Let Be and Let Alone (5)

1 On his tour to the east, when passing through the branches of Fuyao, Yun Jiang happened to see Hong Meng leaping on the ground. Yun Jiang admired the old man's Kung Fu, he stopped and asked, “Who are you, old man. Why you endlessly leaping on the ground?”

2 Keeping leaping up and down on the ground, Hong Meng replied, “Nothing. Just roaming, that is it.”

3 Yun Jiang followed, “Old man, may I ask you some questions?”

4 Raising his head, Hong Meng was surprised, “Oh?”

5 Immediately Yun Jiang took this break to ask, “The spirits of Heaven are out of harmony and the spirits of the Earth are smothered. The six factors of the weather don’t gear to each other, such as Yin, Yang, wind, rain, night and day. The shifts of four seasons are out of order too. I think that it is my duty to harmonize the six factors to improve the environment for the creatures’ living. Do you think that I should do it?”

6 “I don’t know. I don’t know.” Hong Meng shook his head. And then he went on leaping up and down on the ground.

7 Feeling disappointed, Yun Jiang left him. He went on wondering around for another three years. Someday when Yun Jiang passed the State of Song, he met Hong Meng again in a wild field. In an ecstasy of delight, Yun Jiang felt as if he met an old friend of hometown in other city. “Old man, can you recognize me?” he said.

8 Yun Jiang had been long obsessed with the idea of doing the duty on behalf of Heaven. So he made up his mind to take the opportunity to clear up his qualms.

9 He kowtowed many times in great reverence before Hong Meng and raised the old questions again. Seeing the sincere attitude of Yun Jiang, Hong Meng felt himself indifferent if refusing him, but he was reluctant to give Yun Jiang a direct answer about carrying out the duty on behalf of Heaven.

10 Hong Meng said, “I have gone to many places in my wanderings for a long time but don’t know what I really want to do. I stroll around without a purpose and don’t know where I want to go on earth. I look around but don’t know what I want to see. As an idle old man, how could I know the great duty that you asked?”

11 Yun Jiang agreed with him. “Yes. I bent to be an idle man like you, roaming everywhere. However, I can’t throw off a lot of people who want to follow me. No matter where I go, they follow. Could you tell me how to gain your freedom?”

12 Sympathizing Yun Jiang’s feeling, Hong Meng knew that this young man is sincere devoted to seeking Tao. Hong Meng decided to teach him all he knows.

13 Hong Meng said, “You are right. The operation of Nature is rather in chaos. The living environment for creature was ruined. The instruction of operation of universe can’t be transmitted and executed well. Creature on the wild field was expelled and dispersed far. Biological chain was broken. Bird infringes the law of nature to chirp at midnight. Also, plant withers. Even insect had no exception. Alas! The problems resulted from human disturbing the operation of nature.”

14 Yan Jiang totally agreed on what he said. He sighed, “Yes! These are the reasons why the problems have happened. What can I do on earth?”

15 Hong Meng looked him kindly. “Go home! You can do nothing.”

16 Yun Jiang persisted in appealing to him. “It is lucky to meet you. Anyway, please enlighten me more or I can’t sleep even if I go home.”

17 Clearing up his dress, Hong Meng sat straightly and said seriously, “Go home and sit in mediation. Take good care of your heart to calm it down. As for benefiting nature, you don’t have to worry about it. It can adjust itself.

18 Nature endows us with our bodies; however, it will take our bodies back at last. Our body is not ours and we don’t belong to our body. Body is like a rented car that we drive carefully to avoid damage. Maintaining it well so can drive it smoothly on the highway. When the lease is over, we just return the car to the renting company.

19 So you should distinguish between application and possession about your body. The concepts and thoughts that you have learned from childhood should be clarified. You can’t believe all of them. Beware very much of its application.

20 Listen! Many needlessly worried problems fermented in and from the bad knowledge that we have absorbed.

21 Right and wrong in this world are relative. Right on today is not always right on tomorrow. Vogue here is out of date there. A girl that people of a place think beautiful is considered in other place too fat or unlucky.

22 So, don’t involve yourself into the argument of right and wrong and induce the unnecessary worrisome. It will has no help but waste your time. The most important is to understand that all things are integral and no distinction among them in the beginning of universe. All things depart away at all directions since the beginning of universe; but, after some time, they will come together again to be the original situation.

23 We know less about the spirit but it is certain that God favors us in most of the activities in this world. After death, the same God will favor us too. So we don’t need to worry much about the death.

24 In general, relax yourself to be a free and happy man. Forget the mess and turbulence in this world and in the mean time forget the nonsense by those so-called masters.

25 Live in an unconscious, tranquil and sound life. Devote to everything at present and do it well.

26 However, don’t owe success to yourself. On the contrary, you should retreat after success. Don’t take credit of success to yourself. Don’t shift your fault onto others. By this way, your life will naturally become comfortable and satisfied.

27 Harmonize and synchronize with the operation of Nature. Even doing so, you need not know the secret of the operation and its process.

28 The flourish of environment comes into being unconsciously; it will not disappear suddenly for any reason. Only if you do the extra and harmful thing to it, the harmony between you and nature will be hurt. So, never wonder who the host behind nature is and never study its principles. Not to mention any purpose to modify and promote it. ”

29 Yun Jiang cleared up his qualms at last. He sighed, “Thank Heaven for sending you, the master to tell me the source of power and to teach me the principle of tranquilness and peace. The answers that I seek for a long time are finally here.” Kneeling down solemnly, Yun Jiang kowtowed twice and left, with head rising and chest lifting.