lack a day without joy.
One of the highest reaches of ancient Chinese philosophy is the belief that heaven and man are as one. All the sentient beings of the universe and the men and affairs of society are interrelated in a state of mutual influence that constitutes one great common structure of life. Man is part of nature and thus must be influenced by nature. When the weather is bad, beasts and birds are frightened and fearful and the heart of man easily afflicted by sorrow. In clement weather, trees and grass burgeon and the heart of man rejoices. The Daodejing emphasizes, “The Way is of and in the Natural World.” Nature is not only the embodiment of the Way, the supreme principle of man and society; it is also mankind’s best teacher and source of law. In nature, when the wind howls and the rain pours, all creation’s creatures suffer in desolation and decay but when nature’s wind is gentle and the sun is warm, the vitality of creation reasserts itself. Thus, we can see that heaven and earth in peace and harmony can raise life; that a mood of joy can nurture character. We should live in the world with optimism and pass each day in happiness and joy.
7. Strong and delicate, sweet and spicy are not true flavors, true flavor is insipid; the complete man is neither miraculous nor extraordinary, he is ordinary.
Laozi said in the Daodejing: “True music is without sound, ultimate form lacks shape and morality remains hidden and unsung.” The Warring States period philosopher and thinker Zhuangzi (c.369–286 BC) wrote: “The complete man is without self, spirits are without achievement and sages are without fame.” The uttermost achievement of self-cultivation is to “reach the extreme of glory and return to the ordinary.” Those who reach a high degree of self-cultivation have already surpassed and overcome the need to manifest their own merits and realize that, to the contrary, it is the humdrum and ordinary that matter and that within the ordinary there is a great and enduring strength.
8. Heaven and earth exist silent and immoveable yet the pulse of life never ceases; the sun and moon rush headlong through night and day yet their light has shone unchanged for an eternity. Hence the gentleman must think actively and constructively in his leisure but maintain the flavor of leisure in his activity.
The Book of Changes, the well-known classic of Chinese philosophy, says: “One dark one light, one male one female, yin and yang, that is the Way.” Consequently, there is nothing in heaven and on earth that is not governed by yin and yang and there is no change that is not governed by the four seasons. Heaven and earth and the universe were born of a combination of yin and yang. In the four seasons, movement and stillness follow each other in endless change. The gentleman of wisdom and intelligence may achieve a profound understanding of the principles of change in human affairs from the laws of the motion of heaven and earth, thereby achieving a grasp of the principle of the appropriate relationship between movement and stillness. Thus in affairs one may prepare by taking precautions ahead of time and by judging the need for tension or relaxation. One should not over-relax one’s vigilance when at leisure but prepare for lightning from a clear sky and guard against the unforeseen. When occupied and busy one should adopt an air of calmness and face events without confusion and in a composed frame of mind.
9. Seated alone in self-contemplation deep in the calm of night, one starts to feel the emergence of a state of Nirvana and the retreat of illusion. At this point one may experience a sense of existing in a microcosm that is utterly without distraction; thereafter it becomes difficult to feel both reality and yet rid oneself of illusion, and one experiences a great sense of shame and of the need to mend one’s ways.
The sages of Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism all paid particular attention to the practice of self-reflection and emphasized the examination and awareness of one’s heart and mind. When one escapes the clamor of the mundane world of dust and sits alone in meditation, it is possible to achieve a clarity of mind that is pure one moment and turbid the next, that is calm one moment but entangled by desire the next. This unceasing interchange between the sincerity of the true mind and a state of illusion is the greatest enemy of meditation and self-examination. Self-examination requires one to be sufficiently aware of one’s base desires, to overcome their interference with the true mind, and to anchor one’s mind in a state of tranquility and freedom. Buddhism teaches us that one may be a Buddha in one thought and a demon in the next.
10. Benevolence may breed harm, thus in joy one should always look back. Defeat may perchance bring success, thus one should never abandon hope.
The philosopher Confucius (551–479 BC) of the Spring and Autumn period, who founded the Confucian school of thought, advocated the doctrine of the Middle Way in which “too far” was reckoned to be as bad as “not enough.” To overdo things may lead one in precisely the opposite direction to the one intended and thus turn good to bad. When you are at the height of power and achievement, it is difficult to reach a perfect conclusion; when you have been showered with generosity and favor, then disaster may follow on its heels. Thus, when filled with self-satisfaction, one should be clearheaded and not exhaust one’s advantages for the sake of wealth and office. Equally, one should not so easily give up in despair the moment one encounters a setback. Keep going; success is round the corner.
11. Those who live on pigweed and spinach are for the most part men of jade-like purity. Those who dress in silk and satin and dine on delicacies are for the most part servile flatterers. Hence, hardship fosters strength of spirit while luxury saps moral character.
Someone who is at peace with himself can sleep well under a roof of straw and find the taste of vegetable roots delicious—this is known as “eat vegetable roots and everything is achievable.” Those who can exist on a diet of plain tea and simple food and calmly face a life of honest poverty are naturally of upright character. Those who hanker after fine clothes and rich food are easily driven by desire and will bow and scrape for a trifle. To be content with one’s lot calms the mind and to be free of desires elevates the character.
12. In life one should broaden the field of one’s heart so that none should have grounds for grievance; after death one’s bounty should flow so that none should be deficient in remembrance.
To deal with people as one should, one needs a heart of tolerance and thought for others in everything. One should not be mean minded and haggle over every ounce. Though there may be a limit to physical life, the life of the spirit has a long-lasting influence. In this limited physical life one should perform good deeds and accumulate a store of bounty. In this way, even though the body dies and decays, the spirit lives on in the remembrance, thoughts, and praise of others.
13. Where the road is narrow, leave space for others; when food is tasty, share it with others. This is the best way of achieving peace and happiness in the world.
Man is the sum of his social connections. The multitude of connections that binds each person to the other constructs the space in which each of us exists and lives. The best way of living a life that is stable in both body and mind is to not always have self at the forefront of one’s mind but to think of others at all times and places. The giving of roses leaves one with scented hands. To help others is an achievement for self as well. The ability to share with others enables us to experience the very peaks of happiness and joy in harmony with others.
14. It takes no great effort to conduct oneself properly, merely rid oneself of passion and thus acquire virtuous status; erudition requires no especial addition of knowledge, reduce one’s attachment to material acquisition and one may become a sage.
In society today, individual worth is judged
