Chapter 1

From IKTWiki

第一章 : 天命之謂性

天命之謂性, 率性之謂道, 修道之謂教。道也者, 不可須臾離也; 可離, 非道也。是故,君子戒愼乎其所不暏, 恐懼乎其所不聞。莫見乎隠, 莫顯乎微, 故君子愼其獨也。

喜怒哀樂之未發, 謂之中; 發而皆中節, 謂之和。中也者, 天下之大本也; 和也者, 天下之達道也。致中和,天地位焉,萬物育焉。

The mandate of heaven confers upon True Self¹. Adhered by² True Self is called Tao³. Cultivation⁴ of Tao is through education⁵. A cultivator cannot separate from Tao at any instant. If separated, it cannot be Tao. Therefore, a person of noble character and integrity is vigilant when not seen, and apprehensive when not heard. Nothing is more visible than the hidden and nothing is more apparent than the subtle; therefore, a person of integrity is cautious when alone.

While joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure have yet risen, it is the Mean. When rise, the emotion acts accordingly to the state of Harmony. The Mean of the universe is Nature and the Harmony is the universal path which all should achieve. When the Mean and Harmony coexist, Heaven and Earth are at the proper position and all sentient beings are nourished.

Explanation: This is a brief explanation of the terms. Please note that these terms are briefly explained to my knowledge from years of listening to Tao at temples.

1. Other terms used for True Self (性) include Buddha Nature, Nature, and Root. True Self, given by Heaven, is the hidden potency or element within the purest depths of the mind and present in all sentient beings. True Self is pure, indestructible, does not waver, and contains everything. But because of entertainment and materials for which the mind strives for, True Self is forgotten and casted aside. If True Self constantly takes control of your actions, then you are considered a living Buddha.
   
   This True Self does not differentiate what is yours or mine, up or down, beauty or ugly, or fat or thin. We often use our True Self but do not notice it. For example when you are tired, you rest. When you are hungry, you eat. When you are thirsty, you drink. However, the True Self is concealed by me, myself, and I, which equals ego. Now, when you are tired, you have to rest on a deluxe bed. When you are hungry, you have to eat a lavish meal. When you are thirsty, you have to drink a certain brand. Note: I am not telling people to sleep on a curve, eat leaves, or drink tap water. This is just an example on how myself stands in front of True Self and dictates our actions. Most of the action done contains the concept of, “Will this benefit me? How much will I get? What can I get out of this? Or even, why doesn’t everything go my way?”
   
   Relinquishing your Ego from its post causes upheaval and internal conflict; however, through cultivation your True Self will shine and everyone will notice the new You.
   
   
2. Adhered by (率) is to follow your True Self given by Heaven. When you constantly cling to True Self, you are walking the path of Tao. A simple exercise is to focus your attention on the Mystical Gate for 5-10 minutes a day, kind of like meditation. But most of us constantly meditate on Myself, feeding this ego. A question to ponder: Everyone strives to fulfill the needs of I, has anyone thought of striving for your True Self?
   
   
3. Tao (道), simply translated, means the path or the way.

   “The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name.” – Tao De Jing Chapter 1

   Tao is intangible, unfathomable, and unspeakable. Yet, Tao is everywhere; from the colossal universe to a bacteria; from a clean white cloth to the dirty manure. Tao is the cycle of life and of four seasons. Tao can be observed and felt when the sun rises from the East and set to the West. Tao will never change. This Tao is our Nature.
   
   

4. Cultivation of Tao (修道) is to constantly abide by our True Self. Cultivation acts as a reminder not to deviate from Tao. A question that I’ve been thinking of is, “If our True Self is pure and contains everything, then cultivating will not make our True Self more pure or gain more. If we ignore cultivation, our True Self will not disappear because it is forever lasting and still contains everything. So, why cultivate?” (I’ve posted this question under discussion and hope everyone has some input).
   
   Not everyone, including me, contributes 50% of their time on cultivation of Tao. Most of us cultivate 100% on “myself”, the ego. A simple concept is to simultaneously focus our energy and time on True Self and Myself (聖凡雙修). We can cultivate and strive for a better life concurrently. The time spent depends on the person such as 75/25, 50/50, 25/75, to 100% assisting with the propagation of Tao; however, countless will say, “Wait until I have the time, wait until I have the money, wait until I buy a house, wait until I have a stable job, wait until I am older because right now is the time to work and cultivation is for old people. Wait until I have taken care of my duties, then I’ll consider.” Wait until then. How do you know how long you will live? A plain notion where everyone knows is the word love, kindness, respect, and humble. Do you not practice these words while working on your daily chores? So, once you understand cultivation of Tao, you do it. You do not wait.
   
   
5. Education (教) means to acquire knowledge - not from school or accredited institutions but from daily life such as at work, at home, at gatherings, at any place, at anywhere, and at any time. Moreover, education also means to apply what you’ve learned. For example, through cultivation you’ve learned a new concept, idea, or principles then you apply it in your daily life. So, by applying the knowledge and understanding of Tao to our daily livings, we are cultivating Tao.

More to Come...