Are there any standards to follow in Taoist cultivation?
paulpeng
Is there a fixed standard to follow in the practice of cultivation?
Taoism takes the Tao as its fundamental belief, the principle of conduct, and the means of enlightening the world. Regardless of the era, cultivators have always regarded the character "Tao" as the genuine and sole standard in their daily lives, whether sitting or lying down. To follow the wise words of cultivation passed down by the patriarchs of past generations is an important matter for beginners in learning Taoism. Taoism takes the conversion to the Three Treasures of the Tao, scriptures, and masters as the first precept for novice cultivators, aiming to show that only by practicing and studying the scriptures of the patriarchs can one comprehend the profound mysteries of the Great Tao.
Although the significance of the Three Treasures of the Tao, scriptures, and masters is self-evident, beginners who have just entered the Taoist path often lack a clear sense of discrimination and don't understand which scriptures and methods are more suitable for them to study. Therefore, they always tend to have the ambitious mindset of seeking too much, being too extensive, and aiming for comprehensiveness. Once this mindset arises, it is easy to get lost in the obsession with the literal words. As a result, not only will they miss the intended meaning in the scriptures, but they will also develop a discriminatory mindset of distinguishing between right and wrong. In severe cases, people may be confused about what is right and wrong and practice blindly, ultimately causing irreparable harm to their own cultivation. The history of Taoism is long and contains extremely extensive content, which is its advantage. However, if one cannot find a suitable path within this treasure trove, it would be a waste of the sincere teachings of the immortals and sages of past generations. From the process of the rise and succession of different schools in the history of Taoism, it is also evident that there are numerous and diverse understandings of the concept of the Tao and the methods derived from cultivation. There are quite a number of people who have attained the Tao and become immortals by following a certain method. However, another problem arises simultaneously: there are often discrepancies between the mental cultivation methods passed down by different patriarchs in different eras. So, which patriarch's teachings should people actually follow?
Whether it is the distinction made by worldly people about the right and wrong of the patriarchs or the selection of the supreme scriptures by cultivators, these two are actually problems of the same nature but different names. That is, is there a unique and fixed standard to follow in the matter of cultivation? Regarding whether there is a standard for cultivation, it can be further understood from two aspects: First, are there fixed standard rules in the specific process of cultivation? What is the correct way to do and practice? Second, in the religious community, people often refer to someone as an "old cultivator" or a person with good cultivation. When "cultivation" is regarded as a noun and used to define the level of a person's cultivation, what kind of standard and realm must be reached to be called "cultivation"? Although the above two questions have very clear directions, it is difficult to give specific answers. Taoism refers to the process of sentient beings comprehending the Great Tao as cultivation. To a large extent, it is teaching people how to view the inevitable events in life such as birth, aging, illness, and death, as well as joys, sorrows, and hardships with a normal state of mind. However, because people have different life experiences and understandings of life, it is often difficult to use a certain fixed standard as the sole method of cultivation. Based on this, throughout the thousands of years of Taoist history, cultivators in different regions and eras have often comprehended different methods as ways to prove the Tao.
The Great Tao is unchanging. Although there are many different methods of cultivation, as long as one can approach the eternal Great Tao through a certain method, then this method is worthy of being emulated and practiced. Cultivation does not focus on what kind of method to use, because any method is just a technique. The technique itself does not have a distinction between right and wrong; it only emphasizes whether it is suitable for the cultivator himself. Just as the famous Russian writer Leo Tolstoy said in "Anna Karenina": "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." If one must find a reference standard, then borrowing Tolstoy's words, it means that cultivation does not focus on thousands of ways to liberate oneself from an unhappy life but rather on the perception of common "happiness". One of the great meanings of Taoism's salvation of the world is to enable everyone to find the place of universal happiness, which is the ideal world of the Tao that Taoism pursues. It is worth mentioning that during the process of the spread of Laozi's "Tao Te Ching" to the West, Tolstoy was one of its firm believers. He once commented on Laozi, saying, "Conforming to the laws of nature is wisdom, strength, and life." Reaching the state of nature is not only the pursuit of a happy life by the writer but also the only standard for cultivators to select methods and techniques. Simply comparing different cultivation methods does not have practical significance. Only by comparing the methods with oneself and choosing a suitable cultivation path based on each person's different circumstances is a choice made based on nature. It is not about having many methods but about choosing one to cultivate in peace and quiet. Attaining a peaceful and quiet mind is the general guideline for cultivation. The peaceful and quiet mind obtained from the specific process of cultivation is a transcendent state that is reflected from the inside out and can be regarded as a symbol of having cultivation. Referring to a certain Taoist as an "old cultivator" in the religious community is not only a respectful title but also an admiration for his attainment of the realm of peace and quiet without contention through a lifetime of cultivation. A cultivator is one who is single-minded. His heart is not moved by delusional thoughts and can preserve the true and sole spirituality within. Only by guarding one's own state of mind can one return to one's original nature, which is what is meant by "following the laws of nature". The Taoist Patriarch said, "The sky attains oneness and becomes clear; the earth attains oneness and becomes tranquil; the spirit attains oneness and becomes spiritual." Choose a method, cultivate with a single heart, and obtain a lifetime of peace and tranquility. The most taboo thing in cultivation is being greedy for too many things without mastering any. If one only dabbles in various methods without achieving any positive results and quickly switches to others, such a person's state of mind is not up to standard, and it is also difficult for him to seek proof of the various supreme immortal paths. Cultivation is both a description of the process of devoting one's life to the Tao and a general term for obtaining the fruits of the Tao throughout one's life.
Although the process and the fruits of the Tao that each person experiences are different, they all take peace and quiet as the heart, non-action as the application, and nature as the foundation. Once one grasps the essence of these three, one can be said to have understood the subtleties of cultivation. The aim of cultivation is to have no distractions in the heart. Seeking standards is also a form of distraction. Eliminate distractions and the obsessive mindset. When this is the case, one will no longer be overly demanding about external criteria.
Taoism takes the Tao as its fundamental belief, the principle of conduct, and the means of enlightening the world. Regardless of the era, cultivators have always regarded the character "Tao" as the genuine and sole standard in their daily lives, whether sitting or lying down. To follow the wise words of cultivation passed down by the patriarchs of past generations is an important matter for beginners in learning Taoism. Taoism takes the conversion to the Three Treasures of the Tao, scriptures, and masters as the first precept for novice cultivators, aiming to show that only by practicing and studying the scriptures of the patriarchs can one comprehend the profound mysteries of the Great Tao.
Although the significance of the Three Treasures of the Tao, scriptures, and masters is self-evident, beginners who have just entered the Taoist path often lack a clear sense of discrimination and don't understand which scriptures and methods are more suitable for them to study. Therefore, they always tend to have the ambitious mindset of seeking too much, being too extensive, and aiming for comprehensiveness. Once this mindset arises, it is easy to get lost in the obsession with the literal words. As a result, not only will they miss the intended meaning in the scriptures, but they will also develop a discriminatory mindset of distinguishing between right and wrong. In severe cases, people may be confused about what is right and wrong and practice blindly, ultimately causing irreparable harm to their own cultivation. The history of Taoism is long and contains extremely extensive content, which is its advantage. However, if one cannot find a suitable path within this treasure trove, it would be a waste of the sincere teachings of the immortals and sages of past generations. From the process of the rise and succession of different schools in the history of Taoism, it is also evident that there are numerous and diverse understandings of the concept of the Tao and the methods derived from cultivation. There are quite a number of people who have attained the Tao and become immortals by following a certain method. However, another problem arises simultaneously: there are often discrepancies between the mental cultivation methods passed down by different patriarchs in different eras. So, which patriarch's teachings should people actually follow?
Whether it is the distinction made by worldly people about the right and wrong of the patriarchs or the selection of the supreme scriptures by cultivators, these two are actually problems of the same nature but different names. That is, is there a unique and fixed standard to follow in the matter of cultivation? Regarding whether there is a standard for cultivation, it can be further understood from two aspects: First, are there fixed standard rules in the specific process of cultivation? What is the correct way to do and practice? Second, in the religious community, people often refer to someone as an "old cultivator" or a person with good cultivation. When "cultivation" is regarded as a noun and used to define the level of a person's cultivation, what kind of standard and realm must be reached to be called "cultivation"? Although the above two questions have very clear directions, it is difficult to give specific answers. Taoism refers to the process of sentient beings comprehending the Great Tao as cultivation. To a large extent, it is teaching people how to view the inevitable events in life such as birth, aging, illness, and death, as well as joys, sorrows, and hardships with a normal state of mind. However, because people have different life experiences and understandings of life, it is often difficult to use a certain fixed standard as the sole method of cultivation. Based on this, throughout the thousands of years of Taoist history, cultivators in different regions and eras have often comprehended different methods as ways to prove the Tao.
The Great Tao is unchanging. Although there are many different methods of cultivation, as long as one can approach the eternal Great Tao through a certain method, then this method is worthy of being emulated and practiced. Cultivation does not focus on what kind of method to use, because any method is just a technique. The technique itself does not have a distinction between right and wrong; it only emphasizes whether it is suitable for the cultivator himself. Just as the famous Russian writer Leo Tolstoy said in "Anna Karenina": "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." If one must find a reference standard, then borrowing Tolstoy's words, it means that cultivation does not focus on thousands of ways to liberate oneself from an unhappy life but rather on the perception of common "happiness". One of the great meanings of Taoism's salvation of the world is to enable everyone to find the place of universal happiness, which is the ideal world of the Tao that Taoism pursues. It is worth mentioning that during the process of the spread of Laozi's "Tao Te Ching" to the West, Tolstoy was one of its firm believers. He once commented on Laozi, saying, "Conforming to the laws of nature is wisdom, strength, and life." Reaching the state of nature is not only the pursuit of a happy life by the writer but also the only standard for cultivators to select methods and techniques. Simply comparing different cultivation methods does not have practical significance. Only by comparing the methods with oneself and choosing a suitable cultivation path based on each person's different circumstances is a choice made based on nature. It is not about having many methods but about choosing one to cultivate in peace and quiet. Attaining a peaceful and quiet mind is the general guideline for cultivation. The peaceful and quiet mind obtained from the specific process of cultivation is a transcendent state that is reflected from the inside out and can be regarded as a symbol of having cultivation. Referring to a certain Taoist as an "old cultivator" in the religious community is not only a respectful title but also an admiration for his attainment of the realm of peace and quiet without contention through a lifetime of cultivation. A cultivator is one who is single-minded. His heart is not moved by delusional thoughts and can preserve the true and sole spirituality within. Only by guarding one's own state of mind can one return to one's original nature, which is what is meant by "following the laws of nature". The Taoist Patriarch said, "The sky attains oneness and becomes clear; the earth attains oneness and becomes tranquil; the spirit attains oneness and becomes spiritual." Choose a method, cultivate with a single heart, and obtain a lifetime of peace and tranquility. The most taboo thing in cultivation is being greedy for too many things without mastering any. If one only dabbles in various methods without achieving any positive results and quickly switches to others, such a person's state of mind is not up to standard, and it is also difficult for him to seek proof of the various supreme immortal paths. Cultivation is both a description of the process of devoting one's life to the Tao and a general term for obtaining the fruits of the Tao throughout one's life.
Although the process and the fruits of the Tao that each person experiences are different, they all take peace and quiet as the heart, non-action as the application, and nature as the foundation. Once one grasps the essence of these three, one can be said to have understood the subtleties of cultivation. The aim of cultivation is to have no distractions in the heart. Seeking standards is also a form of distraction. Eliminate distractions and the obsessive mindset. When this is the case, one will no longer be overly demanding about external criteria.
