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.”