The stone steps of the high platform stretch upward. There are still dense bamboo forests on both sides of the stone steps, but strangely there are no fallen leaves on the stone steps.
Su Mo walked up the stone steps slowly, as if he was in a place with extremely mysterious Taoism.
Occasionally, a breeze blows by, blowing Su Mo's white hair and swaying slightly in the wind.
Finally, on one side of the stone steps, Su Mo saw a white-haired old man sitting cross-legged on a stone.
The white-haired old man's face was covered with wrinkles, and he looked like a fairy under a kind smile.
Seeing Su Mo approaching, the white-haired old man smiled and waved to Su Mo, motioning for Su Mo to come forward.
"Junior Su Mo, I have met senior." Su Mo walked up to the old man very respectfully.
"Sit." The white-haired old man smiled and pointed to the ground in front of him. Su Mo nodded and sat down casually.
The white-haired old man smiled and nodded, his enlightened eyes seeming to be able to discern secrets.
"Confucian disciple?" the old man asked with a smile.
"The younger generation entered Taoism through Confucianism and can be regarded as a disciple of Confucianism, but there seems to be no Confucianism in this world..." Su Mo nodded and replied.
The old man smiled and nodded slowly, then asked Su Mo: "What do you think is the difference between Confucianism and Taoism?"
Su Mo thought for a while and replied slowly: "Confucianism is 'benevolence' and 'propriety'. It must be involved in the world. What it seeks is to use all things to do something."
"Tao is 'natural' and must be born. What we seek is to follow the flow of all things."
To put it simply, Confucianism is based on benevolence and etiquette, and focuses on integrating into the world of mortals. When encountering difficulties, you will use various available tools to achieve your goals. Therefore, the specialness of Confucianism and Taoism is also here.
Confucian and Taoist exercises draw on the spiritual power of heaven and earth to construct rules to achieve their effects.
Tao, on the other hand, is based on nature. It emphasizes being born out of the world and integrating with nature. When things happen, let nature take its course and respond to all changes by doing nothing.
The white-haired old man smiled and nodded after hearing what Su Mo said, and slowly said, "What you said is right, but actually it's not entirely right."
"Senior, please give me some advice!" Su Mo asked.
The white-haired old man smiled and said: "If there is a river in front of you, and there are three people, Buddha, Taoism, and Confucianism on the river bank, and they all want to cross the river, what do you think... what will they do?"
"The Buddha said: This bank is the other bank, and all dharmas are empty. There is no difference between this bank and the other bank, so the Buddha...can't cross the river." Su Mo thought of Master Huikong, although Master Huikong said that he was miserable for the world and wanted to cross himself. Although he was born in the world of mortals, he would not force himself to do anything.
Instead, he just followed him and entered the world of mortals with him.
The white-haired old man smiled and nodded, signaling Su Mo to continue.
"When a Confucian is in trouble, he will borrow all things for his own use. Therefore, Confucianism will build ships and bridges and try every means to cross the river."
"Tao teaches that Tao is natural and governs by doing nothing. Therefore, Tao will wait and wait until there is a boat to cross the river before crossing the river together."
The white-haired old man shook his head and said slowly: "Your understanding of Tao is narrow. 'Doing nothing' does not mean 'doing nothing'. 'Let nature take its course' does not mean 'waiting for nature'."
Su Mo was confused and looked at the white-haired old man waiting for his explanation.
"The Tao of nature talks about the connection between me and all things. All things have laws, and so do people. Therefore... when the 'Tao' wants to cross the river, it will regard the river water as a part of itself. So the Tao will go down the river and swim across. The river and the road are no different from me..."
"All things are in conflict with each other, but I am transcendent. Do you understand?"
boom!
A thunder seemed to flash in Su Mo's mind, and mist rose in his eyes.
Confucianism relies on all things to cross the river, and Tao relies on itself to cross the river.
What is Tao?
The Tao is nature, and it is also the mind!
Buddhism says 'no self', Confucianism says 'should be me', and Taoism says 'only me'.
What is Tao?
Su Mo fell into confusion while thinking, and for a moment he was in a trance.
A wisp of breeze blew by, blowing down two dead bamboo leaves and falling into Su Mo's line of sight.
Su Mo watched blankly as the two dead bamboo leaves fell to the ground. He raised his hand to pick it up, but he hesitated when his outstretched hand was about to touch the dead leaves.
This dead leaf experiences birth, growth, and withering... This is the way of nature.
The first buds are for new life, the green leaves are for growth, and the fallen leaves are for death. The thousands of accumulated leaves are like the natural destination of all living things.
You can't do it, you don't have to do it...it's because of the Tao and nature.
Just like human life... birth, old age and death are natural destinations.
But why is this feeling so familiar?
Su Mo raised his head and looked at the bamboo tree above his head. It was full of dark green sword bamboo leaves... Where did the fallen leaves come from in this warm spring time?
Suddenly, Su Mo remembered Luo Yu when he was discussing Taoism with Master Huikong in the ruined temple, and Su Mo suddenly fell into a daze.
Why are the fallen leaves that symbolize the Tao so similar to the falling rain discussed that day?
The Buddha said...falling rain is human life, accumulated rain becomes a sea of suffering for all living beings, and freedom from the sea of suffering is the way to Buddhism.
The Tao says... fallen leaves are human life, accumulated leaves are the destination of all sentient beings, and returning to dust is the Tao.
What about Confucianism?
Confucianism says... Enter the mortal world with 'benevolence and courtesy', the mortal world is human life, and what you gain from all living beings give back to all living beings...
After all...what is the Tao.
Su Mo came to his senses in a daze and found that the white-haired old man had disappeared, as if he had never appeared before.
Only the wind blows the bamboo leaves, making a rustling sound.
Su Mo raised his steps in confusion and continued to walk up the stone steps. The end of the stone steps was on the top of the mountain not far away. Su Mo could see the end, but he couldn't go up.
The top of the mountain that seems to be right in front of you seems to be infinitely far away.
Su Mo walked for a long time, and when he looked up, he seemed to be still in the same place.
Su Mo looked at the bamboo forests on both sides that were rustling in the wind, and suddenly remembered Master Huikong's words, "The wind blows and the flags move. Is it the wind that's moving, or the flags that are moving?"
"It is the heart of a benevolent person..." Su Mo suddenly realized, "All laws are illusory."
"This step is also a human step. What you take is the Tao step and what you understand is life."
A dazzling divine light flashed in Su Mo's eyes, and a divine talisman appeared on his forehead.
There is clearly a supreme aura above this talisman, but it also carries a hint of mortal aura, as well as a strange and mysterious aura.
"I'm almost dead...Satoru what are these things for?"
"I think that I will spend the last part of my life. As for me at this moment..."
Su Mo smiled calmly.
"Since I am the Tao..."
Su Mo's eyes were bright, and although there was a hint of sadness, he was no longer confused.
"I want to go home with all my strength, but I dare to tell all the people not to raise their heads..."
Su Mo took one step forward and reached the top of the mountain in an instant.
He looked back down the mountain and smiled freely.
There is still lingering sadness and reluctance in that smile...
