The Machine of Self-Assuredness, Nothing But Vulgar Stupidity and Base Schemes
The eagerness for self-glorification and cunning are merely self-inflicted misfortunes.
01
True wisdom is not deliberate showmanship and cleverness, but rather a great-minded simplicity that conceals one's brilliance, exhibiting humility, dealing with matters calmly, exercising benevolence, and achieving genuine human fulfillment.
Let goodness flourish in your life, let sincerity play a role in your life, abandon those self-assured cunning schemes, and life will be blessed.
However, many people in life often use their cleverness as a capital for boasting, always believing that their intelligence will bring them corresponding benefits, but they don't realize that the more one flaunts, the more chaotic life becomes. Besides the inner unrest, there is more of the torment of 'revenge for revenge'.
As the Taoist classic says: 'Excessive wrongdoing inevitably leads to ruin.' A person who habitually employs insidious means will eventually bring about his own demise.
How many people have been ruined because of their own cleverness? A county magistrate named Liu Zai, the people reported that a golden hairpin had been stolen, there were only two maids present, after interrogation, both of them denied stealing the golden hairpin.
Liu Zai gave each of the two maids a reed, saying, 'This reed has been treated with a magic formula, whoever stole the golden hairpin will grow taller tomorrow.'
The next day, Liu Zai ordered people to bring the two reeds over, one of which was the same length as before, while the other was slightly shorter, it turned out that the maid who stole the golden hairpin was afraid that her reed would grow, and she deliberately trimmed some off, revealing the truth.
The deliberate cunning in life will not necessarily lead to what one desires, but will only make things worse. The best way to solve these problems is to manage things with the wisdom of Taoism, to govern oneself with sincerity, and to avoid misfortune.
says: Big straight is like having some curves, the most ingenious person seems to be a little clumsy, the most eloquent person seems to be less eloquent.
As the saying goes: 'Wood stands tall in the forest, but the wind will always blow it down.' Excessive cleverness and cunning will inevitably bring disaster, and 'awkwardness' is to deal with cunning schemes with seemingly clumsy ways, freeing us from crooked and deviant behaviors, and leading us to simplicity and nature. This is the core of Taoist 'non-action' philosophy.
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Non-action does not mean inaction, but rather a water-like softness that shapes a posture of indifference to the world, providing effective protection in the seemingly calm and quiet wisdom, avoiding the dangers caused by one's brilliance and cleverness.
Plots, strange habits, and peculiar abilities will not bring much benefit, even if there is benefit, it is only temporary. From a long-term perspective, strange habits and plots will only bring harm to oneself, only plain virtue and behavior, and a great-minded humility, can maintain naturalness and bring peace.
Tang Dynasty's Xue Wan Che married Princess Dan Yang, Tang Taizong said to others: 'Prince Xue has some rough habits.'
The princess was very sad and didn't eat with the prince for several months, feeling that the prince was not worthy of her, when Tang Taizong heard this, he laughed heartily.
He specifically called the prince and princess to drink and eat, and during the meal, Tang Taizong suggested to compete with the prince in a small game, with a knife as the prize. When Tang Taizong competed, he deliberately lost the knife to Xue Wan Che.
After the wine party, the princess was very happy, feeling that she had gained face, and Prince Xue hadn't yet mounted his horse, the princess pulled Prince Xue back with her, and the two people's relationship returned to harmony.
In this matter, Tang Taizong played the role of 'sacrificing himself' to make things easy, sacrificing his face to achieve the goal, saving a lot of mediating efforts, and using his sincerity to promote the harmony between the two people. This is a spirit of sacrificing the small for the benefit of the big, and a wisdom that surpasses cunning.
Life's true intelligence is not to strive for benefits in every word and deed, but rather a sense of generosity and composure, able to see through the falsehood of worldly cunning, and to act with sincerity, which is true wisdom.
Written by: National Studies Library
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