Cultivation of the Innate Nature (2)

1 In the distant past, the size of human society was small and the structure of it was simple, so the world was pretty unsophisticated.

2 At that time, the society was harmonious in Yin and Yang; human and god coexisted peacefully without any bothering. The alternation of four seasons was stable. All creatures flourished. Living environment was comfortable, devoid of plague.

3 The knowledge of life was never in shortage; however, they were seldom used. All things integrated with natural environment. Every individual had its proper living space. They lived happy lives in the field set by the Nature.

4 Since Shuiren Shi and Fuxi Shi had come to the throne one after the other, a series of measures by them made inherent virtue of human dwindle gradually.

5 The following ages of Shennong and Yellow Emperor witnessed the barely peaceful coexistence of human and the Nature, but the virtue of human came to decline by some technologies and artificial measures.

6 In the ages of Yao and Shun, civilization started to boom. Such as constitute, rules, system, moral rules and code of conduct took shape. The inherent virtue of human was oppressed. Hypocrisy hence sprang up. The unsophisticated virtue disappeared little by little.

7 Affected by the new civilization, human being intended to seek the good virtue of new standard by hypocrisy, and finally, they deserted Tao.

8 In the process of solving problems of daily life, seeking labor-saved way and sensory enjoyment, the knowledge of human shaped up gradually. It is a tentative product. Strictly speaking, the knowledge can’t bring peaceful life by solving the problems of soul at all.

9 They just bring disturbance to people. A disturbance is produced to settle the other. As a result, greater disturbance occurs.

10 Refinement of knowledge of human being hurt innate virtue of human while education covers nature of human being. Long lasting of the situation confuses people and deprives them of the ability and way by which they can restore the original virtue.

11 At this rate, Tao and living environment interact on each other.

12 When the environment is good, Tao flourishes. When the civilization of human being destroys the environment, Tao conceals itself gradually.

13 As a man of practice, how do we improve or sweep off the impediment and bondage in the operation of Nature?

14 When the environment is improved by degrees, how do we boost the operation of Tao so as to exert its vigor?

15 We should understand that Tao itself never takes the initiative to improve the destroyed environment; Tao just eliminates it to create a new one.

16 Tao deeply buried by the polluted and deteriorated environment and it no longer be easily aroused in common people.

17 In the deteriorated environment, a man of perfect practice stays in society but other people overlook the shine of his virtue. For the ignorance of other people, actually, the man of perfect practice needn’t cover his virtue anymore.

18 As we know, the so-called hermits would not conceal themselves in the mountains and forest; they would not keep silent, not preaching the way of practice; they would not keep his understanding of Tao away from the mass. Since the environment is too bad, nobody has interest in these truths.

19 On the contrary, when environment is simple, Yin and Yang are harmonious and human and god coexists peacefully without any bothering, the men of perfect practice will return to the mountains and forest and devote to personal practice.

20 When civilization of human being develops to the level where carnal desire, avarice, wrath and obsession is replete, how do we do as the men of practice?

21 In my opinion, we have to maintain our own integrity and isolate ourselves to practice Yoga and Zen and sit in meditation. Care less about the governance of country so as to prevent us from being bothered and polluted, which is a way to protect ourselves.