Hutse said, “Right now I showed him the element of wind but concealed that of fire, water and earth. Due to the wind is usually rising from heal that he saw the appearance of life and thought that I might be saved. Tomorrow you bring him here again. I will show him others. Let’s listen to his new opinion.”
16 The next day, Lietse took Ji Xian to Hutse the third time. After meeting, Ji Xian said depressively, “This time I can’t foretell for your teacher because his appearance is unfixed and capriccioso. Let’s wait when his appearance is fixed some other days, I will see him again.”
17 Lietse’s curiosity arose again. He immediately went back to ask, “Sir! Sir! What do you play today? How do you make Ji Xian confused?”
18 Hutse replied, “I showed him non self and being flexibility this time. Surly he could see nothing. Tomorrow you bring him here and tell him that I’ve settled down.”
19 The next day Ji Xian felt somewhat timid but he couldn’t refuse Lietse’s insistence, so he went with Lietse constrainedly. However, when he entering the room and seeing Hutse, he quickly turned and ran away. Hutse asked Lietse to call him back. After a while, Lietse came back and told him, “I can’t catch him. He runs fast and disappears in a blink. What has happened on earth?”
20 Hutse said, “I concealed all elements just now so he couldn’t see my fresh body and couldn’t tell who is sitting opposite to him. When he saw my soul, self-nature, Buddha-nature, calmness and refinement, he was stunned. He was frightened to run away because he couldn't understand what it was on earth.”
21 After the event, Lietse realized the profound and great Tao. Therefore, he made up his mind to practice hard. In the following three years, he stayed at home – to focus on each thing in front of him; to cook for his wife; to feed pig devotedly; and to desert the concept that self was exalted and others were humble, by this way he reached the level of integration with the nature. He respected the original aspects of all things that he didn’t change it at random. He packed away his desires and feelings, like a cold stone. Assorted objective environments had no effect of temptation on him. Lietse persisted on those principles in his whole life, without any change.
Response to Emperors (4)
1 Yang Ziju asked Laotse, “A man is strong and tough-minded, and what’s more he is sensible and diligent in learning Tao. Do you think that a man like this could be regarded as a good leader?”
2 Laotse replied, “Men like this can only be regarded as a duteous civil servant or a competent technician. We can’t say that they are sage kings or good leaders.
3 A saying goes like this: We prey tiger and leopard because we need their hide; we catch monkey because it is agile in performance; we breed hound because it can help us to prey fox.
4 Just like tools, those competent men may be made use of. They are far from the standard of ideal leader.”
5 Yangzi Ju didn’t fully understand Laotse’s saying. He frowned and said, “Please tell me how the so-called sage king governs a country?”
6 Laotse said, “Sage king’s governance has overall influence on his country but the influence is unobtrusive and imperceptible. On the surface, People are independent and self-supported; people don’t live on his direct assistance and can not experience his influence clearly.
7 But, his influence will change overall people’s life style.
8 In my opinion, an ideal sage king or sage should be very profound and recessive in action, without any pressure on his people. However, this invisible influence is so far-reaching and eventually beneficial to the people everywhere.”
2 Laotse replied, “Men like this can only be regarded as a duteous civil servant or a competent technician. We can’t say that they are sage kings or good leaders.
3 A saying goes like this: We prey tiger and leopard because we need their hide; we catch monkey because it is agile in performance; we breed hound because it can help us to prey fox.
4 Just like tools, those competent men may be made use of. They are far from the standard of ideal leader.”
5 Yangzi Ju didn’t fully understand Laotse’s saying. He frowned and said, “Please tell me how the so-called sage king governs a country?”
6 Laotse said, “Sage king’s governance has overall influence on his country but the influence is unobtrusive and imperceptible. On the surface, People are independent and self-supported; people don’t live on his direct assistance and can not experience his influence clearly.
7 But, his influence will change overall people’s life style.
8 In my opinion, an ideal sage king or sage should be very profound and recessive in action, without any pressure on his people. However, this invisible influence is so far-reaching and eventually beneficial to the people everywhere.”
Response to Emperors (3)
1 Tian Gen traveled along to Yin Yang. The day when he walked beside Liao Shui River, he happened to meet the widely renowned sage – Mr. Nameless. Tian Gen took the chance to consult him.
2 Coming up to Mr. Nameless, he asked, “What’s the right way of governance?”
3 Mr. Nameless was sitting in meditation. Doing a scowl, he said sullenly, “You, vulgar guy. To be here, you still remember the boring questions? Get away! Don’t bother me.
4 Moment ago I was sitting in meditation, what a happy time it was! At first I played with the Creator. Then I rode on the bird of Tao to fly out of the universe and toured around the realm of nihility in the boundless wild field. What the beautiful scenery! Why did you raise such boring question to bother me when I was tasting such a wonderful environment?”
5 Tian Gen knew well the odd temper of these men of perfect practice. If you don’t insist on the answer, they won’t tell you easily. Hence Tian Gen still stood there and had no intention to leave; it seemed he would not go until he got the answer.
6 Mr. Nameless realized that the guy wouldn’t leave if he didn’t answer. To dismiss the nuisance, he said, “As a leader, he must live in a simple life, being indifferent to fame, position, and wealth; and keep with a sound, tranquil and peaceful heart. He must do as a fair referee and give his people a full play to adapt themselves to the environment. The leader should never intervene in the details and does helping and benefiting to the contrary. If he could do so, the country would be in peace and order by itself.”
2 Coming up to Mr. Nameless, he asked, “What’s the right way of governance?”
3 Mr. Nameless was sitting in meditation. Doing a scowl, he said sullenly, “You, vulgar guy. To be here, you still remember the boring questions? Get away! Don’t bother me.
4 Moment ago I was sitting in meditation, what a happy time it was! At first I played with the Creator. Then I rode on the bird of Tao to fly out of the universe and toured around the realm of nihility in the boundless wild field. What the beautiful scenery! Why did you raise such boring question to bother me when I was tasting such a wonderful environment?”
5 Tian Gen knew well the odd temper of these men of perfect practice. If you don’t insist on the answer, they won’t tell you easily. Hence Tian Gen still stood there and had no intention to leave; it seemed he would not go until he got the answer.
6 Mr. Nameless realized that the guy wouldn’t leave if he didn’t answer. To dismiss the nuisance, he said, “As a leader, he must live in a simple life, being indifferent to fame, position, and wealth; and keep with a sound, tranquil and peaceful heart. He must do as a fair referee and give his people a full play to adapt themselves to the environment. The leader should never intervene in the details and does helping and benefiting to the contrary. If he could do so, the country would be in peace and order by itself.”
Response to Emperors (2)
1 Ri Zhongshi was a scholar who enjoyed his reputation both at home and abroad. Yesterday he held a paper-issuing meeting in the Yat-Sen Hall. Jian Wu took a special leave to take part in the meeting.
2 Kuang Jieyu meets Jian Wu early in the morning and asks him eagerly, “What did Ri Zhongshi say yesterday?”
3 Jian Wu says, “He deemed that a leader should have daring resolution and his policy should be clear, considerate and continuous in implementation, never ceasing in the halfway. He thought that people would comply with the government order and governmental affairs would implement smoothly as long as government could put forward a clear working plans and acting creeds.”
4 Kuang Jieyu shakes his head. “Nonsense! There is no way of governance like this. His way is just like excavating a river in the sea, or asking a mosquito to carry a hill. It is impossible.
5 The right way of governance is absolutely not to make out various policies or regulations to restrict people’s conducts, asking them to do what, or not to do what.
6 A leader’s major and only job is to build a good environment in which people could bring their skill and talent into full play. In the day to day works, a leader would make himself as a just and incorrupt referee when people need him. As for the other social works, he may let people play their own roles of adaptation, development and solution without intervention.
7 Look at the birds. No one teaches them, they know to fly high to escape from the arrows; mice know to build dens under the altar to avoid being smoked out. Birds and mice can do in the best way to maintain their life. Don’t the wise people know the best way to live? Why does the leader set his feet in it?”
2 Kuang Jieyu meets Jian Wu early in the morning and asks him eagerly, “What did Ri Zhongshi say yesterday?”
3 Jian Wu says, “He deemed that a leader should have daring resolution and his policy should be clear, considerate and continuous in implementation, never ceasing in the halfway. He thought that people would comply with the government order and governmental affairs would implement smoothly as long as government could put forward a clear working plans and acting creeds.”
4 Kuang Jieyu shakes his head. “Nonsense! There is no way of governance like this. His way is just like excavating a river in the sea, or asking a mosquito to carry a hill. It is impossible.
5 The right way of governance is absolutely not to make out various policies or regulations to restrict people’s conducts, asking them to do what, or not to do what.
6 A leader’s major and only job is to build a good environment in which people could bring their skill and talent into full play. In the day to day works, a leader would make himself as a just and incorrupt referee when people need him. As for the other social works, he may let people play their own roles of adaptation, development and solution without intervention.
7 Look at the birds. No one teaches them, they know to fly high to escape from the arrows; mice know to build dens under the altar to avoid being smoked out. Birds and mice can do in the best way to maintain their life. Don’t the wise people know the best way to live? Why does the leader set his feet in it?”
Response to Emperors (1)
1 Nie Que learned from Wang Ni that those who confess themselves to be the men of innocence are the men who really understand the truth of the world. They realize that there is no fixed standard in the worldly affairs.
2 Those who are self-righteous, and judge and criticize things in the view of their own are ignorant.
3 Now he knew that the cold and the humid environment is the main cause for a man’s arthritis but may be the necessary condition to other creatures. Something that somebody thinks beautiful may be felt very ugly to the others.
4 Tiger likes to eat meat; elephant prefers to eat leaf. The different subjective condition makes them have different hobbies in eating. There actually have no absolute standard in this world.
5 Nie Que’s questions which had bothered him for a long time had perfect answers now. He went delightedly to his classmate—Pu Yizi and told him the answers he got from Wang Ni. Pu Yizi felt happy too for his classmate had gained the truth.
6 Pu Yizi said, “Yes! Wang Ni is right. Do you know why You yu shi was worse than Tai shi in the practice? The cause is that You yu shi would never throw off the heart-rooted moral codes, such as benevolence, righteousness, loyal and credit. He always took those codes as standard to appraise others. Of course, You yu shi’s way might be appropriate to the common people but it might be not always suitable to other things, especially to those men of perfect practice.
7 Tai shi was different from him. He threw afar off the moral codes. Everything he doing complied with Tao so he became a real free man.
8 He slept soundly and never dreamed at night. He usually lived a free and easy life, avoiding the effect of fame, wealth, temper and other subjective conditions and objective conditions stimulated on his tranquil, sound and peaceful life.
9 Last time you had asked Wang Ni four questions, in the first one, you said: Is everything consists of the same elements from the standpoint of micro? In the view of which, Tai Shi argued that we are the same with the cattle and the horses.
10 We are not superior to the cattle and the horses in the least. Human is absolutely not the best creature and had no naturally endowed domination to other things. Tai Shi’s recognition was credible and rational.
11 Because of such practice, his attitude to ‘knowing’ was right whereas the common people lacked such recognition.”
2 Those who are self-righteous, and judge and criticize things in the view of their own are ignorant.
3 Now he knew that the cold and the humid environment is the main cause for a man’s arthritis but may be the necessary condition to other creatures. Something that somebody thinks beautiful may be felt very ugly to the others.
4 Tiger likes to eat meat; elephant prefers to eat leaf. The different subjective condition makes them have different hobbies in eating. There actually have no absolute standard in this world.
5 Nie Que’s questions which had bothered him for a long time had perfect answers now. He went delightedly to his classmate—Pu Yizi and told him the answers he got from Wang Ni. Pu Yizi felt happy too for his classmate had gained the truth.
6 Pu Yizi said, “Yes! Wang Ni is right. Do you know why You yu shi was worse than Tai shi in the practice? The cause is that You yu shi would never throw off the heart-rooted moral codes, such as benevolence, righteousness, loyal and credit. He always took those codes as standard to appraise others. Of course, You yu shi’s way might be appropriate to the common people but it might be not always suitable to other things, especially to those men of perfect practice.
7 Tai shi was different from him. He threw afar off the moral codes. Everything he doing complied with Tao so he became a real free man.
8 He slept soundly and never dreamed at night. He usually lived a free and easy life, avoiding the effect of fame, wealth, temper and other subjective conditions and objective conditions stimulated on his tranquil, sound and peaceful life.
9 Last time you had asked Wang Ni four questions, in the first one, you said: Is everything consists of the same elements from the standpoint of micro? In the view of which, Tai Shi argued that we are the same with the cattle and the horses.
10 We are not superior to the cattle and the horses in the least. Human is absolutely not the best creature and had no naturally endowed domination to other things. Tai Shi’s recognition was credible and rational.
11 Because of such practice, his attitude to ‘knowing’ was right whereas the common people lacked such recognition.”
The Great Supreme (8)
1 Zi Yu and Zi Sang were close friends. Zi Yu was well-being while Zi Sang was a beggar, very destitute in his retired life.
2 Those days it kept drizzling and cloudy. The loathsome drizzle in spring had been continued for ten more days. Road was all muddy. This environment just restrained the common people’s walking but spoiled a beggar’s living. How could a beggar beg food or money on the muddy and rainy road?
3 Considering it, Zi Yu carried some food to call Zi Sang. When he reached the doorway of Zi Sang’s house, he heard Zi Sang singing and playing his broken instrument used for begging. Zi Sang sang gloomily, “Father, Mother! Heaven, Earth! Why do you treat me like this and torture me so much?”
4 The dismal song expressed his despair, which by the rule of practice was not allowed. Entering the house, he hand food to Zi Sang and said, “Why is your song so sad? Why do you express your complaint to the people, the Earth and the Heaven? As the men of practice, should we conform to Tao and be contented with our lot?”
5 Zi Sang factually hunger to death. He said very weakly, “I just wonder why I become destitute like so. My parents used to take much care of me and wish me to be a useful and great man, never thinking that I come down to the world like this.
6 The Heaven cares everything selflessly, as does the Earth. They would not treat me so unkindly. Why do I become so?
7 I think that my destiny is a bad one.
8 Zi Yu! Content with your lot is just a lip service. Nevertheless, I can’t accept happily the life if I have nothing to eat for ten days.
9 When I was an official, I was incorrupt and loved my people even my salary was petty and consequently, had little saving. Now I am retired. To be an official all my life, I become a man who can’t burden something and can’t make something for living, except begging, how do I arrange my aged life?
10 Could I blame it on the governmental system, or on myself, I might be corrupted, but I was scantily shameless and ruthless then.
11 Zi Yu! Do you say that it is destiny, don’t you? How can you blame me on my attitude to the practice? Content with my lot is difficult to me.＂
12 Looking at Zi Sang, Zi Yu whispered, “Eat something first. The destiny is complex, which you can’t make clear in a short time. Take the food when it is hot.”
13 When Zi Sang was eating, Zi Yu sat beside him. Zi Yu closed his eyes and pondered on the question of destiny.
14 First, life, death, aging and illness are dominated by the power of Impermanence. All creatures in this world experiences life, aging, illness and finally death, so they are irrelevant to the destiny. At most we call it foreordination, which are beyond our control.
15 Excepting it, the so-called destiny should be a causal phenomenon. A cause leads to its unique result. A seed has sowed in the earth and finally grows into its own fruit. Zi Sang was poor in his aged time because he neglected his finance when was young. He had no saved money, so he became a beggar.
16 It is right that Zi Sang as an official he should love his people and be incorrupt. It is also true that his salary from the government was too less to support his pension program. However, in the past decades why didn’t he ponder over his life after retirement which would come up inevitably?
17 Thirty or forty years are considerably long. The one with intent to prepare for the life after retirement should have enough time to do it.
18 Zi Sang in his days must had many opportunities to make an effort to improve his life but he neglected and deserted all.
19 Zi Sang! There is no destiny in this world. Only the seed of cause that you sow in alayavijnana-Consciousness germinates and grows when the time is due. The seed is made from you, sowed by you and buried by you.
20 What you said is right. Parents, the Earth and the Heaven are impertinent to it. Before we make clear the definition of destiny completely, we shouldn’t take the destiny as a cause to excuse the past misconducts.
2 Those days it kept drizzling and cloudy. The loathsome drizzle in spring had been continued for ten more days. Road was all muddy. This environment just restrained the common people’s walking but spoiled a beggar’s living. How could a beggar beg food or money on the muddy and rainy road?
3 Considering it, Zi Yu carried some food to call Zi Sang. When he reached the doorway of Zi Sang’s house, he heard Zi Sang singing and playing his broken instrument used for begging. Zi Sang sang gloomily, “Father, Mother! Heaven, Earth! Why do you treat me like this and torture me so much?”
4 The dismal song expressed his despair, which by the rule of practice was not allowed. Entering the house, he hand food to Zi Sang and said, “Why is your song so sad? Why do you express your complaint to the people, the Earth and the Heaven? As the men of practice, should we conform to Tao and be contented with our lot?”
5 Zi Sang factually hunger to death. He said very weakly, “I just wonder why I become destitute like so. My parents used to take much care of me and wish me to be a useful and great man, never thinking that I come down to the world like this.
6 The Heaven cares everything selflessly, as does the Earth. They would not treat me so unkindly. Why do I become so?
7 I think that my destiny is a bad one.
8 Zi Yu! Content with your lot is just a lip service. Nevertheless, I can’t accept happily the life if I have nothing to eat for ten days.
9 When I was an official, I was incorrupt and loved my people even my salary was petty and consequently, had little saving. Now I am retired. To be an official all my life, I become a man who can’t burden something and can’t make something for living, except begging, how do I arrange my aged life?
10 Could I blame it on the governmental system, or on myself, I might be corrupted, but I was scantily shameless and ruthless then.
11 Zi Yu! Do you say that it is destiny, don’t you? How can you blame me on my attitude to the practice? Content with my lot is difficult to me.＂
12 Looking at Zi Sang, Zi Yu whispered, “Eat something first. The destiny is complex, which you can’t make clear in a short time. Take the food when it is hot.”
13 When Zi Sang was eating, Zi Yu sat beside him. Zi Yu closed his eyes and pondered on the question of destiny.
14 First, life, death, aging and illness are dominated by the power of Impermanence. All creatures in this world experiences life, aging, illness and finally death, so they are irrelevant to the destiny. At most we call it foreordination, which are beyond our control.
15 Excepting it, the so-called destiny should be a causal phenomenon. A cause leads to its unique result. A seed has sowed in the earth and finally grows into its own fruit. Zi Sang was poor in his aged time because he neglected his finance when was young. He had no saved money, so he became a beggar.
16 It is right that Zi Sang as an official he should love his people and be incorrupt. It is also true that his salary from the government was too less to support his pension program. However, in the past decades why didn’t he ponder over his life after retirement which would come up inevitably?
17 Thirty or forty years are considerably long. The one with intent to prepare for the life after retirement should have enough time to do it.
18 Zi Sang in his days must had many opportunities to make an effort to improve his life but he neglected and deserted all.
19 Zi Sang! There is no destiny in this world. Only the seed of cause that you sow in alayavijnana-Consciousness germinates and grows when the time is due. The seed is made from you, sowed by you and buried by you.
20 What you said is right. Parents, the Earth and the Heaven are impertinent to it. Before we make clear the definition of destiny completely, we shouldn’t take the destiny as a cause to excuse the past misconducts.
The Great Supreme (7)
1 On the way of practice there is no so-called master and so-called apprentice. If a master must be pointed out, then the one who has imparted rudimentary knowledge of practice is called the master.
2 Actually, in the practice the Self-nature, Buddha-nature, Calmness and Refinement take the whole responsibility of arranging schedule, direction and other details. The supervision and guidance of how to practice by the so called master are unnecessary at all.
3 Confucius was both Yan Hui’s friend and master. The two often discussed about the experience of practice. But how to practice was the business of the Self-nature, Buddha-nature, Calmness and Refinement of Yan Hui himself, Confucius needed not and could not put one finger on it.
4 Once Yan Hui said to his master, “I feel that I’ve made some progress.”
5 Confucius asked, “What different do you feel?”
6 Yan Hui said, “I guard the five sense organs of eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body very strictly. For example, such outward stimulations as music and beauty can’t have any influence on me. My heart is too sound and tranquil to shake.”
7 Confucius nodded, “Very good! But it is insufficient yet.”
8 After some time, Yan Hui said to Confucius, “I’ve made more progress.”
9 Confucius smiled, “This time what happen to you?”
10 Yan Hui said, “The worldly moral codes, such as benevolence, righteousness, loyal and credit, become trivial to me. All my actions and ideas get well along with everything of the universe. I become a free man.”
11 Confucius was delighted in the achievement of his advanced student. He said to Yan Hui, “Very good. This is a breakthrough but not the end. There is a distance from Nirvana to you. Come on!”
12 Day after day, Yan Hui focused on his practice and never loosed it.
13 Someday, Yan Hui went and saw Confucius. He said, “Sir. Do you know what is 'Forgetting Myself In Sitting'?”
14 It is the first time for Confucius to hear it. He knew that his gifted student must have some new progress in practice. He asked Yan Hui, “What you felt when you were in the 'Forgetting Myself In Sitting'?”
15 Yan Hui said, “Sitting in Zen way to some extent makes the man of practice’s breathe weakly to stop and make his heart beat slow to no pulse. His physiological cycle ceased. Only his body temperature is ongoing; his body is still soft and flexible; his consciousness still exists. In this case, he appears to be died but his body is filled with Self-nature, Buddha-nature, Calmness and Refinement. The limited knowledge that consciousness possesses is shallow to work yet. He has realized the truth of Universe, and the knowledge of physicist is childish and not that informative to him any more. When the man of practice does to this extent, we call it 'Forgetting Myself In Sitting'.”
16 Listening carefully to it, Confucius signed, “A man of perfect practice integrates himself into the Nature so he has no feeling of like or dislike to everything. When he gains the non-self and being flexibility cultivation, personal affairs disappear from his heart. The obstacles that personal interest and fondness produced are vanished.
17 Yan Hui! Congratulation! You’ve gained 'Forgetting Myself In Sitting'. To myself, from now on I should reduce the outward affairs and spend more time in the practice.”
2 Actually, in the practice the Self-nature, Buddha-nature, Calmness and Refinement take the whole responsibility of arranging schedule, direction and other details. The supervision and guidance of how to practice by the so called master are unnecessary at all.
3 Confucius was both Yan Hui’s friend and master. The two often discussed about the experience of practice. But how to practice was the business of the Self-nature, Buddha-nature, Calmness and Refinement of Yan Hui himself, Confucius needed not and could not put one finger on it.
4 Once Yan Hui said to his master, “I feel that I’ve made some progress.”
5 Confucius asked, “What different do you feel?”
6 Yan Hui said, “I guard the five sense organs of eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body very strictly. For example, such outward stimulations as music and beauty can’t have any influence on me. My heart is too sound and tranquil to shake.”
7 Confucius nodded, “Very good! But it is insufficient yet.”
8 After some time, Yan Hui said to Confucius, “I’ve made more progress.”
9 Confucius smiled, “This time what happen to you?”
10 Yan Hui said, “The worldly moral codes, such as benevolence, righteousness, loyal and credit, become trivial to me. All my actions and ideas get well along with everything of the universe. I become a free man.”
11 Confucius was delighted in the achievement of his advanced student. He said to Yan Hui, “Very good. This is a breakthrough but not the end. There is a distance from Nirvana to you. Come on!”
12 Day after day, Yan Hui focused on his practice and never loosed it.
13 Someday, Yan Hui went and saw Confucius. He said, “Sir. Do you know what is 'Forgetting Myself In Sitting'?”
14 It is the first time for Confucius to hear it. He knew that his gifted student must have some new progress in practice. He asked Yan Hui, “What you felt when you were in the 'Forgetting Myself In Sitting'?”
15 Yan Hui said, “Sitting in Zen way to some extent makes the man of practice’s breathe weakly to stop and make his heart beat slow to no pulse. His physiological cycle ceased. Only his body temperature is ongoing; his body is still soft and flexible; his consciousness still exists. In this case, he appears to be died but his body is filled with Self-nature, Buddha-nature, Calmness and Refinement. The limited knowledge that consciousness possesses is shallow to work yet. He has realized the truth of Universe, and the knowledge of physicist is childish and not that informative to him any more. When the man of practice does to this extent, we call it 'Forgetting Myself In Sitting'.”
16 Listening carefully to it, Confucius signed, “A man of perfect practice integrates himself into the Nature so he has no feeling of like or dislike to everything. When he gains the non-self and being flexibility cultivation, personal affairs disappear from his heart. The obstacles that personal interest and fondness produced are vanished.
17 Yan Hui! Congratulation! You’ve gained 'Forgetting Myself In Sitting'. To myself, from now on I should reduce the outward affairs and spend more time in the practice.”
The Great Supreme (6)
1 Yi Erzi was Yao's student. To have a teacher as the incumbent emperor, Yi Erzi naturally became an extremely arrogant dignitary. However, Yi Erzi still felt his learning was quite shallow and insufficient and he himself less aware of Tao and the truth of the universe. So he gave up the opportunity of promotion and getting more fortune; he waded through remote mountains to consult Xu You about Tao.
2 Xu You was hesitating about accepting this well-dressed dignitary as his student. He suspected that Yi Erzi come here only for polishing himself and fishing for the fame. In order to know more about this young man, he asked, “What did Yao teach you?”
3 Yi Erzi answered deferentially, “Yao exhorted me that all my conducts should conform to the rules of benevolence and righteousness; all words and concepts should conform to the standard of rightness. Yao asked me to be an open and aboveboard gentleman.”
4 Looking at the handsome young man, Xu You said, “Yao had taught you the way of handling worldly affairs so clearly and strictly. What you should do is marked obviously there. Why do you come here?
5 You carried the heavy and strict moral of benevolence and righteousness and the codes of life. How could you come here to learn the style of free and reconciled life?”
6 Hearing what Xu You said, he suddenly felt embarrassed and at a loss. He never thought that in Xu You’s eyes, the deep-rooted creeds, such as loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, love, credit, righteousness are a kind of burden, and a stumbling stone to the freedom. He felt confused, and on the other hand, he thought that he was right to come here. Thinking so, he woke and said to Xu You,
7“Anyway, I still want to know what the true meaning, which you called, 'the style of free and reconciled life'.”
8 Xu You liked this young man’s adherence attitude but he did not expose his feeling. He replied, “No. Under the present condition, you can’t understand the benefit of the so called: 'the style of free and reconciled life.' It is impossible for the blind to join in the appreciation of the beauty of face and complexion, or assorted colors. It is also impossible to express the beauty of clothes to a blind person.”
9 Yi Erzi now became more eager to learn Tao. He said unyieldingly, “As long as God helps, there is nothing impossible. Once upon a time Wu Zhuang was a vainglorious girl. Once she achieved Tao, she gave up her demerit of coquettishness and paid no attention to her appearance anymore.
10 Ju Liang was a bold fool. Once he achieved Tao, he became a soft and amiable gentleman. Inward, he adhered to his principles and outward, he was friendly to others.
11 In the beginning, Yellow Emperor was a politician who was fond of showing off his intelligence. However, after gaining Tao he did blunt his sharp points, and unravel the complications of things; he tempered his brightness, and brought himself into agreement with the obscurity of others. He became a leader who considered people’s interests and need as his own. He deserted his demerits, such as self-righteousness and coxcombry.
12 Therefore, my demerits are not a problem now. The problem is at you. Sir, if you would like to accept me as your student, all my demerits are remediable.”
13 Under this situation, Xu You would be unkind if he still refused this young man. So he said, “Well, what you said is reasonable. Then I tell you what Tao is.
14 Tao plays its role in adjusting the food chain of all creatures to make them live but it does not take credit to itself, thinking that it does something conforming to the righteousness. Tao makes everything prosper but it doesn’t think that it does something conforming to the benevolence.
15 Though Tao have existed since the beginning of time but it doesn’t think that it is old. It supports the heaven and covers the earth to create all things of the universe but it doesn’t think it has high skill.
16 Tao is such a master who we want to search for.”
2 Xu You was hesitating about accepting this well-dressed dignitary as his student. He suspected that Yi Erzi come here only for polishing himself and fishing for the fame. In order to know more about this young man, he asked, “What did Yao teach you?”
3 Yi Erzi answered deferentially, “Yao exhorted me that all my conducts should conform to the rules of benevolence and righteousness; all words and concepts should conform to the standard of rightness. Yao asked me to be an open and aboveboard gentleman.”
4 Looking at the handsome young man, Xu You said, “Yao had taught you the way of handling worldly affairs so clearly and strictly. What you should do is marked obviously there. Why do you come here?
5 You carried the heavy and strict moral of benevolence and righteousness and the codes of life. How could you come here to learn the style of free and reconciled life?”
6 Hearing what Xu You said, he suddenly felt embarrassed and at a loss. He never thought that in Xu You’s eyes, the deep-rooted creeds, such as loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, love, credit, righteousness are a kind of burden, and a stumbling stone to the freedom. He felt confused, and on the other hand, he thought that he was right to come here. Thinking so, he woke and said to Xu You,
7“Anyway, I still want to know what the true meaning, which you called, 'the style of free and reconciled life'.”
8 Xu You liked this young man’s adherence attitude but he did not expose his feeling. He replied, “No. Under the present condition, you can’t understand the benefit of the so called: 'the style of free and reconciled life.' It is impossible for the blind to join in the appreciation of the beauty of face and complexion, or assorted colors. It is also impossible to express the beauty of clothes to a blind person.”
9 Yi Erzi now became more eager to learn Tao. He said unyieldingly, “As long as God helps, there is nothing impossible. Once upon a time Wu Zhuang was a vainglorious girl. Once she achieved Tao, she gave up her demerit of coquettishness and paid no attention to her appearance anymore.
10 Ju Liang was a bold fool. Once he achieved Tao, he became a soft and amiable gentleman. Inward, he adhered to his principles and outward, he was friendly to others.
11 In the beginning, Yellow Emperor was a politician who was fond of showing off his intelligence. However, after gaining Tao he did blunt his sharp points, and unravel the complications of things; he tempered his brightness, and brought himself into agreement with the obscurity of others. He became a leader who considered people’s interests and need as his own. He deserted his demerits, such as self-righteousness and coxcombry.
12 Therefore, my demerits are not a problem now. The problem is at you. Sir, if you would like to accept me as your student, all my demerits are remediable.”
13 Under this situation, Xu You would be unkind if he still refused this young man. So he said, “Well, what you said is reasonable. Then I tell you what Tao is.
14 Tao plays its role in adjusting the food chain of all creatures to make them live but it does not take credit to itself, thinking that it does something conforming to the righteousness. Tao makes everything prosper but it doesn’t think that it does something conforming to the benevolence.
15 Though Tao have existed since the beginning of time but it doesn’t think that it is old. It supports the heaven and covers the earth to create all things of the universe but it doesn’t think it has high skill.
16 Tao is such a master who we want to search for.”
The Great Supreme (5)
1 Yan Hui asked Confucius, “In handling bereavement, Meng Suncai is called the best one in Lu. However, I carefully watched his behavior in his mother’s funeral and I wondered that he factually is so-so.
2 First, he did weep ever but not wailed. He looked sad but not broken-hearted.
3 I doubted that he was not grieved indeed. Do you think he just get his reputation by fraud?”
4 Confucius smiled. “You have misunderstood him. He has been a man of perfect practice. His thinking has transcended all the wise and sage scholars in this world.
5 Though some worldly affairs still remained in Meng Suncai’s concern, he is fairly thorough in practice. As for the foundational questions, such as where we come from before birth and go after death, he has no exact answer yet; he is uncertain in the sequence of handling worldly affairs. Nevertheless, it is of importance that he is ready in mind to delightedly accept the future and whatever happenings after death.
6 Yan Hui, we can’t force ourselves to say no change to the things that will change soon.
7 I believe that the thing people consider would eternally unchange is changing even now.
8 We two are sitting here. Maybe we are virtually in the dream, not waking up.
9 The another point that Meng Suncai is more advanced in is that he believes fresh body is changeable but his soul and the thought are immortal. So he deems there is no so-called death. The death of human is just to change his appearance so as to find a new sustenance.
10 He just followed others to weep, as you watched, he factually had no grief in his heart.
11 Yan Hui, do you notice that we often say 'I', but what is 'I' that we often say on earth?
12 When you dream that you were a bird and you did a sudden soar to the sky. When you dream that you were a fish and you sank down to the bottom of sea. Are you exactly sure that we are discussing here, not doing in the dream?
13 Before smile, there must be an idea or scene to make a man to smile on spot. Hence the smile gives out naturally. The consciousness never instructs him how to open the mouth, to stretch muscle, and to beam in eyes. So the consciousness virtually is passive in our body and what it dominates is rather limited.
14 The problem is that we are long being told that the consciousness is the dominator of the conduct. Therefore, in our whole life, we let the consciousness being our master and let him leading us into a place where itself doesn’t know very well.
15 For this reason, we should wake up and make closely examine the essence of the consciousness. We should put the consciousness aside in handling the foundational issues and let the things happen in its sequence.
16 Such fixed changes as life, death, illness and aging, we don’t interfere with and let them be.
17 If we could reach this level, we would say to have a little of achievement in practice.”
2 First, he did weep ever but not wailed. He looked sad but not broken-hearted.
3 I doubted that he was not grieved indeed. Do you think he just get his reputation by fraud?”
4 Confucius smiled. “You have misunderstood him. He has been a man of perfect practice. His thinking has transcended all the wise and sage scholars in this world.
5 Though some worldly affairs still remained in Meng Suncai’s concern, he is fairly thorough in practice. As for the foundational questions, such as where we come from before birth and go after death, he has no exact answer yet; he is uncertain in the sequence of handling worldly affairs. Nevertheless, it is of importance that he is ready in mind to delightedly accept the future and whatever happenings after death.
6 Yan Hui, we can’t force ourselves to say no change to the things that will change soon.
7 I believe that the thing people consider would eternally unchange is changing even now.
8 We two are sitting here. Maybe we are virtually in the dream, not waking up.
9 The another point that Meng Suncai is more advanced in is that he believes fresh body is changeable but his soul and the thought are immortal. So he deems there is no so-called death. The death of human is just to change his appearance so as to find a new sustenance.
10 He just followed others to weep, as you watched, he factually had no grief in his heart.
11 Yan Hui, do you notice that we often say 'I', but what is 'I' that we often say on earth?
12 When you dream that you were a bird and you did a sudden soar to the sky. When you dream that you were a fish and you sank down to the bottom of sea. Are you exactly sure that we are discussing here, not doing in the dream?
13 Before smile, there must be an idea or scene to make a man to smile on spot. Hence the smile gives out naturally. The consciousness never instructs him how to open the mouth, to stretch muscle, and to beam in eyes. So the consciousness virtually is passive in our body and what it dominates is rather limited.
14 The problem is that we are long being told that the consciousness is the dominator of the conduct. Therefore, in our whole life, we let the consciousness being our master and let him leading us into a place where itself doesn’t know very well.
15 For this reason, we should wake up and make closely examine the essence of the consciousness. We should put the consciousness aside in handling the foundational issues and let the things happen in its sequence.
16 Such fixed changes as life, death, illness and aging, we don’t interfere with and let them be.
17 If we could reach this level, we would say to have a little of achievement in practice.”
2008年12月29日 星期一
The Great Supreme (4)
1 Zisang Hu, Meng Zifan and Ziqin Zhang were closing friends, they liked to talk about the ways of practice together. They thought that those men of real practice lived together but they respect each other’s privacy. Each focused on his own practice, never disturbing others.
2 So, even they lived together, they appeared to live separately.
3 They supported each other voluntarily, and all their helpings were for other’s sake and to be on their own initiative. Any one had redundancy he would unconditionally shared it with others.
4 When any one of them practiced and quietly entered into Samadhi condition, the others would willingly cook and guard for him.
5 The assistance was just like the left hand helping and protecting the right hand. It was so natural, as if it were not help but an intuitive action.
6 One day, they discussed the issues regarding how to practice so that they could fly up to the heaven, how to roam around the universe, how to free from the limit of time and space and how to transmigrate and finally reach the goal of Nirvana.
7 As discussing reaching to this point, they smiled to each other. The smile adequately expressed that each of them completely made clear about this issues. They knew that they had found bosom friends so they decided to be company and encouraged each other in the life of practice.
8 It is not long after they lived together, Zisang Hu suddenly died of disease. His corpse was laid in the mourning hall. Hearing the news, Confucius specially sent Zi Gong, his disciple, to assist them in handling the mourning ceremony.
9 When Zi Gong arrived, he saw Men Zifan and Ziqin Zhang playing music and singing the song that they themselves composed in the mourning hall.
10 The song went like this: “Zisang Hu, you come back! Zisang Hu, you come back! Why do you leave us? You jump out of the transmigration. You enter into the eternal Nirvana. We are friends, aren’t we? We should leave together, shouldn’t we? How can you leave us in this world alone?”
11 Zi Gong was proficient in convenance, which was the reason why Confucius sent him to there. Looking at it, Zi Gong felt it was out of convenance. He said, “Singing in front of your friend’s corpse, it appears to break the convenance! Isn’t it?”
12 Hearing such blame, the two knew that Zi Gong was not the bird of their feathers.
13 Therefore, they smiled to each other, “Zisang Hu has been dead. How does he know the ceremony of his funeral?”
14 Zi Gong felt that they were irrational so he went back.
15 Zi Gong intently asked Confucius about this affair, “What kind of people are they? The gist of their practice is that they believe all dharmas are empty, by their very nature completely empty. They think that emptiness can solves all worry and know that form, sensation, conception, volition and consciousness all are vain and empty, by which they could achieve supreme correct enlightenment. They sing in front of his friend’s corpse. Their heart seems not to be disturbed by his friend’s death. How to remark them? I really don’t know. Who are they on earth?”
16 Confucius said, “They are very different from us. We live in the real material world whereas they float on other non-material world. Therefore, in this regards, there is no common point between them and us.
17 I really should not send you there. They regard themselves as the company of the Creator. Their lives are a part of Nature.
18 They look fresh body as tumor. Death is to excise the tumor. To men as they are, how do they care for life and death?
19 They come to this world by temporarily borrowing many materials to form the human figure. So they disregard various organs in body and neglected the sense of hearing and sight. They think that those are unreal and vain, unworthy of seeking.
20 They deem that life is transmigrated. In continuous whirling, there is no beginning and no end. There is no life and death. Life and death are relayed. Death is the beginning of another life; life is the very end of the death.”
23 Zi Gong never heard this kind of concept before from his teacher. He asked further, “If so, which world do you like, the material one or the spiritual one?” Shaking his head, Confucius bantered, “The Heaven dislikes me, so I am belonging to the material one; however, I would like to do some coordination works so as to make up for the pity.”
24 “How will you do it?” Zi Gong asked curiously.
25 Confucius said, “Fish lives in water while man lives in Tao. The creatures living in water in whole its life can habitat in the pond free and comfortably. Man living in Tao in whole his life may live in the world free and comfortably too. It is unnecessary to play conspired and unique tricks.
26 Therefore, people used to say that the air supplies us with oxygen that we can’t live without it. However, all creatures don’t remember the air all day long. Our forgetting the existence of air means that the air is abundant around us and our life is happy.
27 It is the same with fish. It’s forgetting about water means that it has been in water. When fish comes out of water to land, at that time it knows the importance of water. So, the fish that forgets about water is a happy fish.
28 People can’t live without Tao. We forget the vast powerful domination of Tao, which means that we live in Tao that takes close care of us.
29 Those that are afraid that they will break the law or infringe the moral rule, possibly they are already living in the verge of law and moral.”
30 Zi Gong wanted to have some real example to understand further his teacher’s explanation. Therefore, he asked again, “Sir. What do you think of such people as Men Zifan and Ziqin Zhang?”
31 “These people are a little odd in our eyes but they are normal and adapted to Tao of Nature. So the saying goes like this: 'the meanest thing in heaven would be the best on earth; and the best on earth, the meanest in heaven'. In the eyes of Heaven, both of us are worse than them.”
2 So, even they lived together, they appeared to live separately.
3 They supported each other voluntarily, and all their helpings were for other’s sake and to be on their own initiative. Any one had redundancy he would unconditionally shared it with others.
4 When any one of them practiced and quietly entered into Samadhi condition, the others would willingly cook and guard for him.
5 The assistance was just like the left hand helping and protecting the right hand. It was so natural, as if it were not help but an intuitive action.
6 One day, they discussed the issues regarding how to practice so that they could fly up to the heaven, how to roam around the universe, how to free from the limit of time and space and how to transmigrate and finally reach the goal of Nirvana.
7 As discussing reaching to this point, they smiled to each other. The smile adequately expressed that each of them completely made clear about this issues. They knew that they had found bosom friends so they decided to be company and encouraged each other in the life of practice.
8 It is not long after they lived together, Zisang Hu suddenly died of disease. His corpse was laid in the mourning hall. Hearing the news, Confucius specially sent Zi Gong, his disciple, to assist them in handling the mourning ceremony.
9 When Zi Gong arrived, he saw Men Zifan and Ziqin Zhang playing music and singing the song that they themselves composed in the mourning hall.
10 The song went like this: “Zisang Hu, you come back! Zisang Hu, you come back! Why do you leave us? You jump out of the transmigration. You enter into the eternal Nirvana. We are friends, aren’t we? We should leave together, shouldn’t we? How can you leave us in this world alone?”
11 Zi Gong was proficient in convenance, which was the reason why Confucius sent him to there. Looking at it, Zi Gong felt it was out of convenance. He said, “Singing in front of your friend’s corpse, it appears to break the convenance! Isn’t it?”
12 Hearing such blame, the two knew that Zi Gong was not the bird of their feathers.
13 Therefore, they smiled to each other, “Zisang Hu has been dead. How does he know the ceremony of his funeral?”
14 Zi Gong felt that they were irrational so he went back.
15 Zi Gong intently asked Confucius about this affair, “What kind of people are they? The gist of their practice is that they believe all dharmas are empty, by their very nature completely empty. They think that emptiness can solves all worry and know that form, sensation, conception, volition and consciousness all are vain and empty, by which they could achieve supreme correct enlightenment. They sing in front of his friend’s corpse. Their heart seems not to be disturbed by his friend’s death. How to remark them? I really don’t know. Who are they on earth?”
16 Confucius said, “They are very different from us. We live in the real material world whereas they float on other non-material world. Therefore, in this regards, there is no common point between them and us.
17 I really should not send you there. They regard themselves as the company of the Creator. Their lives are a part of Nature.
18 They look fresh body as tumor. Death is to excise the tumor. To men as they are, how do they care for life and death?
19 They come to this world by temporarily borrowing many materials to form the human figure. So they disregard various organs in body and neglected the sense of hearing and sight. They think that those are unreal and vain, unworthy of seeking.
20 They deem that life is transmigrated. In continuous whirling, there is no beginning and no end. There is no life and death. Life and death are relayed. Death is the beginning of another life; life is the very end of the death.”
23 Zi Gong never heard this kind of concept before from his teacher. He asked further, “If so, which world do you like, the material one or the spiritual one?” Shaking his head, Confucius bantered, “The Heaven dislikes me, so I am belonging to the material one; however, I would like to do some coordination works so as to make up for the pity.”
24 “How will you do it?” Zi Gong asked curiously.
25 Confucius said, “Fish lives in water while man lives in Tao. The creatures living in water in whole its life can habitat in the pond free and comfortably. Man living in Tao in whole his life may live in the world free and comfortably too. It is unnecessary to play conspired and unique tricks.
26 Therefore, people used to say that the air supplies us with oxygen that we can’t live without it. However, all creatures don’t remember the air all day long. Our forgetting the existence of air means that the air is abundant around us and our life is happy.
27 It is the same with fish. It’s forgetting about water means that it has been in water. When fish comes out of water to land, at that time it knows the importance of water. So, the fish that forgets about water is a happy fish.
28 People can’t live without Tao. We forget the vast powerful domination of Tao, which means that we live in Tao that takes close care of us.
29 Those that are afraid that they will break the law or infringe the moral rule, possibly they are already living in the verge of law and moral.”
30 Zi Gong wanted to have some real example to understand further his teacher’s explanation. Therefore, he asked again, “Sir. What do you think of such people as Men Zifan and Ziqin Zhang?”
31 “These people are a little odd in our eyes but they are normal and adapted to Tao of Nature. So the saying goes like this: 'the meanest thing in heaven would be the best on earth; and the best on earth, the meanest in heaven'. In the eyes of Heaven, both of us are worse than them.”
The Great Supreme (3)
1 Zi Si, Zi Yu, Zi Li, Zi Lai were close friends. They often gathered to talk free.
2 Someday, they talked about the issue of life and death. They recognized that the alternation of life and death is like the shift of four seasons, which is a common sense. Owing to the recognition, they thought that who wanted to make friends with them or took part in their talk should have the same sense.
3 So they said, “Anyone could image an entity which taking naught as the head; taking life as the backbone; taking death as the tail. In this entity, the life, death, existence and naught are integral virtually. The man who had the concept was agreed to be one of our members.”
4 They set down the condition and then smiled to each other. They felt lucky that all of them had the same concept and recognition.
5 After some time, Zi Yu fell sick. Zi Si dropped in and saw him. Lying on the bed, Zi Yu said, “Alas! The Creator is fairly great. He can make me as ugly as that.”
6 Zi Yu’s back hunched very much so his guts became inside out; his chin was pressed to navel; his shoulder became higher than his head; his neck exposed towards the sky. His whole physiological system was in disorder but his heart was still calm.
7 He got up and then moved slowly to the corner of the wall. He vented a pant and said, “The Creator should make me like this, because it is me.”
8 Zi Si asked, “Do you really have no complaint that Heaven was unfair to you?”
9 Zi Yu said, “No, No. Never! Why do I complain? If Heaven suddenly produced a strange idea to conjure my left hand into a cock, I would ask it to wake up all people every morning.
10 If Heaven conjured my right hand into a stone sling, I would use it to shoot bird and toast the bird.
11 If it conjured my buttocks into wheels and my soul into a horse, then I would joyfully drive the buttocks carriage and I didn’t need to buy a carriage anymore.
12 The reason for me to be a man in this world is nothing but it is my turn.
13 Today I am so sick and it seems my days are in number, which is my destiny. I calmly accept the befalling and delightedly accept the leaving.
14 Joy and sadness can’t disturb my heart. I act all on the schedule of the Tao of Nature. Such a practice was anciently called: 'Release from the hanging by feet on beam'.
15 Someone can’t emancipate their hearts from the bondage of the world, because they are tempted by and obsessed with the material.
16 The wise should know that the material is eternally under the control of Creator. It can’t prevail against the Creator.
17 As long as we live in terms of the Tao of Creator, there is nothing to complain about.”
18 Not long afterwards, Zi Lai fell ill. His illness was very severe, almost dying.
19 His family members were at a loss, gathering around his bed and crying.
20 Zi Li came to see him in front of his bed at that time. Hearing Zi Lai’s family members' crying, he felt irritated. He directly asked them to get out.
21 He said, “Get out! Get out! Crying like this before a sick man is not allowed. It is called: 'Breaking the rule of evading the retribution of Nature.' What’s more you would obstruct Zi Lai’s operation of returning to the nature.”
22 After Zi Li drove off Zi Lai’s family members out of the room, he turned to lean against the wall and said, “I don’t know what the great Creator would conjure you into in the next turn. Do you think that it will conjure you into the liver cell of a mouse or the wings of an insect?”
23 Zi Lai said, “As a son, I have to obey my parents. Where they ask me to go, east or west, north or south, I have to obey. There is no other choice.
24 The vital yin and yang actually are human’s parent. If they asked me to die early and I scuffed here to delay, it would be my fault and have nothing to do with the yin and yang.
25 The Creator arranges me to toil in my whole life. With the time past, the Creator makes me senile and arranges me to die and repose forever.
26 Therefore, the Creator, who bestows life on me and guides my life, is the one who asks me to die early. The Creator does the both.
27 It is like that a bubble of metal fusion liquor in a big smelter, jumps out and asks the smith, “Make me into Moxie Sword.” The smith surely would refuse it because he thinks that the scene is ominous and an ominous sword is absolutely not to be made.
28 If in the big smelter of people creating, I made uproar to ask the Creator to make me into a man, the Creator would feel annoying too; he perhaps would think me a wearisome troublemaker and would not make me into a man.
29 If we think Nature as smelter and the Creator as smith, why am I afraid what the Creator will make me into?”
30 Finishing the talk, Zi Lai fell into fast asleep. It was surprising that he was totally recovered next morning. The deadly illness was cured without medication.
2 Someday, they talked about the issue of life and death. They recognized that the alternation of life and death is like the shift of four seasons, which is a common sense. Owing to the recognition, they thought that who wanted to make friends with them or took part in their talk should have the same sense.
3 So they said, “Anyone could image an entity which taking naught as the head; taking life as the backbone; taking death as the tail. In this entity, the life, death, existence and naught are integral virtually. The man who had the concept was agreed to be one of our members.”
4 They set down the condition and then smiled to each other. They felt lucky that all of them had the same concept and recognition.
5 After some time, Zi Yu fell sick. Zi Si dropped in and saw him. Lying on the bed, Zi Yu said, “Alas! The Creator is fairly great. He can make me as ugly as that.”
6 Zi Yu’s back hunched very much so his guts became inside out; his chin was pressed to navel; his shoulder became higher than his head; his neck exposed towards the sky. His whole physiological system was in disorder but his heart was still calm.
7 He got up and then moved slowly to the corner of the wall. He vented a pant and said, “The Creator should make me like this, because it is me.”
8 Zi Si asked, “Do you really have no complaint that Heaven was unfair to you?”
9 Zi Yu said, “No, No. Never! Why do I complain? If Heaven suddenly produced a strange idea to conjure my left hand into a cock, I would ask it to wake up all people every morning.
10 If Heaven conjured my right hand into a stone sling, I would use it to shoot bird and toast the bird.
11 If it conjured my buttocks into wheels and my soul into a horse, then I would joyfully drive the buttocks carriage and I didn’t need to buy a carriage anymore.
12 The reason for me to be a man in this world is nothing but it is my turn.
13 Today I am so sick and it seems my days are in number, which is my destiny. I calmly accept the befalling and delightedly accept the leaving.
14 Joy and sadness can’t disturb my heart. I act all on the schedule of the Tao of Nature. Such a practice was anciently called: 'Release from the hanging by feet on beam'.
15 Someone can’t emancipate their hearts from the bondage of the world, because they are tempted by and obsessed with the material.
16 The wise should know that the material is eternally under the control of Creator. It can’t prevail against the Creator.
17 As long as we live in terms of the Tao of Creator, there is nothing to complain about.”
18 Not long afterwards, Zi Lai fell ill. His illness was very severe, almost dying.
19 His family members were at a loss, gathering around his bed and crying.
20 Zi Li came to see him in front of his bed at that time. Hearing Zi Lai’s family members' crying, he felt irritated. He directly asked them to get out.
21 He said, “Get out! Get out! Crying like this before a sick man is not allowed. It is called: 'Breaking the rule of evading the retribution of Nature.' What’s more you would obstruct Zi Lai’s operation of returning to the nature.”
22 After Zi Li drove off Zi Lai’s family members out of the room, he turned to lean against the wall and said, “I don’t know what the great Creator would conjure you into in the next turn. Do you think that it will conjure you into the liver cell of a mouse or the wings of an insect?”
23 Zi Lai said, “As a son, I have to obey my parents. Where they ask me to go, east or west, north or south, I have to obey. There is no other choice.
24 The vital yin and yang actually are human’s parent. If they asked me to die early and I scuffed here to delay, it would be my fault and have nothing to do with the yin and yang.
25 The Creator arranges me to toil in my whole life. With the time past, the Creator makes me senile and arranges me to die and repose forever.
26 Therefore, the Creator, who bestows life on me and guides my life, is the one who asks me to die early. The Creator does the both.
27 It is like that a bubble of metal fusion liquor in a big smelter, jumps out and asks the smith, “Make me into Moxie Sword.” The smith surely would refuse it because he thinks that the scene is ominous and an ominous sword is absolutely not to be made.
28 If in the big smelter of people creating, I made uproar to ask the Creator to make me into a man, the Creator would feel annoying too; he perhaps would think me a wearisome troublemaker and would not make me into a man.
29 If we think Nature as smelter and the Creator as smith, why am I afraid what the Creator will make me into?”
30 Finishing the talk, Zi Lai fell into fast asleep. It was surprising that he was totally recovered next morning. The deadly illness was cured without medication.
The Great Supreme (2)
1 Nu Yu had practiced for sixty years. If he were an ordinary man, he could be a senile and weak old man, with skin rugged and back hunched. Nevertheless, he walked fast and stably, went upstairs and downstairs as swift as swallow and felt easy in breath and pulse after playing a round ball. The indexes of his body such as cholesterol, blood fat, liver function, pulse, and blood pressure were the same as the young’s.
2 Nanbo Ziquei was very curious to Nu Yu’s health. Someday, he asked him at the side of playground during break, “You should be seventy. Why does your skin look like the kid’s, rosy and tight. What do you do for it?”
3 Nu Yu said, “Because I keep practice.”
4 Nanbo Ziquei had toiled for a life. Now he succeeded in business, lived a rich life, and had many grandsons and granddaughters. He however became senile and seemed to have less time to enjoy the nice but aged life.
5 Hence on hearing Nu Yu had ways of prolonging life and rejuvenation, he got excited and happy, asked Nu Yu, “Can I practice and get the same results?”
6 Nu Yu learned well about NanBo Ziquei’s life. He knew that though this old fellow had been over the age of retirement, he still held on the wealth and business tightly. In playing, he stopped to talk about business on mobile phone and his partners had to wait. He totally was unaware that the retirement should be arranged early, otherwise, it would be tedious. He bustled in and racked his brain in the petty profit. He was wavy all the day. People without a sound and tranquil mind is impossible to practice.
7 Hence Nu Yu answered, “Well, You can’t. You aren’t the one suitable for practice. Among our friends, Zi Liangyi is the suitable one but he doesn’t know the way how to start it. I know somewhat the way but my gift is too bad. Therefore, I had practiced for years but I can’t bear a real fruit yet.
8 I placed my hope on Zi Liangyi and helped him to do the practice of Nirvana.
9 In the beginning I thought that it should be easier for a gifted man to practice. The fact is to the contrary. I made some efforts to help him. First, I must be patient to enlighten him. Within the first three days, Zi Liangyi had excelled all the ordinary people in the world. After other seven days, he exceeded all things in universe. After another nine days, he strode over past the door between life and death, after which he made clear that:
“Those five heaps are, in reality, by their very nature completely empty. Form is empty. Emptiness is form. The action of form is not other than emptiness, nor is the action of emptiness other than form. Of this nature are also feeling, cognition, conception, and consciousness. In this way all dharmas are empty; without essential characteristic, not born, not ceasing, without defilement or expiation of defilement, undiminished, uncompleted. In this way, in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, no cognition, no conception, and no consciousness. There is no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind, no shape, no sound, no color, no flavor, no feeling, nor any property. There is no dhatu of eye...no dhatu of mind; nor is there mind-vijnana dhatu. No ignorance; from no cessation of ignorance to no old age and death; including no cessation of old age and death. Of that nature are also suffering, misery and sin, and cessation. There is no path, no wisdom, no attainment, and no non-attainment. In this way all buddhas, because of their non-attainment, abiding firmly by Prajnaparamita, are without mental obscurations and are unafraid; they are truly passed beyond confusion, and are finally passed beyond suffering. All buddhas residing in the past, present, and future, through firmness in Prajnaparamita, have become buddhas of supreme and complete enlightenment.”
When he beheld such real image, he had no discrimination between the past and future, jumped out of the destiny of life and death and walked out of the whirl of transmigration. He formally obtained the Tao of Nirvana. Having been a man of perfect practice, he was not a component of universe any more. The business and honor were not his goal. On the contrary he matched seamless with everything, dealing with the worldly affair to the point.
10 Nanbo Ziquei, our gifts are insufficient. We only look and sign for it. As for the health of body by exercise, it is easy to do. Health is the free extra gift of practice and everyone can get it.”
11 Nanbo Ziquei was dubious of what Nu Yu said. He asked, “Who told you?”
12 Nu Yu answered, “The son of Fu Mo told me. The grandson of Luo Song told him; the grandson of Luo Song heard it from Zhang Min; Zhang Min was taught by Nie Xu; Nie Xu learned from Xu Yi; Xu Yi from Yu Ou; Yu Ou from Xuan Min; Xuan Min from Seng Liao; Seng Liao from Yi Shi. My sect descended down like this.”
2 Nanbo Ziquei was very curious to Nu Yu’s health. Someday, he asked him at the side of playground during break, “You should be seventy. Why does your skin look like the kid’s, rosy and tight. What do you do for it?”
3 Nu Yu said, “Because I keep practice.”
4 Nanbo Ziquei had toiled for a life. Now he succeeded in business, lived a rich life, and had many grandsons and granddaughters. He however became senile and seemed to have less time to enjoy the nice but aged life.
5 Hence on hearing Nu Yu had ways of prolonging life and rejuvenation, he got excited and happy, asked Nu Yu, “Can I practice and get the same results?”
6 Nu Yu learned well about NanBo Ziquei’s life. He knew that though this old fellow had been over the age of retirement, he still held on the wealth and business tightly. In playing, he stopped to talk about business on mobile phone and his partners had to wait. He totally was unaware that the retirement should be arranged early, otherwise, it would be tedious. He bustled in and racked his brain in the petty profit. He was wavy all the day. People without a sound and tranquil mind is impossible to practice.
7 Hence Nu Yu answered, “Well, You can’t. You aren’t the one suitable for practice. Among our friends, Zi Liangyi is the suitable one but he doesn’t know the way how to start it. I know somewhat the way but my gift is too bad. Therefore, I had practiced for years but I can’t bear a real fruit yet.
8 I placed my hope on Zi Liangyi and helped him to do the practice of Nirvana.
9 In the beginning I thought that it should be easier for a gifted man to practice. The fact is to the contrary. I made some efforts to help him. First, I must be patient to enlighten him. Within the first three days, Zi Liangyi had excelled all the ordinary people in the world. After other seven days, he exceeded all things in universe. After another nine days, he strode over past the door between life and death, after which he made clear that:
“Those five heaps are, in reality, by their very nature completely empty. Form is empty. Emptiness is form. The action of form is not other than emptiness, nor is the action of emptiness other than form. Of this nature are also feeling, cognition, conception, and consciousness. In this way all dharmas are empty; without essential characteristic, not born, not ceasing, without defilement or expiation of defilement, undiminished, uncompleted. In this way, in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, no cognition, no conception, and no consciousness. There is no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind, no shape, no sound, no color, no flavor, no feeling, nor any property. There is no dhatu of eye...no dhatu of mind; nor is there mind-vijnana dhatu. No ignorance; from no cessation of ignorance to no old age and death; including no cessation of old age and death. Of that nature are also suffering, misery and sin, and cessation. There is no path, no wisdom, no attainment, and no non-attainment. In this way all buddhas, because of their non-attainment, abiding firmly by Prajnaparamita, are without mental obscurations and are unafraid; they are truly passed beyond confusion, and are finally passed beyond suffering. All buddhas residing in the past, present, and future, through firmness in Prajnaparamita, have become buddhas of supreme and complete enlightenment.”
When he beheld such real image, he had no discrimination between the past and future, jumped out of the destiny of life and death and walked out of the whirl of transmigration. He formally obtained the Tao of Nirvana. Having been a man of perfect practice, he was not a component of universe any more. The business and honor were not his goal. On the contrary he matched seamless with everything, dealing with the worldly affair to the point.
10 Nanbo Ziquei, our gifts are insufficient. We only look and sign for it. As for the health of body by exercise, it is easy to do. Health is the free extra gift of practice and everyone can get it.”
11 Nanbo Ziquei was dubious of what Nu Yu said. He asked, “Who told you?”
12 Nu Yu answered, “The son of Fu Mo told me. The grandson of Luo Song told him; the grandson of Luo Song heard it from Zhang Min; Zhang Min was taught by Nie Xu; Nie Xu learned from Xu Yi; Xu Yi from Yu Ou; Yu Ou from Xuan Min; Xuan Min from Seng Liao; Seng Liao from Yi Shi. My sect descended down like this.”
2008年12月28日 星期日
The Great Supreme (1)
1 A man equipping with the following conditions, we say that he is eligible to be called the man of perfect practice: He exactly cognizes the real operation of Universe and knows how and why it comes into being, how it develops into the status quo and its destiny in the future; simultaneously he recognizes man’s mind, conduct, life habit and inherent weakness and moods such as greed, anger, obsession, worry and fear, and understands that form, sensation, conception, volition and consciousness all are vain and empty; he masters the dharma of mind and the body sensation, and experiences the truth of life such as suffering, origination, cessation and path.
2 Knowing the real operation of Universe results from an inborn gift, which is the knowledge of non-learning skills and it comes to the man of practice with the sound
, peaceful and tranquil heart. The great wisdom is suddenly enlightened when his self-nature, Buddha-nature, calmness and refinement are aroused. It is not from study or research.
3 Some of the intellectuals know that mind, conduct, and life habit are knowledge which is taught by teacher, learned from book and formed from studying and thinking. After they become learned, they know well that their knowledge is insufficient and the secrets of Universe are infinite so they are modest, prudent and abiding. They know through love, one has no fear; through not doing too much, one has amplitude; through not presuming to be the first in the world, one can develop one’s talent and let it mature. You may say that they are learned scholar though their knowledge is defective; however, their awareness of ignorance makes up for it.
4 The knowledge within our consciousness is limited. For example, the knowledge out of the field of material is beyond our imagination. The boundless field is far beyond us, just like pupils to profound calculi. They can’t understand and discuss it, let alone questioning. The secrets of Universe are the same to us. They totally are out of our reach.
5 How do we know a man may be a Universe? The universe is similar to a man. The difference between them is the space. The judgment and identification like these only a man of perfect practice can do.
6 What kind of men are the men of perfect practice? In general, they think that everything is of value in spite of its small size. They know a small hill may contain the whole truth of Universe and it may be the habitat of millions of creature.
7 The men of perfect practice are not so admirable to the worldly achievements, such as great artist, successful entrepreneur, or locally dominative careerist. They know that an artwork is far worse than the beauty of a butterfly. Those provincial richest entrepreneurs’ lives are mortal. How many do those traders of official background survive now? How many emperors and ministers in Chinese history of thousands year do you remember?
8 The men of perfect practice don’t care the seriousness, the right and wrong of the worldly affairs. They resign themselves to the adversity, not requiring, not refusing, not conceiving and not chasing of the worldly affairs.
9 They are like a mirror that devotedly reflects thing. If thing moves away from the mirror, they forget it and let it be.
10 The mirror reflects everything for good and lets everything comes up and moves away from it. They don’t regret the past and fully react to the status quo; however, they don’t think they can possess them forever. For this reason, they don’t conceive or chase anything would come to them in the future.
11 The men of perfect practice to this level can adapt themselves to any environments, never losing their soundness, peace and tranquilness. They can enjoy the environments which are hellish, inclement, ahead worried in others’ opinion.
12 The men of real successful in practice don’t dream in sleep. After sound sleep, they are vigorous and unperturbed, without a touch of worry.
13 They don’t care food. They eat the food on hand. Their breath is slow, weak, deep and so sound. The ordinary people’s breath seems from the throat but theirs seems from the heel.
14 The people with malicious aforethought his talk is bitter, stinking and sour. Those who have much desire and lose themselves in chasing it are shallow and mediocre in gift and talent. They have no artistic awareness.
15 The men of real successful in practice cherish the every moment of their lives and have no intent to escape death. They are calm to his life and death. Their coming and going are quick and degage. They will not forget what they have made up their mind in practice, but don’t care what the outcome of their practice will become in the future.
16 They delightedly accept their lives and patiently wait for the moment of passing away without any worry.
17 This kind of attitude of life precludes people’s mind from misguiding the operation of the Nature and the arrangement of Tao. Whoever can adhere to this principle is regarded to bear the fruit of practice.
18 Men who bear the fruit of practice are active and broad-minded; they don’t hold on some concepts and self-righteous ideas as unchangeable; they are not stubborn and inflexible.
19 Their attitude is amiable, composed and couth.
20 Another special point is that their forehead is somewhat protruding like a senior player of inner Kongfu.
21 Their attitude sometime is silent and depressive, like the bleak autumn while sometime is warm and harmonious, like the spring wind. Their mood totally follows the season’s environment. They are harmonious with the universe, abandoning private and personal concepts. Therefore, they will leave you profound and enigmatic impression.
22 A man of perfect practice, in some cases also resorts to arms for conflict solution, but he is different from the politician. He may defeat a country’s army and occupy its territory; however, he will gain the local people’s morale. The people of the occupied country will support him instead of against him.
23 He exerts bliss to benefit people widely, which he thinks as his natural personality. Therefore, he doesn’t think it is the lofty and indiscriminately loving.
24 The man of perfect practice persists in the principle of mirror. He would not do as others who carefully observe the situation and give themselves a full play when an opportunity comes. Despite of opportunity and time, he is always calm. He never does as pulling up the seedlings in order to help them grow faster and never complain anyone. Whatever the objective condition is, it never threats him.
25 Those who take risk of losing selfness and chase fame and wealth are bad officials.
26 Those who easily commit suicide and fudge their responsibility are the one of defective practice.
27 Therefore, the right attitude to fame and wealth is not to importune and not to shuffle them.
28 For instance, Hu Buxie living in the age of Yao threw himself into river because of refusal of Yao’s demising to him.
29 Wu Guang lived in Xia Dynasty. Tang wanted to demise to him but he rejected and threw himself into river. He was stupid.
30 To refuse the food from Zhou Dynasty, Boyi and Shuqi finally died from fast.
31 Qizi who was the King Zhou’s uncle, was thrown into prison due to his loyal admonishment.
32 Xuyu and Bigan died from heart being dug out, also due to their loyal admonishment.
33 Jita sneaked to seclude himself nearby Kuan River because he was afraid that Tang consigned throne to him. Hearing Jita gaining reputation in society for his seclusion, Shentudi become mad to throw himself into the river and his only purpose to do so was to got the reputation as Jita got.
34 These people lost their lives for the objective conditions or hurt themselves because of others’ actions. They are of defective practice.
35 We should prevent the objective conditions from hurting ourselves and should keep our self-nature, Buddha-nature, calmness and refinement in soundness, tranquilness, coziness and peace.
36 The man of successful in practice gives others an impression of as a towering huge statue. Huge as it is; however, its center of gravity is very low and stable. The ordinary people can’t trip him up.
37 He is courteous and modest in associating with people and business as if he knows nothing, but in fact he seldom pleads for others for something.
38 He doesn’t drift with fashions; however, he is not like the arrogant person who set very severe standard that makes people around him unfit. He adapts himself to various conditions and lives freely and elegantly but he is not like the Hippie who is unconventional and unorthodox.
39 His face wears smile as if he is happy in something. He is not like the people of Archer horoscope bustling here and there all the time.
40 His attitude is composure, elegant, sound and peaceful, which naturally derives from such personality as confidence and goodness.
41 He is inward adherent to his principles and outward harmonious with the environment around him. He is thought a big shot with broad-minded; on the other hand, he is thought to give no handle or a way to control him.
42 His consistent attitude to life is like a firmly locked door which nobody can open. He is apathetic without any comment to the tempting world as if he was a dumb.
43 His governance of the country entirely conforms to the state-of-arts' law, the convenance, the public opinion and moral. With those tools he keeps the society on the right rail.
44 The law is state-made, so even killing criminal will be accepted by the public. The convenance is the code of conduct, which all accepts. The consensus represents the public interest which he follows as the right way to govern.
45 The policy is public-made. Abidance by the custom and moral precludes the daily life from trouble. Living and acting on the public-accepted custom prevents frequent blaming and then, everyone can live as free and easy as climbing a mound.
46 It is easy to govern a country if those principles are applied. The perfect practice who governs his country in good order, which is thought a great engineering or splendid achievement, actually, it is not a difficult jab if one follows the four principles in governing his country.
47 We care the integrality that consists of components. As far as a component is concerned, it is integral itself. Hence a whole is an intact pattern and its component also is an integral and a pattern.
48 For instance, human’s body is an integral pattern. As far as a red cell is concerned, it is an integral pattern too. Similarly, human is an integral variety and each person is also an integral individual. In this view, we become God when act on the human interest; we are man when act on the personal interest.
49 A person narrows the gap that source from the two views and the gap of views from the God and the man. We regard him as a perfect practice.
50 The shift of life and death is the inevitable natural law. Their sequence is like the shift of day and night, both of which are under the God’s controls. As regarding to the worldly affairs, they are out of our reach too. We should not interfere with its natural development.
51 A man prays in Church or temple, taking God as his father. To the nature we should keep the same attitude. A man would like to sacrifice his life for his lord; to the nature we should do the same.
52 When the pond becomes dry, fishes in it spit spittle to each other to survive. From the appearance, they depend on one another to live, looking close and amiable. Which is better on earth: let them linger on and live close or let them back to the river and the full pond where they don’t know each other but live free.
53 Nature endows us with our body. He takes care of our body all our life. When being young we work diligently, when senile, we are arranged to return to the dust. Who arranges us to come to the world is the same one who calls us back. Under his looking after why we are afraid of the coming inevitable death.
54 Those that live nearby the lake all have a small boat as vehicle. It is a problem to park it when it leaves unused. Common residents hide it in the bush nearby the stream or in the obsolete place of marsh. However, at night it is easy to be carried away by others.
55 Most of us don’t understand that small thing hidden in the big environment is easy to be stolen no matter how carefully we hide it. The only way to prevent it from stealing is to hide thing belonging to the universe in the whole universe, namely, to hide thing of its original visage in the environment, from it there will be no losing.
56 We all love joy which we are afraid of losing or missing. How should we preserve and keep it as our inexhaustible treasure? Where should we hide it?
57 Above mentioned is ‘hide thing belonging to the universe in the whole universe’? Our joy is from the heart and the ego. Therefore, just hide joy in our body.
58 Human did countless evolution from protozoan into the status quo. There still will be endless evolution. Whatever human evolves, there still would be a body. So, the men of wisdom would hide their joy in the heart and body, not the place out of them. In the wake of that their joy would be there forever.
59 It is very real that Tao exists. We can get the evidence from the operation of Nature whereas we can’t understand clearly its operation and can’t see its forming.
60 Tao keeps sending signals and issuing orders. It can’t be heard clear like the sound but we can’t disobey its will. We can’t see it but we follow its steps in accordance with its direction.
61 Tao depends on nothing. It not likes our life which depends on the food, air, water and sun.
62 Tao is self-supported and exists before the universe.
63 It is immortal, without the beginning and the end. It stays eternally. The powers of god and ghost are from his authorization and the heaven and the earth are its production.
64 As far as Tao is concerned, nothing is more senior than it while nothing is more junior than it. It exists before the birth of cosmos. Therefore there is nothing elder than it.
65 Tao is a supernatural power. Of all ages those who gain, conform to and make use of its power all have demonstrated wonderful achievements.
66 Xii Wei Shi obtained Tao, and so set the universe in order.
67 Fu Xi obtained it, and was able to reveal the secrets of immortality.
68 Wei Dou obtained it, and never blundered from its course in his life.
69 The sun and moon obtained it, and have never ceased to revolve.
70 Kanhuai obtained it, and made his abode in the Kunlun Mountains.
71 Feng Yi obtained it, and safely toured around the country.
72 Jianyu obtained it, and built Mount Tai as his inhabitation.
73 The Yellow Emperor obtained it, and soared upon the clouds to heaven.
74 Zhuan Xu obtained it, and dwelled in the Deep Palace as a king.
75 Yu Qiang obtained it, and established himself at the North Pole.
76 The Western Queen Mother obtained it, and settled at Shao Guang, since when and until when, no one knows.
77 Peng Zu obtained it, and prolonged his life. He lived in Youyu from the time of Shun until the time of the Five Princes, totally over eight hundreds years.
78 Fu Yue obtained it, he at first became the Minister of Wu Ding and later on extended his rule to the Dongwei star and the Qiwei star, and finally became the emperor of Heaven.
2 Knowing the real operation of Universe results from an inborn gift, which is the knowledge of non-learning skills and it comes to the man of practice with the sound
, peaceful and tranquil heart. The great wisdom is suddenly enlightened when his self-nature, Buddha-nature, calmness and refinement are aroused. It is not from study or research.
3 Some of the intellectuals know that mind, conduct, and life habit are knowledge which is taught by teacher, learned from book and formed from studying and thinking. After they become learned, they know well that their knowledge is insufficient and the secrets of Universe are infinite so they are modest, prudent and abiding. They know through love, one has no fear; through not doing too much, one has amplitude; through not presuming to be the first in the world, one can develop one’s talent and let it mature. You may say that they are learned scholar though their knowledge is defective; however, their awareness of ignorance makes up for it.
4 The knowledge within our consciousness is limited. For example, the knowledge out of the field of material is beyond our imagination. The boundless field is far beyond us, just like pupils to profound calculi. They can’t understand and discuss it, let alone questioning. The secrets of Universe are the same to us. They totally are out of our reach.
5 How do we know a man may be a Universe? The universe is similar to a man. The difference between them is the space. The judgment and identification like these only a man of perfect practice can do.
6 What kind of men are the men of perfect practice? In general, they think that everything is of value in spite of its small size. They know a small hill may contain the whole truth of Universe and it may be the habitat of millions of creature.
7 The men of perfect practice are not so admirable to the worldly achievements, such as great artist, successful entrepreneur, or locally dominative careerist. They know that an artwork is far worse than the beauty of a butterfly. Those provincial richest entrepreneurs’ lives are mortal. How many do those traders of official background survive now? How many emperors and ministers in Chinese history of thousands year do you remember?
8 The men of perfect practice don’t care the seriousness, the right and wrong of the worldly affairs. They resign themselves to the adversity, not requiring, not refusing, not conceiving and not chasing of the worldly affairs.
9 They are like a mirror that devotedly reflects thing. If thing moves away from the mirror, they forget it and let it be.
10 The mirror reflects everything for good and lets everything comes up and moves away from it. They don’t regret the past and fully react to the status quo; however, they don’t think they can possess them forever. For this reason, they don’t conceive or chase anything would come to them in the future.
11 The men of perfect practice to this level can adapt themselves to any environments, never losing their soundness, peace and tranquilness. They can enjoy the environments which are hellish, inclement, ahead worried in others’ opinion.
12 The men of real successful in practice don’t dream in sleep. After sound sleep, they are vigorous and unperturbed, without a touch of worry.
13 They don’t care food. They eat the food on hand. Their breath is slow, weak, deep and so sound. The ordinary people’s breath seems from the throat but theirs seems from the heel.
14 The people with malicious aforethought his talk is bitter, stinking and sour. Those who have much desire and lose themselves in chasing it are shallow and mediocre in gift and talent. They have no artistic awareness.
15 The men of real successful in practice cherish the every moment of their lives and have no intent to escape death. They are calm to his life and death. Their coming and going are quick and degage. They will not forget what they have made up their mind in practice, but don’t care what the outcome of their practice will become in the future.
16 They delightedly accept their lives and patiently wait for the moment of passing away without any worry.
17 This kind of attitude of life precludes people’s mind from misguiding the operation of the Nature and the arrangement of Tao. Whoever can adhere to this principle is regarded to bear the fruit of practice.
18 Men who bear the fruit of practice are active and broad-minded; they don’t hold on some concepts and self-righteous ideas as unchangeable; they are not stubborn and inflexible.
19 Their attitude is amiable, composed and couth.
20 Another special point is that their forehead is somewhat protruding like a senior player of inner Kongfu.
21 Their attitude sometime is silent and depressive, like the bleak autumn while sometime is warm and harmonious, like the spring wind. Their mood totally follows the season’s environment. They are harmonious with the universe, abandoning private and personal concepts. Therefore, they will leave you profound and enigmatic impression.
22 A man of perfect practice, in some cases also resorts to arms for conflict solution, but he is different from the politician. He may defeat a country’s army and occupy its territory; however, he will gain the local people’s morale. The people of the occupied country will support him instead of against him.
23 He exerts bliss to benefit people widely, which he thinks as his natural personality. Therefore, he doesn’t think it is the lofty and indiscriminately loving.
24 The man of perfect practice persists in the principle of mirror. He would not do as others who carefully observe the situation and give themselves a full play when an opportunity comes. Despite of opportunity and time, he is always calm. He never does as pulling up the seedlings in order to help them grow faster and never complain anyone. Whatever the objective condition is, it never threats him.
25 Those who take risk of losing selfness and chase fame and wealth are bad officials.
26 Those who easily commit suicide and fudge their responsibility are the one of defective practice.
27 Therefore, the right attitude to fame and wealth is not to importune and not to shuffle them.
28 For instance, Hu Buxie living in the age of Yao threw himself into river because of refusal of Yao’s demising to him.
29 Wu Guang lived in Xia Dynasty. Tang wanted to demise to him but he rejected and threw himself into river. He was stupid.
30 To refuse the food from Zhou Dynasty, Boyi and Shuqi finally died from fast.
31 Qizi who was the King Zhou’s uncle, was thrown into prison due to his loyal admonishment.
32 Xuyu and Bigan died from heart being dug out, also due to their loyal admonishment.
33 Jita sneaked to seclude himself nearby Kuan River because he was afraid that Tang consigned throne to him. Hearing Jita gaining reputation in society for his seclusion, Shentudi become mad to throw himself into the river and his only purpose to do so was to got the reputation as Jita got.
34 These people lost their lives for the objective conditions or hurt themselves because of others’ actions. They are of defective practice.
35 We should prevent the objective conditions from hurting ourselves and should keep our self-nature, Buddha-nature, calmness and refinement in soundness, tranquilness, coziness and peace.
36 The man of successful in practice gives others an impression of as a towering huge statue. Huge as it is; however, its center of gravity is very low and stable. The ordinary people can’t trip him up.
37 He is courteous and modest in associating with people and business as if he knows nothing, but in fact he seldom pleads for others for something.
38 He doesn’t drift with fashions; however, he is not like the arrogant person who set very severe standard that makes people around him unfit. He adapts himself to various conditions and lives freely and elegantly but he is not like the Hippie who is unconventional and unorthodox.
39 His face wears smile as if he is happy in something. He is not like the people of Archer horoscope bustling here and there all the time.
40 His attitude is composure, elegant, sound and peaceful, which naturally derives from such personality as confidence and goodness.
41 He is inward adherent to his principles and outward harmonious with the environment around him. He is thought a big shot with broad-minded; on the other hand, he is thought to give no handle or a way to control him.
42 His consistent attitude to life is like a firmly locked door which nobody can open. He is apathetic without any comment to the tempting world as if he was a dumb.
43 His governance of the country entirely conforms to the state-of-arts' law, the convenance, the public opinion and moral. With those tools he keeps the society on the right rail.
44 The law is state-made, so even killing criminal will be accepted by the public. The convenance is the code of conduct, which all accepts. The consensus represents the public interest which he follows as the right way to govern.
45 The policy is public-made. Abidance by the custom and moral precludes the daily life from trouble. Living and acting on the public-accepted custom prevents frequent blaming and then, everyone can live as free and easy as climbing a mound.
46 It is easy to govern a country if those principles are applied. The perfect practice who governs his country in good order, which is thought a great engineering or splendid achievement, actually, it is not a difficult jab if one follows the four principles in governing his country.
47 We care the integrality that consists of components. As far as a component is concerned, it is integral itself. Hence a whole is an intact pattern and its component also is an integral and a pattern.
48 For instance, human’s body is an integral pattern. As far as a red cell is concerned, it is an integral pattern too. Similarly, human is an integral variety and each person is also an integral individual. In this view, we become God when act on the human interest; we are man when act on the personal interest.
49 A person narrows the gap that source from the two views and the gap of views from the God and the man. We regard him as a perfect practice.
50 The shift of life and death is the inevitable natural law. Their sequence is like the shift of day and night, both of which are under the God’s controls. As regarding to the worldly affairs, they are out of our reach too. We should not interfere with its natural development.
51 A man prays in Church or temple, taking God as his father. To the nature we should keep the same attitude. A man would like to sacrifice his life for his lord; to the nature we should do the same.
52 When the pond becomes dry, fishes in it spit spittle to each other to survive. From the appearance, they depend on one another to live, looking close and amiable. Which is better on earth: let them linger on and live close or let them back to the river and the full pond where they don’t know each other but live free.
53 Nature endows us with our body. He takes care of our body all our life. When being young we work diligently, when senile, we are arranged to return to the dust. Who arranges us to come to the world is the same one who calls us back. Under his looking after why we are afraid of the coming inevitable death.
54 Those that live nearby the lake all have a small boat as vehicle. It is a problem to park it when it leaves unused. Common residents hide it in the bush nearby the stream or in the obsolete place of marsh. However, at night it is easy to be carried away by others.
55 Most of us don’t understand that small thing hidden in the big environment is easy to be stolen no matter how carefully we hide it. The only way to prevent it from stealing is to hide thing belonging to the universe in the whole universe, namely, to hide thing of its original visage in the environment, from it there will be no losing.
56 We all love joy which we are afraid of losing or missing. How should we preserve and keep it as our inexhaustible treasure? Where should we hide it?
57 Above mentioned is ‘hide thing belonging to the universe in the whole universe’? Our joy is from the heart and the ego. Therefore, just hide joy in our body.
58 Human did countless evolution from protozoan into the status quo. There still will be endless evolution. Whatever human evolves, there still would be a body. So, the men of wisdom would hide their joy in the heart and body, not the place out of them. In the wake of that their joy would be there forever.
59 It is very real that Tao exists. We can get the evidence from the operation of Nature whereas we can’t understand clearly its operation and can’t see its forming.
60 Tao keeps sending signals and issuing orders. It can’t be heard clear like the sound but we can’t disobey its will. We can’t see it but we follow its steps in accordance with its direction.
61 Tao depends on nothing. It not likes our life which depends on the food, air, water and sun.
62 Tao is self-supported and exists before the universe.
63 It is immortal, without the beginning and the end. It stays eternally. The powers of god and ghost are from his authorization and the heaven and the earth are its production.
64 As far as Tao is concerned, nothing is more senior than it while nothing is more junior than it. It exists before the birth of cosmos. Therefore there is nothing elder than it.
65 Tao is a supernatural power. Of all ages those who gain, conform to and make use of its power all have demonstrated wonderful achievements.
66 Xii Wei Shi obtained Tao, and so set the universe in order.
67 Fu Xi obtained it, and was able to reveal the secrets of immortality.
68 Wei Dou obtained it, and never blundered from its course in his life.
69 The sun and moon obtained it, and have never ceased to revolve.
70 Kanhuai obtained it, and made his abode in the Kunlun Mountains.
71 Feng Yi obtained it, and safely toured around the country.
72 Jianyu obtained it, and built Mount Tai as his inhabitation.
73 The Yellow Emperor obtained it, and soared upon the clouds to heaven.
74 Zhuan Xu obtained it, and dwelled in the Deep Palace as a king.
75 Yu Qiang obtained it, and established himself at the North Pole.
76 The Western Queen Mother obtained it, and settled at Shao Guang, since when and until when, no one knows.
77 Peng Zu obtained it, and prolonged his life. He lived in Youyu from the time of Shun until the time of the Five Princes, totally over eight hundreds years.
78 Fu Yue obtained it, he at first became the Minister of Wu Ding and later on extended his rule to the Dongwei star and the Qiwei star, and finally became the emperor of Heaven.
Evidences Of A Full Character (6)
1 Huizi asked Chuang Tzu, “You said that a man should have no passion. What does it mean?”
2 Chuang Tzu replied, “Yes! Human should have no passion so that worldly rightness and wrong, good and badness, kindness and evilness don’t restrict him.”
3 Huizi said, “Can the man without passion and desire, rightness and wrong, good and badness, kindness and evilness be regarded as a man?”
4 Chuang Tzu said: “Nature endows him with body, head, limbs, eyes, ears, nose, tongue and mind and also endows him with life power, thinking and various complexions. He has all of these. How do you say that he isn’t a man?”
5 Huizi replied, “Now that he is a man and has behaviors and various complexions, his mood can be detected by his complexion. How does he has no passion?”
6 Chuang Tzu said, “Alas! Buddy. The passion you mean and that I mean are different. I always uphold that a man should have no passion. Because those passions will bring vexation on himself, which he should ward off.
7 As far as the passion is concerned, many people are skeptical of it. They think that making up one’s mind to be a man of no passion is against the orthodoxy.
8 My meaning actually is not let the mood of outward such as love, accepting or rejecting, pro or con to influence our inward mood. We are just to be an absolutely spectator and let them be.
9 Never do as pulling up the seedlings in order to help them grow faster or robbing the rich and helping the poor. Not trying to improve upon living and keep a peaceful and tranquil heart is important to a man.
10 We should respect other’s right of keeping a peaceful and tranquil heart and don’t open or stir other’s heart carelessly.
11 In this world, there are many people who open other’s heart carelessly and then leave far away. They bequeath an awful mess to other, which is irresponsible.
12 So to be a man of no passion in fact is an active and having significant meaning.”
13 Huizi said, “Everyday we live in a trivial and busy life. All those activities we have done have only one purpose; it is to do some thing good for our body. In order to keep our health, we climb hill in the morning, play ball in the afternoon, take a Sauna bath, study our food that should not be oily or raw, and see doctors to recover it when ill. Do we do less for our sound health? You say ‘not trying to improve upon living’. Is it far from the real life?”
14 Chuang Tzu said, “Alas, you don’t understand it yet. After Tao gives us our expression and form, we should maintain and nourish our body. This point doesn’t conflict what I have said.
15 What I mean ‘not trying to improve upon living’ is that you are asked to keep your sound, tranquil and peaceful heart away from the objective conditions, such as right and wrong, evilness and kindness, happiness and anger.
16 What I mean are to persuade you to protect your spirit hard and carefully, to keep yourself from greed, anger, obsession and worry, to free from hard debating something paradoxical and to live free.
17 You should practice yourself well in the subjective conditions. Enjoying Samadhi and keeping sound, tranquil and peaceful mind are the truth of no passion and not trying to improve upon living.”
2 Chuang Tzu replied, “Yes! Human should have no passion so that worldly rightness and wrong, good and badness, kindness and evilness don’t restrict him.”
3 Huizi said, “Can the man without passion and desire, rightness and wrong, good and badness, kindness and evilness be regarded as a man?”
4 Chuang Tzu said: “Nature endows him with body, head, limbs, eyes, ears, nose, tongue and mind and also endows him with life power, thinking and various complexions. He has all of these. How do you say that he isn’t a man?”
5 Huizi replied, “Now that he is a man and has behaviors and various complexions, his mood can be detected by his complexion. How does he has no passion?”
6 Chuang Tzu said, “Alas! Buddy. The passion you mean and that I mean are different. I always uphold that a man should have no passion. Because those passions will bring vexation on himself, which he should ward off.
7 As far as the passion is concerned, many people are skeptical of it. They think that making up one’s mind to be a man of no passion is against the orthodoxy.
8 My meaning actually is not let the mood of outward such as love, accepting or rejecting, pro or con to influence our inward mood. We are just to be an absolutely spectator and let them be.
9 Never do as pulling up the seedlings in order to help them grow faster or robbing the rich and helping the poor. Not trying to improve upon living and keep a peaceful and tranquil heart is important to a man.
10 We should respect other’s right of keeping a peaceful and tranquil heart and don’t open or stir other’s heart carelessly.
11 In this world, there are many people who open other’s heart carelessly and then leave far away. They bequeath an awful mess to other, which is irresponsible.
12 So to be a man of no passion in fact is an active and having significant meaning.”
13 Huizi said, “Everyday we live in a trivial and busy life. All those activities we have done have only one purpose; it is to do some thing good for our body. In order to keep our health, we climb hill in the morning, play ball in the afternoon, take a Sauna bath, study our food that should not be oily or raw, and see doctors to recover it when ill. Do we do less for our sound health? You say ‘not trying to improve upon living’. Is it far from the real life?”
14 Chuang Tzu said, “Alas, you don’t understand it yet. After Tao gives us our expression and form, we should maintain and nourish our body. This point doesn’t conflict what I have said.
15 What I mean ‘not trying to improve upon living’ is that you are asked to keep your sound, tranquil and peaceful heart away from the objective conditions, such as right and wrong, evilness and kindness, happiness and anger.
16 What I mean are to persuade you to protect your spirit hard and carefully, to keep yourself from greed, anger, obsession and worry, to free from hard debating something paradoxical and to live free.
17 You should practice yourself well in the subjective conditions. Enjoying Samadhi and keeping sound, tranquil and peaceful mind are the truth of no passion and not trying to improve upon living.”
Evidences Of A Full Character (5)
1 Yinqi Zhili Wushen’s neck was very thick that usually he gave others an ugly first impression. They thought this guy was a disabled person. However, Yinqi Zhili Wushen was very good in chatting. Every time Duke Ling of We talked with him, their talking was full of happiness. For this reason, Duke Ling forgot Yinqi Zhili Wushen’s ugly appearance and thought that well-form man’s neck was too thin.
2 A man called Wengweng Daying, his body looked like a big barrel, and even more disgusting was it full of sarcomas. Though his shape was not handsome, he was conversable and Duke Huang of Qi liked him very much. Duke Huang didn’t think he was ugly; instead Duke Huang thought the well-form man’s figure was too thin.
3 The above two examples indicate that: when virtue emerges, the appearance becomes unworthy. However, ordinary people always bear appearance in mind and they don’t know it is trivial and should not judge a man in terms of his appearance.
4 To remember what should be forgotten and to forget what should be remembered. How silly are those kind of people!
5 Man of perfect practice wouldn’t bind his personality. He let it develop freely and wildly. He takes knowledge as the tool for fame and wealth; commitment and compact as the tie among people; the commodities as the preparation of dealing in society; the craft and technique as the requirements of trading.
6 A man of perfect practice has no ambition at all so he doesn’t need any knowledge. He is amiable to others. It is impossible for him to depart or break off a friendship. Then, what a contract could he be bound to?
7 He never loses anything so he feels contented for good. He therefore, needs not to struggle for something new. He doesn’t sell anything so the commercial trade is useless to him.
8 Knowledge, contract, commodity, craft and technique are naturally ready for him. He doesn’t need to worry. So we may say that he lives on the providing of Heaven.
9 Now that he lives on the providing of Heaven, the people whom he depends on becoming few.
10 He is possessed of human figure but has no passions and desires in it. He still associates with other people because of his human figure. Since he has no passions and desires in his mind, the worldly rightness and wrong, good and badness, kindness and evilness can no longer bind him anymore.
11 The good of the characters of human is rather less but the good of the characters of Heaven is limitless. Which one would wise as you are like to choose?
2 A man called Wengweng Daying, his body looked like a big barrel, and even more disgusting was it full of sarcomas. Though his shape was not handsome, he was conversable and Duke Huang of Qi liked him very much. Duke Huang didn’t think he was ugly; instead Duke Huang thought the well-form man’s figure was too thin.
3 The above two examples indicate that: when virtue emerges, the appearance becomes unworthy. However, ordinary people always bear appearance in mind and they don’t know it is trivial and should not judge a man in terms of his appearance.
4 To remember what should be forgotten and to forget what should be remembered. How silly are those kind of people!
5 Man of perfect practice wouldn’t bind his personality. He let it develop freely and wildly. He takes knowledge as the tool for fame and wealth; commitment and compact as the tie among people; the commodities as the preparation of dealing in society; the craft and technique as the requirements of trading.
6 A man of perfect practice has no ambition at all so he doesn’t need any knowledge. He is amiable to others. It is impossible for him to depart or break off a friendship. Then, what a contract could he be bound to?
7 He never loses anything so he feels contented for good. He therefore, needs not to struggle for something new. He doesn’t sell anything so the commercial trade is useless to him.
8 Knowledge, contract, commodity, craft and technique are naturally ready for him. He doesn’t need to worry. So we may say that he lives on the providing of Heaven.
9 Now that he lives on the providing of Heaven, the people whom he depends on becoming few.
10 He is possessed of human figure but has no passions and desires in it. He still associates with other people because of his human figure. Since he has no passions and desires in his mind, the worldly rightness and wrong, good and badness, kindness and evilness can no longer bind him anymore.
11 The good of the characters of human is rather less but the good of the characters of Heaven is limitless. Which one would wise as you are like to choose?
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