Chapter 21 Part 20 On the Tao

After a lifetime of tossing, suddenly looking back, Confucius felt that he seemed useless.One's own claims are not accepted, those in power ignore them, and the common people look down on them.Is it your own claim?Or did you not work hard enough?So why exactly?Human affairs are exhausted, is it a destiny that cannot be violated?Therefore, Confucius decided to study "Book of Changes", trying to find the answer from the destiny.That year, Confucius was seventy-one years old.In fact, Confucius has always been interested in "Book of Changes", but he really sat down to study it at the age of seventy-one.

The result of studying the "Book of Changes" is that Confucius greatly enriched and developed the "Book of Changes", because the hexagrams and lines in the "Book of Changes" are very simple, making it difficult for people to understand.Therefore, Confucius further explained the hexagrams and lines of the "Book of Changes" according to his own understanding and ideas, and these explanations are 彖, Xie, Xiang, Shuo Gua, and classical Chinese. Confucius realized the destiny from the "Book of Changes", so Confucius sighed: "Give me a few more years, and I will be able to master the "Book of Changes." Talking about hexagrams and classical Chinese. Reading Yi, Wei compiled three masterpieces. Said: "If you leave me for a few years, if I am in Yi, then I will be gentle.") Confucius has a lot of experience in the study of "Book of Changes", and it seems to be very accurate in application .So Confucius once again sighed: "If I had studied "Book of Changes" when I was fifty years old, I would not have made any major mistakes later." Easy, there is no big mistake.”)

By this time, Confucius had become obsessed with the Mandate of Heaven, so he began to talk about it.All benevolence and virtue have already gone to Nine Heavens and focused on discussing the Tao.By this time, Confucius began to worship Laozi and became a Taoist himself. Confucius talked about Taoism in his later years. The Master said: "When I am ten, I am determined to learn. At thirty, I stand upright. At forty, I am not confused. At fifty, I know the destiny. At sixty, my ears are compliant. At seventy, I follow my heart's desire and do not exceed the rules." Confucius said: "I am determined to learn at the age of fifteen; I have my own career at the age of thirty; I am not confused by external things at the age of forty; I understand the mandate of heaven at the age of fifty; It doesn't feel right; at the age of seventy, you can do whatever you want without breaking the rules."

Although it is about my mental journey from fifteen to seventy, the summary is made after seventy.So, this is what Confucius thought after he was seventy.Confucius' thought has never been about the Mandate of Heaven.In his later years, Confucius began to preach, talking about the destiny.It is mentioned here that you know the destiny at fifty, but it is not true. At most, Confucius had to face the reality when he was fifty years old. Why do you do what you want and do not exceed the rules when you are seventy?Because at this time Confucius no longer cared about the things in front of him, and had no desire for the world.

Confucius is approaching old age, looking back on the past, he is also full of helplessness.In desperation, I had no choice but to talk about destiny. Chinese old people often say when they encounter difficulties: "I'm old, it doesn't matter anymore." People of different ages have different ideas. The Master said: "If you hear the Tao in the morning, you can die in the evening." Confucius said: "If you understand the Tao in the morning, you will be willing to die that night." This passage is often quoted by people.What exactly does Confucius mean by Dao? Do you mean the Confucian way or the Taoist way?Of course it is the way of Taoism.Confucianism is learned to test civil servants, how can you die after learning these things?The way of Taoism is to talk about the law of the movement of heaven and earth. Human beings are transcendent. It makes no difference whether there are human beings in this world, so death is death, and it doesn't matter.

Apart from Tao, what else can make people die generously?This question is indeed worthy of thought-provoking. The Master said: "Scholars who aspire to the Tao, but are ashamed of those who wear bad clothes and bad food, are not enough to discuss." Confucius said: "Scholars who aspire to the Tao, but are ashamed of their poor food and clothing, are not worth discussing with such people." It is also possible that "a scholar aims at Taoism" is a miswriting of "a scholar aims at benevolence". If this is the case, this sentence is not what Confucius said in his later years.In Teacher Kong’s view, no matter what one’s aspirations are, one should not be ashamed of being poor.However, Mr. Kong is still very particular about the taste of food and clothing.

I don't know if Yan Hui would learn from the teacher if he was alive. Nothing to say. The Master said: "Speak without writing, believe but love the ancients, and steal from Lao Peng." Confucius said: "Only explaining but not creating, believing and loving ancient things, I compare myself to Lao Peng in private." Who is Lao Peng?Lao Tzu and Peng Zu?Or maybe Peng Zu.In short, they are all Taoist figures.In his later years, Confucius yearned more and more for the realm of Lao Tzu, Peng Zu and others. He no longer cared about the affairs of the world, but believed in and loved the ancients.

The whole passage is a Taoist. It's not that I'm extremely disappointed in reality, I probably wouldn't be a Taoist. The Master said: "Aim for Tao, base yourself on virtue, base yourself on benevolence, and practice art." Confucius said: "Take Dao as your ambition, take virtue as your basis, take benevolence as your basis, and be proficient in the six arts." Confucius talked about etiquette, music and benevolence all his life, but in the end, he found that to take Dao as his ambition, benevolence and virtue are just auxiliary tools, and Zhou Li is nothing. I don't know if this is Confucius' sublimation or despair.If Yan Hui was still alive, he would have exclaimed, "Wow, didn't I learn for nothing?"

Morality and benevolence, Confucius is talking about morality. For our lofty ideals, we forge ahead bravely. The Master said: "Add me a few years, and it will be easy to learn in fifty years. There is no big mistake." Confucius said: "Lend me a few years, if I study "Yi" at the age of fifty, I will have no major faults." Plus, through holiday, means to borrow.What Confucius meant was that it was too late to study the "Book of Changes". If you start studying at the age of fifty, you will know the destiny, and you won't take so many detours, and you won't waste your youth traveling around the world.

By this time, Confucius was completely talking about the Mandate of Heaven. "Book of Changes" is a good thing, it is said that fortune-telling is very good.However, there are not many real masters, but more liars.If you can't find a reliable person, it's best not to count, because if the count is not good, it will affect your mood. Zihan said profit and fate and benevolence. Confucius seldom talked about interests, but he was in favor of destiny and benevolence. The student who recorded this passage must have entered school very late. Confucius did not talk about profit, which is okay, but Confucius was good at talking about profit in his early years.Talking about fate and benevolence was in Confucius' later years.

There is such a thing as destiny, if you believe it, you have it, but if you don't believe it, you don't have it.The best way is, before you act, you think you are destined to succeed; after you fail, you think failure is destined.The former is to cheer yourself up, and the latter is to comfort yourself.If one thinks that everything is predestined by God and thus does nothing, such a person is really doomed to be poor. The son wants to live in Jiuyi.Or say: "It's ugly, what is it like?" The master said: "A gentleman lives in it, why is there such a thing?" Confucius wanted to move to Jiuyi to live.Someone said: "It's very backward and undeveloped, how can you live there?" Confucius said: "If a gentleman goes to live there, he will not be closed and backward." Confucius wanted to learn from Lao Tzu. When Lao Tzu went to the west, Confucius planned to go to Jiuyi.Even the words "a gentleman lives there, why is there such a thing" sounds like Lao Tzu's tone.At this time, what is the difference between Confucius and Laozi?The difference is: Lao Tzu went, but Confucius did not. Confucius wanted to go far away from home, to wild and unknown places.However, after all, he has not reached the height of Lao Tzu, so he just thinks about it, talks about it, and does not have the courage to act.In other words, Confucianism still retains elements of Confucianism. Jiuyi is not ugly now, and the whole green card is very difficult. The Master said: "If you don't know me, you are the husband!" Zigong said: "Why do you know the son?" The Master said: "Don't blame the sky, don't favor others, and learn to be good. The one who knows me is the sky!" Confucius said: "No one understands me!" Zi Gong said: "How can you say that no one understands you?" Confucius said: "I don't blame heaven or blame others. I only have God!" Confucius did not complain about Heaven, but said that genius understands me.Since God knows you, why didn't he give you a chance to display it?So, is God thinking you can't do it?Still blind.Therefore, in this passage, Confucius is contradicting himself.After all, it is resentful but resigned to fate. In the old age of Confucius, this is likely to be a conversation between the two when Zi Gong came to accompany his teacher after Zi Lu died, so he was full of helplessness. Blaming others, this idiom comes from here. Don't blame God or others, accept fate. Gong Boliao sued Zilu Yu Jisun.Zifu Jing Bo told him, saying: "Master, I am always confused about Gong Boliao, but I can still control all the cities and courts." Fate. Gongbo Liao, what is his fate!" Gong Boliao complained to Jisun about Zilu.Zifu Jingbo told Confucius about this, and said: "Jisun has been deceived by Gongbo Liao. With my power, I can kill Gong Boliao and put his body in the city." Confucius said: " It is determined by the destiny that the Tao can be implemented; it is also determined by the destiny that the Tao cannot be implemented. What can Gong Boliao do with the destiny?" Who is Gong Bo Liao?In the past, he was considered to be a student of Confucius, but judging from various records, he should not be a student of Confucius.Judging from Gong Boliao's name, he should be a member of the Lu King's family or Ji Sun's family, the latter is more likely.This period, naturally, was the period when Zilu was the housekeeper of Jisun's family. Gong Boliao was generally dissatisfied with a certain action of Zilu, so he went to complain.But judging from Zifu Jingbo's words, Gong Boliao is just a member of Jisun's family.At this time, Confucius' position was Da Si Kou. Judging from the time, Confucius did not talk about the destiny at this time.Therefore, there is a problem with the record of this passage.Roughly speaking, although this incident has already happened, the record of this passage should be based on the memories of Confucius in his later years, so there is a saying about the Mandate of Heaven. Zifu Jingbo was a member of the Duke family of the Lu State. He was very active and respected Confucius very much. With his strength, it should be possible to kill Gong Boliao.However, Confucius didn't want to make matters worse. After all, Gongbo Liao was a member of Jisun's clan, and he was not close to each other. One thing more is worse than one thing less, so he declined Zifu Jingbo's kindness. When your ability is insufficient, you must learn to comfort yourself. The Master said: "The one who governs without doing anything is like Shun? What is the husband doing? Just respect yourself and face the south." Confucius said: "Shun is the only one who can govern the world without doing anything. What did he do? He just sat on the throne in the court." Confucius already talked about governance by doing nothing. After tossing for a long time, I found that it is better not to toss.So after traveling around the world, Confucius felt that Lao Tzu was right, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt that Lao Tzu was right. Governance by inaction, if it is governed well, it will be a harmonious society, and if it is not governed, it will be anarchy. The Master said: "People can spread the Tao, but the Tao does not promote people." Confucius said: "People can make the Tao flourish, but it is not the Tao that makes people flourish." Man believes in God, not God pleases man.People should do their best to promote Tao, rather than Tao to serve individuals.Confucius meant that people should put themselves in the right position.Confucianism is different from Taoism. To study Confucianism is to seek rewards and to become a civil servant; but to learn Taoism is to promote Taoism, not to seek rewards.In other words, if studying Confucianism is the pursuit of material rewards, learning Taoism is the pursuit of spiritual self-comfort. Burning incense and worshiping Buddha is not because people love Bodhisattvas, but because they want to ask for Bodhisattvas.However, why should Bodhisattva help you?Therefore, when burning incense and worshiping Buddha, don’t say what I think and what I want when making a wish, but say I wish the Bodhisattva good health, and when the Bodhisattva is happy, he may bless you. The Master said: "A gentleman seeks the way, but not food. Those who till the fields are discouraged; those who study, earn money. The gentleman worries about the way and does not worry about poverty." Confucius said: "A gentleman only seeks to practice the way, not food and clothing. Farming, you often have to go hungry; learning, you can get a salary. A gentleman only worries about not being able to practice the way, not poverty." It seems very noble to say that seeking the way but not living.But the taste in the back is not right, which means that if you learn it well, you don’t have to worry about running out of food.And in the end, he said that he should not worry about poverty, and returned to the noble way.But in the final analysis, what Confucius wants to tell everyone is: study hard, and if you study well, you can become a civil servant.As for Dao, it is just an excuse, otherwise, Confucius should say: Dao is very good, even if you starve to death, you must stick to Dao.As for what later generations said, "starving to death is a minor matter, but injustice is a major matter", obviously this is not what Confucius meant. From this point of view, the realm of Confucius is very different from that of Laozi.In fact, even though Confucius said that "people can spread the Tao, not Tao can promote people", he still thought of "Tao promotes people" in his heart.The goal is lofty, but the feet cannot be separated from reality.Therefore, Confucius couldn't go to Jiuyi, and he couldn't say it without doing it. What else can be done now, and then you will definitely be rich and prosperous?Buy lottery tickets?It doesn't seem to work either. Confucius said: "The way is different, so don't conspire with each other." Confucius said: "The way is different, so we don't plan together." What is Tao?What is it?It doesn't matter, the important thing is that Confucius likes to use this word, this word represents everything.The way is different, that is to say, we can't talk about the same thing, and there is a gap between our realms.So, let's not discuss it. Different road non-phase plan.This idiom comes from here.People who say this usually think that they are smarter than the other party. If the people who "conspire with each other" are all bad people, it means that there is a problem with one's "Tao", and it is time to find someone with a better "Tao" to seek advice. The Master said: "If you don't know fate, you can't think that a gentleman can't do it; if you don't know etiquette, you can't stand up; if you don't know words, you can't know people." Confucius said: "If you don't know the destiny, you can't be a gentleman; if you don't know etiquette, you can't stand in the world; if you don't know how to distinguish others' words, you can't really understand him." It's talking about fate again. If you don't know the destiny, you can't even be regarded as a gentleman.Confucius didn't know the destiny until he was fifty, that is to say, he was not a gentleman before.At this time, Confucius almost denied himself.In the past, etiquette was a panacea that could cure all diseases; now, etiquette is just something to settle down, and the level has dropped too much. When you see this, hurry up and buy this book back.