Chapter 779: Hearing the Sound of Happiness

Hearing the sound of happiness

May 1st: Hearing the sound of happiness

In the previous chapter, the book said Laozi gave Confucius many teachings about 'Stillness'. Those teachings on Stillness, while not profound, are mainly that the Stillness teaching, when first heard, seems somewhat outdated; in a bustling world, who would calm down?

Laozi painstakingly expounded on 'Stillness' for a long while. What exactly is this 'Stillness' thing?

Upon careful consideration, Stillness is not some material thing; Stillness, it denotes a mental state.

The Stillness Laozi spoke of is to let people, amidst a tumultuous world, maintain inner peace.

People often disregard Laozi's Stillness; for example, nowadays in many public places where loud noise is inappropriate, you can see the character 'Stillness' that Laozi spoke of.

Originally, Laozi's character 'Stillness' may be vague, but does not this vague principle also have enduring historical value?

Of course, the Stillness spoken of by modern people differs in meaning from Laozi's Stillness. But after all, the origin of the character 'Stillness' comes from Laozi. From this alone, it shows that Laozi's contribution to the advancement of Chinese civilization is still present.

Although Laozi's Classic of the Way and Virtue has only over five thousand words; although people cannot understand it. Not understanding it, however, cannot be blamed on Laozi.

During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang took Laozi's Stillness and added some content to it, giving Stillness several more flavors. Like a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, if only that one ingredient, Zhuge Liang thought it too little, not enough flavor, unable to cure the 'illness'; the germs had mutated, very stubborn.

Zhuge Liang said, a Gentleman should be indifferent to fame and fortune; in a bustling world, discard impetuousness, not seek fame and fortune, maintain a tranquil mindset. Achieve Stillness. Only Stillness can achieve the effect of cultivating oneself and nurturing one's nature. Besides Stillness, a Gentleman should be diligent and frugal, avoid extravagance, indulgence, and laziness, observing the world calmly in indifference and tranquility.

Therefore, Zhuge Liang also admonished people: 'Stillness cultivates the self, frugality nurtures virtue. Without indifference, one cannot clarify one's ambition; without tranquility, one cannot reach far.' Since these words were spoken by a notable person, 'indifferent to clarify ambition' has become a life goal for some.

Excessive Stillness leads to longing for Movement; if life is too still, it would lose meaning, right? Just like water, if it does not flow, it becomes stagnant water. And stagnant water will become foul. So Bing Xin said: ————

A small river

Flowing along plain and uneventfully,

Passing only over endless flat sands———

Free,

Silent,

It has no sound of happiness.

Why is that?

This principle is very simple———

Because it is too still,

no ripples

no waves

thus no beauty

Another small river

Winding and twisting as it flows,

Passing only over high mountains and deep valleys———

Perilous,

Undulating,

Rising and falling,

In short,

All along it is uneven,

It also has no sound of happiness.

This is strange,

Then what exactly can have the sound of happiness?

The poet again said———

There is also another small river

Flowing over high mountains and deep valleys

And also flowing over endless flat sands

In Stillness there is Movement

In Movement there is Stillness

In winding there is flatness

In flatness there is winding

Such a small river

Only then does it have the sound of happiness.

…………………………….