Xu Wugui (13)

1 In the world, there are many kinds of wretches. Some of them, when they hear edification from their teacher, become very delighted, as if they have obtained the truth. They don’t know that in some time, there actually has nothing in the universe. The truth that they have heard doesn’t exist in that time. Any edification, if it doesn’t exist through all the time and space, we said that it is definitely not the truth.

2 One kind of them, they are contented with their present situation, just like the flea lives in the body of a pig. It perches between the manes of the pig. The flea thinks that it has place to live where is cool in the summer and warm in the winter; there has enough food to eat, and free from the disturbance of predator. It is such a wonderful place, to the flea it is its palace. However, the flea doesn’t expect that there might be one day when the chef put the pig on fierce fire, and then the flea becomes the mortuary objects of pig barbecue.

3 Those people like the flea, are contented with the present situation. They actually live in a limited space that they choose by themselves but they don’t know how small it is.

4 There is another kind of people, who is like Shun. Mutton doesn’t invite ants to eat it. Ants come because they follow the smell of mutton. Shun was invited to work because he himself had excellent talent so that he was admired and supported. In order to escape the following people, Shun had ever moved his house for three times. When he moved to Deng, tens of thousands of people still followed him, not being able to throw them off.

5 Knowing Shun’s talent, Yao asked him to manage a wild place. Yao said that he wished that the people following Shun could benefit from Shun’s leadership. At that time, Shun actually was aged, with bad hearing and sight. However, people didn’t let him back home to enjoy life with his family. Those people like Shun are called hump-toil clan.

6 Therefore, a man of perfect practice doesn’t like to be followed by a lot of adherents. He thinks it is infelicitous to stay among people; when among people, practice becomes very difficulty.

7 Because of that, if you watch carefully, you will notice that the man of perfect practice, usually he has no intimate friend. Of course, he wouldn’t intend to repel others, he just holds virtue tightly, and lives amiably with others. We name this kind of person the ‘genuine man’.

8 The ‘genuine man’ takes things as they come, and adapt himself to various environments. If he were an ant, he would do as an employable ant, throwing off personal idea and consciousness, and taking the job being assigned to him.

9 If he were a fish, he would roam independently and leisurely in the sea. He would never find a partner to spit foam to each other, so that to maintain its life along the coast.

10 If he were a sheep, he would like being herded among the flock of sheep in various places with water and grass, not going ahead nor being lagged.

11 Ant, fish and sheep accept the guideline of virtue in earnest. Few of them makes out a lot of dream, purpose, ambition, and trying to have strategy and tricks to accomplish them as the human usually do, which, as a result, incur endless pain and annoy.

12 Therefore, genuine man’s sight, hearing and mind are very pure and simple. What he sees, listens and feels is what he believes. He doesn’t talk about something in a roundabout way and exaggerate something, nor misinterpret factors intently for the purpose of personal interest. A man following this rule, we are sure that he is to has a peaceful life not only in the smooth situation but also in any adverse circumstances.

13 In general, a man of perfect practice lives under the guideline of virtue instead of personal will, knowledge and idea.

14 In the eyes of a man of perfect practice, virtue is the most important part of lives; with it you live, without it you die. However, after virtue infusing into our body, most of us miserably neglect its existence. Neglecting the super wise virtue already there, we develop artificial science, technology, knowledge and experience to guide our life instead. In consequence, the world goes into an awful mess.

15 For most of us, virtue in our body exists in name only. Virtue would regain freedom only as the flesh body returns to the dust and departs.