The Heaven and the Earth (2)

1 My teacher told me that the great and selfless Tao upholds all things. A man who intends to learn Tao must purify his heart and require himself to follow the ten doctrines as under mentioned.

{１}To abide by the principle of Non-action--( Heaven).

{２}To show his way of conduction in the society by what he is actually doing--(Virtue).

{３}To love people and try his best to strive for their safety, interest and happiness-- (Benevolence).

{４}To regard the different things as a whole. Not to expel them. Let the different things coexist harmoniously--(Greatness).

{５}Do not try something unconventional or unorthodox and don’t intend to being self come into prominence--(Clemency).

{６}To accept variety. Never love or hate something-- (Abundance).

{７}To keep his virtue intact and pure--(Discipline).

{８}To have the ability to promote his virtue to other things-- (Establish).

{９}To comply with the spirit of Tao-- (Completeness).

{１０}To prevent from the distraction of the outward environment and to devote himself to complying with the spirit of Tao--(Perfection).

2 If a man can meet the said ten requirements, his heart is boundless and all things find their suitable channels and surge to him.

3 He then possesses everything. Of course, he will not show off his richness like the upstart who wearing the gold and silver accessories going around. He knows where the gold is, but he leaves it in the deep mountains; he knows where the pearl is, but he leaves it on the bottom of the oceans.

4 He doesn’t care for his fortune; he doesn’t seek for the fame and the wealth, he doesn’t hunger for long life and doesn’t regret his short life. When he with a high position, he feels nothing glorious. He feels nothing sad when he comes down to the world.

5 He doesn’t bend his brain to the worldly wealth and the private interest. He doesn’t think that it is an honor to be a leader. When he is in power, he looks the country as a family without any discrimination.

6 To him, the life and death are the two sides of one thing without difference. Not happy for living and not sad for death. Both are the stages of transmigration.

7 My teacher said, “While Tao get silent, it is unfathomable like the abyss and peaceful like the crystal clear lake. For example, the bell has the ability to emit sound; however, it often keeps silent. Only if it is knocked, it gives out sonorous sound to transmit it to the far.

8 If the bell doesn’t have the quality of purity and silence, its sound should not be sonorous.

9 Tao endowed all things as the bell with the quality of composure and peace. They exert their functions only when necessary.

10 For this reason, the men of perfect practice prefer the personality of composure and peace. They don’t like to bustle in and out for living, worldly trivia, fame and wealth. They know when the composed, tranquil and peaceful heart is held steadily, self-nature, Buddha-nature, calmness and refinement will arise. In consequence, the practice bears the fruit. In other words, they will succeed in everything if Tao is given a full play to exert its brilliant function.

11 On the contrary, if we can’t keep the composed, tranquil and peaceful heart, self-nature, Buddha-nature, calmness and refinement will stagnate. The great wisdom does not work. It becomes a dumb bell that can’t emit nice sound.

12 The common people have the form but they can’t have the great wisdom, which is a pity. The reason is that Tao doesn’t have full operation in their bodies.

13 Tao looks empty; it seems there is nothing in it. However, when it moves, all things follow to execute its will. This is why a man of perfect practice can accomplish everything.

14 Tao looks empty and dark, and sounds nothing; however, we seem to see a beam of hope in the darkness, and hear a harmonious sound in the silence. Therefore, when men of practice do practice to a certain level, the four elements, such as water, wind, fire and earth, are at his call to produce the necessary thing in the due time and the right space. The size, length and existing time are all to the point.