Tian Zifang (10)

1 Jian Wu and Sun Shu’ao were born in a same village, from the childhood they knew each other but were not close friends.

2 After growing up, Sun Shu’ao went out for making a living. He didn’t go back until retired. Someday, the two enjoyed the cool wind and drank tea under a tree. Jian Wu said to him, “Usually, after retirement, a man who had been a high-ranking official would build luxury house with high fence to prevent from robbing and hurting. You had been the minister for three times. When you were minister, I did not find the change of your old house. When you resigned this time, and came back to enjoy your retired life, I didn’t feel that you manifest any sorrow. At the beginning, I think that you conceal your feeling well. However, after some days, I notice that when we enjoy the cool wind and drink tea here every day, you look easy and leisurely, then I believe that you are truly careless the glory of position and would like sincerely to be a common people. High position, reputation, or hermit has little influence on you. How can you reach the level of this?”

3 Sun Shu’ao made a slight smile. “I am not that outstanding than others. I just think that the operations of most world affairs are beyond our intervention and the change of objective conditions are out of our control.

4 Many objective factors made the King of Chu appointed me as his minister. Other factors occurred later made him appointed others. His mind is beyond my reach. Therefore, my attitude to his decision is: not happy for assignment; not sad for dismissal.

5 Let us consider it in other viewpoint. Between the position of minister and my life, which one is more important? If the position of minister is more important, it has nothing to do with me. There are so many things important in this world, if I am concerned all about them and I intend to intervene in everything, I would certainly fatigue to death.

6 If my life is more important, today my life is still going on and with or without the position has changed nothing about it. What do I worry about?

7 Tell you the truth, what I am concerned about is the subjective conditions—self-nature, Buddha-nature, Qi, calmness and refinement. Every day I practice Yoga carefully and soundly, roaming from the first meditative concentration to the fourth one, and sometimes even to the deeper levels and my spirit tours in the heaven and seas. How can I have time to care for the others’ remark on my position and rank?”

8 The talk between them spread around. Having heard Sun Shu’ao’s view about the fame and success, Confucius signed, “Of all age, the men of perfect practice have been so. They could not be described by even the wisest.

9 It is just like a man who just learns arithmetic doesn’t know how to discuss the mathematics theory with a doctor of mathematics.

10 The belles, such as Xishi and Yang Yuhuan, can’t affect them and change their attitude and conduct. The planed and intrigued beauty trap to them is as vain as attacking the hungry dog with a warm bread. Something is lost but nothing is gained.

11 Mobsters who do evil and gangsters in faction would not bully them because they have no ill-gotten wealth. They are unworthy of being robbed. Why they rob them?

12 They yield neither to persuasion nor to coercion. The fame and interest of objective condition can’t tempt them.

13 In their eyes, there is no difference between the emperors such as Fuxi, Yellow Emperor and the common people such as peddler and underling. In the distance of mood, the emperors who stand high above are inapproachable while the common people are approachable to make friend.

14 Death and birth are of importance to a man. However, the men of perfect practice regard death as a start of another birth. Death and birth shift in phase as four seasons alternated. To them which are unworthy be happy or sad for.

15 They have such a view on death and birth. They certainly don’t care for the position and its rank in government which is considerably less essential. Consequently, they feel relieved for assigning or dismissed.

16 With this bosom, they walk free. Their self-nature, Buddha-nature, Qi, calmness and refinement are smooth to roam around the high mountains and they are not drowned when diving into the bottom of abyss and sea. It doesn’t go against the grain for them to live in the city with the common people, so their lives are free.

17 Their self-nature, Buddha-nature, Qi, calmness and refinement integrate with the nature so they become a part of nature. Like the sunlight, air and water, they bestow generously to the people who need them. Their supply seems to be in a steady stream, never drying.”