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Lao Tse was sitting motionless, leaning his back against a tree. Birds sat close to him without fear and were pecking at rice from his dish. The white donkey was nibbling the lush grass nearby…
Lao Tse was sitting and listening to the Great Silence.
Sometimes this Silence became filled with the words of Huang Di.
He talked about Tao, Which is cognized with difficulty by people who are immersed in worldly concerns:
“They do not know that everything here is created by the Will of Tao and exists for It.
“If you speak to these people about Tao, they don’t believe you, because they believe only in what they see with their eyes and touch with their hands. However, their eyes cannot see Tao yet, and their hands cannot touch It, since the eyes of the soul have to be opened and the arms of the spiritual heart have to be obtained in order to see and touch Tao!
“Only if one is looking for the meaning of one’s own and universal existence, then Tao and Te reveal Themselves to this person. Such a soul then starts walking the Path, and gradually — as it makes spiritual efforts — the Great Invisible becomes visible, the Great Imperceptible becomes perceptible, the inaudible words become audible, and the Great Knowledge opens itself for understanding!
“The Appearances of the Immortals become evident only for the developed spiritual heart!
“There are numerous possible roads in life, but only one leads to the worthy end of the evolution of the individual soul. This is the Path of cognition of Tao with the purpose of submerging into It, becoming One with It, and then acting from It!”
“Why haven’t I been able to recall anything for such a long time? I’ve been searching! I’ve been looking for the purpose of my life and of the lives of all other creatures… I’ve been looking for the causes of the injustices and evils that happen to people… I’ve been looking for that which, as it seemed to me, could bring wisdom and peace and fill the internal emptiness with boundless joy… I haven’t succeeded, although I kept believing that there was the meaning for me to live here…”
“All this was necessary for you, since it helped you learn to understand other people, who live only in the midst of the material things and endless bustle of events and desires. Even if some of these people want to find a way out, they don’t know where and how to search it. Having experienced their problems in your own life, you can now help those who are seeking the way to Me.”
“Yes, I’ve been looking for You all my life! I reread so many treatises but haven’t found that one which would give me the opportunity to find You!”
“The spiritual Path starts in the spiritual heart of a seeker. Love that is born there stimulates the spiritual search and growth and allows one to see and choose in life the reference points of Goodness, Wisdom, and Truth!
“I come to those who search and walk!
“I help those who aspire to the ethical purity!
“One should avoid causing harm not only to an ant walking its way. Killing animals to eat their bodies is also causing harm. Surely, for people there is a lot of other — really beneficial — food! For example, by growing and harvesting fruits and seeds that are intended for nourishment, one does not violate the harmony, hurt anybody, or sow death!
“If someone kills animals or at least contributes to this, that person becomes similar to a wild predatory beast. Yet what is normal for the inner nature of a predator is inappropriate for a human being! Those who live in this way descend to the lower stages of the Evolution, since they can’t perceive the subtlety and purity of Tao and Te!
“A large number of people honor their ancestors, but the fact is that more simple beings were also their ancestors. Each person grew — as a soul — in the bodies of plants and animals once! So it would be good for people to honor all positive manifestations of life, taking care of them and avoiding causing them unnecessary harm! Let this be the respect for ants, fish, birds, and all other peaceful incarnate beings!
“Tao was the One That gave all them the opportunity to live on the Earth for the sake of the development of the soul and the Evolution!
“The meaning of the existence of everything in the Under-Heavenly World consists in that each soul gets an opportunity to grow and to perfect itself during an incarnate life. Having achieved the Perfection, this human soul flows into Tao, enriching It with itself. Therefore, Tao is directly interested in the situation when nothing hinders the development of every soul.
“The one who wants to progress on the spiritual Path should choose for one’s life, being guided by the kindness of the heart, only those things that are right from the standpoint of Tao!
“For example, by following the principles of pure nutrition, let this person strengthen both the body and the soul, obtaining the clarity of the consciousness that stops being obscured by coarse energies associated with pain and death!
“If that person sees something wrong in others, let he or she avoid interaction with it!
“Thus the purity of life, calm, and harmony of emotions are attained.
“There is a very simple rule for living in harmony with Tao: do good to others! Then the good in you and in the whole world will grow!
“In this way, the Treasure that doesn’t disappear with the death of the body accumulates gradually in such a person.
“In this way, the soul gets accustomed to living in love.
“In this way, peace is multiplied in nations.
“Those who accumulate virtues accumulate the real Wealth!
“Those who do evil destroy the supports of the ladder that could help them to ascend ‘from the earth to the Heaven’!
“However, the ethical perfection of a soul can’t be achieved immediately.
“To abstain from the evil and contribute to the good is the simplest beginning that is appropriate for every person. It is easy to learn these rules: don’t fan the fire of quarrel, forget offences, forgive, take care of others, doing for them the best you can…
“The ethical beauty makes one valuable for Tao and pleasant for other people!”
“Huang Di! What You are saying is really important!”
“Yes, and you will write a book about this!”
“How? I never wrote any books! I only kept the manuscripts of others!”
“I will help you! I will suggest ideas to you and formulate phrases! Just don’t forget to listen to Me and write down the most important!
“You yourself should never insist that people act on My advice. Let everyone, having heard the truth, follow only his or her own understanding!
“You can’t prevent errors of the fools! You can’t stop the pride of the arrogant people! You can’t replace with your knowledge the ‘knowledge’ of the idlers and loafers, who merely speculate about the Path!
“Only the reasonable people, having cognized the Truth, want to follow it! Yet you will not find many travelling companions even among them…
“Despite everything, your book about Tao and Te will be the source of wisdom for thousands of years! Everyone who is ready will be able to hear My instructions as you hear them now! This is your great service for Tao!
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