Mencius said, when you are strained, take care of your self ; when you attain great height and has spare capacity, help nurture the world.

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玉不琢，不成器。 人不學，不知義。苦難磨練人，智慧提升人。
Jade stays raw without polish, man remains ignorant without learning. Sufferings refine us, wisdom uplifts us.

Dear readers,

After 26 months of discussion and exploration, we have finally completed our online discussion on the core teachings of the three great classics in Chinese Civilization.  

With the focus on personal and spiritual cultivation, we first learnt about the transcendental reality and the way towards it from Laozi’s Daodejing.  After understanding our self, and going beyond it, we then learnt the importance of fulfilling our personal, family and social responsibility in the world through practical advises from Confucius’s Analects.  Finally, after mastering the world and the reality beyond it,  we learnt from the Buddhist Diamond Sutra that all teachings and phenomena, no matter how extraordinary and spectacular, are temporary like dreams and bubble and therefore are not to be attached.

If we can gain a throughout understanding of these three classics, and integrate them into our daily life, then a solid foundation is laid on the roadway of personal and spiritual cultivation.  Hopefully these discussions could serve as an opening door and overall guidance for further studies and practice.

This concludes this series of our online classes.  As Laozi said, “excessive speeches exhaust our reason, it’s better to stay centered.” The foundation understanding of cultivation has been laid and it is time for practice and integration into our life.  If you have further question on the topics mentioned, you may contact me for advice or further discussion.  Thank you for your interest and support all along.

Best wishes to you in your life, studies, and practices.    

Regards,

Li Siming

March 2014

Are we alike? Are we different? Despite of our racial, cultural differences, we are all human.  Confucius said the same.  He said that we are all alike at the source, yet our habits, believes and choices make us apart.

17.1 Men’s nature are alike

子曰、性相近也、習相遠也。

The Master said, ‘By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.’

* * *

Great founders of major religions all reported that we come from the same source.  It is in this ultimate source that we are all born and close to each others.  Yet, through our evolution, habits, believes, and choices, we spin off from the source and declare ourselves to be different.

Ordinary people establish their identity via separation, whereas spiritual aspirants establish their identity through unity.   By study, practice and mastery, we transcend our habitual identification with the separate, align with the source, and unit with the whole.

We live in a turbulent world.  External events come and go, internal reactions rise and fall.  While we could have a fairly stable way to, or expectation on how to live our lives, often time the reality falls short of our expectations.  How did Confucius survived this changing world?

* * *

8.4 Selecting place to abode, mode of living

危邦不入、亂邦 不居、天下有道則見、無道則隱。

Such an one will not enter a tottering State, nor dwell in a disorganized one. When right principles of government prevail in the kingdom, he will show himself; when they are prostrated, he will keep concealed.

5.4 Different actings in different times

子曰、甯武子、邦有道、則知、邦無道、則愚、其知可及也、其愚不可及也。

The Master said, ‘When good order prevailed in his country, Ning Wu [Ning Wu] acted the part of a wise man. When his country was in disorder, he acted the part of a stupid man. Others may equal his wisdom, but they cannot equal his stupidity.’

* * *

For beginners, Confucius’s advise is to choose wisely of place to live and work.  If we choose an environment that is supportive to our life, we are supported, and therefore can grow and serve effectively.

With study and practice, our inner strength and wisdom grows.  We become increasing aligned to truth and power, and more able to function in increasingly complex and turbulent situations.  We share what we have to offer when conditions are right (which appears to be wise), and blend in with people without losing our inner alignment in other situations (which might appears stupid).

The former require inner wisdom and right conditions, while the latter require unconditional acceptance, wisdom, and compassion to all.  Confucius found the latter to be more difficult, as not only does it requires perfection of one’s inner world, it asks for the full acceptance of the world as it is, external and internal, beyond one’s self.

Therefore of the Chinese saying “大智若愚”: the wise appears fool.  Lower level of wisdom appears wise; higher level of wisdom appears fool.  Are you wise?  Are you fool?