The Preservation of Life (5)

1 The mourning hall for Laodan was adorned with stateliness and solemnness. His disciples standing on both sides, saluted silently back to the coming mourners.

2 As the mourning ceremony processed halfway, one mourner called Qinshi suddenly rushed into the hall. Without nodding and presenting incenses, he just stood there to utter three yells and then rushed out.

3 His attendants felt surprised and wondered why he did so. One of his attendants asked, “Aren’t you Laodan’s friend?”

4 Qinshi said, “Yes, we are bosom friend of years.”

5 “Why did you utter the three surprising yells in the mourning hall and came out without kneeling down and presenting incenses?”

6 Qinshi explained, “You don’t understand it. He was a common man when I was acquainted with him before his death. Now he passed away to heaven and he wasn’t a human any more. The transmutation is the Tao of Nature, just like the alteration of four seasons and life and death. All abide by the change law of Nature.

7 Common people don’t know the change. Usually in the mourning hall, some ages cried as if they were deprived of their sons; some youngsters cried as if the dead were their mothers.

8 The other thing that we have to notice is that some mourners can’t help saying some queer words and weeping when they wail. They don’t understand the natural recycle of life and death. Those who practice should conform to the Tao of Nature and should not mix much common people's emotion into their deeds.

9 Of old, the senior of practice called the much emotional deeds ‘Evading the retribution of Nature’. Those deeds should be entirely deserted.

10 The life and death of such great man as Laodan was the destiny of Nature. Why do we weep for the destiny of Nature?

11 Those that generally conform to the law of Nature can’t be distressed by happiness, anger, sadness and joy; they should forever conserve a tranquil and sound heart. The ancient spoke of this as 'Release from the hanging by feet on beam'.”