return to one’s roots
Taoism teaches that the purpose of Taoism is to restore life to its original state through one’s own practice and cultivation, which Taoism calls “returning to simplicity and truth”.
Taoism believes that the original nature of man is pure and innocent, close to the nature of “Tao”. That is why people often say that children are innocent. However, as the age of the growth of thought and desire, coupled with the different influences of the social environment and the temptation of love, sex and property, constantly consume the original life of the original true, but also blinded the original pure and simple nature, and if the further desire to endless, will seriously damage their own heart and life health, and from now on the opposite way.
The study of Taoism is to return the heart and life to a state of purity and innocence. Here, the word “plain” refers to the true nature, and by extension to the pristine state of “Tao”, which refers to the original nature of the true and permanent Tao. However, in order to return to simplicity, it is necessary to embrace simplicity, and the Tao Te Ching says: “Seeing the vegetative and embracing simplicity, being less selfish and less desirous”.
The Tao Te Ching says, “To hold the Tao and keep the truth, to nourish the true essence of life, so that it will not be tempted by material desires, and will not be disturbed by selfish thoughts and impulses. The most important thing here is to minimize selfishness and desire. To be simple and honest, to act in accordance with public morality, and to live a frugal life, so that one’s nature will return to a state of simplicity and be in harmony with the Tao. And in the process of life cultivation, on the basis of a good foundation of the heart, the life energy that has been dissipated should be repaired through cultivation to make the body healthy.
Then, through the internal refining work of refining essence and transforming qi, refining qi and transforming god, and refining god and returning to emptiness, the life will return to the state of the true Tao and become immortal and attain the Tao.
On the path of returning to simplicity and truthfulness, the practice of many great masters of high truthfulness has served as an example for future generations of Taoist practitioners. At the end of the Han Dynasty, Wei Boyang, who was “holding on to simplicity, not happy with power and glory”, concentrated on cultivation. Ge Hong, who did not follow the changes of the world, was frank and truthful in his words, eliminated mockery, and remained silent all the time, was known as the man of simplicity by the people of the state. And put forward should be “the whole of the park, keep the real source”.
Jin Jikang good Tao, also to “lowly noble body, aiming to keep the simple, the whole truth” for the purpose of cultivation. Today, why can’t those who study Taoism further develop the doctrine of keeping simple and true, leaving a simple and true in future generations.
